Yesterday, I shared my response to an article by Douglas Wilson where he argued that women refusing to marry were turning to Satan. You can read my response here. Wilson closes his article by saying:
If Someone asks you, as they always do, what you want to do after you graduate. You should say something like this: “I would like to have eight babies in a row. And I would like at least six of them to have chubby cheeks!”
Now, there’s nothing wrong with that being someone’s aspiration. Though equally that should be the desire of some husbands too, to be the fathers of lots of children. However, here we see that Wilson curtails what women to aspire to and he does so by curtailing what Scripture has to say.
First of all, there’s what Paul actually says about singleness. He writes in 1 Corinthians 7:8-9.
“8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.
Paul introduces singleness as a positive thing, something that is true of him. However we understand 1 Corinthians 7, we cannot avoid this. Paul could hardly intend in another place to imply that singleness was not only undesirable but represented rebellion, a turning to Satan.
Then we have all of the examples of women in the Old Testament, Jael who dealt swiftly with an enemy of God’s people, Deborah who wisely judged and led God’s people in a time of war and Esther who stepped in to protect God’s people from, imminent danger. We should also mention the woman of Proverbs who demonstrates skill in management and business.
In the New Testament, when we come to the Church, we see that there are women who are close to Jesus. These are the ones who follow him, ensure his ministry is supported and remain when men flee and betray Him.
Romans 16 introduces a number of women that Paul describes as co-workers. Phoebe, a deacon or servant of the church acts as a patron of the church and as a trusted messenger, delivering Paul’s letter. Priscilla, along with her husband, Aquilla, teaches Apollos. Then we have Junia. Where is her outstanding reputation made? Is it at home doing the household chores or having children? No, it is among the apostles.
There is clearly more to being a faithful woman as part of God’s family than Wilson realises.
Faithroots 