There is a difference between fairness and equality that modern feminists are overlooking; fairness is when individuals are treated in accordance to rules or standards, whereas equality is when individuals are treated the same. Let's say that the Bible is this standard or set of rules. In the Bible, God created men and women differently, and specifically gave each of us a different set of standards to follow. While men are held to a standard of spiritual and household leadership, even-temperedness, providing for a family, protecting, loving, and more, women are called to another, different set of guidelines. Yes, some of God’s instructions for us are similar (be faithful, loving, and kind, have a servants heart, give generously, etc.), but for the most part, God intended for us to compliment man, not to imitate them.
In today’s modern feminist society, it is all about equality. Men are able to work and provide financially for a family, so women should also be able to. Men can lead a household, so women should also be able to. Even more, feminism has turned into total equality across genders, to the point where sexuality lines are diminished, women have no discretion with their bodies, and biblical standards are completely disregarded.
Well, I believe it is time to turn back to the women God created us to be. Rather than striving to be in equality with men, we should be striving to live out our lives in a manner that adheres to to the set of standards God has laid out for us. To do this, I believe we need to go back to where it all began, our creation.
In Genesis 2, God gives us the story of the creation of man. He created Adam in His image, and for the first time, something is deemed “not good” in creation. God says that it is not good for man to be alone, and rather than making more men, God created something very different. God creates woman, “a helper suitable” for Adam. And so, from the very beginning, we see that we are different from man; we were not created to match Adam, but to complete him and help him. God created two genders for a reason, to be together and to become one, and then God uses the rest of scripture to teach us to be the Godly women he desires.
We are called to be loyal to our husbands and honor them [Prov. 31: 10-12], to delight in our work and work hard [Prov. 31:13-18], and to speak honorably with only good words [Prov. 31:26]. We are to be reverent and control how much we drink, to love our husbands and kids, to be self-controlled and pure, to build up our homes, and to be subject to our husbands [Titus 2:3-5]. We are to show Christ to our husbands and demonstrate His love to them through our actions [1 Peter 3:1], and to find our beauty through our inner self and not through what we wear or how we look [1 Peter 3:3-6]. We need to build up our character and not our appearances [Prov. 11:22]. We are called to honor our bodies by fleeing from sexual sin, living healthy lives, and not putting harmful substances into them [1 Cor. 6:18-20]. Lastly, we are to constantly be in Christ and live in His ways and not the world’s [Romans 12:2].
Unfortunately, this way of thinking has been totally reversed in today’s society. We are trying to take on our husband’s role in leading the house and leaving our motherly role behind. We are cursing and gossiping rather than using our speech to build others up. We are drinking too much and praying too little. We dress with no discretion and wonder why it’s so hard for men to act with self-control. We take sex outside of marriage and then curse the pain that comes when things fall apart. Society is getting further from Christ and closer to all of the things He is trying to protect us from.
If we are seeking harmony between man and woman, we cannot seek equality. We are two physically and emotionally different creations who need to accept how we were created in order to thrive. Let men be men and women be women, and let us embrace these differences that allow us to compliment each other in the way God intended from the start.
