Male and Female Were Designed and Redeemed to Be Spiritually Equal in Every Way

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

The Three Persons of the Godhead are Coequal

The Bible depicts God as a plurality of three persons of equal rank, existing in mutual submission. This plurality in the Godhead first gets seen when “God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Gen. 1:26). The Bible speaks of the equality of the Son, “Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Php. 2:5-6). And, of the Spirit’s deity, the Bible says, our “body is the temple of the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 6:19).

Male and Female Depict God’s Image

When “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Gen. 1:27), the male and female were both made in the image of God. This image does not reflect the physical attributes of gender (though it’s seen in both gender roles), for God is Spirit. The female was equal to the male, depicting the image of God equally. And in their marriage union, they reflected the image of God in this way too. Consequently, when “God said unto them . . . subdue . . . and have dominion” (Gen. 1:28) in calling them to rule, the male and female depicted the image of perfect unity between persons of equal rank.

Equality Lost and Restored

It was only after the Fall that the male began to rule over the female when God pronounced to the woman, “thy husband . . . he shall rule over thee.” Subsequently, any aberration from the equality seen in the male and the female reflection of the image of God depicts the consequences of the Fall (Gen. 3:16), not the original image that reflects the nature of God (Gen. 1:27-28), nor the redemption in Christ back to the design (Gal. 3:28). Male rule does not reflect the image of God, except where Jesus relinquished His equality for our salvation. But, just as all authority was given back to Him (Matt. 28:18), women in Christ have had the equality they forfeited returned in Him (Gal. 3:28). For He came to redeem us from the curse of a tarnished image of God where the joy of ruling together as equals, in mutual submission, was lost.

[BrotherTony]

Still trying aren't you, "Doc?" I thought this subject matter had been established by now. 

[Salyan]

Of course they're spiritually equal. Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." However, one can be equal and still assigned different tasks, as God has clearly done. (See 1 Corinthians 12)

We used to have an emoticon for beating a dead horse.... I miss that one. 
This topic has been discussed at length recently, and no less than two threads have been locked within the last week due to your insistence on advancing an unbiblical perspective. I think we should take a break from this subject for a little while, eh?

[Dr. Robert S. Morley]

54 minutes ago, Salyan said:

Of course they're spiritually equal. Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." However, one can be equal and still assigned different tasks, as God has clearly done. (See 1 Corinthians 12)

We used to have an emoticon for beating a dead horse.... I miss that one. 
This topic has been discussed at length recently, and no less than two threads have been locked within the last week due to your insistence on advancing an unbiblical perspective. I think we should take a break from this subject for a little while, eh?

This has to do with male and female identity and the image of God. Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit are equal in rank. You're not completely equal of you don't have equal rank. A player is not equal to the captain. The co-pilot is not equal to the pilot. A soldier is not equal to an officer.

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Dr. Robert S. Morley
Added "male and"

[Salyan]

EXCUSE me? A moderator locked this topic, you do not unlock it. Bad form. 
And I gotta say, for someone who so touts female leadership, you're not very good at submitting to it. 

[HappyChristian]

I find it interesting that when folks tout that male headship as God instituted in Genesis was done away with when Christ died because, you know, new creation and all that, NT verses are either ignored or twisted beyond recognition of their very clear words.

God makes it very clear in 1 Cor. 11 that man needs woman and woman needs man. He also makes it clear that the head of the woman is man. Uh-oh! Rank patriarchy right there in scripture! Keep in mind that Corinthians was written to a VERY carnal church. I think it's fair to say that CARNAL folks need to be reminded that God put man as the head...AFTER the resurrection. Speaking TO the church. Hmmm...

Then we float over to Ephesians 5.  Verse 21 has been used to teach that men are to submit to women, and that is for the  church and the home. Egregious error there. Many marriages have been  ruined by the teaching that this means the husband is not the head. But fair  warning: it is NOT addressing the marriage relationship, but rather the church. And it is NOT teaching that women can be pastors or teachers of men. Anyone who says it is, well, is lying...and God says that lying lips are an abomination to Him.

Gal. 5:13 could be considered a parallel thought to Eph. 5:21.  "...by love serve one another."  That is to the whole of Christendom, specifically our local churches...and it would trickle down to our homes as well. It is not a carte blanche to throw away God's design for the church and the home.   Which is men in leadership...which does not demean women in the least bit.

Eph. 5:22 then goes on to specifics, beginning to deal with the home. God makes it very clear that wives are to be subject to their OWN husbands (not every man just because he's male). And then verse 23: "For the HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE..." There you have it, in God's own words. 

Now, let's be clear...the "caveman" idea of a husband is not what this is teaching (nor is it teaching that women have no  brains nor rights to say something). The next part talks about a comparison: hubs are heads of wives as Christ is the head of the church...and should be willing to die for their wives, as Christ did for His church. I guarantee if a man is leading his wife in the way Christ leads the church he is doing it in a loving way.

I have to be personal here and say that my husband fits that to a "T." Yes, he is the head and his decision is final (like it or not, anti-patriarchs). BUT! There are times his decisions are made based on my suggestions/thoughts. There are times when they are not. There are times he asks my opinion (and times he doesn't, but I give it anyway lol). IOW, he respects me enough to WANT to hear what I have to say. He values my words just as he values me. He serves me, and I serve him. That is how love works. 

God has laid it down that man is the head of the home. If one wants to "pull rank" and say that makes man/woman unequal, go for it. Who cares? Our standing BEFORE GOD is equal. And in the home, husband and wife are a team - with a captain and co-captain. Man sets the direction of the home (a smart man does so in agreement with his wife - before marriage), and as the co-captain, the wife helps steer the ship.

This whole anti-patriarchy garbage flows out of the women's rights movement. It is tainted with the stench of pride and rebellion, and God hates it. God has laid down His guidelines. We puny humans have NO RIGHT to go against them. But so many do. Because they think they are smarter than God, and smarter than anyone who disagrees with them. In actual fact, God says, "A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself." And let's remember God says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and DESPERATELY WICKED..."

Teachings that go against God's clear word are foolishness, void of understanding...and desperately wicked.

Don't fall prey to the foolishness.

 

Oh, and btw, JESUS WAS SUBJECT TO THE FATHER...but nowhere does it state that the Father was subject to the Son.