Debunking Headship #1

You may remember from a previous post that I brought up the hot-button issue of leadership and followership in the context of marriage and offered to debunk it sometime. This is the first of what I hope will be five-part series based on Wayne Grudem's teaching Biblical Manhood and Womanhood in Creation and Marriage, given at Sovereign Grace Ministries 2004 leadership conference. So here goes.

Key Issue #1: men and women are equal in dignity and value (Gen. 1:27).

Created in the image of God. I don't know about you, but I find that to be pretty amazing. (Pastor Tim preached about the majesty of man a few Christmases ago--it's not currently on the website so you should ask about it at the HFH window.) Being made in the image of God is a privilege given to no other thing in God's creation. And according to the verse, both men and women share in this privilege: "male and female he created them" (emphasis added). He made both male and female in the image of God, with neither one bearing less of His image than the other.

I'm sure we can all figure out why this is point number one. There is this idea out there that the Bible teaches headship in such a way that it affirms the inferiority of women to men. But this is not the case! As Dr. Grudem says, "Page 1 of the Bible corrects the errors of male dominance and male superiority that have come as a result of sin and have been seen in all cultures throughout the history of the world." Page 1 of the Bible! Do you think maybe God knew this would be an important issue?

Furthermore, if we're equal in our status of being made in the image of God, then God must also count us as equal in value. And if God counts us as equal in value then that settles the question of worth for all time! Dr. Grudem continues with this exhortation to all women: "do not receive the lie that comes from one part of every culture in every society that says 'as a woman you are inferior to men, you are less important.' God says you are equal in dignity, value, importance, and personhood. Do you receive that?"

Now, don't get me wrong. There are certainly differences between men and women. We have many differences in preferences and in the way we decide things and express things. But we have to start with understanding that just because we are different as women doesn't mean our worth and value is different. Rather, our equality before God means that men and women need to respect and honor one another in spite of those differences. When we value those differences, we are actually affirming the equality in honor and value that we have before God!

Are you receiving your standing before God as one created in His image and justified by the blood of His Son?