9/27/20 Series: Gospel Shaped Church
Week 4: 1 Timothy 2:8-15 One fatal flaw in our society, and it was part of the French Revolution as well, is a twisted idea of what equality really is. What ever happened to the idea of celebrating our differences? This is even one of the flaws of our own Constitution. I think it’s fairly obvious to even the casual observer that we are not all created equally. There are so many differences between any two humans who have a lot of similarities, let alone among billions of people what are obviously very different and therefore unequal. The definitions that are fabricated of equality that follow are what get us into trouble. Rather than allowing God to be the arbiter of who is who, and who has what gifts and who is best in which roles in given circumstances, we feel we must be the determiners of all of this in life. This is where we most naturally claim our independence from God. This is where we fundamentally are in opposition to God. This is not a place in which I want to be.
So the divine design for how relationships are to be among people in the Church is best left with God – the creator of both people, and the Church. And Christ is the head of the Church.
Now in reality, Jesus is sovereign and Lord over all, but much of the world will not submit to this. The Church by definition is that group of people who have willingly submitted to His authority as head (Lord) and determiner of roles and giftings. And yet in the Church too, is there continues to be an insistence of fighting against God’s design for relationships. It is our fatal flaw.
I’ve often said in the spirit of, ‘the first shall be last…’ that ‘Thou shall not covet” may be the most important commandment. (that there is a hierarchy of commands or that they’re all equal – is for another time). Because this is the temptation that leads to all sin. Coveting another’s gifts, roles, genders, authority, abilities, strengths, influence, really anything of another’s, has led to more distorted grabs at equality than almost anything.
What ever happened to the idea of celebrating our differences? It is all so designed so that women and men can thrive in the Church together. What more can we ask for?
Solo dei gloria.
