Man bears the Glory of God

God’s Creative roles

For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was woman being deceived, fell into transgression (1Tim.2:13-14)

A woman’s subordinate role did not result after the fall as a corruption God’s perfect design; rather, God established her role as part of His original creation (v13)

God made woman after man to be his suitable helper (see Gen. 2:18 & 1Cor 11 8-9) Woman was the final brush stroke in God’s Creation.

Man does not originate from woman, but woman from man for indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for man’s sake.

Although man and woman were both created in God’s image, it was man who bears the glory of God uniquely by his role. He was given a sphere of authority as the earthly sovereign over God’s created order. (See Gen.3:16-17)

As man carries authority delegated to him by God, so woman carries authority delegated to her by God through her husband. Man comes from God, woman came from man.

(See Gen.2:9-23 & 1Tim 2:11-13)

 Gen. Ch.2 v7.  We are reminded of the clear distinction by which he differs from the animal kingdom – “and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” –  Literally - “he became a living soul” (1Cor.15:45)

It is because of this “living spirit” that man differs from the animal notice in Genesis Ch.1 “God created each of the animal kingdom after its kind v21, v24

But verse 26 says - “Let us make man in our image according to our likeness”

Man Made in the Image of God

The crowning point in all creation was man, made in God’s image. The word “our” gives clear indication of the tri-unity of God. The very name of God “Elohim” (Gen.1:1) is a plural format of El. Man

“In our image” This defines man’s unique relation to God. Man is a living being, capable of embodying God’s communicable attributes (see Rom.8:29, Col.3:10 ,Jas.3:9)

Although man and woman equally share God’s image and together exercise dominion over creation, they are by divine design physically diverse. In order to accomplish God’s mandate to multiply, neither one could reproduce life without the other.

Gen.2:24 – For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife: and they shall become one flesh. Here the marital relationship is established as the first institution.

God’s Creative roles for Marriage

These verses carry the sense of a permanent relationship and also carry with it a primary responsibility. One flesh speaking of complete unity of parts making a whole. Thus this marital union was complete and whole with two people. This also implies their sexual completeness one man and one woman constituting a pair for the purpose of pro-creation.

God’s Order  of Authority

Secondly These Scriptures in Genesis remind us of God’s order not only in

creation, but also in God’s purpose for mankind.

This is further confirmed in 1Cor.11:1-16

(The headship of man)

V3. Reminds us – But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

Although man and woman were both created in God’s image, it was man who bears the glory of God uniquely by his role. He was given a sphere of authority as the earthly sovereign over God’s created order.

(See Gen.3:16-17)    (For study see Gen.2:9-23 & 1Tim 2:11-13)

In these verses Paul is urging the correct order of authority. He presents the woman’s headdress as a Symbol of her subordinate  role to the man, as the man in turn is subordinated to Christ.

Paul goes on to reinforce the statement by referring back to the creation story in Genesis by stating that man is made in the image and for the glory of God (Gen.1:27) “Man was created first, the woman was made from man, hence man’s headship

“For man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man”

“Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man (1Cor.11:9)

In “the Lord” man and woman are one, and mutually dependent (1Cor.11:11-12) Order and propriety are to be observed, but not in any legalistic sense.

God’s blueprint for Wives

The freedom of grace is never to be compromised, but believers ought to be willing to submit to that which is proper, even if it is not mandatory. The general principle is that we are to submit one to another

 

Eph.5:21 “submitting yourselves one to another in the f                     fear of God”

This a broad guiding directive involving all earthly relationships of believers as husbands – wives – children – parents and masters and servants. In these guiding principles “that of wives subjecting themselves to their husbands”

there is a very important principle in this act on behalf of the husbands. It is that the husbands are to fulfil the role of headship they are to “love” their wives.

It is not a love based on reaction, but on sacrificial love

Eph.5:28- “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself”

 

Eph. 5:25 “Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it.”

In these verses there is demonstration of real love; it is a sacrificial love “it’s a dying to self”." Being joined as one body nictitates this. It is only when submit to our respective roles, that we can have this loving relationship, not in a legalistic way or in a domineering way, but in love one towards the other.

God’s blueprint for husbands 1 Peter 3:7

Because the husband is the headship, he must take the leading role in this respect. It is not because the wife being submissive that the husband loves. But because of his role – he is to love unreservedly, sacrificially and as he would love himself.

This love is the dominating note in these verses “a loving subjection each to his own specific role”.  Not a mechanical “obey” a word reserved for children and servants as in  Eph.6:11 Col.3:18, 1Pet.3:1-6, Gen. 3:16

The husbands are to live with their wives in understanding recognition of what marriage means “according to knowledge”

Husbands are to purposefully bestow honour on the woman as the physically weaker sex, recognising that both are as equal heirs of God’s gracious bestowment of life, physical and Spiritual. Domestic tranquillity is to prevail so that they may both enjoy the blessing of united faith

Further study  -On Gods Order for the Family

 “Godly living in the home  1 Peter 3:1-7”

“Married life of the Spirit filled believer Eph. 6:22-33”

“Christian family relationships  Col. 3:18-21”