An Ezer Suitable for Him

by Kristi Meyer

The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky, and all the wild animals.

But for Adam no suitable helper was found. (Genesis 2:18-20)

 

There’s something about helping people that brings joy. Seeing what a person needs (sometimes even before they ask) and taking care of that need in a quiet and unobtrusive way, without any desire for repayment or even recognition, brings feelings of contentment and satisfaction. When assisting another person—whether via a grand gesture or through a seemingly small act, whether that assistance is given to a close friend or a random stranger on the street—we often delight and find fulfillment in giving aid.

But when we read that Eve was created to be a helper for Adam, when that “helper” role is applied to women in general, many of us bristle. Our sinful nature tends to view our helper role as demeaning and of lesser status—as a role that reduces our worth and makes us less important than men. A study of the use of the Hebrew word for “helper” (ezer, pronounced ay-zer) in the Old Testament, however, is extremely enlightening when it comes to understanding just what the role of “helper” entails.

A study of the use of the Hebrew word for “helper” (ezer, pronounced ay-zer) in the Old Testament, however, is extremely enlightening when it comes to understanding just what the role of “helper” entails.

Of the more than 20 uses of ezer in the Old Testament, by far the most common use is in reference to God—either God acting as an ezer or God providing ezer to his people. Deuteronomy 33:26-29 shows us that this is no flawed earthly help; it is the perfect help of the almighty God, help that was an incredible blessing to the children of Israel, help that set the Israelites apart and made them more powerful than their enemies.

This theme continues in the Psalms, where the psalmists—particularly King David—recognize and acknowledge that Israel’s past success was entirely due to the Lord’s help, and their future success depends entirely on his continued help. There is no worry that the Lord might not be able to act as an ezer; there is only confidence that the Lord will indeed answer his people when they are in distress. No matter what forces and weapons their enemies muster against them, Israel can put their trust in the Lord, their ezer and their shield. Yes, David is a mighty warrior, but he still needs the ezer that the Lord provides. This ezer is solely due to the Lord’s love and mercy, and it is bestowed on those who are totally and completely undeserving of it.

The role of ezer, therefore, does not imply inferiority. God is clearly in no way inferior to his fallen race, to those to whom he offers ezer. Neither was Eve inferior to Adam, nor are women inferior to men. In God’s eyes, we are all equal in our sinfulness and our need for a Savior; we are all God’s dearly-loved, blood-bought children—children who were created perfectly in his image and who long to have that image perfectly restored one day.

The role of ezer, therefore, does not imply inferiority. God is clearly in no way inferior to his fallen race, to those to whom he offers ezer. Neither was Eve inferior to Adam, nor are women inferior to men.

So then, being an ezer is a high and honored calling, a calling that God himself most often fulfills throughout the Old Testament, a calling that God uses to bless his people even though we are most unworthy of it. Being an ezer was a respected calling for Eve, a calling that enabled her to do for Adam what he could not do on his own, a calling that allowed the two of them to complete each other. And similarly, being an ezer should be a calling in which women today find joy.

Great, I’m glad we’ve got that cleared up. Women today shouldn’t feel any consternation with or have any reservations about their helper role, right? Yeah … no. It’s definitely not that easy for me. My struggle with my helper role likely isn’t going to be settled on this side of heaven, and I suspect many of you are in the same boat. How then can we come to peace with this “helper” role and joyfully live it out in our everyday lives? Stay tuned …

For Further Reflection

Meditate on or write about the connotations you associate with the biblical word “helper.” How do these connotations change when you consider that God is the one most often acting as a helper?

Closing Prayer

Lord God, you are our ezer and our shield; we wait for you in hope. What a marvel that you call us to the same role that you yourself perform! Instill in us a sense of satisfaction and contentment as we seek to faithfully live out our helper role, and grant that we might always find joy and fulfillment in the calling you have so lovingly given to us. Amen.

 

Equal but Unique

by Marilyn Miller

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29).

When I look at the world around me, it is sometimes shocking and depressing and sometimes pleasant and enticing.

I can’t wrap my head around why someone would change their gender and attempt to live out their life as if God made a mistake when he knit them together in their mother’s womb. But it’s happening more and more, so it must make sense to some. I can’t wrap my head around why women would make men second-class citizens, demean and disrespect them, rob them of the role God had planned for them in this world, and take that role for themselves. But it’s happening more and more, so it must make sense to some.

I can understand a bit better how women—and men—get absorbed in their career, their social standing, their appearance, or one of their other passions to the neglect of God and his will. I can see the “It’s all about me” and the “You deserve it” messages being proclaimed from the rooftops. Sometimes I fall for it myself and have to beg forgiveness. Satan can be so “in your face” it hurts, or he can be so subtle that you don’t even notice.

A Bigger Picture—Considered Sons of God

Let’s get beyond this worldview for a minute. God loves us so much that in his mercy “[he] sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts … So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:5-7). This blessing is for all believers. All are raised to the high position of an heir. None of the things that tend to mean so much in this life, things like race, gender, social standing, or wealth, make any difference in our standing in God’s family. All are equal.

To be adopted means to leave one’s natural family and enter into the privileges and responsibilities of another. So also God is the Father who in Christ graciously adopts believers into his spiritual family and grants them all the privileges of heirship. In ancient cultures, only the sons (including adopted sons) in a family were considered heirs. But Scripture tells us God made all believers, not just the males, sons of the family. As sons of God, all believers become heirs of eternal life in heaven. Ladies, this is the time to wholeheartedly claim your position as a son. Thus God’s plan brings all believers back into fellowship with him, much like what Adam and Eve originally had in the Garden.

As sons of God, all believers become heirs of eternal life in heaven. Ladies, this is the time to wholeheartedly claim your position as a son.

As we walk (and sometimes run) through life, we seek to thank God for this marvelous gift of grace. It colors our entire world. As sons of God’s family, we take on the name of that family and live in a way that does not dishonor the family or its patriarch. We call God “Abba, Father” and put our trust in that Father to supply us with all of our earthly needs and to set beneficial guidelines for our lives. Fulfilling the unique callings that God has designed for us is just one of the many ways we show our gratitude.

Worldly Challenges All Around

But Satan is not at all happy that we are honored members of God’s family. He has only our short time of grace to pull us away, he works hard at his task, and he is very good at it. He makes us see an enticing world around us, but a world where our Father is not loved or honored. Satan constantly seeks to drive a wedge between us and our loving Father, wanting us to throw away our positions as heirs.

Earlier in the week we looked at some of the ways Satan comes at us with subtle lies, showing us a plethora of things that look good, pleasing, and desirable. He employs peer pressure with the simple “everyone’s doing it” phrase that certainly didn’t work with my mother when I was a child. Then we hear the “you deserve it” message in all kinds of advertising. The old standby is “I don’t have time” for Bible study, Sunday worship, daily devotions … or any other thing that our Father uses to keep us close. Satan sends us friends that don’t love the Father and Sunday morning soccer games. His attacks are endless.

God gave women a unique calling as the interdependent and complementary partner of a head when he created us. One of the many arrows in Satan’s quiver is the message that God’s unique calling for me as a woman is archaic, doesn’t work in today’s world, is demeaning, can’t be understood, or doesn’t make use of my gifts.

One of the many arrows in Satan’s quiver is the message that God’s unique calling for me as a woman is archaic, doesn’t work in today’s world, is demeaning, can’t be understood, or doesn’t make use of my gifts.

One can somewhat see how the callings play out in the home, though not always, and our families have often taken on complex structures that complicate things. Besides, Satan likes to feed us excuses why it can’t work in any given situation.

When it comes to the church, too often we just don’t like what’s being said. I have to admit some congregations don’t allow women to use their gifts even in ways that God allows. And in some congregations, women go beyond what is pleasing to God. This calls for a study of Scripture for men and women alike, not for taking offense and throwing out the principle or pointing out how it is not in line with society.

When it comes to putting these callings into practice when dealing with unbelievers, it often doesn’t seem logical to us at all. Should a woman who has a man working for her see him as her head or he see her as his helper? Should a woman even work in a position where she has men working for her? This troubled me greatly for many years. Again this calls for study of Scripture and prayerful considerations, with input from valued Christian friends, and with an eye toward informing one’s conscience. There is no absolute right or wrong decision because there are many different good principles in play. There is room for one woman to make one decision and another to make the complete opposite decision, and neither is wrong. This principle is not a trump card that outweighs all others, such as supporting your family or witnessing to the world around you. It is one of God’s good principles that he gives us as guides for our lives. But Satan doesn’t want us to see it this way.

We are wise to study all the decisions we make in light of our position as heirs of eternal life and as members of God’s family who want to thank and praise him with our lives. We are wise to study the decisions we make, asking God for wisdom to uncover Satan’s schemes.

Are Equal Status and Unique Callings in Conflict?

We have talked about all being equal in status in God’s sight. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” from the Galatians reading above is one of many passages throughout Scripture that reinforces this truth. Everyone’s favorite—John 3:16—“For God so loved the WORLD that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” makes this truth emphatically clear because everyone is part of that world. Thus in God’s eyes everyone who believes in Christ Jesus has equal status; they were dead in their sins but now are alive and are his children.

In his wisdom God created man, then said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him … So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man” (Genesis 2:18-22). The man rejoiced. As we’ll explore next week, being a helper suitable for the man is not demeaning or second class but is a high and holy calling. It’s a special calling designed from eternity and modeled after God’s saving help for his people.

Thus those God has called as helpers are assured they have equal standing before God and will inherit eternal life in the same way that heads will.

Thus those God has called as helpers are assured they have equal standing before God and will inherit eternal life in the same way that heads will. Since God also created the unique calling as a helper, those called to this position can be assured that living out a calling of complementary and interdependent partnership with a head is of great importance to God. While Satan frequently makes us chafe at this calling, God calls it his will, and it is meant as a blessing to his people.

For Further Reflection

1. What blessings have you experienced when you have been faithful to your calling as a helper?
2. Where does your congregation have room to grow in the implementation of the godly callings of men and women? How might you help? Where do you see Satan’s schemes at work?
3. Where have you had difficulties implementing your calling as a helper in your life? Study Scripture; meditate on this; ask Christian friends and/or your pastor for insight. Ask God to direct your thoughts and guide your decisions.

Closing Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for making us your sons, your heirs of eternal life. We are in awe of such love and mercy. In grateful thanksgiving we ask your help in living our lives according to your will. Let your holy angels be with us that Satan may have no power over us. Let all that we do be pleasing in your sight. Help us in areas where we struggle so that your will be done. We humbly come to you in the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

A Glorious Promise

by Marilyn Miller

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29).

What a comforting, red-letter passage this is—Christ died for everyone on this earth, and through faith we take hold of this gift of grace and are made co-heirs of eternal life. This thought colors our whole perspective on life. We want to hold this truth tight to our hearts. In thanksgiving we look at the wisdom God has shown in laying out how this world should operate, and we see his ways as blessings that we want to embrace to the fullest. That’s the new man in us. All would be wonderful if we could stop there.

The old man in us, the one whom is by nature an enemy of God, keeps butting in to mar that picture.

However, the old man in us, the one whom is by nature an enemy of God, keeps butting in to mar that picture. He complicates how we see God’s design and has wrecked things so badly it is hard to visualize how God’s plan could ever play out in our lives. Through our baptism we continually try to drown that old man, but he keeps popping up over and over.

One of Satan’s favorite tricks is to make us feel superior—or at least equal—to God. He used this one on Eve, and we know where that led. Satan knows that Scripture means much to us, so he tells us that to understand some passages, like the words of Galatians above, we must use our logic. He says, “Yes, God gave you unique callings in the beginning, but this passage says there is no difference between males and females, so everyone is the same now. The unique callings have been done away with. Besides, that concept is so outdated.” WHAT? God says we’re all equal in salvation, but this passage from Galatians doesn’t say anything about the unique callings that we have been given.

Our society makes it particularly hard to continue to cling to the difference in callings based on gender that God tells us when the script constantly harps on equality. In the church, women can do the same work as men and anyone who says differently is misogynistic and outdated. In our country, men can be women and women can be men, all because they say it makes them feel better. In so many places the message is that super women run the world and men are only needed for procreation. In popular cartoons and sitcoms, men are made out to be buffoons and given no respect.

In a world with such a perverted view of men and women, we lose our identity as the blood-bought children of God. Our wealth (or lack thereof), our career, our social standing become our identity and the source of our fulfillment and desires. Where is God when we worship the created instead of the Creator? Where is our peace, our fulfillment as an heir of salvation? It gets lost in the clutter.

Instead of letting Satan do away with the unique callings that God has assigned to his men and women, we can revel in them and see them as a great blessing.

Instead of letting Satan do away with the unique callings that God has assigned to his men and women, we can revel in them and see them as a great blessing. Men are told to be the head; the one who controls the rudder of life; the one who loves others totally, unconditionally, and sacrificially as Christ loves his church; the one who was created for this purpose. That’s a tall order, but it’s very possible with God himself as the example and the One who empowers men to carry out this calling of head.

Women are told to be his interdependent and complementary partner submitting to his direction. Our world, again, keys off the word “submit” to make it ugly and demeaning. Is anything from God ugly and demeaning? Absolutely not! Genesis 2:18 tells us “It is not good for man to be alone.” Women have been created to complement the thoughts and ways of the man. Women can find this calling very difficult, but living out this calling is also very possible and fulfilling with Jesus as the example and the One who frees women to carry out this calling of helper. Jesus submitted to his Father and suffered and died for the unworthy—for me. Praise be to God for his submission.

For Further Reflection

Meditate on or write about what it means to you to “fit into” the calling that God has given you. What are some aspects of God’s designated calling that bother you?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, when you created me you also gave me a calling that should guide my life, but Satan continually attempts to attack us and drive a wedge between me and you. Send your holy angels to help me fight those battles that I may remain your blessed child. Send your Holy Spirit to be with me that I may grow in grace and knowledge of your Word. Help me overcome what the world tells me about myself as I meditate on what you tell me. I come to you in the name of Jesus, my Savior and Redeemer, confident that you hear my prayer. Amen.

 

Trusting God’s Design

by Kristi Meyer

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

To the woman [God] said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:6, 7, 16-19).

As a math professor, I’ve come to realize that my students sometimes have a hard time with certain concepts. They generally understand most of these concepts without too much difficulty. But they struggle with the reason that the concepts are important. Why does it matter whether they include a dx or not, when they’ll get the right answer either way?

Unfortunately, my students don’t have the necessary background to grasp why these concepts are indeed important. I, on the other hand, do comprehend their importance—because I can see the whole picture. I know that although including a dx now doesn’t make any difference, it will be absolutely crucial in future classes. As much as I might try, though, I can’t explain that to my students right now. They lack the perspective to see what is coming.

What do I do? I ask my students to trust me. I’m usually honest in telling them that they don’t understand now why these concepts are important. And it’s possible, depending on how many more math classes they take, that they’ll never learn about that importance. They just need to trust that I am leading them down the right path and emphasizing these concepts for a good reason.

Similarly, God sees the whole picture in a way that we cannot. His wisdom is absolute, and his creation was perfect, although it is now marred by sin. We can always trust that he has our good in mind, even though that’s sometimes hard to see—especially when it comes to various facets of the unique callings of men and women.

Looking At the Positives

Sometimes, living out our helper calling is hard and uncomfortable. It can feel inferior, restrictive, of lesser worth and value. There is plenty of baggage associated with the word “helper,” and we’ll explore that more fully in a couple of weeks. We’ll also be talking in more detail about the purpose for which Eve was created. For now, remember that Eve was created for Adam and from Adam to be his perfect partner and helper.

Although our sinful nature might try to convince us otherwise, the point isn’t that Adam was more important because he was created first. Nor is the point that Adam was to rule over Eve in a dictatorial way. No, the point is that God gave Adam and Eve unique callings in order to bring order to his newly created world, to foster and cultivate the relationships that exist among all living things, and to enable Adam and Eve to carry out his command of filling the earth and subduing it. When we focus on these positives, it’s easier to understand our unique calling as women and our place in God’s creation.

God gave Adam and Eve unique callings in order to bring order to his newly created world, to foster and cultivate the relationships that exist among all living things, and to enable Adam and Eve to carry out his command of filling the earth and subduing it.

That’s not enough to fully put the issue to bed for many of us, though, and we’ll continue to work through those feelings and concepts over the course of this devotional series. Despite having thoroughly studied—and even written several academic papers on—the biblical principles involved with the unique calling of men and women, there are still plenty of times when I struggle with my helper calling. But as long as I am not actively rebelling—as long as I am not giving in to my sinful nature—those struggles are OK for me to have, and they’re OK for you to have too.

Dealing With Other Imperfect People

Women aren’t the only ones who struggle with their helper calling. Sometimes men also have a hard time faithfully living out their own unique calling of head. That’s a whole other topic for a whole other devotional series, but it would be disingenuous to write a devotion on struggling with our callings without at least mentioning the subject. Every situation is different, and so there are no helpful blanket statements, no specific lists of “dos” and “don’ts” when dealing with a man who is not fulfilling his role of head. However, some general thoughts may be helpful.

Every situation is different, and so there are no helpful blanket statements, no specific lists of “dos” and “don’ts” when dealing with a man who is not fulfilling his role of head.

In the home, a husband and father can abdicate his responsibility and fail to act as the spiritual head of his household. In this situation, wives are first called to support their husband and encourage him to take this spiritual responsibility, offering this support in whatever way is appropriate for their marriage and relationship. If a husband still fails to take spiritual responsibility for his family, then a wife is called upon to take on that responsibility herself and make sure her children are being trained in the way of the Lord. This can be uncomfortable and difficult, and I don’t mean to minimize those difficulties. Instead, remember that it isn’t inappropriate for wives to step up and assume spiritual responsibility if their husband fails to do so.

In the church, it can also feel as though men are failing to step up and lead—especially when there are vacant board positions or when certain tasks just don’t seem to be getting done. Again, serving as an encourager is important here. If there’s someone you know who would be a perfect fit for a vacant position, say that to him. If there’s a way you can support those in authority and enable them to faithfully live out their callings, do so, especially by remembering them in your prayers.

Explaining Our Unique Callings to the World

Trying to explain the unique callings of men and women to those around us often seems like a battle that simply isn’t worth fighting. More often than not, we’ll be told that these callings are outdated and misogynistic, that they are demeaning to women, or that they are overly restrictive and inappropriate for today’s day and age.

But God’s original intent still stands, and we can trust in that intent even when the good and the blessings are hard to see.

When dealing with such comments, remember the theme that will be a constant throughout this summer devotional series: God established these callings to establish good order and to bring us blessings. The fall into sin made that much more difficult than it was in the perfection of creation. But God’s original intent still stands, and we can trust in that intent even when the good and the blessings are hard to see.

Since we are discussing applications, it’s also important to note that applications are not prescribed nor commanded by God. In particular, different congregations are organized and function in different ways because of different situations and different ministry circumstances. As long as congregations are organized and function in ways that are in line with the biblical principles, not all congregations need to apply these biblical principles in the same way. It is not wrong for congregations to differ from each other in practice as long as these practices—these applications—are faithful to the principles found in God’s Word.

We see God’s wisdom fully on display in his plan of salvation. From the first promise of the Savior in Genesis 3 to the fulfillment of that promise in a Bethlehem stable, from Jesus’ sinless life to his innocent death to his glorious resurrection on Easter morning, we can see God bring everything together perfectly to redeem a sinful and fallen human race.

And because we can trust God’s wisdom as it plays out in his plan of salvation, we can also trust this wisdom in all other aspects of our lives. In particular, although we can’t always see the full picture when it comes to our unique callings, we can trust that God designed these callings wisely and for our good. Although these callings have been tainted and tarnished by sin, they are still designed to bring us blessings—blessings that trump all the consternation and discomfort our unique callings sometimes bring.

For Further Reflection

1. What blessings have you found in living out your unique calling?
2. How well does everyone in your local congregation fulfill their unique callings? If there’s room for growth (and—because we live in a sinful world—there likely is), how could you help facilitate this growth?
3. What conversations have you had with those outside the church regarding the WELS’ position on the unique callings of men and women? How were you able to witness to God’s wisdom even if the other person didn’t fully understand why these unique callings still exist in today’s “modern” world?

Closing Prayer

Lord God, Adam and Eve rebelled against you in the Garden of Eden, and the entire human race has been rebelling against you ever since. Forgive us when we resist the unique callings you have created for us. Bless our efforts to faithfully live out these callings in the home, the church, and the world, and give us the words to share the blessings associated with these callings to a skeptical and unbelieving world around us. Amen.

 

Changed But Not Set Aside

by Kristi Meyer

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

To the woman [God] said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
and he will rule over you.”

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:6, 7, 16-19).

Last week, we read about that which was “very good”: man and woman created in the image of God and fashioned as complementary beings—beings intended to work together to benefit all of creation. How long did this “very goodness” last? In terms of time, we don’t know for sure, although many Bible scholars speculate a shorter rather than longer timeframe. In terms of literature, the answer is clear: just two chapters.

The beauty, perfection, and life of Genesis 1-2 gave way to the ugliness, sin, and death of Genesis 3.

The beauty, perfection, and life of Genesis 1-2 gave way to the ugliness, sin, and death of Genesis 3. Instead of faithfully living out her unique calling of helper—a calling we will examine more closely in a couple of weeks—Eve took on Adam’s role of headship. She saw, she took, she ate, she gave.

We dare not place all the blame on Eve; her abandonment of her calling is certainly not the only sin committed in Genesis 3 nor the only reason evil came into the world. But she did sin by abandoning her calling, and consequences ensued—both for Eve and for all women of all time. No longer would Eve’s unique calling be solely a source of blessing. No longer would she joyfully live out this calling in perfect harmony and contentment. Now she would struggle against this calling and experience trouble and anguish because of it.

We also dare not insinuate that Eve was the only one who stepped out of her unique calling. Where was Adam in all of this? He was there. He was with Eve. Rather than being the head, the one providing direction and guidance, he instead followed and took what Eve gave. Adam too took on a role that was not his, he too sinned in this way, and he too would experience consequences. No longer would Adam’s calling as head be well-received or easy to exercise. No longer would his headship be absolute over the world that God had created and called him to rule. Now even the soil would turn against him.

But in the midst of all the ugliness, sin, and death found in Genesis 3, there’s also beauty, redemption, and life: forgiveness for Adam and Eve’s sin and the first promise of the coming Savior. God forgave Adam and Eve for abandoning their unique callings just as he forgives us for the times we abandon our unique callings.

God forgave Adam and Eve for abandoning their unique callings just as he forgives us for the times we abandon our unique callings.

And because of this forgiveness, we are motivated to give thanks for our unique callings—callings that are marred and broken by sin, but callings that are not erased or set aside. Because of this forgiveness, we strive to live within these callings in our lives. Stick with us throughout this summer as we explore more deeply what living within our unique callings looks like in various situations and aspects of life.

One final closing reminder is beneficial—a reminder you’ve heard many times before, but a reminder that your sinful nature needs to hear again and again. There’s one more thing that the fall into sin did not change: Adam and Eve’s equal status before God. Their relationship with God certainly changed, as did their newfound need for a Savior. But their equality in God’s sight did not change. Both Adam and Eve remained dearly loved children of God.

As Christian men and women, we too share that equal status before God: adopted sons and daughters, heirs of his promise, a chosen people, a royal priesthood, God’s special possession. Sin prevents us from fully appreciating that status on this side of heaven, but it doesn’t prevent us from giving thanks for the love God continues to show to us; for Jesus’ perfect life, innocent death, and glorious resurrection that once again makes us right with God; and for the Holy Spirit bringing us to faith so that one day we too can enjoy the perfection that Adam and Eve were blessed to experience at the very dawn of time.

For Further Reflection

Meditate on or write about how sin affects the way you live out your unique calling. What struggles do you deal with because of sin? What Scripture references can you turn to for strength and comfort when you are in the midst of these struggles?

Closing Prayer

Lord God, sin entered the world through one man, but we too suffer the consequences of sin in every aspect of our lives, including in living out our unique callings. Give us confidence when we doubt, strength when we are weak, and forgiveness when we fail. When we are tempted to set aside our unique callings, show us how these callings are still intended to bring blessings, even in the midst of a sin-darkened world. Amen.

 

Living God’s Design

by Naomi Schmidt

God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that crawls on the earth.”
God created the man in his own image.
In the image of God he created him.
Male and female he created them.
(Genesis 1:26-27, EHV)

In a sinful world, the pursuit of living God’s design of one man, one woman, and one image will always fall short of the holy design God intended for his people.

• Where God has created equal value and loving unity, we question whether God’s design is really a good gift.
• Where God has created an interdependent partnership of one man and one woman, sin works to degrade the design and make it seem dysfunctional.
• Where the gospel compels us to live with love and unity, sin blurs and chafes against distinctions where we have separate callings.

The Goodness of the Gift

In the beauty of the Garden, there is never a question of equality. As we seek to grasp God’s design of one man, one woman, and one image, our fallen minds struggle to understand its perfection. We fight the temptation to feel belittling separation, jealous division, or prideful ranking in the order of God’s holy creation. The design of one image that embraces absolute equality in the breadth of humanity is more than we can even imagine.

The design God established in the Garden emphasizes that men and women share God’s image—and they share his purpose. Together, men and women are called to work for God’s glory. “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). Men and women serve together in an interdependent partnership.

The design God established in the Garden emphasizes that men and women share God’s image—and they share his purpose. Together, men and women are called to work for God’s glory.

In this setting, there is more than equality. There is an essence of unity.

But unity doesn’t mean uniformity.

The design is different. One man. One woman.

For six days, every step of creation revealed a brilliant design, a holy plan, and an intentional purpose. Every unique, interdependent piece was perfect. The precision of the solar system, the ecosystems in nature, and the interdependence of men and women all followed patterns set by God. Before sin entered the world, God created orderly interdependence for the benefit of humanity.

So, when sin destroyed the perfection of creation, were the plan and design nullified or made worthless? No. But like sand poured into a complex gear, our sinful nature grinds against God’s gift of order, and the design doesn’t work as he intended. Humanity gnashes in fear, pride, unwillingness, rebellion, and ignorance. Only the Holy Spirit can wash away the grit of sin and enable us to glimpse the beauty of the design.

And what do we see with eyes of faith?

A fully functioning, engaged, united body of Christ that embraces masculinity, femininity, and holiness. Are there callings, plans, and order? Absolutely. These do not bind the body of Christ. These gifts help us move toward a life that reflects God’s design and holy image. The design is for our benefit—the image we bear is a witness to the world.

We start learning about the design of creation by accepting that it is good. It is intended to be a blessing, so we start with trust in the Creator and his plan.

The Flawless Design

So here we are in the 21st century.

There are tremendous challenges which cannot be solved in a sinful world. But let’s start the conversation by looking back to the Garden and remembering one man, one woman, and one image.

We live in a society that resists the ideas of masculinity, femininity, and Christianity. As we reflect God’s image to the world, the way we live gives evidence of God’s plan that men will be men—and women will be women.

• Masculinity is lived in a way that makes God look good and gives him honor.
• Femininity is lived in a way that makes God look good and gives him honor.
• Men treat women in a way that reflects God’s love for women.
• Women treat men in a way that reflects God’s love for men.
• Men treat other men in a way that reflects God’s love for men.
• Women treat other women in a way that reflects God’s love for women.

Society and the evil heart of humanity will challenge this godly thinking every step of the way. But as believers, we pursue these biblical goals. We embrace any distinctions we have as Christian men and women—we celebrate the design as we live in its blessings. It is our joy to live with this attitude because we trust the Creator who made the plan. We see it with eyes of faith.

We embrace any distinctions we have as Christian men and women—we celebrate the design as we live in its blessings.

The world does not see the Creator or the design given by God in love. The world is limited to its own morality, human wisdom, and personal desires for guidance. There is no foundation, framework, or guide for life. Humanity can only look to itself for a solution and rebels against God’s design in search of self-redemption and personal fulfillment. Humanity is helpless to understand the real problem or figure out a solution for sin.

God’s solution is beyond what humanity could ever imagine. It is Jesus. But the mystery of the gospel must be revealed by the Spirit and cannot be found apart from his Word.

Enter the witness of believers.

We need to understand why it is so important for us to live according to God’s design. Is our obedience to the design merely a yoke of the law intended to limit our gifts? It cannot be. Is its purpose to point to the line with a shaking fist? No. It is meant to help us thrive within the design with rich love and selfless encouragement. It brightens our witness with joy, love, and fulfilled purpose as we point to Christ.

Love for the goodness of the design does three things.

• It glorifies and honors God as we do his will.
• It blesses believers and the church because we are living according to God’s design.
• It is a witness that stands out in the world. It points to the goodness of the Lord as we appreciate and model masculinity or femininity. The unity, sacrifices, and respect we show each other stand in sharp contrast to a world that does not know God’s love.

How do we live this? Is our first priority the pursuit of godly masculinity and femininity? Do we rush to the design to seek “one man” and “one woman”?

No.

We seek the image of the Designer before we pursue the image of his design.

We bow in humility before the one who lived it perfectly on our behalf. We reverently strive to reflect the image of the Creator God. His grace compels us to love, honor, and embrace the design. As we learn and grow with open and humble hearts, “one man” and “one woman” will flow from our renewed spirit and transformed mind.

One image.

One man. One woman.

Gospel Motivation

Through the power of Christ, we are compelled to love and unity. Through the clarity and truth of the Word, we are equipped for Christian living. Gifted as men and women, we partner in sharing the gospel of Christ.

But every morning our eyes open to a darkened world where life’s problems are complex and simple solutions don’t exist. The gears are gritty, and life is messy. Blame and resentment echo loudly from the Garden. Blood continues to be spilled because of sin despite the one atoning sacrifice. Sin has ruined everything.

What is your response? Apathy with acceptance that the world will not be fixed? Set your sights on heaven and wait it out? Or perhaps you prime your power washer and let it loose.

God’s solution is an anointing with the oil of joy. He washes the sin away and fills us with desire, wisdom, and hope through the Word and sacraments. Grace compels us to keep in step with the Spirit as we walk through life. Unity connects us as one body of Christ that reflects God’s image. Self-sacrificing love looks to the good of others and builds the body. Believers are interested and invested in helping others use their gifts in kingdom work.

One image is radiant.

And an amazing thing happens. Because God is perfect, everything that is right, holy, and glorious fits together. God’s image, his plan of salvation, and divine design are perfectly synced. They work together. His love, redemption of souls, and divine design are radiant in believers—highlighted with beams of light that are distinctly male and distinctly female.

Because God is perfect, everything that is right, holy, and glorious fits together. God’s image, his plan of salvation, and divine design are perfectly synced.

We all share one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. The Holy Spirit unites us as God’s holy people. Just as we look for ways to share the gospel, we also look for ways to encourage the unique opportunities women have to be godly women. We praise God for the times that men can be witnesses of God’s plan for men. Our godly desire is to help one another use every gift, quality, and characteristic in a way that reflects God’s holiness. Some of that service will be uniquely feminine or uniquely masculine but it will always reflect the holiness of God.

One image.

One man. One woman.

For Further Reflection

1. Aside from corporate worship, how do Christian men and women express or demonstrate unity and equality with one another?
2. What glimpses of God’s image give evidence of his design for men—or for women?
3. What do you appreciate about godly men or godly women? How can you express that to one another or encourage others in that way?

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, what a beautiful image you have won for us. Your holy life demonstrates perfect love for souls, compassionate kindness, and justice that is completely righteous. Your holy death tore open the veil of sin that separated us from God, and now you dwell within us. Let the purity and beauty of your image pour from our lives in thoughts, words, and actions that honor you. Make us vessels of grace, reflecting all that is good. Open our eyes to see when we can honor your design with special opportunities to be godly men or godly women. Open our mouths to express appreciation for the godly men and women who live with us in the body of Christ. Help and compel us to build one another up, look to the interests of others, and work selflessly to enable others to serve. Let this be a witness of joy and light that comes from willing and humbled hearts. Amen.

 

One Image

by Naomi Schmidt

God said, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that crawls on the earth.”
God created the man in his own image.
In the image of God he created him.
Male and female he created them.
(Genesis 1:26-27, EHV)

It is so helpful when God says things twice.

In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.” The repetition draws you to linger over the truth of God’s image given to humanity.

Then, in Genesis 1:27, God says it twice again, “God created the man in his own image. In the image of God he created him. Male and female he created them.” He makes his point pretty clear.

One man, one woman, one image.

After six days of creating galaxies, living creatures, and rhythms of sustenance, the moment came for the crown of God’s creation. The Triune God consulted with himself, crafted the first human being in his own image, and gave Adam the breath of life. The image gifted to humanity was a spiritual relationship where God’s thoughts, desires, and knowledge would be reflected in the single, precious race of humanity.

The image gifted to humanity was a spiritual relationship where God’s thoughts, desires, and knowledge would be reflected in the single, precious race of humanity.

Then, in his infinite wisdom, God led every wild animal and bird of the sky to Adam. As Adam named each creature, his need for a companion and counterpart was clearly evident. Adam experienced what God already knew: “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). The interdependent partnership of humanity was not complete until God designed woman from the side of man—and gave her his image. When God was done creating, humanity was complete. “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

One man, one woman, one image.

And then they fell into sin, and the one image was shattered.

The precision and repetition of Scripture leave no doubt about God’s original and perfect design for humanity. In the sinless beauty of creation, Adam and Eve had a holy need for one another. God wanted each of them to be unique not just for marriage or procreation but because he knew that male and female together is “very good.” Men and women were fashioned to benefit all of humanity together. God wants us to embrace and celebrate the interdependence of male and female as part of his holy design. So as the Holy Spirit works to strengthen our faith and restore God’s image in our lives, what can we expect? A glimpse of the Garden.

One man, one woman, one image.

The harder question is, “What does that look like in a fallen world?” We yearn to understand and struggle to find the best way to reflect God’s one image as uniquely restored men and women. But God’s Word is clear—it is one image. First and foremost, it is the image of God: loving what is pure and right; desiring all things that are holy; thinking only about what is lovely, admirable, noble, true, and excellent. As we grow closer to the restored image of God, our lives will look more like those first moments in the Garden. Distinctly male. Distinctly female. Distinctly holy.

As we grow closer to the restored image of God, our lives will look more like those first moments in the Garden. Distinctly male. Distinctly female. Distinctly holy.

Spiritual growth does not move us toward a diminished distinction. Rather, it moves us toward the design. In that movement we intentionally live in spiritual unity and interdependence with some unique callings that are masculine or feminine—but always holy. We labor together serving one Lord with one faith for one purpose. We honor the Father of all who revealed his plan in perfect wisdom and holiness. We are the created beings who bear the image and design of the Creator.

One man. One woman. One image.

For Further Reflection

Meditate on or write about Christian character and/or the spiritual qualities that make it easier to embrace the unique designs and interdependence of men and women.

Closing Prayer

Lord God, the majesty of your creation is a mere glimpse of who you are—but it reveals you as a master designer and displays your love for humanity. You designed man and woman to bear your one holy image, and we humbly pray that you would strengthen us toward that goal. Help us understand when your image is to be uniquely displayed in men and women, and make that the desire of our hearts. Increase our wisdom and encourage us with the gospel as we reflect your loving image in a world that does not know you. Amen.