Male and Female He Created Them

There is perhaps no more pressing question happening in our culture right now than the topic of gender and what we do about it. The issue of gender has been discussed in greater detail over the last few years than any other in recorded history. So what is the truth about gender? To answer this we find ourselves in the Scriptures. Perhaps you have seen the popular documentary What is a Woman? that started and ended this question about gender with the opinions of men and women and finished with their opinions as well. While that is certainly an option the place for Christians to start and end with must be the Scriptures. What we need to do is go a little further than merely answering the truth about gender. We must consider what the answer is to these three questions: what does God say about gender? Second, how are men and women the same? Finally, how are men and women different?

What Does God Say about Gender?

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27

When we look at this particular text we need to do more than see that God created humanity male and female and then declare, “There you have it, God made humanity male and female. Case closed, lunch anyone?” There is more to creation that we need to understand in this conversation about gender.

God declares that humanity is made in the image of God. This is significant because of its place in the sequence. God opens with let us make humanity in our image. The fact of the matter is that every person regardless of who they are or what they have done or even what they may struggle with is made in the image of God. This means that no matter your gender, you have a divine fingerprint placed on you by almighty God.

One of the things that happens as a result of this is that the pressure of identity is released. No longer does my identity revolve around my gender but it revolves around the one who created me. The truth about gender is that God in His wisdom creates us in the gender we are. We know from the Scriptures that God is perfect and right in all of his decisions. So to suggest that someone is the wrong gender is to question that God knows what He is doing.

However, it is significant that we make a few observations about those who struggle with gender identity. It’s worth noting here that there are real issues at play such as gender dysphoria. So you may feel that you are the wrong gender. Same-sex attraction may also cause issues around the issue of gender. It is worth noting that neither of these leads to an erasure of God’s image over people. This is why it is so important when someone is struggling with gender issues that we proceed with truth plus compassion. We understand the effects of sin on humanity are why we face these issues.

How Are Men and Women the Same?

The primary way that men and women are the same is once again rooted in the image of God. Because of the image of God on humanity, there are some areas of similarity that are worthy of pointing out. One of the primary ways that men and women are the same is the fact that the worth and value of men and women are the same. Because both men and women were created in the image of God they have worth instilled in them by their creator. Along the same line, because of this created in the image of God, neither gender is more valuable to God. The final way that men and women are the same is that they both have dignity. As we see the image of God on each person that God created, we see the truth of who people are and how they should be treated by Christians. So anything that we do or say to operate in contrast to these principles is a violation of how God sees men and women.

How are Men and Women Different?

While men and women are the same in some areas of life, in other areas men and women are distinctly different from women. One of the ways that we see this is in how men are divinely placed by God to be the heads of the home.

Ephesians 5:22-33

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

What this text shows us is that God has ordered the family in such a way that the man is the leader. However, in being that leader, God gives the man Jesus Christ as his example. This means that the man’s leadership will be marked by serving others. It will be marked by and driven by a spirit of humility.

This text also communicates that men and women are different in two ways. First, men and women are different in the roles that they operate in their marriage. Men are called to be the head of the home and to lead their families to honor and follow the Lord. This means that men are leaders, not rulers. They don’t domineer or demand to be served, rather they look for opportunities to serve their families and lead them to follow God’s plan for their family.

Second, there is a difference in how men and women bear responsibility in their family unit. The implication for men is that they bear the responsibility for leading their homes and it also means that women are responsible for submitting to that leadership as they walk through life in church and in a family.

Because there have been some unhelpful ways that people talk about gender, marriage, and the Bible some helpful qualifiers are in order. First, submission is toward both people. Ephesians 5:21 says that we submit to each other. So this idea that only women need to submit is unbiblical. Each person takes an attitude of submission towards each other. Second, all men do not lead all women and all women do not submit to all men. Women submit where God calls them to and men lead where God places them. The call for men and women is to make sure that their actions fall in line with the Scripture and not cultural stereotypes. Finally, a call to lead is a call to shepherd. Great care should be used by those in places of leadership. When someone has been placed in a position to lead others they need to make sure that they are humble and approaching the call to lead seriously.

Conclusion

There are distinct ways that God has made men and women. To make the claim otherwise is to not only go against nature but to rebel against God. Great care should be taken when talking about gender but it must also be in line and submission to the Scriptures.

In lieu of a comments section, we accept and encourage letters to the editor. If you would like to write a letter to the editor, you can do so by sending them to impact@crosswaybc.org