Biblical Models for Family and Community
Updated: Jan 28
Time to call out some false teaching. The biblical model for marriage, family and community is about individuals working out their beliefs, coming to God on their own, and loving one another.
Some have said that men and women are equal while assigning women to roles that are subservient and powerless. The Complementarian theology is based on the idea that God prevents women from certain roles at home, church, and society, based on their gender. Egalitarian Christians believe that God has gifted believers uniquely and that people of all genders must follow God's call to speak, teach, and lead, as they are gifted.
Women do not report to men; they report to God. God is the head of the family, not man. Jesus provides the example of sacrificial love and servant leadership for both partners to follow. Men and Women both need to approach God individually, and this brings them closer to each other. Men and Women are both commanded to provide for their families. Men and Women are both told to be nurturers. Men and Women are both called priests who can come boldly to the throne of God. Let us stop using labels to limit a person's activities.
All genders are made in the image of God, because in God there is no male nor female. The Bible is not clear if all people reflect the full image or if the male and female genders each reflect part of the image of God.
The Bible gives instructions to all believers, men and women, to seek after the fruits of the spirit; one gender is not called to be self-controlled and gentle while the other is not. Believers of all genders are called to use their talents and the gifts of the spirit, whether it is teaching, speaking or interpreting.
Jesus provided an example of love being more important than laws. In our community, Christians are also called to serve, give, and provide for one another, because it is by loving one another that we represent Jesus.
The Bible teaches that God is the head of each believer and that Christ is the head of the church. As we draw nearer to God, we can draw nearer to our spouse.
Illustrations that show this Biblical teaching include:
