There is
neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in
Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).
In the
western world, the 3rd decade of the 21st century is a
time of unprecedented confusion about gender.
According to the common current narrative, gender is a social construct – devoid of biological definition – allowing any person to identify in a non-binary way as they alone feel or determine.
And its gotten more weird: in 2023, Johns Hopkins University – one of the most respected educational institutions on the continent – issued a glossary wherein a lesbian was defined as “a non-man attracted to non-men.”
Really? Has
it come to that?
Is the
march towards gender dysphoria advancing unrestrained?
Should it
be left to every child to choose whether they feel female, male,
non-male, non-gender, or something else entirely, irrespective of their
biological reality? Do we each have the right to re-shape our reality as we see
appropriate?
But such reflects
a gender-identity ideology of our era.
It is no coincidence that the biblical principal on gender is laid down in the Bible’s very first chapter.
And even though
scoffed at and seen by many to be laughably out-dated and irrelevant, a Gospel
worldview recognizes that at the outset, God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them (Genesis
1:27).
For those of us composing the Church of Jesus Christ, issues of gender – now more than ever before – need to be clear in how we think and how we live.
So, how
does that conversation relate to leadership in the local church?
To be
candid, this is obviously an issue where Christ-followers have interpreted and
applied differently. We should be unapologetically Scripture-based in seeking
to understand what Christ would have us do, irrespective of cultural
influences.
Some see in
the New Testament, timeless local church principals that apply to every culture
and every era.
Others,
believe that the apostolic injunctions on gender in the church and family were
to apply to specific situations only, and were not intended to be binding
universally (egalitarian).
However,
the historical fact remains: now, for the 1st time in 2 millennia of
church history, a widespread ignoring of gender as it relates to roles,
is occurring in local churches and denominations.
And many
highlight the verse at the top of the page as sufficient justification.
After all, didn’t the great Apostle Paul himself declare female-male distinctions irrelevant in the local church with his setting aside of cultural identity markers on ethnicity, social status and gender in Galatians 3:28 above?
Or did he?
In its context, possessing a relationship with the Triune God through the Person and work of Christ is Paul’s emphasis. In other words – again, in its context – his declaration is that any person regardless of ethnicity, social
status or gender receives eternal life as an adopted child of God not by the
Law of Moses, but by grace through faith in Christ alone.
You are
all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised
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
(Galatians 3:26-28).
At the same
time, the New Testament contains passages that affirm male leadership in
church governance, in primary teaching roles, and in the home.
This is not
because men are more intelligent or more highly educated; neither is this based
on men being more spiritually mature or healthy.
At Bethel,
significant evidence points to our women as being the heart of our assembly.
But, just
as the Lord in His sovereign decree determined that women would possess the
unparalleled distinction and privilege of bearing children, we understand men
are ordained to step up in assuming leadership roles in their marriages,
families and local churches.
We believe
the roles of men and women are different, but complimentary. Consequently, this
position is known as complementarianism.
The purpose of this post is not to engage every argument ranging from those rooted in original language to arguments founded in the cultural context of ancient Corinth; rather, the primary point is that God’s principles on gender distinction regarding roles, when approached objectively, appear to be inescapable.
The
apostolic writers appeal not to culture, but to creation order:
I do not
permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.
For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was
the woman who was deceived and became a sinner (1 Timothy 2:12-14).
Significantly,
such was the practice of the apostolic church universally:
As in
all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the
churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law
says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own
husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church (1
Corinthians 14:33b-35).
Takeaway:
We engage no quarrel
with churches that have determined to practice differently; and what is
apparent is that increasingly more have.
We’ve all observed churches that declared the principle of male leadership 20 years ago, having now seen that stand evolving. In my conversations, church leaders today think of such New Testament apostolic instruction reflecting preference rather
than principle.
As leaders of Bethel, we will give account before the Lord – as will all elders –
for the
leadership provided to this local church. Every true church belongs to the Lord
Jesus Who died for His people. He remains the Head of every authentic church.
He demands
accountability from those He has charged as under-shepherds.
And, for every spiritual leader, Christ remains the perfect, the optimal Model of true, loving, humble leadership – never oppressive, tyrannical, domineering or harsh.
His is the
ultimate example of perfect sacrificial love.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…(Philippians 2:5).
graphic from freebibleimages.com
