Feminism

Intro: We have been talking in the last few weeks about times when even the best of us, as much as we want to follow God, can be caught in the snares of Satan. And just for those of you who have been wondering, I caught my chipmunk last Sunday. We named him Scamper and sent him off running into an undisclosed farmer’s field a few miles away. Satan tries to catch us in his traps. This morning we want to talk about the trap of Feminism!

What exactly is feminism? If you look at the dictionary, it will tell you feminism is a movement seeking the same rights for women as for men. We might say, “What could possibly be wrong with that -- you aren’t a male chauvinist, are you?” In practical truth, feminism is really an organization that promotes the dominance, control, and influence of society by women. Yet, even if it were simply a quest for equal rights, I would still take issue with the movement. I have a flier advertising a seminar to help us discover the divine feminine goddess within each of us. There is a full spectrum of beliefs in the circle of feminism: yet the truth remains that all of these are snares of the devil. And the reason for that is found in the practice of the Eskimos: Totemism!

Remember totem poles? Large trees, set upright, and carved with different animals and creatures’ faces. The Eskimo tribe uses the animals to be the embodiment of certain animals. For example: wise as an owl, sly as a fox, harmless as a dove/lamb. The tribe looks at itself, picks out its character traits, sculpts a representation of those traits, and in the end, ends up worshiping itself.

I would say to you this morning that feminism is really totemism: we are worshiping ourselves when we create an understanding of the role of women by what we as a society or a culture think should be the role of women.

Having said that, let’s ask, how do we decide the role of women? Is it left up to a few egotistical men to decide? No. It’s determined by what God says in his word. This morning let’s revisit God’s word and see what the Bible tells us about the role of women: How women should live and act and function in the home and in society. This is the basis for the elevation of women. This is where we determine the roles of women. We don’t base our thoughts on what any woman or man tells us should be the role of women in society.

I. God’s Plan for Order -

God is a God of order. He created a wonderful plan for his creation. Let’s look in Genesis 2.

A. God’s plan for order - In Creation - Genesis 2:18-23

God created Adam, but saw it was not good for him to be alone. God brought every animal to Adam to name: not so he could find a helper, but so he could see there was not a helper suitable for him. Then God created a helper for Adam: woman. God’s plan for order in the universe is for woman to be a helper for man. God’s plan is not for women to be independent and rule over men, but for women to be helpers to their husbands. Yet, the role of a helper is not an inferior role: it is a role that God plays in our lives.

Ps. 70:5 - Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay.

Ps. 10:14 - But you, O God, . . . are the helper of the fatherless.

Ps. 86:17 - For you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

The role of a helper is a role that is patterned for us in our God! It is a very important role!

In matters of standing before God, both man and woman are equals: Gen 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

Both men and women are in the image of God: yet God has created order in his creation.

1 Cor. 11:8-9 - For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. -- The woman is from man and for man.

The man is to be the head over the woman.

B. God’s plan for order - In Submission

Eph. 5:22 - 24 - Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.