Men and Women

God has made humanity in His image, both male and female (Gen. 1:26-28). Women can rejoice in their womanhood, and men in their manhood. What you are is good. According to the Bible, the image of God is expressed in the differences between men and women, as well as in their significant sameness. Clearly women and men are far more alike than different, but the differences remain. These differences are not intended to indicate inferiority or superiority, but to show us a picture of unity in diversity. This is a reflection of God’s existence as three-in-one, a complex unity of persons united in love.

We may affirm and even celebrate that different bodies are intended to reflect God’s likeness, and that God was a good designer when He paired male and female together in the earth. Adam and Eve together were to “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion” (v. 28). This suggests that we can fulfill our destiny as royal stewards of creation only as men and women living together in interdependence.

God’s glorious design in Eden was love without shame, and unity without strife, but sin has distorted this design. Now, individually and collectively, we are naturally given to control, competition, strife, disrespect, and slander. As Christians, though, we should not relate to each other in these unspiritual ways, nor should we allow social differences between women and men to be prominent in our Christian communities (Gal. 3:26-28). As sons and daughters of God, we must steward our differences lovingly, showing one another honor and care.