Does the Bible Portray Women in a Poor Light?
by W.B. Howard...Editor of Despatch

The Feminist Movement tends to either say that the Bible has been misinterpreted by men, or that Scripture is OFFENSIVE
to women, as it presents females in a poor light. Really, of course, the entire population of the world, man or woman, in the natural, finds the Bible offensive to them! The Bible pulls no punches in its depiction of the whole human race as being sinful, and the unregenerate who reject God’s truth are OFFENDED by the words of Holy Scripture.

THE BIBLE, IN REALITY, ELEVATES WOMEN, it dignifies them in Christ and lifts them out of second-rate status. Christian men and women, who love the Lord Jesus, should present that fact in these days of militant feminism, NOT attack their beliefs with remarks which tend towards presenting Christianity as a faith which keeps women bound. These remarks
only “prove” the feminists right, when indeed God liberates women in His mighty love.

“Diakrisi”, Spring 1991, Vol.1:

“The maltreatment and enforced subjugation of women by men is a gross corruption of the divinely
ordained principle of headship and submission. But Feminism can never bring any real change in this worldwide problem because feminists have chosen to ignore a vital truth: That Christianity itself is the
only true force of liberation, for women as well as men.”

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

DISRESPECT for women was severely punished in the O.T. (Lev.20:9; Deut. 27:16)

Mothers were considered equal with fathers in many O.T. passages. (Ex.20:12; Prov.1:8; 6:20; 10:1)

Women were not merely child-rearers, staying “in the kitchen” all their lives, in the Bible records.
They were artists, skilled weavers, rebuilt the Wall of Jerusalem, were involved in business, manufactured and sold linen garments and tents. (Ex.15:20; Judges 21:19-21; 11 Chron 35:25. Ex.35:25-26; Neh.3:12; Prov. 31:16; Acts 5:1. Prov 31:24; Acts 16:14; 18:2-3)

Women were also exalted as judges and prophetesses.
Deborah, Judges 4:4-5; Miriam, Ex. 15:20; Num 12:2; Huldah. 11 Kings 22:14; Noadiah, Neh.6:14; Anna, Luke 2:36;
the daughters of Phillip, Acts 21:9.

And they were queens, Athalia, & Esther. 11 Kings 11;
 

THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST IS TRANSFORMATION.
When Christ Jesus came he brought about a transformation in the legal and spiritual status of women, “who were regarded by the contemporary Hellenistic culture as the lowest of the low”. Because “His mercy flowed like a broad stream, seeking the low levels of life”. (Quotes from Diakrisis and O. Borchert, “The Original Jesus”). Christ Jesus preserved women’s rights during His teaching on marriage and divorce . (Matt 5:27-32; 19:3-9). He healed a woman on the Sabbath and honored her by calling her “daughter of Abraham”. (Luke 13:16) He admitted He was the Messiah for the first time openly when He told a woman!
(John 4:26-27) Christ had many caring, close relationships with women as His friends (Luke 8:2-3; 10:38-42; 24:10; John 11:5; 12:2-7 etc).

Women were predominately the only disciples who were still there at the Cross, the others left Christ! It was women who were first chosen by God to witness to the resurrection, which was an astonishing event for that period, as women were unable to serve as witnesses under Roman law.
 

IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT LIBERATION IN CHRIST IS PRESENTED.

Christians must present liberation for women in Christ and a balanced, accurate presentation of that freedom as shown in the Bible, because of the “witches burned” propaganda. The Feminist Movement, global-wide, has made political, economic and emotional capital out of the mass slaughter of ‘witches” outcry. You have viewed this propaganda on your own television sets, readers. New Agers say that professing Christians have killed, cruelly, millions of women who they have declared to be witches because of their desire to be free from evil domination from males. Understandably, they reach the conclusion that these atrocities must therefore reflect the teachings of the Bible, and that Bible, they imagine, has spawned through its woman - hating doctrines, a male-dominated society. Nothing could be further from the truth about the Love of God, as taught in the pages of His compassionate Word.

THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH HATRED OF WOMEN, we need to make that plain.

The real bondage and total repression of women comes through the very paganism which is espoused by the International Feminists, for Satan always enslaves, degradingly. A recent program on the New Age leader, John Denver, showed the emptiness and bondage of paganism revived. Denver has been through every technique, mind - expanding seminar, meditation and navel-contemplating item on the New Age menu. Yet, he is sad, lonely and often suicidal. We have a Gospel of Love to preach to women, one which proclaims THE DIGNITY and THE WORTH that God wants to grace them with. READ the beautiful prayer that a woman whose name means “Grace” offered as she dedicated her life to the Lord. It is a powerful exhortation for all of us today.1 Samuel 2:1-3; 9-10.
 

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