Divide and conquer! This is one of Satan’s most effective tactics in spiritual warfare. The obvious differences between men and women, as we perceive them, provide Satan with some easy targets. The hurt, bitterness, competition, conflict and anger existing between male and female in the body of Christ, is sad testimony to the effectiveness of Satan’s deception.
Satan’s cunning use (or misuse) of the words of God is a good example. Many of us, who willingly follow his example, need to be aware that using God’s words for selfish purposes is SIN and will lead to destruction. If quoted scripture provokes contention, contention was the intention. Most probably, all of god’s words on the subject were not used, just enough to express a selfish point-of-view. God’s words have His nature, loving kindness. If brothers and sisters would find love, it must be found by first seeking the KINGDOM OF GOD and His Righteousness. Trying to prove we are right is never pleasing to God. Only when we, as Jesus, are willing to give up everything, doctrine, desire, position, yes, even life itself, will His love be expressed through us.
The best place to start, is at the beginning, specifically, Genesis 1:26. God created man in the image of the full God-head (Father, Son & Holy Spirit). Male and female were created in the image of God. We are both in the image of God. It really says that, doesn’t it?
In Genesis 2:7, God formed man of the dust of the earth. Man was created in Chap. One but was not given an earthly form until later. It appears, since man was formed of the dust of the earth, that the man we can see is only for our time here on earth. Then God saw it was not a good thing for man to be alone so He took an earthly part of Adam and made that part into Eve, equally earthly and dusty. God then said, “… they shall become one flesh.”
In the third chapter of Genesis, the serpent (Satan) spoke to the woman (one half of man) and deceived her. She did not ask her other half (Adam), if what God said was true, she made her decision (she had her rights) to eat of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil on her own. In doing so, she denied God’s proclamation that they were one flesh. (Her husband, though, knew firsthand what God said and knowingly chose to follow suit.) Later, while meting out punishment to Eve for her role in the Sin, God declared that her husband was to rule over her. He did not say that she was an inferior being but that she was to come under her husband’s authority and protection. Apparently because she ignored God’s declaration of their oneness in the flesh and had acted on her own. The declaration was God’s, not man’s’. When the ramifications of her selfish choice are considered, we have to marvel at God’s love in providing woman with protection and comfort rather than with the condemnation we might have chosen to apply.
With man’s authority over woman so clearly established by God, it is nothing less than astounding that men would command women to come under their authority. We need to recognize that all authority comes from God, which relieves men of the obligation to enforce it. When a woman is disobedient to her husband while he is fulfilling God’s admonition to love her and to treat her as the weaker vessel, she can anticipate meeting God in her situation, as He will surely bring loving correction her way. When that correction does not come, her husband may be operating in his own authority rather than love. Should he be functioning as his wife’s benefactor, rather than her servant, he would do well to read the words of our Savior in Luke 22:26. Jesus made it very clear, the chief is the one who serves. Only among the Gentiles (unbelievers) are those in authority called Benefactors, who lord it over others. He specifically forbids believers from using that kind of authority over other believers. His “more perfect way” is love. The current trend, on both sides, is claiming rights or, “knowing what is right.” If any of us can claim to understand how our Lord’s rights were involved in His death upon the cross or how that was right, then let him lecture the rest of us on the superiority of RIGHT(S) over LOVE.
Man’s authority over woman according to Gen. 3:16 has never been revoked, but those sharing that revelation face daily challenges while walking it out. This is resolved as are all other things; trusting our Lord Jesus Christ, living within us, to provide the power once we have made the choice to LOVE above all else. If we find ourselves insisting on a set of rules for the “other” people, perhaps our hearts are set upon the flesh rather than the spirit. If so, it would be wise to surrender to Jesus as Lord of our lives.