How do female converts to Christianity reconcile their second-class status as defined in scripture?

Answer 1

God regards all Christians the same: there is no distinction on the basis of class, age, race, or sex etc. Paul specifically says there is "neither male nor female" in Christ:- Gal 3:26For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Paul addressed this social problem in the church at Corinth: converts to Christianity had been saying since Christ had set them free from slavery they were not to return to being a man's slave. However, these two slavery's are not the same: because Christ was sinless but took on Himself the the penalty of sin (ie death) meaning that Christians were therefore released from being a slave to sin, it did not follow that slaves were now to be released and made free men by their masters. The paraphrase in "The Message puts this distinction well :- 1Co 7:18 Were you Jewish at the time God called you? Don't try to remove the evidence. Were you non-Jewish at the time of your call? Don't become a Jew.

1Co 7:19 Being Jewish isn't the point. The really important thing is obeying God's call, following his commands.

1Co 7:20 Stay where you were when God called your name.

1Co 7:21 Were you a slave? Slavery is no roadblock to obeying and believing. I don't mean you're stuck and can't leave. If you have a chance at freedom, go ahead and take it.

1Co 7:22 I'm simply trying to point out that under your new Master you're going to experience a marvelous freedom you would never have dreamed of. On the other hand, if you were free when Christ called you, you'll experience a delightful "enslavement to God" you would never have dreamed of.

1Co 7:23 All of you, slave and free both, were once held hostage in a sinful society. Then a huge sum was paid out for your ransom. So please don't, out of old habit, slip back into being or doing what everyone else tells you.1Co 7:24 Friends, stay where you were called to be. God is there. Hold the high ground with him at your side.There had been arguments about which was the better: Jew or Gentile, slave or free, sophisticated or unsophisticated, cultured or barbarian, male or female, etc. However, in Christ, no one group is better than another and everyone is regarded the same: there is no second-class:- Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

I just want to make a comment on the nature of Religion. It is a cultural artifact, and in the best case a tool for Spiritual Discovery. All things in this world can be used for good or for evil, religion is no different. Many religions ( actually most of them by my understanding ) come from male oriented cultures. Their expression is male oriented. God is not male oriented. If you get beyond the cultural baggage you'll find that the Truth has nothing to do with the fancy wrapping. Who said women were second-class creatures? Other religions and feminists might say that, but the God of The Bible doesn't. In fact, God said everything He had made was "very good", and that includes women:- Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, itwas very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Eve came out of Adam, but men can't do without women, and men were to look after women because Eve was made from a part of the man Adam. Gen 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

Gen 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

Gen 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. Men and women both have different abilities, strengths and weaknesses. It's a bit like saying "A pair of pliers is better than a screwdriver": they are both completely different tools, because they both have different purposes: and you can't use one to do the job of another (or you shouldn't!). Just because some men have a low opinion of women (and a high opinion of themselves) doesn't mean that God also does: Because God looks on the heart, in the Millennium He will replace man's hard heart and put His Spirit in them so they will then be able to fulfill the intent of the Law:- Eze 36:26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, andye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

This hasn't happened yet so it is yet future, but until then women may feel devalued .