The Equality and Distinction of the Sexes

                       Some Expositional Thoughts on Genesis 1:27

                                                         By Elder Thomas L. Waters

The Bible is God’s special revelation unto mankind.  It is an ageless book of Truth applicable for all ages and cultures.  The Bible reveals the will of God concerning the way of salvation and holiness.  It reveals, among many other matters, how men should live and relate in the home, church and in society in general.

Recent headlines have been plastered with accounts of homosexual “marriages” and the recognition of homosexual and lesbian “ministers” of the Gospel.  Not only are such things an affront to common decency, they are a direct assault against the church and the home.  James Dobson writes, “Nothing short of a great Civil War of Values rages today throughout North America.  Two sides with vastly differing and incompatible worldviews are locked in bitter conflict that permeates every level of society” (Understanding the Times, 7).  The social conscience of our country seems like the run away train “ole 97", careening down the mountain heading to Memphis hurling toward certain disaster.  Although many Christians are disturbed by some of the latest moral miscarriages, it seems some are asleep concerning the pitched battle we are in.

A sweeping overview of the history of the world is given in Revelation 12.  It is a history of war waged by Satan against the Christ, His church and His people.  William Hendriksen commenting on Revelation 12 writes, “the dragon is first pictured as purposing to destroy the Christ (verses 1-12).  Failing in this, he persecutes the woman because she brought forth the Christ (verses 13-17a).  Unsuccessful in this also, he makes war with the rest of her seed (17b) (More Than Conquerors, 135).

The cultural war we are in is as old as sin.  John MacArthur rightly points out,  -“As soon as sin entered the world Satan began to attack marriage.  He tried to crush marriage because he knew it was the foundation of right human relationships at their most important level - the home.  So Genesis records that after the Fall, Satan systematically tried to corrupt God’s design for marriage and family life by polygamy (4:19, 23), evil sexual thoughts and words (9:22), adultery (16:1-3), homosexuality (19:4-11), fornication and rape (34:1-2), incest (38:13-18), prostitution (38:24), and evil seduction (39:7-12)” (John MacArthur,  The Family, 56).

As you can see from the above references in Genesis the moral problems we face in America are nothing new, however, they do seem to be accelerating.  A very important passage related to so many of the issues we are facing in America such as the gender neutral issues (such as allowing children to decide their sex, translation and publication of gender neutral Bibles . . . ), homosexual marriages, ordination of female ministers and what constitutes the home is Genesis 1:27, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

This passage teaches God created the sexes, “male and female created he them.”  This truth has many theological implications.

1.    “Ontological equality of human life”  is about the basic value of human life.  It asserts that men and women are of equal value because both men and women are created in the image of God.  The sanctity of human life is based upon the distinction of human beings from all the other creatures.  Humans alone are created “in the image of God.”  Whatever it means to be created in the image of God is true for men and for women.  So often Christianity is accused of being sexists and/or anti-woman.  Such accusations are basically inept and prejudicial.  The Bible teaches the value and equality of human life in “sickness or health” and  in “poverty or riches.”  The Christian faith argues for the sanctity of human life in the womb, in old age and sickness and between the sexes.  Those who smirk at the teachings of the Bible are the ones who advocate the exploitation of women via pornography and say it is “freedom or press.”  Those who advocate the killing of unborn children via abortion and say it is “freedom of choice” demean life.  Ontological equality claims the sanctity and dignity of all human life because humans are image bearers of God.  While equality of the sexes is declared in Genesis 1:27, it is shouted at Calvary.  For whom did Christ die?  Sinful-men?  Sinful, white-men?  Sinful, white, English-speaking, middle-class men from the south?  Jesus died for sinful men and women from various races and cultures and backgrounds.  Thus, Galatians 3:28  "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus."  In Christ men and women are of equal value.  Christ died to save humans - Jew, Greek, slave, free, male and female.

2.    “Creative distinction of sexes”is about the differences between men and women.  God created male and female.  Sexual distinction IS NOT a result of cultural imposition but creative distinctions. Boys are boys and girls are girls NOT because of social expectations or imposition.  Boys and girls are not created by the toys they play with but by their creative biological, emotional and physical distinctions.  Moreover, sexual distinction IS NOT a result of sin.  Before sin humans were not androgynous being (i.e., without sexual i.d.), but male and female.  Sexual distinction is a result of creation and there are several creative distinctions to be observed between the male and female.

­   Order of creation - Adam then Eve

­   Method of creation - Adam from earth & Eve from Adam

­   Purpose of creation - Adam for dominion & Eve as helpmeet

3.    “Role and functional distinctions between the sexes” stress while men and women are of equal value, they have separate functions and roles corresponding to their creative distinctions.  There are indisputable biological and physical differences between men and women such as size, bone structure, muscle-mass, etc.  Why?  Why did God create them male and female?  God created men and women for different roles and functions in home, church and society.  Werner Neuer notes, “The difference in nature between men and women becomes clear in Genesis 2 in the different way God creates them.  The man is formed out of the earth, but the woman is created out of the man’s rib.  The different ways of creating man and woman are closely related to their different tasks, which they fulfill in creation according to Genesis 2-3.  The man is formed from the soil, whose cultivation is entrusted to him by God (Gen 2:15; 3:17), while the woman is created quite differently, out of man’s rib, to be his helper.  This is her God-given task in life (Gen 2:18).  The appointed tasks of the sexes are as basically different as the way in which they were created by God. (Ibid., 67).

The Biblical principles just mentioned are under siege.  Some claim there is no role distinction  between the sexes and to claim so is sexist.  Others claim whatever differences do exists between the sexes are imposed by society and should be eradicated.  Some courts have ruled that homosexuality is an acceptable alternative life style protected by the constitution and to say differently is homophobia.  Based on Galatians 3:28, some churches promote and practice the ordaining of women as pastors and accuse those who disagree as backwards and judgmental.