By Not Known
In the beginning, God made Adam and Eve, and put them in the Garden of Eden. Adam was to work and take care of the garden. Eve was to come alongside and help him. It was a beautiful picture of a man and a woman in holy wedlock, each submitting to God’s design for them and their relationship. (Gen 2:15-25)
At the same time, God clearly instructed that they must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Disobedience would lead to death. (Gen 2:16-17) Then the crafty serpent enticed them into outright violation of God’s command – “Did God really say you must not eat… You will not surely die… eat of it… you will be like God, knowing s°°d ana evil.” (Gen 3:1,4,5) From that very moment of tasting the forbidden fruit, mankind’s insatiable appetite to be like God and to usurp his lordship was awakened. Every person is a carrier of this deadly hunger – I AM WHO I WANT TO BE! MY WAY! MY RIGHT!
Man’s fall-out with God in Eden patterns itself in many types of fall-out of human relationships in our society, particularly those between husbands and wives, parents and children, and siblings. The consequences are as varied as divorce, legal suit, delinquency, murder etc.
Do you sometimes wonder – What a world? What is God up to these days? Why not turn the table round and imagine God asking us instead, “What a depraved humanity? What are they up to these days?” It is shameful that mankind who want to be their own lord and god could then finger-point upward at God for the terrible state of their condition. Should we even feel that God is responsible for our own messed up relationships?
Many gender issues in our society today arouse out of dissatisfaction with gender roles or disrespect towards the opposite sex. Some women are not happy being and role-playing women – frustrated with men’s equally irresponsible disregard of their own roles. God has created man and woman good enough as they are to fulfil their divinely ordained roles in the family and society. As Christian men and women, we must submit to God for what he has made us to be and fashioned us to do. We must uphold biblical manhood and womanhood amidst worldly gender tussles. Only then may we maintain healthy societal, marital and family life where each honours God and respects others. Let us therefore seek to live as men and women under God.