May 14 2006
“M.A.D.D. Mother’s Against the Devil’s Devices II”
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7; 2:15-25

We live in a day of spiritual insanity, even amazing stupidity, that most of us NEVER dreamed of. Now we have new genders and many new terms to describe them, we have: homosexuals, lesbians, gender-queer, transgender, androgyne, bi-sexual, pansexual … instead of he / she we have ze / per; instead of him / her we have sie / hir --- don’t ask me what all these mean!

What all these have in common is a rejection of Genesis 1:27

NKJ Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

I. The truth that God has created us male and female and given men and women different roles is something MORE and MORE rejected by our society –
1. Being either male or female seems obvious to me – “How many genders are there? Two!” Yet, many do not feel that is the case anymore …Why?
2. First we have divorced God from our knowledge – Romans 1
3. Evolution has made God seem unnecessary, and
4. Hurt women blame “Our Father in heaven” for the hurts they have received from earthly men and radical feminism has grabbed both male and adherents / It has become a religion itself – Rosemary Radford Ruther a leading feminist theologian describes her new religion in her book “Sexism and God-talk” using Christian / Biblical terminology – yet she changes the meaning –
A. Revelation / Scripture – any writing that affirms the full humanity of woman (as judged by Rosemary Ruther) is SCRIPTURE
B. God is not --- up there in heaven, but earthy / not He but she Goddess to Ruther is pre-God / Goddess does not make rules
C. About Jesus, Ruther says, “Christology has been the doctrine of the Christian tradition that has been most frequently used against women”
D. Man – Ruther has a problem with “man” being over animals and seems intentionally confused about “man” over against “woman” being created in God’s image
E. Sin – Ruther says, “Feminism represents a fundamental shift in the valuations of good and evil”
F. Eschatology – the afterlife is a male concern only

This may not be the view of every feminist in the world, yet we have multiple enemies to motherhood, the family and Christianity to battle

II. How do we battle such beliefs?

1. By embracing God-given biblical roles, values and institutions
A. God created and commanded us “to be fruitful and multiply” men and women are called to be parents – Genesis 1:28; 1 Timothy 2:11-15; 1 Timothy 5:14-15
B. God created us “male and female” to cooperate, to fit together – Genesis 2:18 & 21, for man, the creation of woman should be the ultimate proof of intelligent design!
C. God established marriage – Genesis 2:24
2. By honoring and supporting those who are faithful in their God-given roles, not just on Mother’s Day, but every day!

The woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam;
not made of his head to rule over him,
nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him,
but out of his side to be equal to him,
under his arm to be protected,
and near his heart to be beloved.
Matthew Henry
Commentary on Genesis 2:21-25

Pastor Arnold Brevick