Today, as we directly get into the fundamental core of this teaching series, we observe the manner in which wisdom nurtures and guides a young man, ensuring that his sexual life also experiences a state of ‘shalom.’
Assuming you have been keeping up with our previous posts, let’s promptly proceed to today’s topic. Before delving into it, however, we wish to introduce two crucial concepts that will enhance your understanding of today’s message.
The first one is “male-chauvinism.”
Male-chauvinism is “the belief that men are more superior than women. Those with this prejudice irrationally believe that women deserve less than equal treatment as compared to men. They disparage and discriminate against females since they are perceived as the weaker sex.”
In my perspective, this belief is deeply rooted in the essence of every man who descends from the fallen Adam. When such a sinful man turns to Christ, one realization derived from the teachings of the Bible is the understanding that males and females are created by God as equals, yet distinct. For instance, while females may possess fewer muscle cells than males, they exhibit a higher pain threshold. One might inquire about the reasoning behind these differences. The purpose is not to diminish or weaken either sex, but rather to illustrate that male and female are created with equal standing, albeit in distinct ways. Males are endowed with more muscle cells to safeguard their wives and children, while females possess a heightened pain threshold to endure childbirth.
Another flawed mindset that resembles male chauvinism is feminism. Feminism, as described by G. K. Chesterton, is “the effort to avoid being feminine in any way.” According to the Focus on the Family website, “everything radical feminists have advocated for regarding sexuality and family relationships calls women to deny their womanhood in an effort to be like men.” Feminism is emerging as a new threat to the Church of Christ, vehemently opposing the Word of God by advocating for the ordination of women to pastoral offices, regardless of what the Bible states (1 Timothy 3:1-7).
The concept often closely associated with male chauvinism is misogyny.
A misogynist is described as “a person who dislikes, despises, or is strongly prejudiced against women.” The root of this mindset can be traced back to a misconstrued understanding of the origin of Adam and the fall (Genesis 1-3). Some men erroneously think and believe that men have been inherently innocent since creation and would have remained so if it wasn’t for God who stated, “It is not good for a man to be alone. Let us make him a suitable helper,” and subsequently created Eve, who deceived the man into eating the forbidden fruit.
To touch upon this point briefly, let’s begin by posing a question: Does the Bible state that “Eve deceived Adam into eating the forbidden fruit?”
Here is what the Bible says,
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” Genesis 3:6 ESV
Following Eve’s conversation with the serpent, described as “craftier than any other beast,” she succumbed to deception and consumed the fruit. Subsequently, she offered some to her husband, who was present with her.
Impressively, was Adam present throughout his wife’s dialogue with the serpent? Indeed, he was. However, did he take any action? Did he instruct the serpent to depart or advise his wife against engaging in conversation? No, he did not.
The Bible says,
“For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.” 1 Timothy 2:13-14 ESV
Adam did not consume the fruit out of deception, as Eve did. He knowingly ate it, understanding his actions and willfully disobeying God, fully aware of the truth. God said the following to Adam,
““Because you have listened to the voice of your wife [rejecting God’s voice]
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;” Genesis 3:17 ESV
Ultimately, the human race bore the curse. Responsibility for it rested on both Adam and Eve.
Returning to our topic for today, surprisingly, the Bible, the word of God, has faced accusations of being male-chauvinist and misogynist, with some individuals asserting that it opposes feminism. Interestingly, the latter claim is entirely accurate. The Bible does not advocate for the idea that males and females are identical. Instead, it asserts that male and female are created with equal status but in distinct ways.
With that said, today we explore how the wisdom within the word of God, devoid of male-chauvinism and misogyny, guides the young man in identifying and avoiding “an evil woman” or “a strange woman.”
The commonly unspoken yet widely accepted belief is as follows: “to consider all women as victims and all men as perpetrators.”
Is this accurate? Yes, in numerous situations, but not universally. Women can also be perpetrators, and wisdom aims to protect the young man from such women.
Listen:
“My son, if you receive my words
and treasure up my commandments with you,
2 making your ear attentive to wisdom
and inclining your heart to understanding;
3 yes, if you call out for insight
and raise your voice for understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God. . .
16 So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman,
from the adulteress with her smooth words,
17 who forsakes the companion of her youth
and forgets the covenant of her God;
18 for her house sinks down to death,
and her paths to the departed;
19 none who go to her come back,
nor do they regain the paths of life.” Proverbs 2:1-5, 16-19 ESV
The Enduring Word commentary on this passage states, “A life surrendered early to promiscuity and sexual sin” is considerably more challenging “to redeem.”
Indeed, how accurate that statement is! – – – Contd. ///