In His infinite wisdom and majesty, God created an orderly universe that functions in a precise, fine-tuned way, from atomic particles to the planets in the solar system and the galaxies in the universe. Implicit in that order were rules and hierarchies required to maintain order.
When God created Adam and Eve in His image, His creation work was done. He gave them dominion over His creation and rules to live by to maintain His divinely decreed order. They, of course, disobeyed and upset His fine-tuned order. And because of their original sin, we continue on in our disorderly, imperfect way.
In His great mercy, He provided our Redeemer, Jesus, and through Him sets apart a people for Himself. Until Jesus’ return, we have to muddle along, following His rules as best we can or not, since that is the state many churches find themselves in.
God created Adam and Eve, and so each of us, with equal value and dignity in His eyes, as written in Galatians 3: 28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Yet, He gave us different roles to play and established a hierarchy we must follow. “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands,” wrote Paul in Ephesians 5: 22-24.
Churches Go Off The Rails
This message was brought home to me recently in a discussion with my optometrist, Dr. Keith. I see him every year or so and since we share faith, we always talk about what God is doing in our lives.
I told him about my struggles with a church I’d been attending with my younger sister. I was alternating Sunday worship services, going one week to her church – our special time together – and the other to the biblically-sound home church I attend with my husband. Eventually, I discovered my sister’s church, which I thought was true to God’s word, had gone apostate regarding marriage and homosexuality.
The church’s position on the LGBTQ+ issue was well hidden on the denomination’s website and when I started attending, I had no reason to suspect it had strayed so far from the truth. But after I found out, we had no choice but to leave.
When I told the minister we had to find a new church, he said he could explain why the church had moved from an orthodox, biblical position on the LGBTQ+ issue, but since we were so determined to leave, it wasn’t worth it. Frankly, I believe he knew we were right and he and his church was wrong.
Given where my sister lives, it wasn’t practical for her to attend services with me and my husband. Our “Sister Sunday” church needed to be closer to her and thankfully, we found a theologically-solid church to attend.
Dr. Keith then shared that he was fighting a battle in his own church where he was on the leadership team. He said a number of women also on the leadership team were pushing his congregation in a similar non-Biblical direction and that others on the team were caving to their pressure.
“I have to take a stand,” Dr. Keith said. “I can’t let them push us in the wrong direction. After all, God will hold me accountable and I must answer to God. I have to say ‘No’ and if I can’t move them, then I will have to leave too.”
Godly Men Must Step Into Leadership
I look around and see far too many men taking the easy path and failing to assume their leadership responsibility, like the leadership team at Dr. Keith’s church. Nature abhors a vacuum and when true Godly masculine leadership is missing in a marriage, a family or a church, women step in and given our different natures, roles and responsibilities, that’s when things can get really messed up.
I should mention that the church my sister and I left had a female president. While no one can know what goes on in a marriage, it seemed to me that she was the one in charge in her marriage, as she was the one in charge of the leadership team at church. And she was the one who spilled the beans on the church’s position on homosexuality, maybe wrongly believing I was of the same mindset.
I’ve seen other churches where women stand out front and the men tend to stay in the background. It doesn’t feel right and I suspect that too many churches have slid down the slippery slope into apostasy by men not stepping up to their God-ordained role.
In regards to Dr. Keith’s leadership challenge in his church, he has a direct answer in 1 Timothy 2:12: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man.”
It is clear, men must assume their God-given responsibility in the church as they also must step up to their God-given responsibility as the head of the woman and the family, as Jesus is the head of the church.
It’s all part of God’s divinely established plan. Godly men must act as leaders to keep order in the family, church and society. Women play a supporting, not leadership role. “I will make him a helper fit for him.”(Genesis 2: 18).
One of the ways women can help their husbands is by leaning on them, submitting to them and allowing them to be the strong Godly leader in the home and the church. Without men assuming that role, everything breaks down – marriages, families, churches, society.
I thank God I have such a husband and pray the same for my sisters in Christ and for the churches we attend. Without Godly men in leadership, we are lost.