Christine Caine is the founder of A21, an international anti-human trafficking organization, and Propel, a woman’s organization dedicated to helping women realize their purpose, passion and potential. Women are denigrated as often in modern society as they were in ancient cultures. God loves women. The history of our world — all periods of history, all continents, all cultural traditions — is rampant with damage, oppression, diminishment, contempt, and hostility aimed at women. Throughout the tapestry of the Old and New Testaments, we see a steady thread of God’s intentional choice and good plan to include and honor women. Even Oprah admits that is what caused her to stop believing in the biblical God. know what it means. In every case, in every century, women have been targets. Excerpted with permission from Unashamed: Drop The Baggage, Pick Up Your Freedom, Fulfill Your Destiny by Christine Caine, copyright Christine Caine. Know what it says. Come share with us on our blog! Draw closer to him, and your soul will go from lonely to connected, from overwhelmed to level and led, from aimless to commissioned and unique. It is primarily a theological book, intended to reveal who God is and what His plan is for mankind. Instead, I want to turn our hearts to application and transformation, because anyone can get their feathers ruffled. The author of seven books, her latest release is Unexpected: Leave Fear Behind, Move Forward in Faith, Embrace the Adventure. Quite the opposite, in fact. Women, do you feel “less than” in the world, in business, or in your family? There is no hint of hierarchy or gender roles until after the fall in Genesis 3, which comes as a result of the brokenness that enters the relationship between humanity and God, and between the woman and the man. Women were created as co-image bearers of God. I am a strong, capable, confident woman. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. She is passionate about equipping busy women to experience God daily. Jesus didn’t take the bait. — John 8:11. The Bible’s high view of women stands matchless among sacred texts and historical documents, yet many think the Bible is to blame for most, if not all, mistreatment of women in our modern world. He and my kids do their own laundry. We must start from the foundational viewpoint that the Bible is sufficient and authoritative, and when we do not understand all the pieces of the biblical puzzle, we need to remember the goodness of God and perfection of His Word and keep seeking to understand. What does the Bible say about men and women and husbands and wives and their value and their roles? Discipline your children, and they will give you peace; they will bring you … It is His revelation to us. The Bible doesn’t leave any doubt about what these men were attempting to do. What a profound thought: God’s image is only fully reflected in both man and woman. Jesus didn’t stand until the crowd had dispersed. Injustice! We need to understand this: just because abuse and inequities are recorded in the Bible, doesn’t mean it gets God’s stamp of moral approval. With this posture as our common ground, let’s move on to the three earlier stated misconceptions about what the Bible says about women. They say that she was a house church leader according to 1 Corinthians 1:11, but the Scripture doesn’t say that; it says “from Chloe’s household.”Another woman referenced is Priscilla. Marriage was ordained by God, according to Genesis 2 when he presented the first woman to the first man. In each and every historical period represented within the biblical world, it was normal for women to be oppressed, neglected, and objectified as property. All eyes are on Jesus. He is immutable—He does not change. The Bible doesn’t say. In Deuteromomy 20: 10-14 God says,”As you approach a town to attack it first offer its people terms for peace. Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery,” they said. God has a particular, wonderful, extraordinary role for each female soul who would trust in His best plan for their lives, and for many, that includes leading and teaching in the public spaces. To wrap up, I want to leave on a personal note. Paul wrote to the Galatians stating this very point: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. When we exclude women, we exclude part of God. This is the way the holy … It would be fascinating to find out, but that’s not what impresses me most about these verses. God never called you to do anything that contradicts His Word. From seemingly attributing humanity’s fall into temptation to Eve in the beginning of the Old Testament to barring women from certain leadership positions late in the New, the Bible is shaped through and through by the patriarchal culture from which is … Some use Chloe in the New Testament as an example of women being pastors. This challenge sites Corinthians as an example of a passage where you have men superior to women. Women are to have a gentle and quiet spirit = sit down and shut up. As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. Priscilla taught a man “the way of God … I am a minister of the gospel. God took just as much time and care knitting together every female child as He did every male child. It’s an ugly word — the hatred of women or girls. The Bible uses strong language when discussing divorce. Man is not fully like God. Many a “believer” has walked away from the faith because they just couldn’t reconcile what they read in the Bible with what they felt to be true. The prophet paints a picture of a society that, because of its rejection of God's way, … We don’t know whether any other women were present in the temple courts to witness this exchange, but even if not, surely there were women who witnessed the woman being dragged through the streets by the Pharisees. It has those elements within it, but its purpose is not to provide a detailed dissertation on those topics. I humbly ask that you consider the following: Read the Bible for yourself. It is with this as the backdrop that God shockingly (to those of that day), consistently, and purposefully invites women to be part of His redemptive plan to rescue the world from their sin. His way is right and good, fulfilling and fruitful. He does his best to love me sacrificially. . And it shows up in many other ways as well, from jokes — have you ever heard a blonde joke about a dumb blond man? ), I am not going to get into the specifics of each, as many (who are much smarter than me) have already done so. God created humans to engage in sex only within the arrangement of marriage between a male and a female. For a woman, adultery was not just a cause of deep shame but also potentially a capital offense. I support my husband in his work as a pastor. But between the Garden of Eden and Garden of Gethsemane, a lot changed. He created men and women equal in value, yet unique in form and function, . Being a godly woman involves living in “purity and reverence” (1 Peter 3:2). The women of faith in the Bible did that often. Misconception #3. To wrap up, I want to leave on a personal note. . Everything we know to be true of God in the Old Testament is still true of Him in the New, and vice versa. It is not a history, science, economics, or morality book. Misconception #2. We need to understand this: just because abuse and inequities are recorded in the Bible, doesn’t mean it gets God’s stamp of moral approval. The Bible includes many specifics about how we are to worship God together as a congregation. There are many stories in Scripture that are meant to point us to the absolute wrongness of the situation, and make us want to cry out, “Disgusting! However, both man and woman are made in the image of God. There are many stories in Scripture that are meant to point us to the absolute wrongness of the situation and make us want to cry out, “Disgusting! Trustworthy, Christian perspectives on life. They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing Him (John 8:6). Instead of letting hard verses cast doubt on God’s character, we need to first question our own knowledge and understanding of His Word. The Bible makes it clear, right from the beginning, that God sees men and women as spiritually equal. Many women say, “God called me to be a preacher.” No He did not and Scripture clearly proves it! We’d like to think that it’s something that happens elsewhere, far away, or a long time ago. Was she covering her face, crying, pleading, silent? Proverbs 31:25 "She is clothed with strength and dignity; … Before that, I definitely felt “less than”. When we encounter difficult passages, we need to change our default position. God blesses women. Some misinterpret 1 Timothy 2:12 to be saying that women cannot teach men. Isaiah 3:1-3. Men had complete authority over their wives and daughters and made all decisions regarding relationships and activities. There are many famous female pastors such as Joyce Meyer, Juanita Bynum, Paula White, Victoria Osteen, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Bobbie Houston, and more, but they are all in sin. When we denigrate a woman, we are in fact diminishing part of the image of God. What led her to commit adultery is not the point of the story, but rather Jesus’ response to her when her shameful adultery was publicly exposed. Then listen to these gentle words of Jesus and let them echo in your heart: Then neither do I condemn you. God is the all-knowing, all-merciful, all-righteous, all-gracious, all-holy, all-mighty, all-loving God. This week’s challenge: The Bible says that men are superior to women. At dawn one morning, Jesus went to the temple to teach. God blesses women. But, Jesus stayed in women’s homes (Mary and Martha), accepted their financial support (Joanna, Susanna; and many other women in Luke 8:3), treated them as valuable and equal, befriended them, and He accepted women as His followers unlike any known Rabbi of the day. Injustice! Women are saved by childbearing = your greatest purpose in life is that of motherhood (and if you try to reach outside of this realm you need to sit down and shut up. A former Cru college minister, and mother to three, she and pastor-husband, Chris, serve together in the local church. I am not going to get into the specifics of each, as many (who are much smarter than me) have already done so here, here, and here (among many others) by using the proper biblical hermeneutical (interpretive) rules they are trained to use. Isaiah 3:12 A man is the head of every woman. — John 8:4. Various passages seem to suggest many (frankly) surprising rules, especially to the modern woman. Nearly two million children are forced into the worldwide sex trade every year.1 And 80 percent of all trafficking victims are women and girls.2 According to the United Nations, there are one hundred million women missing worldwide 3 — and five thousand girls are murdered around the world every year by their parents for acting in ways that shame their family.4. I find it a measure of Jesus’ mercy toward the woman that, once again, He draws all eyes away from her and toward Himself as He knelt. We must start from the foundational viewpoint that the Bible is sufficient and authoritative, and when we do not understand all the pieces of the biblical puzzle, we need to remember the goodness of God and perfection of His Word and keep seeking to understand. 2. Had she been seduced, perhaps even pressured or forced, by an unscrupulous man? My husband is my biggest cheerleader and bends over backward to provide the time and resources I need to fulfill my calling to work while also fulfilling my calling as wife and mother. God has already revealed bigger plans for my life as a strong woman than I could have ever dreamed of. Even today, women are stoned to death for adultery in India and Pakistan; they are raped and sold as slaves in Syria. Our knowledge of the New Testament shapes the way we read the Old, and so it goes the other way around. say about women, I think we need to start this conversation with a few important foundations about God and His Word. . There are no contradictions. Two children are sold into the human sex trade every minute. I am a complementarian. Let’s not let our lack of understanding of the Bible corrode our trust in the Bible. If that sounds like an exaggeration, it wasn’t one by much in first-century Israel. Would Jesus give a nod to stoning her, or disregard the law? For example, there are severe punishments for a woman caught in adultery, and none prohibiting polygamy, while accounts of rape, abuse, neglect, and even the murder of women by “men of God” that seem to go unpunished. Do your own intelligent research. Read the Bible for yourself. Both accounts (as well as all teachings of Jesus) are of the same God. We have a thriving marriage. Scripture lets us know to stay away from evil women. At least twice, God used fertility to reward or comfort women (Genesis 29:31; 2 Kings 4:8-17). Know what it says and know what it means. Men, How does Jesus’ value of women change you? In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. If we were to list out all the biblical accounts as evidence for one or the other (with the proper interpretive context in mind): pro-women vs. anti-women, pro-women wins by a landslide. — Genesis 1:26–27, emphasis added. When we exclude women, we exclude part of God. Divorce is the death of a marriage, and it produces both loss and grief. Everything we know to be true of God in the Old Testament is still true of Him in the New, and vice versa. My heart catches at the thought of what this woman must have been feeling. — John 8:7. Maybe the bigger issue is our lack of knowledge and effort to understand when it comes to these sticky topics? Some of the “oddball,” troubling traditions we see in the Bible are primarily of cultural, not spiritual, influence. — John 8:5. And the men who perpetrate these horrendous acts are excused with religious theology. Yet, together, we paint a glorious picture of God’s likeness. In particular, violence against women is condemned. The crowd of people began to drift away—“the older ones first,” the Bible tells us (John 8:9). Some of the “oddball,” troubling, traditions we see in the Bible are primarily of cultural, , not spiritual, influence. — John 8:10, Don’t you imagine it was with equal parts relief and amazement that she said, “No one, sir.”. Can you imagine her fear? Woman is not fully like God. It is His revelation to us. ’s not let our lack of understanding of the Bible corrode our trust in the Bible. Imagine the crowd’s puzzlement as they watched Him. The name of the missing man? I see this same kind of evil played out in A21 court cases all the time. Most of the issues people have with the Bible’s “teachings” on women can be understood and explained through greater knowledge of the history, context, and purpose of the writing. Do your own intelligent research. Katie Orr is the creator of the FOCUSed15 Bible studies and Bible teacher. If we were to list out all the biblical accounts as evidence for one or the other (with the proper interpretive context in mind): pro-women vs. anti-women, pro-women wins by a landslide. Even those who have little-to-no church experience have likely heard some sort of (so-called) biblical perspective on the role and value of women. I have all 5-star reviews and Etsy rated my store as a … He is immutable—He does not change. Then, from this foundation, we can dive into the depths of what the Bible has to say about women. God worked (and still does work) through the culture, geography, and customs of the time. Yet nowhere does God condemn a woman because of infertility. This takes a lot of hard work and investment of our resources, but before you enter the next debate about what the Bible has to say about women, you need to personally do the work to understand the difference between the following: There are many verses in the Bible that—at first glance—are simply hard to swallow. But no other word describes so precisely the attitude of the trafficker on trial that day, nor of the industry he represents. One could argue that the woman was brought for judgment because of her sin, but that would be only partly true. Throughout the Old Testament we see examples of God using women to lead his people and to save his people in various circumstances. I have a full-time career. I am a minister of the gospel. Instead, let us use the muscle of faith, stand firm on the promises of who God is, and cling to the reality of the Bible’s reliability. This is not to say, however, that women are not to teach the Bible or have a voice and lead within the church. Man is not fully like God. I support my husband in his work as a pastor. Jesus had defied the standards of first-century male-dominated society by treating women as equals. And above all, her humiliation? Unfortunately, many interpret these male/female distinctions as a hierarchical difference in our worth. God, help us!” (. This does not mean that marriage is mandatory for all people. Additionally, a lack of the reader’s familiarity with the original languages (Greek and Hebrew) as well as many interpretive nuances of each lead to difficulties in capturing the. Our knowledge of the New Testament shapes the way we read the Old, and so it goes the other way around. — Genesis 1:26–27, emphasis added. Leviticus 15. Women’s history month is upon us, and we all have cause to celebrate the female voices of the past who have paved the way for women to enjoy a fuller, educated life with which to serve our God. There is no “Old Testament God” and “New Testament God.” Both accounts (as well as all teachings of Jesus) are of the same God. There are no contradictions. Many Bible scholars believe some women in the church had carried their \"liberation\" too far and adopted offensive styles of dress. This wasn’t a matter of wanting to adhere to the purest interpretation of justice according to the law. This is a common barrier to belief, but it’s a question I often look forward to addressing because the answer from scripture is overwhelmingly positive. It would be very easy to get lost in the weeds of all the specific (perceived) difficulties. Go now and leave your life of sin. First-century Palestine — the world into which Jesus was born — was clearly a male-dominated society, but it certainly hasn’t been the only one. And He knelt and wrote on the ground again. A woman of faith has a belief in God’s words. “The penalty is not as harsh, and you can kick them like an animal, and they will do what you want them to do.”. His way is right and good, fulfilling and fruitful. It has those elements within it, but its purpose is not to provide a detailed dissertation on those topics. Women had few rights inside the home and practically none outside of it. As a Baptist, I believe in complementarianism and that the office of pastor/elder is designed by God and delegated to qualified men, and that pulpit teaching to a local congregation is reserved for those men. Now what do You say? In the Greek family I was raised in, I felt that because I was neither the firstborn nor a son, I was somehow “less than.” “You’re only a woman,” I was told in so many ways — and it was crystal clear that this was not a good thing. “Let’s not let our lack of understanding of the Bible corrode our trust in the Bible.”, “God has a particular, wonderful, extraordinary role for each female soul who would trust in His best plan for their lives.”. No, this woman was guilty of the crime of being a woman caught in adultery. They are the beauty of what God has specifically called me to as a woman. For the most part, infertility was cured with the birth of a significant character, including Isaac (Genesis 21:7), Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:21), Samson (Judges 13), Samuel the prophet (1 Samuel 1), and John the Baptist (Luke 1). Alongside all of these issues is the fact that many of the “problems” people have with the treatment of women are treatments which are also applied to men (ie. To me that means that Mosses believed in (and says he was command by God) and supported forced rape of young girls from the spoils of war. The Pharisees probably looked at each other, confused, and remained silent for a few moments to see whether He would speak. Basically, my goal is to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and uplift/encourage women in a fashionable way. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. The people gathered round, ready to be taught — but the Pharisees rushed up, bringing a woman with them. But now, like a woman in labor, I will cry and groan and pant (Isaiah 42:14). When you come across something that causes you to scratch your head, be sure to view that fuzzy passage through the lens of what is abundantly clear in Scripture. But she had to be aware that there would be no erasing the damage now done to her reputation, that she would from this day forward be the subject of whispers and fodder for the town gossips. For sake of brevity, I can confidently declare this: anything that might resemble “sit down and shut up” is not within the message of the Bible. Both play a vital role in bringing Him glory. Unfortunately, many have listened more to what others have to say about the Bible and women than they have listened to the Bible itself. But what does the Bible say? God has called, calls, and will continue to call gifted women to teach the Word of God to others and this teaching ministry is vital to both the church body and the pastor. This is not to say, however, that women are not to teach the Bible or have a voice and lead within the church. But for a few precious moments, she senses that no one is looking at her. You ignored the Rock who gave you birth; you forgot the God who gave birth to you (Deuteronomy 32:18). When we put women down, we tarnish the image of God. are not contradictory. We should not expect the Bible to speak in 21st century terms to every 21st-century eventuality. The Bible Does Not Say It Is a Sin for a Woman to Look Externally Beautiful or to Wear Nice Clothes Christian modesty is an external appearance that is honoring to Christ. I can point out another one from personal experience: Greek culture. They are the beauty of what God has specifically called me to as a woman. He wants us to consider what is in the Bible. This takes a lot of hard work and investment of our resources, but before you enter the next debate about what the Bible has to say about women, you need to personally do the work to understand the difference between the following: Descriptive (what the Bible simply records) vs. Prescriptive (what the Bible specifically teaches), Cultural (what the norms were for that time) vs. Biblical (what is clearly, uniquely, and timelessly Christian), Traditional (the ways things have always been done) vs. Theological (what is actually taught in Scripture). God has used and continues to use the influence, teaching, love, dedication, leadership, and strength of women to shape every godly man. Both are made in His image (Genesis 1:27), both are separated from Him by sin and need a Savior (Romans 3:23), both may be redeemed through Christ and receive the Holy Spirit making them heirs of God (Galatians 3:27–29). Copyright © 2019 HarperCollins Publishers. God created the woman as a "helper" for the man: However, being a "helper" does not imply that the woman was inferior or subservient to the man; the same Hebrew word, `ezer, translated as "helper," is used to describe God, Himself, in Psalms 33:20, 70:5, 115:9-11. All this to say, we don’t get to read the Bible with a Sharpie, blacking out the passages we don’t like. What a profound thought: God’s image is only fully reflected in both man and woman. What was it that he was writing on the ground? God doesn’t promise a storm-free life, but he is the anchor every happy soul needs. Then He turned to the woman and said, Woman, where are they? Submit to your husband = sit down and shut up. He will say, “I have long been silent; yes, I have restrained myself. Rather, she focuses on her “inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. Yet, especially at face value and without this understanding of our uniqueness in God’s eyes, there are many verses that are difficult to reconcile with the reality of a God who loves and values men and women equally. How grateful and appreciative they must have felt toward this man who actually protected her and showed compassion, as no other men—including, apparently, the man who’d been sleeping with her — were doing. 1st Timothy was a letter written to the church in Ephesus. My husband is my biggest cheerleader and bends over backward to provide the time and resources I need to, fulfill my calling to work while also fulfilling my calling as wife and mother. ” Says a beautiful, wrinkle-free woman, “I intend to fight it every step of the way!” But what does God say about it all? Both play a vital role in bringing Him glory. I do my best to submit to his leadership. There are multiple Old Testament laws and narratives that seem to exercise harshness toward women and promote misogyny and authoritarian abuse. . Don’t take one person’s opinion about it as fact. . Men were discouraged from speaking to women on the street. Each bracelet set is inspired by a bible-verse. By the time Jesus made his first … Beyond the specific gift of teaching, all Christian women are called to step up and out to be a godly leader through utilizing her influence and intellect to shape those around her for the glory of God. Therefore, it should be the church that leads the way and sets the example of placing value upon womanhood… of getting them to Jesus, who can lift their shame and set them free. In one court case, the accused was asked by the judge, “Why do you traffic women?”, The man shrugged. It is with this as the backdrop that God shockingly (to those of that day), consistently, and purposefully invites women to be part of His redemptive plan to rescue the world from their sin. When we denigrate a woman, we are in fact diminishing part of the image of God. Even Oprah admits that is what caused her to stop believing in the biblical God. Has no one condemned you? The following are a few examples of how these verses might sound to the modern woman. The Bible is notoriously hard on women. I sell my handmade beaded bracelets on Etsy. As if this weren’t relief enough, what happened next must have astonished her even more. Privacy Policy | Term and Conditions. After all, God Himself made women in His own image —, Male and female He created them. It is primarily a theological book, intended to reveal who God is and what His plan is for mankind. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery” (Matthew 19:7-9). ~ Laurie McClure, editor at FaithGateway. I do my best to submit to his leadership. For sake of brevity, I can confidently declare this: anything that might resemble “sit down and shut up” is not within the message of the Bible. When He didn’t, they began assaulting Him with questions again, and eventually He stood and uttered the lines that have echoed through the minds of people of conscience ever since: Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. Scripture is full of condemnations of violence – time and again violence is associated with wickedness and condemned as “detestable to the Lord” (Psalm 11, Proverbs 3 & 10). After all, God Himself made women in His own image — Male and female He created them. In fact, God created both men and wo… Most likely, if you ask any pastor today to list out the most influential people in his spiritual life, the list will include women. Women cannot speak in church = sit down and shut up. — to pornography, to the difficulty a woman has getting equal pay for equal work, to the ease with which crimes against women are ignored or covered up. And notice how cleverly He distracted the attention of the crowd from the humiliated woman; He knelt and wrote on the ground with His finger. and that the office of pastor/elder is designed by God and delegated to qualified men, and that, pulpit teaching to a local congregation is reserved for those men, . God worked (and still does work) through the culture, geography, and customs of the time. His mother, his Sunday School teacher, his grandmother, his wife, or his neighbor. Just think of the Salem witch trials, for example. He has interceded for her already—and He hasn’t said anything to her yet. However, both, man and woman are made in the image of God. No wonder women flocked to Jesus! In Christ, there is no distinction in value between male and female. Of all places on earth, the Christian church could be the most significant place of healing and hope — the place where women experience the joys of being respected, appreciated, esteemed, included, and celebrated. All these are an expression of the image of God. Apparently, only the woman — not her lover — was considered enough of an offender to be brought to the temple for immediate judgment. Violence against women In the Bible, all violence is considered an offence against God and against humanity. I teach the Bible for a living through writing and speaking. God has already revealed bigger plans for my life as a strong woman than I could have ever dreamed of. Additionally, a lack of the reader’s familiarity with the original languages (Greek and Hebrew) as well as many interpretive nuances of each lead to difficulties in capturing the true meaning of the original text (ex: Deuteronomy 22:28-29). I am a complementarian. These statements are not contradictory. nor does it mean that marriage is God's will for everyone. From our current cultural, historical point there is much in the Word of God that sounds chauvinistic and completely inequitable. This woman was their bait.