Wed, Feb 7th - 6:58AM

Womanhood

The Feminine Mystique

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  Gen. 2:22

And the LORD God said unto the woman, What [is] this [that] thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.  Gen. 3:13

To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.  Prov. 6:24,25

Favour [is] deceitful, and beauty [is] vain: [but] a woman [that] feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.  Prov. 31:30

For the 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.  For this cause ought the woman to have power on [her] head because of the angels.  1Cor. 11:8-10

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.  Rev. 2:20

          There is nothing so beautiful as a godly, submissive woman that knows her place in the home, her church and in society at large.  On the other hand, there is nothing so opposed to nature and noxious to mankind than a self-willed, rebellious woman independent of God and man alike.  The verses above present a picture of womanhood as it has developed through history since her creation, redemption and final judgment.  Her story supplements that of the man in his fall and redemption, in his glory and in his shame.  She has had her place in the great scheme of things, and the contemporary world has afforded her a significance that will radically shape the final outcome of human history.  If there is a woman on the earth who pictures the apostasy and downfall of womanhood, it is Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.  Regardless of whether or not Ms. Clinton obtains the presidency of the United States in the next general election, she is, perhaps the most perfect representation of the modern feminist ideal yet to enter the public eye.  A study of her, though that is not my purpose here, might be a survey of historic womanhood from the beginning of history until its very end.

          What makes a woman a woman?  Many a man, as well as woman has pondered this question.  What mysterious dynamic governs the mind and soul of that female gender?  What progress or regress has she made in the course of her earthly existence? And how does she occupy her position in today’s world and church?  These are questions the answers to which could fill volumes upon volumes.   I would be very pleased if I might  contribute just a few thoughts here from one man’s perspective to add to this discussion.  The reading of the Bible, rather it’s interpretation on the matter appears as varied as the many viewpoints of nearly every topic of human consideration.  Sad to say, however, the world and even sadder, God’s people have settled for a worldly ideal of womanhood that falls far short of God’s holy intention for her and for them.  As in nearly all areas of Christian thought and practice, the concept of womanhood has come to closely mirror, if not mimicked that of the contemporary world.  This is indicated very plainly by not only her (the Christian woman’s) appearance, but deeper, by her very demeanor and disposition in relation to her husband and to the church and to the world as a whole.  One of the many results of this imitation of worldly womanhood, is a statistical divorce rate amongst professing Evangelicals that equals that of contemporary society.*  This is not to fix the blame for marital problems entirely on the woman.  That would be a great distortion of the true case.  However, modern feministic trends certainly have their cause and effect in the realm of conjugal difficulties in society, as well as in the Christian churches. 

          How has this modern, tight trouser-wearing, sometimes with her belly and back-showing, relatively short-haired and aggressively more-than-equal “lady” come to be what she presently is?  How has she been able to achieve the revolutionary goals of usurping and even intimidating (male) mankind in the short span of the recent 50 to 100 years?  Army and Air Force Generals, Navy Admirals, and tough Marine Corps Commanders, though physically brave in the field of combat, now shrink in moral cowardice in the face of contemporary feminist activism.  Male would-be politicians, though rarely distinguished for their true moral convictions and courage, show exceptional deference to this advancing horde of female power-mongers.  Lesbianism has become the vogue in elite social circles.  Christian women, in like fashion have mirrored their progress, from the supposed oppressive subjugation that men have historically imposed upon them, and are increasingly occupying the offices and functions once exclusively (and rightly) held by males.  Though Mohammed and his many followers up to the present hold a truly oppressive view of womanhood, one is hard pressed to determine which extreme, Islam or modern feminism is more hurtful to the race and to social and religious propriety in general.

          The little bumper sticker saying that “Well-behaved Women Seldom Make History” is quite true.  John Wesley’s mother, Susanna, was a notable exception to this.  She did right with 12 children; bore good fruit that even secular history cannot deny, and made a name for herself nonetheless.  Most holy and virtuous women, however, including Mrs. Wesley, do their good deeds in obscurity, often supporting good and great men in quietness and all godly reverence.  See 1Pet. 3:1-6.   Many of today’s Christian women don’t quite see their roles in this way, although, I believe many still do.  Unfortunately many of their female role models, such as Ann Graham-Lott, and others more or less notable than her have taken a different route in leadership (teaching and shepherding) of men in the church.  How sad to see a woman attempt to be a man, whether in dress, function or otherwise!  Some time ago I met a Christian man, who for some reason unexplained to me, found it necessary to send away, or go and fetch a woman (who was considerably younger than himself) from Russia.  Why are American men increasingly procuring their mates from countries less socially advanced than theirs.  Isn’t it obvious?  A real man wants a real woman, not a competitor, but a very feminine, co-equal, though subordinate counterpart.  Is that really so hard for us supposed Bible-believers to grasp?  It is fairly easy to see why and how the world with its progressive anti-christ deception can’t get it.  But God’s people?  Maybe it’s time to repent in this area, as in many other areas of worldliness in the churches, so that the rains and winds of revival may visit us once again, as they did in times past.  Certainly there is a risk for any woman, or group of women who would return to true womanhood.  But God commands His people to be holy (separated, set apart for Himself, different than the world).  The cross has its reproach for all who would take it up. The approval of God is much more valuable than the disapproval of man, or other women.  Let us ponder what I say here, dear friends, and set our minds on His ways once again!

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies.

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.  Prov. 31: 10,31

*I have no statistical proof for this assertion concerning the Christian divorce rate, though I believe it is commonly accepted as fact.