Complementarianism Revisited

At CRC we are nearing the end of our look at the Epistle to the Ephesians. We find ourselves, at the moment, right in the middle of Paul's instructions on marriage and the family.

I thought this would be a good time to briefly outline what we believe about marriage and point you to some of the resources we have put out as a church to help you better understand our biblical position. I will also review two excellent books -- one on marriage, one on family -- in upcoming blogs.

Let me begin with the CRC statement on marriage which is available on our website. The statement is not exhaustive but it does sum up our position on gender, sexuality, and marriage.

Here is an excerpt regarding our understanding of marriage,

We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union, as delineated in Scripture.(Genesis 2:18-25) We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other. (1 Corinthians 6:18; 7:2-5; Hebrews 13:4) We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.

We also believe in...

Complementarianism in the church and in marriage.

Complementarianism, according to theopedia (I'm quoting from this website so my definition cannot be accused of bias), “is the theological view that although men and women are created equal in their being and personhood, they are created to complement each other via different roles and responsibilities as manifested in marriage, family life, religious leadership, and elsewhere.”

There is no better summary of the complementarian position than the 10 point Danvers Statement. Even after 30+ years it remains a fantastic articulation of this biblical belief.

It is a 10-point statement but I will offer only the first 5 of them as they articulate the overall viewpoint clearly on their own.

1. Both Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, equal before God as persons and distinct in their manhood and womanhood (Gen 1:26-27, 2:18).

2. Distinctions in masculine and feminine roles are ordained by God as part of the created order, and should find an echo in every human heart (Gen 2:18, 21-24; 1 Cor 11:7-9; 1 Tim 2:12-14).

3. Adam’s headship in marriage was established by God before the Fall, and was not a result of sin (Gen 2:16-18, 21-24, 3:1-13; 1 Cor 11:7-9).

4. The Fall introduced distortions into the relationships between men and women (Gen 3:1-7, 12, 16).

   1. In the home, the husband’s loving, humble headship tends to be replaced by domination or passivity; the wife’s intelligent, willing submission tends to be replaced by usurpation or servility.

   2. In the church, sin inclines men toward a worldly love of power or an abdication of spiritual responsibility, and inclines women to resist limitations on their roles or to neglect the use of their gifts in appropriate ministries.

5. The Old Testament, as well as the New Testament, manifests the equally high value and dignity which God attached to the roles of both men and women (Gen 1:26-27, 2:18; Gal 3:28). Both Old and New Testaments also affirm the principle of male headship in the family and in the covenant community (Gen 2:18; Eph 5:21-33; Col 3:18-19; 1 Tim 2:11-15).

On the Here I Sit Podcast a number of months ago I spent 5 episodes discussing and defending complementarianism in both marriage and the church. You can find the YouTube videos here or search for the Here I Sit Podcast anywhere podcasts are available.

If you are interested in listening to some old sermons to help you understand much of what was just outlined I preached a sermon series on marriage in 2017. Or fire up the ones I am currently preaching from Ephesians 5:22-34.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send them my way through the contact information available on our website.

Soli Deo Gloria