Chapter 11 gets at motivation. Accepting God’s gender roles is difficult. Why in the world would anyone submit? Two reasons: holy fear and humility. The fear of the Lord ought to drive us to embrace the gospel and desire the grace-motivated obedience God offers. God is good, but he is not safe, and we cannot domesticate him. God is not a respecter of persons (as though he should listen to our lofty opinions on the matter), and he is one who commands our reverential awe and respect. He alone is worthy of our obedience. And though he is so great, he has drawn near in love in Jesus Christ. Something of God’s great character ought to be reflected in our character as we practice sex and gender roles.
The other reason is humility, which is to say that refusal to obey God or to take issue with his created order is hubris. It is pride and arrogance. God blesses those who recognize human weakness relative to God’s eternal power. "The one who has understood biblical sex will "submit" to God’s creational structures and will, with humility and meekness, respect and embrace them." And to understand biblical sex requires humility, to know that God is wiser than we are. It means to listen rather than talk.
anton
Aug 11 2007
06:22 pm
Chapter 11 gets at motivation. Accepting God’s gender roles is difficult. Why in the world would anyone submit? Two reasons: holy fear and humility. The fear of the Lord ought to drive us to embrace the gospel and desire the grace-motivated obedience God offers. God is good, but he is not safe, and we cannot domesticate him. God is not a respecter of persons (as though he should listen to our lofty opinions on the matter), and he is one who commands our reverential awe and respect. He alone is worthy of our obedience. And though he is so great, he has drawn near in love in Jesus Christ. Something of God’s great character ought to be reflected in our character as we practice sex and gender roles.
The other reason is humility, which is to say that refusal to obey God or to take issue with his created order is hubris. It is pride and arrogance. God blesses those who recognize human weakness relative to God’s eternal power. "The one who has understood biblical sex will "submit" to God’s creational structures and will, with humility and meekness, respect and embrace them." And to understand biblical sex requires humility, to know that God is wiser than we are. It means to listen rather than talk.