Being Married: Relationship of Men and Women – Essence Vs. Administration

Being Married: Relationship of Men and women – Essence vs. Administration.

Eph. 5: 21-22 “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord”.

In almost all religions (and worldview) of the world, there is a general consensus that the man is the head of the family. Different religions and eventually cultures have put their spin on what that headship means.

Religions and Cultures in Africa, Asia and Middle-East over centuries interpreted the differences as a superior and inferior relationship – for many reasons, hence women are treated as second class citizens or objects to be seen but not heard.

In Biblical Christianity, there is a difference between the Essence of creation and Administrative Job description.

In Joel 2: 28, Acts 2: 17-18 and Gal. 3: 28 – the Bible clearly states that both men are women in Essence (the WHY of existence) are equal before God, God’s Spirit equally distributes gifts and passion irrespective of gender. So, there is no spiritual gifts limited to men or limited to women, even natural gifts – just in different measure (ability).

In Gen. 2: 21-25 and Eph. 5: 22-29 – the Bible is very clear also that men are the head of marriage as an institution. Institutions are organizational structure of management – Denominations or individual parish/assembly are institutions, various Governmental structures are institutions.

Some institutions were put in place by God, such as Marriage and Church , while other institutions were put in place by humans – religion, education, economic, etc.

In the Marriage institution, God made men head of the institution, not culture or civilization. The man’s headship was not based on having more natural or spiritual gifts, rather on God’s prerogative. As head, God is very clear on what the man should do and what the woman should do.

The woman was never told to OBEY her husband but to SUBMIT, meaning she has an opinion and should be heard but willingly differ to her husband’s final word, hopefully after he has sought God (this is why you marry a believer).

Without going into much details, the Essence of men and women and the gifts of God are very different from the Administrative roles given by God for the Marriage institution. It is incumbent on us believers to help sieve out Biblical teachings from deep rooted culture that believes a woman’s essence makes her inferior and not simply a helper administratively.