Should sexuality affect our work outside the home and church?

[ldweeks (Lucas Weeks)]

@Auslander

Ok, doing some careful thinking on the fly. Don’t try this at home.

First of all, I’ve been chuckling about that all afternoon. Isn’t that what argument is all about? Thinking on the fly. Lord willing, we will be better for it. And I sincerely appreciate your perseverance, Eric - I am better for it. Now onward…

To paraphrase your words, your current position is that the very real distinctions between men and women do not mean it is wrong for a woman to serve in a civil or commercial leadership position. That’s a fair statement of your position, right?

I think that approaches this issue the wrong way. Back in our parent topic, Tim said,

@tbbayly

Wherever man as man is, Adam’s federal headship is the ruling principle of authority. He always stands in a different place than woman since Adam was created first, in Adam—not Eve—we all die, Adam is glory of God whereas woman is glory of man, and so on.

Hit your head hard on this: there is no place those ontological statements (meaning statements that go as deep as can be) about man and woman aren’t true or don’t matter. If you don’t start there, the rest of your thinking is sub-Biblical and therefore corrupt.

I think that is the key place to start. Let’s keep 1 Timothy 2 in mind:

9 Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10 but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11 A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15 But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

The point being made here is that the authority of Adam over Eve comes from his being the man and being created first, and those things don’t disappear when he walks out of the home and the church. And so the question is not, “which occupation is morally permissible and which aren’t?” The question is, instead, “how do I live out my God-given masculinity/femininity outside of the church and the home?” When you ask it that way, the whole discussion happening over here comes to life.