Women in Leadership -- Page 2

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Creation: Before the Fall

When God created man and woman, they were created equal but different. Both were made in his image, both were given the charge to rule the earth and to fill it. There was no sense of hierarchy in the creation story. Genesis describes this account by saying,

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 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." Gen 1:26-28.

God blessed them, commanded them to fill the earth and rule it. And after God surveyed all his creation, he declared that it was very good. The man and the woman were co-regents of the earth.

In Genesis 2, the creation of Adam and Eve is explained in more detail. Clearly Adam was created first. God made a clear assessment of the situation. He said,

"It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Gen 2:18.

We sometimes look at this phrase and think that the woman then, was made as some lowly assistant to man; after all, usually for us, a "helper" is lower in technical skill and ability. One often thinks of a "helper" as a glorified "go-for." That is not the meaning of the word helper in the Bible. The most common person referred to as "helper" is God himself. A helper is more often seen as someone who comes to bail out someone else who is in trouble and is inadequate. Adam was unable to fulfill the task God gave him. He could not fill the earth and rule it. He needed help. So God provided Eve as his partner, companion, and co-ruler.

Eve was then created by God to help Adam. Together they were given the task to fill the earth and rule over it. Eve was taken from Adam's side to show the partnership of the two. The Scriptures say,

"This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she 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. Gen 2:23-24.

There was an incompleteness of Adam without Eve. Eve was made of the very same substance as Adam, being taken from his very side. This should forever cut away any thinking that Eve was made from "inferior stuff." The two would cleave together to become one again. There is a unity, oneness and equality that they have together.

When one looks at Gen 1 & 2 in the creation story, the man and woman are co-rulers of the earth. There is no sense of hierarchy in the creation. Both are equal in rule. They are both relating to God directly and to one another. In operating together, they would need to take a stance of mutual love and submission to each other to fulfill their jobs. Clearly Eve will bear the children and Adam will need to provide for her during times of vulnerability or weakness. But no one task is seen as better than another. Nor is there any sense of top-down rule. A diagram of the relationship in the beginning would look like that below.

Eternity With God

I would like to jump ahead to look at what relationships will look like in eternity. When asked about husband and wife relationships in heaven, Jesus said, "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven." Matt 22:30-31. There will be no hierarchy based on gender.

Jesus said in Rev 2:26, "To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations..." Rev 22:5 says we will reign with Jesus in eternity. There is no distinction between males and females. Both males and females will rule with Jesus in eternity. On what basis will we be given authority in heaven?

In Matt 25 Jesus tells the parable about the talents. His message is that those who are faithful now will be given greater responsibility and authority in the kingdom. He said, "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matt 25:21. Note that the reward will have nothing to do with gender. It has everything to do with faithfulness here on earth. Jesus also proclaimed that many who are now first will be last and many who are last will be first. I believe many overlooked women who served Him faithfully here on earth will be promoted to high positions in heaven well above many men who were not so faithful.

Each of us will be judged and rewarded according to what we did while on earth. Maleness and femaleness will be of no account. God has no favorites. As Paul says in Gal 3:26-29 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

What is intriguing is that in God's kingdom, women are now called sons. The reason being is that now they have, in God's kingdom, all the rights and privileges as sons. They can inherit from the Father, they can serve as priests, there are no distinctions. What was denied them after the Fall has been restored by God. There is no difference between Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. We are all one in Christ.

When you look at the span of time we see that women were created to co-rule with men in the beginning. Despite the Fall and all the consequences, we find that women will co-rule with men in eternity. God's original intent, which He declared as quot;good," will be fully restored in eternity. That should give all of us pause to think about what God would intend then, between the Fall and Jesus' Second Coming.

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