Friday, January 6, 2017

Should a Christian be a feminist?

This question is especially important to the Christian woman. Does the Word of God address feminism? The modern concept of feminism was not present during the time that the Bible was written. That does mean that the Bible has nothing to say on the basic issues of feminism. Even when the Scriptures seem to be silent on something that affects us today, there are eternal principles that speak to the underlying issue.

What are the issues of feminism?
Feminism is a counterfeit solution to the real issue of the inequality of women in a sinful society. Feminism arrogates to itself the right to demand respect and equality in every aspect of life. Feminism is based on arrogance and it is the opposite of the call to the born again believer to be a servant. The actions of the modern, militant feminists of the last decade were geared to cause women to rise up and rebel against the order that God has given to mankind. That brand of feminism seeks to impose humanistic solutions that are in direct opposition to the Word of God. Feminism was originally a positive movement, focused on giving women the basic rights God intends for every human being to have. Tragically, feminism has gone past those roots to now focus on destroying any trace of a distinction in roles between men and women.

What then should be the view of a Christian about feminism?
A believing woman, who is seeking to obey God and walk in peace and grace, should remember that she has equal access to all spiritual blessings in Christ. "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" (Galatians 3:28). A believing woman should not allow herself to be a pawn in the worldly agenda of the feminist movement. Men and women have a God-given privilege to fulfill the plan that God has set for us. Rebellion against that plan, and arrogance that seeks to put self above God's Word, results in self-inflicted consequences. We see those consequences in the destruction of the relationship between husbands and wives, the destruction of the family, and the loss of respect for human life.
"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world" (1 John 2:16). The principles of the fall are present in this verse. Eve believed the lie that eating the fruit would bring her wisdom. She lusted and she took or arrogated to herself something that was forbidden. This is the basis for the movement of feminism. Women have bought into the lie that feminism will bring them what they want, what they think that they "deserve." However, the promise is empty for the premise is based on pride and pride goes before a fall. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).
In the last decade there has been the rise of a society that is so concerned with political correctness and so sensitive to being "offended" that civility has lost its way.  However, this is really nothing new for there has always been inequality in this world. It is sad but true that artificial barriers that have no basis in God's Word have always divided humanity.

The Race

There is only one race, the human race! Within that human race we have male and female, different ethnicities, different colors, and different national origins. However, we are all of the same God created human race. It is sin in the heart that causes inequality. It is sin in the heart that causes men to treat women in ways that are meant to demean. It is sin that sets one person above another. And it is sin that seeks to use counterfeit solutions to counteract these inequalities. The only true cure for inequality is obedience to God's Word. If men and women would walk in obedience to God's word, feminism would be unmasked for what it is, and the harmony that God has ordained for the relationship between men and women would be the result. Amen!

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