Love DefinedSample

Male and Female He Created Them

In this modern age, women are not encouraged to allow the man to be the initiator or the pursuer. Biblical masculinity and femininity are rarely viewed as positive things anymore. We don’t like the idea of the male and female having differing roles in a relationship.

The two of us often hear questions like this: Are gender distinctions good or bad? Is one gender more valuable than the other? Am I weak if I enjoy being distinctly feminine? Am I spineless if I allow the man to be the initiator in the relationship?

If we try to answer these questions apart from the Bible, we will end up completely confused. If we use our personal opinions or preferences, we could answer those questions in a million different ways.

Thankfully, God didn’t leave us on our own to come up with answers. He was intentional, just like in every other aspect of our lives, with His design for the male and the female. He has a purpose that is better than anything we could come up with. 

If we’re view our femininity through the lens of Scripture, our confusion clears up. 

The book of Genesis reveals how intentional God was in creating the male and the female. In those earliest moments, God could have designed myriad gender types. But He didn’t. In His perfect wisdom and love, He created two distinct genders. 

The significance of Genesis 1:27 should inform us of God’s great intentionality: “Male and female he created them.” God didn’t create male and male. He didn’t create female and female. He didn’t create genderless beings. He didn’t create a “choose your own gender” option either. With great purpose and care, He created male and female. Equal in value, distinct in function.

God created us this way to be a reflection of a much more magnificent story. He created male and female to reflect different parts of His character and nature. When a woman chooses to take her femininity into her love life, it’s a reflection of God’s good and intentional design.

Gender distinctions are a beautiful reflection of Christ and the Church. Marriage is ultimately a reflection of the gospel. Our femininity isn’t really about us anyway; it’s about us embracing this distinction for God’s glory. 

How do you feel about allowing the man to be the leader in your marriage or future marriage?