“You’ve come a long way, baby” was a popular cigarette slogan of the late 1960s and ‘70s; since then, women have continued to come “a long way,” but the question is: Is it the right way? Whether looking at the route physically, socially, culturally, or even spiritually—our goal should always be to walk the Biblical way.
Since the beginning of time—well, Genesis 3—Satan has waged a war against women by getting them to reject the truth and to buy a lie. He’s convinced them that they can gain ground by rejecting the truth of God and chasing after shiny objects – things that appeal to our senses.
I listened to Al Mohler’s The Briefing, March 8, 2016; reporting on a New York Magazine(February 22, 2016) cover story by Rebecca Traister. In short, we learn that single women are becoming the new driving force of America politically, culturally, and demographically. They’re driving in the progressive lane and have overtaken the historically conservative stance that the majority of women have held to in the past. This is due to the dramatic cultural shift from a majority of women being married to a majority of them becoming or remaining single. It’s reported that the marital status of a woman has much to do with whether they vote Democrat or Republican and whether they lean toward liberal or conservative values.
As our culture has accepted sex without marriage and children without marriage as normal, these single women have decided that the “good life” can be attained without the ties and security of marriage. To get a fuller picture of what these reports say, click on the following links: The Briefing New York Magazine
Before I even start to break this down, I’d like to make two statements. First, there are many single women that are still conservative and living Biblically; this article is NOT an indictment against these, or any, women. Secondly, our culture has moved so far outside the Biblical norms and feminism has infiltrated the church to such a degree that whatever is said here may seem foreign or mistaken as uncaring. Such is not the case, what is said here is said in love for the Lord, His Word, His Church, our nation, and all peoples.
Many of these women have bought the lie that society and government has sold them. Traister reveals, “The practicalities of female life independent of marriage give rise to demands for pay equity, paid family leave, a higher minimum wage, universal pre-K, lowered college costs, more affordable health care, and broadly accessible reproductive rights…” This driving force of single womanhood speaks of independence and the freedom to do as they wish; yet it’s not real independence and it’s freedom without responsibility that they truly seek. They want the freedom to do as they wish without the responsibility that comes with such freedom. They have a vision of independence that wears the government’s wedding ring in a bond of unholy matrimony. It’s a “husband” government who takes from many men, women, and others’ husbands so that it might provide for their single and illegitimate “bride” and her children.
Perhaps we should look deeper into what real independence means, but that will have to wait for another day. Instead, let’s try to figure out how we’ve ended up here. Who’s responsible for such thinking and much of the faulty feeling that passes for “thinking” today? I’m sure there are many hooks where we could hang the blame, but let’s start by examining our own conservative positions—as uncomfortable as that may be. Let’s ask ourselves, “What does the Bible say about that?”
When education turns to anti-Judeo-Christian, ideological indoctrination that embraces socialistic views which undermine our Constitutional stance and historically Christian foundations, education has failed. When it stops teaching the truth, all people are in trouble. When believers said and did nothing as the Bible and prayer was taken out of school, we played a part in the failure of education and the demise of our nation. How should we expect people who have grown up without the truth of world history, national history, and their personal origins of being created, to act? When they are brought up without the wisdom of the One who put this world, society, and government in order, how are they to live? Instead of our Creator teaching these women and others the meaning of marriage, the joy and blessing of children, the sanctity of life, and the purpose of life (to glorify God and enjoy Him forever), they’re incorrectly indoctrinated by this fallen world and a government that has been hijacked by men and women who are being deceived by the devil. This generation has been taught that it’s all about them and it’s all right to be self-centered without any thought of how it will affect others, society, their nation, or even themselves in the future.
Originally, the Bible was the school’s textbook. Our Founding Fathers had much to say about the importance of the Bible being taught in the public school and Congress even printed the Bible to that end. Read many quotes by these men on this topic by clicking here. To read how the Bible (sans evangelism) taught in schools can still make a big impact, click here. Read about the legal right and the importance of teaching the Bible in schools by clicking here.
I love God’s people; but the Church has failed. Honestly the church has been failing for a long time now. When the pulpits are silent about issues that the Bible definitely and definitively speak to, we have failed. It can’t be laid at the feet of the preacher alone (although much of it belongs there) because those in the pews — you and I — make up the church and we are to have a voice of reason, a taste of salt, and to shine the light of truth into our culture and nation. Don Wildmon, a great herald of truth and prophetic voice to America said, “If God speaks to a truth in Scripture, the church should speak to that truth in culture.” To the extent that we’ve been silent, bullied, or timid, we have failed.
As the church has been accepting unbiblical divorce, she has sent a veiled message of acceptable, unbiblical singlehood. When we allow the government to change the definition of marriage, we’re saying that Biblical definitions and principles aren’t really that important. When the church panders to society’s view of children, it represents God in an incorrect light. We send a message that children are an inconvenience rather than a blessing, a burden rather than a joy, and that we should selfishly decide as to when these blessings should be received, rather than allowing God to bless as He sees fit. More specifically, as the church has embraced feminism and allowed egalitarianism into its ranks, we have sent an unbiblical message to women that skew the vision of their God-given role of womanhood outside the authority of God’s word. The church has jumped from hyper-critical to full-blown acceptance of anything; we should have found the stable, Biblical, middle ground where the push for holy living and the compassion of Jesus meet.
I cringe as I have to admit that men have failed. God’s Word is clear about the role of men in the family, in the church, and in society. In America, men stopped being men long ago. God tells us to fight the good fight both spiritually and for our family; by and large, men apathetically sit on the sidelines and are lazy rather than diligent. We’re more interested in sports or entertainment than in the study of God’s word, passing on a spiritual heritage to our children, and guiding our wives into sanctification. Dads need to be training their children—boys and girls—about their God-given roles and their Biblical/societal responsibilities. We need to train our children to look to God rather than society or government for answers or for help.
Biblical manhood speaks to diligence, strength in the Lord, and trusting in Him instead of ourselves. It’s teaching our family the law of God and to love Him whether we’re inside our homes, outside our homes, getting up for the day, or going to bed…it’s ALL the time. It’s training our family and ourselves to love the Lord our God with ALL our heart, our ENTIRE mind, and ALL our strength; that’s with everything we have, all the time. (Deut. 6)
With all this failure, it’s no wonder that women and others are seeking to find their answers elsewhere. The only answer for this and all our troubles is to acknowledge the supremacy of Christ and to turn humbly to Him seeking forgiveness and submitting to His authority in our lives, our churches, and our nation. Let Him guide us in the way we should go; turn from self-centeredness to holiness, which is the defining character of God.
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