By Gary Ray Branscome
At this point I want to focus specifically on the fact that
the words, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He
created him; male and female He created them,” tell us that Adam and Eve
were both created in the image of God (Genesis
God’s words to Eve, “Your desire shall be to your
husband, and he will rule over you,” tell us that before the fall, even
though Eve was subject to her husband, and he was her leader, he did not “rule
over” her (Genesis 3:16). At least not in the way the words “rule over”
are understood in a sinful world. That tells me that God intended for man and
wife to be a team, who work together in love, as friends, not rivals each
fighting for their own way. When God’s blessing is on the home, marriage and
home life can be the closest thing to heaven that you can experience in this
life. However, without God’s blessing on the home, marriage and home life can
be the closest thing to hell that you experience in this life. For that reason
all Christians should seek God’s blessing as fervently as Jacob sought it when
he wrestled with the angel (Genesis 32:24, 26).
The
words, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord… Husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it,” (Ephesians 5:21, 22, 25) tell us that “This
divine order must not be subverted; for it is the will of God that the woman
should not usurp authority over the man by ruling over him. But, on the other
hand, the woman should not be tyrannized or made a slave.” (John Theodore
Mueller, “Christian Dogmatics,” page 209)
While the words, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one
in Christ Jesus,” tell us that men and women are equal before God, and
therefore equal in regard to salvation: the words, “A woman should learn in
silence with all subjection. But I do not allow a woman to teach, or to have
authority over a man, but to remain silent. For Adam was first formed, then Eve,”
tell us that just as God has given men and women different roles in the home,
He has given them different roles in the church, and those roles should be
respected (Galatians 3:28, 1Timothy
2:11-13). [See Gen. 2:21-22, Eph. 5:21-33, Titus 2:3-5, Proverbs 1:24-33.]
A Final Note
Although Adam and Eve knew the love of God before they fell
into sin, they did not know God’s plan to provide redemption for all mankind,
or of the “seed” that would crush the serpents “head”, for that was not yet
revealed (Genesis 3:15). So even though they were not lost before they sinned,
it would be inaccurate to say that they were saved, because someone has to be
lost before they can be saved, and they have to trust in Christ. As it is
written, “The Son of man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”
(Luke