Femininity VS Feminism

By  Michelle Stace    

What IS femininity? We all have varying ideas of feminine attributes, but there has to be an absolute and of course the Bible is it. True femininity is being a godly woman. Therefore whatever is not godly is feminism.  Exploring what it means to be a godly woman will at the same time show us what a feminist is.

     First and foremost, a godly woman is one who believes in and loves, more than anything else, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This is not just a head knowledge, a mental assent, this is a heart belief that manifests itself in obedience to God’s word.

     A godly woman is in subjection to her own husband. She is submissive and respectful to him, calling him lord.  (I Pet. 3:1-6)  A woman can only be this kind of wife if she has complete trust in God and His sovereignty. She learns to give her thoughts and opinions in a gentle, quiet way to her husband.  And even if her husband does things she doesn’t believe are right, her faith in God gives her rest because she knows that 'He will work all things together for good.' (Rom.8:28)  She recognizes the roles God has defined for the marriage. (Gen.3:16, I Cor. 11:3)  She understands that she is not less than the man, just made for a different role. She understands there must be a head in the family in order for it to run smoothly. Two heads would be a two-headed monster!

     On the otherhand, a feminist will not submit to her husband. She tries to control things and will actually compete with him. She will show her own superiority and disrespect of him. This causes much strife and contention in the marriage. She sees his role as head, as a threat to herself and seeks to establish her own personhood. She may feel that she is justified because she thinks she is right, but it is wrongly motivated behavior none-the-less.

     A godly woman is a keeper at home. (Titus 2:5)  The word 'keeper' means 'stayer at home'. It doesn't mean someone who is able to maintain the home to some degree while working, but rather that she is the heart of the home. She is always there to care for her family, to maintain the home and undertake the multitude of  duties this requires.  She is content to live a quiet hidden life; as quiet as it can be with children !

     A feminist works outside the home. (I’m not referring to single moms here or to situations with extenuating circumstances.) She has to be tough, competitive and aggressive in the workplace. She is independent. This effectively destroys the manhood of a man, whom God designed to be the protector and provider of the family. We have a few generations of effeminate men that have had their roles usurped by women not living in their God-ordained roles.

     A godly woman will be fruitful and multiply. (Gen.1:28)  She will gladly accept the children God gives her. She understands that they are  arrows in the quiver, blessings, a heritage, and olive plants around the table, (Ps. 127:3-5, 128:3) for it is God who opens the womb. (Gen.9:7; 16:2; 17:6; 20:18; 29:31; 30:2,22; 33:5; 48:9; Deut.28:4; First Sam.1:5,17,27; 2:21; Judges 13:2,3; II Kings 4:14-17; I Chron.25:5; 28:5; Isa.8:18; 66:9; Hos.9:14)

    The feminist controls the number of children she will have. Many times this method of control involves murder through abortion or abortifacient means. She is refusing a gift from our heavenly Father. My daughter has put it this way : If God blessed you with the gift of good health, you certainly wouldn’t refuse it. Good health is something we all desire. And yet women everywhere are refusing to have children, God’s GIFT, because of our warped modern thinking.

     The godly woman will teach her own children at home. (Deut. 6:4-8)  She will  bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4)  She will not cast off her God-given responsibility to others - no matter how 'well intentioned' they might be. How can one bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, in schools that have eliminated Christianity and morality to the utmost, and have embraced all manner of evil instead? These schools are not a place for any child to be.

     The feminist leaves her babies in childcare, enrolls them in preschool, sends them to public school and plugs them into endless after-school activities. Baby-sitters, teachers, youth leaders and social workers are 'raising' these poor children.

The godly woman dresses modestly and discreetly in dresses.  (I Pet.3:3, I Tim. 2:9,10)  She does not wear 'that which pertains to a man.'  It is an abomination to God! It is detestable to Him - He hates it. (Deut. 22:5)  Pants are not modest.  They reveal far too much of  the form.  Have you noticed that men don’t want to wear dresses (unless they are really strange)?  The reason women started wearing pants goes right back to the submission role. By wearing pants and doing the things men do, they try to place themselves in the headship role - the role of authority. Pants are a symbol of this. I read about an interesting test that was given to a group of women. These women were shown a picture of a woman wearing a dress. The first thing their eyes went to was her face. Then they were shown a picture of a woman wearing pants. The first thing their eyes went to was her hips.  Now what do you think visually oriented men are going to look at first?  A feminist will wear about anything - the tighter, shorter and more revealing, the better. 

     I wonder if we truly realize the seriousness of causing a man to stumble, to lust, to sin, by dressing irresponsibly. Or, by example, encouraging another Christian woman that how  one dresses doesn't matter. It is literally heaping coals of judgement upon ourselves. Think of the pain this man's wife lives with as she sees her husband stare at another woman and how  it erodes their marriage. I'm sure that more than a few of us have experienced the same thing. So then how can we continue to knowingly do this to others? Is it worth it for fashions sake or to 'fit in'?

     A godly woman has a meek and quiet spirit, she is chaste and sober. (Titus 2:4,5, I Pet. 3:4)  Her words and actions are pure. She edifies and encourages. She doesn’t mind staying in the background and her life revolves around her family.

     The feminist is bold and aggressive. Sarcasm and crudeness are part of her speech. She loves to be the center of attention and uses flattery and manipulation to achieve her ends.

     This is not all the Bible says about godly women. Many more examples could be given, but this is a very good starting place.

     Do these characteristics of a godly woman, a truly feminine woman, sound too high to attain to?  All of God’s standards are high - they are perfection. He tells us to be holy as He is holy and He gives us His Spirit to enable us to do so. (Lev. 20:7, Rom. 12:1, Eph. 1:4)  It is part of the Christian life to strive, to keep pressing forward. (Lk. 13:24, Phil. 3:14)  This standard of perfection is not to be a discouragement, rather it is something to keep reaching for.

     Does the way of a godly woman sound too narrow? Remember, it is our Lord Jesus who said that the narrow way is unto life, and broad is the way that leads to destruction. (Matt. 7:13,14)

     Do I sound harsh or judging? This is God’s Word speaking. Please check all the verses. I have nothing to say of myself and face the same challenges as any other woman who is trying to die to self and follow God to the utmost.

     I will tell you how  to attain to God’s holy standards: 'And He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.' (II Cor.5:15)  The flesh - our sin nature - the bondage to sin, is destroyed. It is crucified. We are now free to obey Christ - to live for Him and not ourselves.  This is really what free will is - the freedom from bondage so that one can willingly obey God.

                             'It is only for the purpose of doing God’s will, that we have received a will.'