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 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 wrong 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 a myriad of other duties. It is a full time job.
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.)
She too brings home the bacon. 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 couple 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; I Sam.1:5,17,27; 2:21 Judges13:2,3;
II Kings4:14-17; 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 puts
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 to the utmost, and
have embraced all manner of evil instead? These schools are not the 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 a visually
oriented man is going to look at first?!!!!! A feminist will wear
about anything - the tighter, shorter and more revealing, the better.
I wonder if we trully 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 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.”
G.
Steinberger
For a complimentary article please read, "A Woman's Place".