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Feminists claim that women, in the last several decades, have made great
advances in personal freedoms, jobs, and politics. Women no longer need to
feel shackled by the "traditional" roles of wife, homemaker and mother. But
with all of this success, why aren't more women happy?As one writer states it, the feminist movement is suffering an identity
crisis.
Feminists claim that women, in the last several decades, have made great
advances in personal freedoms, jobs, and politics. Feminist writers maintain
that advances in birth control have given women the same sexual freedom as
men. In other words, women can now have multiple partners and not fear
pregnancy!
Feminist leaders proudly proclaim women are as good as men in the job
market. Women are landing traditionally "male" jobs. For example, women are
working construction, serving in the military, and leading many
corporations. Feminists declare that they have finally achieved some
long-standing goals. Women no longer need to feel shackled by the
"traditional" roles of wife, homemaker and mother.
But with all of this success, why aren't more women happy? After decades of
marches, placard waving and angry speeches, there is a growing undercurrent
of dissatisfaction within the women's movement. Wendy Kaminer wrote in The
Atlantic Monthly, "Thirty-nine percent of women, recently surveyed by
Redbook, said that feminism had made it 'harder' for women to balance work
and family life : wage-earning mothers still tend to feel guilty about not
being with their children and : worry that 'the more women get ahead
professionally, the more children will fall back :'" (October 1993).
Minority women feel that the feminist movement has failed to solve their
problems with inner city life-no jobs and poverty. There is even a growing
number of very well-educated, young white females who refuse to be known as
feminists. In fact, some very talented, capable women are turning back to
the more traditional roles of wife, homemaker and mother. Why? Personal
freedoms, great careers and achieving "male" status have not provided the
fulfillment they desired. All human beings want fulfillment and happiness.
The problem is, mankind has cut itself off from the way to find true
happiness.
Our Time-Anti-marriage
Living happily in a marriage seems like an unreal dream for most people
today. Many couples are attempting to find happiness outside of marriage.
Why are so many people anti-marriage today? The Apostle Paul prophesied that
our times would be very perilous (2 Timothy 3:1). The word "perilous" can
also be translated dangerous. Paul shows that one reason for the danger
today is human beings no longer have a "natural affection" for each other (2
Timothy 3:3). Our newspapers are full of headlines proving this verse true.
Children are killing parents; husbands-wives; and wives-husbands. People
have become more concerned with their own selfish desires (2 Timothy 3:2).
Although there are many people claiming to be religious, our time is one
that has drifted far from the true knowledge of God (2 Timothy 3:5). God and
His Bible no longer bear any direct authority in many people's lives. And
society is suffering the results.
In the last several decades, homes that should have been a bastion of peace
and tranquility have become vicious battlegrounds. Failed marriages have led
to great sadness, and even tragedy. Many children have watched their mothers
being abused mentally, emotionally and physically. Because of this fact,
many people, especially women, have become anti-men and anti-marriage. The
feminist movement has gained notoriety because of these many problems in
society. Leading women want solutions to marriage, family and society's
problems; but the women's movement is walking down the wrong path for a
solution. All women will have to come to the realization that they can never
discover solutions to human problems or find happiness through feminist
values. How can you, as a woman, become truly fulfilled?
God's Revealed Purpose
The plain truth is, God created women for a physical and spiritual purpose.
Women will only find true happiness by living according to these purposes.
This article has been written to inspire you to recapture the value in true
womanhood.
What is true womanhood? We must look to the Bible-to God's revealed purpose
for women-for the answer. Why did God create women? "And the Lord God said,
It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet
for him" (Genesis 2:18). Well-educated people scoff at the revelation
concerning Adam and Eve. Yet, these few verses in Genesis reveal God's
awesome purpose for women (and men). If only believed, these verses can give
solutions to the unhappy state of many women.
This historical account in Genesis is probably one of the most romantic in
all of the Bible. Adam was brought to life suddenly. He was given an
incredibly beautiful, semi-tropical garden, teeming with wildlife, as his
home. He was in perfect health. He was incredibly good looking and had sharp
intelligence. Genesis 1:26-28 show that God gave Adam authority over an
entire planet. What a fantastic challenge! Genesis 2:19 shows that Adam went
right to work. God brought the animals to him and he gave each animal
species its name.
But Adam soon discovered that he was alone. He was given an awesome job. He
had a great home-plenty of wealth-but no one to share his life. There was no
one of his same kind to experience the beauty of creation. There was no one
to share his plans, hopes and dreams. There was no other human whom he could
love.
God knew that it was not good for Adam to be alone. So God put Adam under a
deep sleep. He took one of his ribs and fashioned Eve from that rib. Being
molded from Adam's rib, the laws of biology tell us Eve shared the same body
cell structure and blood type as Adam. Adam understood this fact when he
first saw Eve. "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she
shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man" (Genesis 2:23). In
a wedding procession fashion, God brought Eve to give to Adam. Eve was also
in perfect health and stunningly beautiful. Like Adam, she had sharp
intelligence. God created Eve to be the perfect match for Adam. After
presenting Eve to Adam, God then bound them as husband and wife. In this
first marriage ceremony, God said, "Therefore shall a man leave his father
and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh"
(Genesis 2:24).
The women's movement has taught millions of women to scorn this knowledge
concerning Eve's creation. However, Eve was created to assist Adam. That is
the revealed purpose for women. A woman's purpose is tied intimately to that
of a man. God did not create Eve to be in competition with Adam. Adam and
Eve were created to work in harmony-together.
A Wife-a Man's Inspiration
Feminists nearly choke when God's revealed purpose for women is discussed.
Somehow they believe that these scriptures show that women are inferior. The
truth is that the scriptures say just the opposite. Remember God said that
it was not good for Adam to be "alone." Adam may have been in perfect
health, incredibly handsome and of high intelligence, but he was not "good"
alone. If Adam was not good alone, then why would God create an "inferior"
woman to help him? The truth is, Adam needed Eve. The late Herbert W.
Armstrong taught that Adam was not complete in himself. He needed Eve's
special talents and abilities in order to become the success God wanted him
to be.
Remember, Adam could find no animal creature to help him with his special
needs. An animal could not share Adam's thoughts, hopes and dreams. Only the
woman, Eve, could help him achieve his full potential. Without this help,
which only the woman could give, Adam would not have a full, abundant,
peaceful and balanced life.
This is God's physical purpose for creating woman. Woman was designed to be
the inspiration and encouragement for her own husband. A husband's success
in life is also the wife's success. Without giving this kind of help, a
woman-if married-becomes frustrated, depressed, resentful and unfulfilled.
Why? She is failing to fulfill the very purpose for which she was created!
Some may ask, must all women be married to find fulfillment? The answer is
no. In Matthew 19:11-12, Jesus taught that some people choose to be single
for the Kingdom or work's sake. The Apostle Paul lived as a single because
of his commission and the seriousness of the times in which he lived.
Because Paul believed he was living in the end time, he wished that everyone
were single. He said, "For I would that all men were even as I myself" (1
Corinthians 7:7 ). Why? Paul said, "But I would have you without
carefulness" (verse 32). Building a strong marriage takes much work.
Striving to build a strong marriage in tough times is even more difficult. A
woman who chooses to be single, as long as she lives lawfully, can still
achieve the spiritual purpose God has planned for her.
Be Under Authority
If you, as a woman, are married, or desire to be married, then you must
focus on the wife's purpose in marriage. This is the only way you can
achieve true happiness. Paul states, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own
husbands, as unto the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22). Submission has become a bad,
bad word in today's society. Because of all the abuse of women, submission
has taken on a very negative connotation. But if a man is living as a godly
husband, submission is a very positive and fulfilling experience for a
woman. The word for "submit" in the Greek is hupotasso and means to
subordinate, to obey, be under obedience, put under, subdue unto. Submission
means to put yourself under authority.
When God put man on this Earth, He established authority in marriage and
family. God decided that men would have the overall or final authority in
regard to marriage and family. Paul taught, "But I suffer not a woman to
teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam
was first formed, then Eve" (1 Timothy 2:12-13). God has given men the head,
or lead, position in the home. Wives must not strive to take over that
position. True family happiness can only come through the proper, loving use
of authority. That is the man's serious responsibility. A wife has the
responsibility to fully support her husband's authority. Unfortunately, this
is where most women fail in marriage today.
Even husbands are under authority. Paul shows, "But I would have you know,
that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man;
and the head of Christ is God" (1 Corinthians 11:3). Converted men in God's
Church have a boss 24 hours a day-Jesus Christ. Paul shows here that even
Christ willingly submits to God the Father. There must be government in the
home. The man is the head. The wife shares the authority with the man as
second in command. But a wife is not equal in authority.
"Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to
their own husbands in every thing" (Ephesians 5:24). Women must look to the
example of Christ and the Church to learn how to properly submit to a loving
husband. True submission means more than just choking down commands. True
submission is helping and complementing your husband "in everything." A
woman must learn to be responsive to her husband, to his direction of the
home and family, to his plans for family recreation and way of life.
A responsive wife fully shares and takes pleasure in her husband's successes
and accomplishments, knowing that she has helped him to achieve success. A
loving wife also shares her husband's failures, sorrows and disappointments.
Never ridiculing, a loving wife always strives to give her husband sympathy
and encouragement so that he can rebound to better success in the future.
Wives, remember, submission is the key to your happiness.
Meek-Not Weak
Submission does not mean that a woman be weak. In fact, to fulfill her
God-intended purpose a woman must be very strong emotionally and
spiritually. The Apostle Peter taught this. "Likewise, ye wives, be in
subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also
may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they
behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear" (1 Peter 3:1-2). Like
Paul, Peter taught that a woman must be in subjection to her husband. But
Peter also taught that a converted woman must have some limits concerning
submission.
Let's look at these verses closely. Verse 1 discusses a husband who is not
obeying God's Word. It implies that even though a wife must be in
subjection, she must not disobey God's Word. In other words, a wife must be
spiritually strong enough to obey God even if the husband is not obeying
God. A godly woman would never allow any man to lead her away from God.
By writing these verses, Peter shows that there should be great strength in
feminine character. In verse 1, conversation should be translated "conduct."
A truly converted wife will not follow a disobedient husband's bad conduct.
In fact, her "chaste" conduct is a strong example to her husband. Actually,
through her obedience, a wife could lead her husband out of disobedience.
Notice that Peter emphasizes conduct. A woman should strive to win back a
disobedient husband through her conduct. Peter does not say that a woman
should nag at, complain against, cajole, or rebel against her husband in
everything because he is disobedient. She must be strong enough to set the
right example.
How does a woman maintain this kind of strength and still be in subjection?
Peter gives us the answer in verse 2. Converted women must have good conduct
"coupled with fear." The word fear can be a little misleading in this verse.
Whom are the wives fearing? Are they fearing just their husbands? No, they
are in subjection to their husbands, but they are also fearing God.
Actually, to be a truly submissive wife, a woman must be in subjection to
God first.
What does God the Father look for most in His Spirit-begotten women? "Whose
adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man
of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek
and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (verses 3-4).
God does not care much for appearance. God places a high value on women who
have developed "a meek and quiet spirit." Many women (and men) today place
too much emphasis on a woman's beauty or status. But God says a woman's deep
conversion is her true beauty. A Spirit-led woman is of great price to God.
In order to show they are as good as men, some women have developed a
forward and noisy personality. This behavior is unbecoming for men. It is
even less becoming for women. A strong and secure woman is feminine in all
social situations. A woman with a "meek and quiet" spirit is not a
wallflower or a weakling. She wisely uses her feminine character to assist
and serve others.
Modern women have lost sight of the force and vitality of true femininity.
It is sad to say that there are not many examples today for women to follow.
Peter wrote, "For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who
trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own
husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye
are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement" (verses
5-6). Peter points out that Sarah set an example for all women to follow.
Genesis records for us that Abraham did not live a perfect life. He made
mistakes-some were very serious mistakes. He even subjected Sarah to some
wrong situations in Egypt with Pharaoh and in Gerar with Abimelech (Genesis
12 and 20). Yet Sarah obeyed Abraham. How could she obey him? 1 Peter 3:2
gives us the answer: Sarah trusted in God. When Abraham disobeyed God, Sarah
didn't rebel against him. She looked to God for her protection. Study the
two accounts in Genesis. God saw to Sarah's needs. If your husband isn't
obeying God, you should not follow him in his rebellion. But neither can you
use his rebellion as an excuse to rebel against him. Trust in God and He
will see to your needs. True happiness will come to you if you remain
submissive to your husband. But never see submission as being weak.
Keepers at Home
Many women today look down upon stay-at-home wives and mothers. Yet God also
planned that women give birth to, and raise children. An effective mother
exerts great influence over society. Paul admonished Titus to remind the
older women of their responsibility to teach the young women how to be wives
and mothers. Paul wrote, "That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste,
keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God
be not blasphemed" (Titus 2:4-5). Paul shows here that the highest calling
for a young woman is to become a competent wife and mother. Society has
forgotten that tomorrow's leaders are trained by today's mothers.
Why are so many young people in serious trouble with drugs, pre-marital sex,
alcoholism and gangs? There are very few "keepers at home." Many women are
trying to jostle full-time careers and family life. Many women have become
full-time professionals and part-time moms. In 1960, only 31 percent of
married women worked outside of the home. In 1991 that figure rose to 58
percent. Who suffers most? The children do. What is the result? Our wretched
society.
How is Christ going to solve the problems in our world today? After His
Second Coming, He will reestablish women staying at home, and He will praise
women who become loving wives and competent mothers.
Can you imagine what life will be like when women are taught to pursue the
God-ordained career of stay-at-home wife and mother? Women will be more
happy. Children will be happy and stable. Society will have fantastic
well-being. "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old
women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his
hand for very age. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and
girls playing in the streets thereof. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; If it be
marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should
it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts" (Zecheriah
8:4-6). A truly marvelous world is coming. Why should any woman be put down
for aspiring to the calling of wife, mother and homemaker?
Motherhood Requires Skill
To be a wife, mother and homemaker requires much education and skill.
Teaching and training young children demands years of study. A good mother
has to be a teacher, doctor, nurse and psychologist. Most educators are
required to take five or six years of upper level education to be able to
teach in a school. Doctors have to be trained for eight to ten years. A good
mother has to be ever learning as her family matures. An effective wife and
mother has to become multi-talented.
Should all women and wives stay at home and not work? The answer is no.
Herbert W. Armstrong taught that there is no problem with single women
working. Even when a couple is newly married, a young wife can and often
needs to work outside the home. A young couple working two jobs can achieve
financial stability more quickly. But if a couple has small children, the
wife should not work outside of the home.
There could be times when family emergencies may require that a mother work
temporarily, but it should only be temporary. Because of a high divorce rate
and sexual permissiveness, our society has produced a large number of single
mothers. Unfortunately, most single mothers must work to support themselves.
The extended family should provide as much support as possible to single
mothers. A single mother must fight to spend as much time with her young
family as possible. (For more, see "Successful Single Parenting.")
True Feminine Character
Striving for true womanhood is a supreme challenge. A devoted wife and
mother is more valuable than all the wealth of this world. Solomon laid the
gauntlet before all women to strive for true feminine character. He outlines
these essential qualities of true womanhood in Proverbs 31. Let's look at a
few of the sterling qualities of this woman. Her husband trusted her (verse
11) because she did many good things for him (verse 12). Because of her
loving support and encouragement, he was successful and well-respected in
the community (verse 23). She made clothing for her family and procured the
best of foods for them (verses 13-14, 19, 21). She got up early to serve her
household, including the servants (verse 15). She conducted her own business
(verses 15, 24). She also had time for the poor (verse 20). Most of all, she
was happy (verse 25). Why was she happy? She was living a productive, full
life. Please study all of the verses concerning the Proverbs 31 woman. They
will inspire you to set goals and accomplish more in your life than you ever
dreamed possible.
The Proverbs 31 characteristics are only valuable if a woman achieves her
ultimate spiritual purpose in life-making it into the Kingdom of God. Men
and women are on equal ground when it comes to attaining the Kingdom of God.
Peter taught, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to
knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as
being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not
hindered" (1 Peter 3:7).
Men and women are "heirs together" of the grace of life. A man prepares for
leadership in God's Family by being the head, or leader, of the wife and
family. A wife learns that kind of leadership by supporting her husband,
managing the home and teaching and training the children. A woman cannot
attain the Kingdom as a man. A woman can only attain the Kingdom being a
woman. Paul wrote, "Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if
they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety" (1 Timothy
2:15). God gave men and women unique purpose. A woman's purpose is not
inferior to a man's. God created women to be wives and mothers. God gave
women these specific purposes in this life so they can learn to rule in His
Family forever. All women who desire true happiness now and forever must
recapture the incredible value in true womanhood.
By Dennis Leap
Source: http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=4515.2764.0.0
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