Order of Society: Gender Roles part 2
Genesis 2:4-24
Head coverings? – 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
- Cultural identification of married women.
- Church tradition: symbolizes husband’s headship of his wife.
Why does it matter? – vv. 2-3
- God is a god of order.
- Headship is part of God’s creative order.
- However, each relationship is different and should not be treated exactly the same.
Was something going on? – vv. 4-5a
- Married women participating in worship with heads uncovered
- Two-fold distraction
- Visually stimulating to men.
- A statement of rejection.
Is it that extreme? – vv. 5b-6
- A woman with shaved head indicated adultery.
- Adultery: Giving authority to another.
What is the outcome? – vv. 7-10
- Man, in the image of God, shares authority over woman.
- When exercising authority as God does, i.e. unconditional sacrificial love, he makes God look good.
- She glorifies man when she helps him to glorify God.
What do angels have to do with it? – v. 10
- Two interpretations
- Paul reminds the church that it was the beauty of women that caused some angels to fall.
- Angels who worship eternally in the presence of God cover head and feet – symbol of submission?
Just how far should we take it? – vv. 11-12
- There exists an interdependent relationship between men and women.
- Men and women are equal in essence.
- Women should not be objects of men but the object of a man’s love.
What does nature say? – vv. 13-15
- God has created male and female to be different.
- It goes against God’s created order when one tries to be like the other.
That’s it!? – v. 16
- That’s it! There is not room in the church for the exchanging of gender roles.
Head coverings today?
- The tradition is symbolic of God’s created order.
- It would be permissible for a wife to resume the tradition.
- A similar and more “modern” tradition would be to choose to dress modestly.
Does this apply to unmarried women?
- Absolutely! Unmarried women should want to attract the right kind of husband. (1 Peter 3:3-5; 1 Timothy 2:9-10)
Are there other symbols? – 1 Timothy 2:11-15
- The exclusive male leadership of the church.
In Conclusion
- God has created clearly defined gender roles.
- Men lead and women help.
- Wives should have some symbol of their husband’s headship.
- Unmarried women should do the same if they desire a good husband.
(Note: Sermon recording may cutoff a couple minutes early)