“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). These words commemorate the creation of humanity. More than the rest of creation, which reflects the beauty, design, and power of God, humans also bear the very image of God—imago dei. Yet these words have become troublesome.
Complementing One Another
God clearly created two genders, male and female. He created them to complement one another in every facet of human existence, because “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). The fullness of humanity to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” requires both sexes (Gen 1:28). It is Biology 101.
Designed and Created
God calls women to love their husbands and children, be self-controlled, be pure, manage the home, and be kind (Titus 2:4-5). God designed and created women with the skills, abilities, and physical construction to fulfill these roles. She may take on more roles, but this does not remove the role God has given her.
Overcoming Restrictions
In recent decades, a considerable amount of energy, resources, and time have been spent to blur the lines of God’s gender distinctions and roles. Women’s liberation initially sought to remove culturally imposed strictures on women—the right to vote, to work, to earn a degree, etc. These initial efforts were good because they aligned with God’s design for equality. Many women fought battles and eventually won, to gain recognition as equals, and to give them the same rights in society as men.
The Capacity to Learn, Adapt, and Cope
However, feminism went too far. Equal does not mean the same. Because women are equal in rights does not mean they become men; the distinctions are too obvious. Yet that has not kept some from asserting men and women are the same. In a 2005 report, psychologist Janet Hyde promoted her gender similarities hypothesis, which says “males and females from childhood to adulthood are more alike than different on most psychological variables” (“Men and Women: No Big Difference” apa.org). While Hyde’s report emphasizes psychological comparisons like cognitive abilities, communication skills, aggression, self-esteem, moral reasoning, and motor behaviors, she minimizes physical differences like males being able to “throw farther” as if such differences were minor. Certainly, the psychological abilities of men and women are similar; men and women share the same capacity to learn, adapt, and cope. Psychology is only a small measure of humanity. These similarities do not erase the divinely designed differences between males and females.
The Impact on Society
Five decades of minimizing God’s gender differences and roles has impacted society. Families live on the run instead of in the home. Many rely on two full-time incomes requiring Mom and Dad to spend a lot of time away from the family. Sex and its consequences are minimized through “hook ups” and abortion culture. And women are more miserable than ever. According to Carrie Gress, “Happiness metrics confirm that women are struggling: Suicides, depression, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted infections have all increased dramatically over the last five decades” (“Why Don’t We Tell Women What’s Making Them Miserable?” nationalreview.com). A 2020 Pew Research report reveals that over half of white women under age 30 suffer from a mental-health issue.
By masculinizing women, culture has ripped them from God’s design, forced them into different roles, and tried to squelch their feminine instincts. It has left many women medicated and miserable as they cope with their new cultural roles. Gress laments, “But most American women with money, degrees, or connections will never hear that our culturally prescribed feminist lifestyle is the source of their unhappiness, struggles, and feeling of emptiness.”
There is Always Hope
Is there hope? There is always hope. Gress offers some good advice, “There are basics, such as: Don’t sleep around, don’t do drugs, don’t have abortions, stop blaming the patriarchy, find a purpose outside of yourself, cover up some of that skin, don’t overspend, and figure out what is truly good, not just what celebrities say.” Her advice is sound because it follows God’s original design.
There have been great strides in elevating women above their historically cultural limitations, bringing them closer to God’s creative design. However, many are not content with equality and seek sameness. This quest is unbiblical as it seeks to disregard God’s purpose for males and females and leaves many struggling under burdensome social expectations.
Preaching Minister