Are Men and Women Equal?

Is there a difference between being equal in the eyes of God and having different roles in this world as a man and a woman? Can these two theories work together?

Yes, and no.

There is an apparent difference between physical bodily functions such as giving birth vs. protecting the weaker vessel. I want to turn the focus on Spiritual Equality.

God created Eve out of Adam's ribs which means they were side-by-side, Equal.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve gave up on God's design by disobedience.

Sin created an imbalance in their dynamic.

Spiritual inequality

A curse placed by God upon all who disobey.

Genesis 3:14-19

“Then the Lord God said to the serpent,

“Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

• Strike your head means being in control and authority.

• Strike his heel means undermining the control and authority, rebelling against it.

Then he said to the woman,

“I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.”

And to the man he said,

“Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”

Men and women were no longer walking "side-by-side."

Their equality was canceled. Their disobedience gave Satan authority to RULE over the Earth.

2 Timothy 2:26

“Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.”

2 Corinthians 4:3–4

“If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

As a result, Satan hates all women and their children. In his strategy, HE USES MEN to act out his hatred and authority, which makes men abandon their designed initial roles.

Satan tells men:

• women are to blame for their misfortune and having to have to work very hard for very little

• never listen to women because it only brings trouble

• women are less intelligent (Muslims believe it takes three women's intellect to equal one man)

• women are worthless (again; Muslims believe a woman has less worth than a dog)

• women cannot be trusted

• women are not loyal

• women are the only ones responsible for their children and their upbringing

• women do not deserve anything

• women's only function is to give birth and be used for sex

• women are weak emotionally

We can all plainly see how it unfolds in our everyday lives. Some examples:

• Women are required to earn money (some prefer to, but most don't; it's not part of the design)

• Women earn less in the same positions as men.

• Women are the primary victims of domestic violence (some rebel and fight back, as a result, men become their victims)

• Public violence (Honduras being the most violent country against its women)

• In many cases, women have no right to obtain an education, vote, or freedom to go outside (this includes living in America)

• Single mothers are on the rise and are most hated in every society.

• "50/50 culture" in theory; "150/50" in reality; women are required to do all their duties as wives and mothers and take over their men's duties to earn money, while men do only the minimum, offering no help; expecting them to serve to them as mothers.

• In some cases, women take on the full responsibility as the provider and protector, and men are stay-at-home "moms."

• Women became masculine; men became feminine.

In other words, the world went "upside down."

God gives all people the choice to return to Him to be restored to their original design and to have this curse of sin taken away. It requires the rejection of Satan, which can only be done through Faith and Repentance.

However, most people lack Faith that it requires and aren't interested in reversing the curse. They don't believe they are under the curse. Instead, they look for ways to "make it work," thinking it's just a part of being human. It's a herd mentality. It's plain to see that it does not work.

The women's liberation movement in the 60s hoped to bring a positive change; it made things worse for both genders.

Of course, it freed some women from domestic violence, which is great, but at the same time ramped up sexual immorality and put even more responsibilities on them.

"Eve's" tendencies toward deception intensified.

Conversely, men give up on their responsibilities; most don't want to grow up and rely on the shallow illusion they present. We live in a "peter-pan" wonderland.

"Adam's" tendencies toward passiveness intensified.

A few decades forward, the prophecy written about society in the Last Days was never easier to notice:

2 Timothy 3:1-9

"You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!

They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres."

• Proverbs 27:15-16 "A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day. Stopping her complaints is like trying to stop the wind or trying to hold something with greased hands."

• Proverbs 21:9 "It’s better to live alone in the corner of an attic than with a quarrelsome wife in a lovely home."

• 1 Timothy 5:8 "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

• Ephesians 6:4 "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord."

True Faith will be more and more difficult to find. People will never be able to turn things around on their own; they can read 100s of self-help books and listen to podcasts every day on how to "master your shadow," but nothing will ever solve the curse of sin apart from turning to God, who put that curse on them. Jesus Christ is the only one who forgives sin and heals people.

Some preachers tell women to become independent and rely only on themselves for resources. While it helps not to be tied to a "wolf" who only wants to devour them, it doesn't take the curse away. It makes them believe that no one can be trusted, even God. I've been there, and it wasn't terrific.

The original design wasn't about independence but interdependence.

• God created us to be interdependent with Him; by Faith, obedience, and trust in His provision.

• He gave us opposite roles to create one harmonious family unit, which also requires interdependence with one another.

James 3:13-18

"If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness."

Ephesians 5:22-30

"For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives AS they love their own bodies. For a MAN WHO LOVES HIS WIFE ACTUALLY SHOWS LOVE FOR HIMSELF. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. And we are members of his body."

1 Timothy 2:11–15

"Women should learn quietly and submissively. I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly. For God made Adam first, and afterward he made Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived by Satan. The woman was deceived, and sin was the result. But women will be saved through childbearing, assuming they continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty."

Titus 2:1-6

"As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be WORTHY OF RESPECT, and to live wisely. They MUST have sound faith and be FILLED WITH LOVE AND PATIENCE.

Similarly, teach the older women to LIVE IN A WAY THAT HONORS GOD. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and BE PURE, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely."

Isaiah 3:10-12

"Tell the godly that all will be well for them. They will enjoy the rich reward they have earned! But the wicked are doomed, for they will get exactly what they deserve. Childish leaders oppress my people, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you; they send you down the wrong road."

Spiritual Equality

Doing the Will of God through the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 22:14

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Those are people God has chosen to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ and do the work of the Holy Spirit; the same works Jesus Christ had done before His crucifixion; prophesying, teaching, miracles, speaking in tongues, interpretations, casting out demons, special knowledge, wisdom, and discernment.

They got chosen because of their faith, genuine repentance, and love for God. They gave up their lives and ambitions to follow Jesus Christ, step by step.

From the beginning of time until Judgment Day, only 144,000 people succeed.

Both males and females receive the same authority as Jesus Christ because He lives through them. They are no longer under the curse of sin and its desire to “control” or “rule over” one another; their original design gets restored.

Their sin is forgiven, its record erased, and their lives continue toward the holiness and perfection of Jesus Christ.

• Luke 6:40 "Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher."

• Learn more; The 144,000

They are set apart from the world for this purpose. They still can get married, but they live according to the original design and will not choose a spouse who is still Spiritually married to Satan (living in sin), as there would be no harmony.

Galatians 3:26–29

"For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you."

Women in this group are "the followers of Jesus Christ" and are authorized by the Holy Spirit living in them to do the works of the Spirit (including teaching men), unlike other women who are "believers" without this authority.

Examples:

Women prophets, judges, disciples, and deacons;

• Miriam (Aaron’s sister, Exodus 15:20)

• Deborah (Judges 4:4)

• Hanna (Samuel; it’s not worded out that she was a prophet, but her praise was in the form of prophecy after God saved her)

• Huldah (wife of Shallum, 2 Kings 22)

• Anna (Luke 2)

• Mary Magdalene (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)

• Phoebe, Priscilla, and Aquila (Romans 16)

False women prophets; Those who spread lies about God; they did not receive the Holy Spirit.

• Noadiah (Ezra 8, Nehemiah 6)

• Jezebel (Kings, Revelation 2)

Women with the Holy Spirit will still use discretion when interacting in public, not to call attention to themselves.

Acts 18:24-26

"Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately."

• Apollos received these women's correction with gladness because his faith, even though limited at the time, was authentic as he welcomed knowledge and wisdom that came from Holy Spirit speaking through them. Those of counterfeit faith would automatically undermine them and dismiss them for the fact of being women.

God created both; males and females in HIS IMAGE; to live and speak through them.

Psalm 141:5

“Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they correct me, it is soothing medicine. Don’t let me refuse it.

But I pray constantly against the wicked and their deeds.”

2 Peter 1:20–21

"Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God."

Abba Father! 🙌