Hesedken

MALE ATTRIBUTES

GENDER ATTRIBUTES EXIST TODAY

The verse Gal. 3:28 declares the unity and equality which is in the liberty of faith in Jesus regardless of sexuality. Unity and equality result in deliverance from the bondage of the law, which was of a former covenant; however, the verse does not say that the God-given attributes which distinguish the sexes are abolished.

CREATIVE ATTRIBUTE

Both sexes are the workmanship of a divine Creator: "So God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them" (Gn. 1:27 [NEB]). A creative attribute is intrinsic in the image of the creature, which reflects the likeness of God.

FUNCTIONAL ATTRIBUTE

God said in the beginning, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him" (Gn. 2:18 [NIV]). The New Testament states, "Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man" (I Cor. 11:9). A functional attribute of companionship as a helpmate for the man is inherent in the creation of the woman. A pastoral book, at I Tim. 2:13, reflects some of the details of God's creative order mentioned in the Old Testament.

JUDICIAL ATTRIBUTE

God announced judgement and punishment upon the serpent, the woman, the ground, and the man (Gn. 3:14-19). The woman lost the degree of self-rule which she once possessed (although she formerly had a creative attribute to be a help meet and companion according to God's purpose); however, subsequent to the sin and fall of Eve and Adam, the woman also obtained a judicial attribute (I Tim. 2:14). God announced to her, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Gn. 3:16). Note

The Hebrew word "yim-shal" means that the man shall have "dominion" or "power" over the woman--"rule over." The same word (in a different form) is used in Gn. 1:18 meaning "to rule over" the day and the night concerning the luminary prominence of the sun and the moon. The same word (in a participle form) is used in the prophetic utterance Micah 5:2, meaning "ruler" concerning the future authority of the Lord Jesus Christ over Israel --take note of Mt. 2:5.

Afterward, Eve was no longer sinless; the sorrow, loss and chastisement that sin brings materialized: Her freedom had diminished. The liberal status of our progenitors in relationship to God had been corrupted due to the fall, and their relationship (as to the aspect of authority between themselves) became affected. Also man still tills the ground today to survive--the earth still brings forth thorns and thistles; take note of the consequence of the fall (Gn. 3:18).

The curse still remains today; it will not include, but remain until: "the redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:18-23); "there shall be no more curse" (Rev. 22:3); "when that which is perfect is come" (I Cor. 13:10); "we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (I Cor. 15:49); "this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality ... Death is swallowed up in victory" (I Cor. 15:54); we "are as the angels of God in heaven" (Mt. 22:30).

Becoming converted, and saved through faith in Jesus does not take away all the evil, toil, affliction, and death that sin brought forth, nor does it disannul God's judgement upon the serpent, woman, man, and the earth, even though we are "the sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:26), and even though we are "the Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16). Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden of Eden: the whole creation has never been the same since (Rom. 8:22).

On the other hand, it is good for us to know: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:1, 2).

For now we should recognize: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God" (Rom. 8:16). The gifts are a manifestation of the Spirit: "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal" (I Cor. 12:7). The gifts are made known and real to us that they are of God, and God gives us the ability to acknowledge them, and the giver of the gifts--Himself--God's power is recognized by his children through the manifestation.

Also, we should realize that later we will be changed for the better: "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19). The "manifestation" of the sons of God is when God will reveal to his children their glory in the day there will be no more curse, no more corruption, no more sin: when God will have given them a new body and their eternal reward in heaven.

However, the day of the "redemption of our body" (Rom. 8:23) has not manifested itself yet; it has not been realized by us yet because it will not come until a time in the future. Nevertheless, until that glorious time, sexuality, and its inherent, creative and judicial attributes continue to exist.

Also, in further reference to "there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28)--if the Apostle Paul had not believed that women have different attributes than men according to sound doctrine, then he would not have exhorted Titus, who was accompanying him at Jerusalem (Gal. 2:1): "that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed" (Tit. 2:4, 5). Also note Pr. 31:10-31. The career of homemaking is a God-given attribute of Christian women.

DOMINION

Through all time, man has had a God to look unto for direction and approval. The male and female were made to have dominion over the earth and the creatures in it (Gn. 1:26-28). The male and female formed a delicate institution through marriage, and the male became the head of the house. Eventually, becoming more abstract, families, communities and states began. Males formed armies and defeated their adversaries. The farmer who grew corn was expected to give a portion to the army. Coordination grew between groups of people and governments were formed, some of them in respect to honoring God.

Mankind was expected to rule over the fowl of the air and everything that moved upon the earth; however, he was not told to extend his physical and jurisdictional reach up to moon or other parts of the heavens. (Today, much of the communication is through satellite control, especially cell phones. The Internet may not be totally clean even with the best preaching. The inherit sin and touch of mankind beyond the planet has no warrant.) The planet Earth was his area of rule, and of course, God ruled the higher environment. As at the Tower of Babel, men united in an arrogant way that God decided to debilitate them: they lost their ability to speak to one another. How much more if man goes beyond the height of the tower! God forgive us.

As Satan tempted Eve and Adam in the beginning, his demons afflict leadership of mankind today, not only non-Christian magistrates (Eph. 3:10) but even churches. Our hierarchy is challenged and assaulted. Decency and order is continually faced with adversity. Our women have become degraded and insult us. They mock our good tradition of man-rule in the assembly. They ignore purity of biblical institution: promoting remarriage/adultery.

Nevertheless, man in Christ has the victory and must excel in all good forms of leadership. Extra-global humanitarianism has fought against the direction of God, especially as to homogeneity. We must protect the remainder of our existence through adherence to God.

LINKS:

DECENCY AND ORDER

THE SURVIVAL WAR AGAINST RACIAL NIHILISM

THE MALE COUNTERPART: FEMALE AND HER ATTRIBUTES