Are Women Inferior to Men?

I remember when I was in the fourth grade, our neighbours had just bought a dirt bike and I wanted to take a turn riding it.  My older brother got to go for a ride but the neighbours didn't let me because I was a girl.  Dirt bikes were for boys.  Dolls were for girls.  That very night I prayed that I would wake up the next morning and be a boy.  When I woke up I checked and was disappointed to find that I was still a girl.  This incident ticked me off – I felt an overwhelming sense inequality, it was unfair that being a girl meant that that I couldn't ride a dirt bike.   

Growing up, I was taught that women were inferior beings.  Now no one actually said these words but I just knew it because of how we were treated in the church.  Women were not allowed to have leadership roles in church; they were not allowed to preach or teach and they could only lead women’s groups or teach the children in Sunday school.  I saw incredible women – doctors, lawyers and businesswomen who were unable to use their gifts in the church because they were women.  This bothered me because this wasn't what I saw in from Jesus when I read the Gospels. 

Jesus went out of His way to challenge the cultural bias in Jewish society.  In His day women were considered property, they were viewed as ignorant, evil and repulsively immoral.  They even segregated women from men in the synagogue.  They were not allowed to be taught from the Scriptures and were only valued for their subservient role as wives and mothers.  Basically women were inferior servants and their place was in the field, at the well and in the kitchen.  If they ever left their houses they were to be veiled and were not allowed to even talk to men in public or even testify in a court of law.  It was in this context that Jesus came preaching to and accepting women.

We forget how dramatic it was for Jesus to talk to the Samaritan woman at the well because we forget that it was inappropriate for a man to speak to a woman in public!  The Gospels are full of Christ’s interaction with women.  Consider Mary of Bethany who sat at His feet listening to His teaching.  Women weren't considered worthy of learning but Jesus sat and taught her along with the men.  It is clear that Christ had come to call the women too, not just the men, to be His disciples.  Recall the sinful woman who anointed Jesus feet with perfume.  How about the woman who was caught in adultery?  The Jews were going to stone her but Christ showed them how the oppression of women grieved the Father’s heart.  Then there was the bleeding woman who Jesus healed, and Mary Magdalene – who was the first one to see the resurrected Christ. 

First of all I want to say that I am not denying that there are difference between men and women.  I am not calling women to become radical feminists.  In fact, radical feminism has actually hurt women because it has been rooted in pride, rebellion, getting even and using force and control to dominate men – none of which are fruits of the Spirit.  I am also not asking women to revolt against a chauvinistic husband.  1 Peter 3 encourages women to use exemplary character to win over their husbands.  Radical feminism teaches otherwise and is not biblical.  My desire is for you to act in a godly way in your marriage and to fulfill your purpose in His Kingdom.    

Genesis 1-4

So now let’s go to our Bible passage for today.  Many people read the first few chapters of Genesis and use them to support the notion that women are inferior to men.   This is not true!  God did not create Eve to be Adam’s slave girl, running around after him and doing whatever he wished.  God created Eve in complete equality with Adam.  She had full access to God and all the Kingdom benefits.  She was given dominion over the earth and the creatures, right along with Adam.  God does not look at women as inferior.  He created women with unique callings, just like men.  For many women this will include being a wife and mother.  I personally, am thankful that I am a woman and that I could birth two beautiful children into the world.  Delivering those babies is and will continue to be my greatest accomplishment in life.  I can’t believe my body actually did that.  I love supporting and loving my husband and caring for my family.  Family is extremely important to me and I take my role as mother and wife very seriously and you should too! 

Genesis 2:18  The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” (NIV)

We often misread the Biblical account of creation in which Adam is provided with a “helper” (Gen. 2:18).  Many different versions use many different words here but the Hebrew word is “ezer” which is translated help meet, companion or counterpart.  The word denotes intimacy and partnership and not that man is to dictate and that woman doesn't get a say or can’t make a decision or choice.  God had already said it wasn't good for man to be alone (v. 18) acknowledging that Adam was in an inferior position without a companion.  The ideal marriage is a man and a woman helping each other!  .  But it goes both ways.  

I have seen many marriages where the husband controls and dominates the wife (male making himself superior to female) but unfortunately I have seen many MORE marriages where the wife actually controls and manipulates the husband (female making herself superior to male).  Both are sin and not God’s ideal for marriage.  A good question to ask yourself when looking at your own marriage is this – who makes all the decisions?  Decisions should be made together.  Now I’m not talking about deciding together which brand of toilet paper to buy or what brand of flour to use but I am talking about deciding together how money is spent, what to do on a Sunday afternoon, where to go on vacation or what activities you are involved in,etc.  No one is to be passive in marriage and no one is to dominate the other!  

Genesis 1:28 ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

After God created Eve she was to be a co-laborer with Adam.  She was not to be Adam’s servant, they were to work together!  They were told to rule over creation together (Gen. 1:28).  The command to rule was not directed only to Adam but Eve was also commissioned with divine authority.  The call to exercise godly leadership and righteous authority is programmed into the spiritual DNA of all women.  Yet so many Christians today believe that God does not offer women a place of spiritual influence.  So many women sit around at home waiting for their husbands to take “headship” when God expects them to lead – at least then there is some spiritual authority in the home and the children will get biblical training!  Yet this type of leadership isn't controlling or demanding, often it’s leading by example and it is non-threatening.  It means that you lead by getting up early and having your devotions, you lead by volunteering at church, you lead by going to prayer summits or having devotions with the kids.  This type of leadership is often seen and not heard, although God may ask you to vocalize things from time to time. 

Genesis 2:23-24 The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for he was taken out of man. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

Here we find Adam acknowledging that they are made of the same stuff.  He had just named all the animals and found no match for himself.  In these verses we find Adam recognizing that Eve is his co-equal, a perfect and desirable mate.  The passage then states that the two become one flesh (Gen. 2:24).  This union is the most important biblical theme relating to marriage in scripture.  The uniqueness of holy matrimony is that a man and a woman can unite in physical and spiritual harmony that supersedes that which can be achieved in any other human relationship. 

Marriage is not about who is in control or who serves whom.  It is about becoming one.  It’s about BOTH people giving up control and serving each other. 

So let’s get personal.  If your husband is controlling and dominating, what are you to do about it?  The first step is to recognize it!  Then you should set good, biblical boundaries (the boundaries course is a great place to learn about this).  Finally, pray and ask the Lord to show you the specifics for your situation, remembering that your godly character is critical in the home. 

For those of you who struggle being controlling wives, you too need to recognize this as sin.  Then you need to start serving your husband – serve, serve, serve!  Without expecting him to serve you back.  And, shut your mouths and stop nagging him and telling him what to do all the time.  Let him make a few decisions – what restaurant to go to, what movie to rent, etc.  Start small and then pray that God would free you of the bondage that you are in. 

Ladies, these truths have the ability to transform your marriage!  But it also has the ability to transform the church.  This means that women are not second class citizens in God’s Kingdom.  It means that God has intended you to take your full place in His Kingdom.  I believe that women are an under-utilized resource in the Kingdom.  

Today, God is calling you to rise up.  He is looking for women who are prophets, teachers, apostles, shepherds and evangelists to work in His Kingdom.  God wants women who are not content to simply work in the nursery (nothing against this but the church has lost its power by limiting women’s gifts to domestic functions).   It is time for women to the importance of being workers in the Kingdom and rise up and step into their full potential as daughters of the King. 

This doesn't mean that you scrap all your domestic duties in the home and neglect your husband and children.  We are all called to be servants and the primary place we serve is in the home (this goes for men too).  But women can also evangelize, prophecy, preach, disciple and lead.  They can be prayer ministers bringing emotional healing to others; they can heal the sick, cast out demons, feed the poor and transform nations for Christ.  Yes, you too can be part of this!  Don’t believe the lie that you can’t work in God’s Kingdom, don’t believe the lie that you are “stuck” at home raising a family.  Don’t wait until your kids are grown up, model this to them NOW! 

You are an important part of His Kingdom as a minister.  Maybe you never knew that God is calling you to more than being good wife and mother.  Maybe you didn't realize that He has a role for you to play in the evangelization of the world.  I’m here to tell you God desires to empower you for ministry in your home and beyond!