Our society, in general, is rejecting the biblical teaching that marriage, sex, and children are inseparable and interrelated components of a household.
So much so that if one is missing there are real and lasting consequences...
2/ For example, a marriage that is sexless is an exceedingly difficult marriage. Sex is one of the chief benefits of marriage. It helps alleviate sexual temptation and is source of comfort in a fallen world. That is the teaching of Scripture and the Westminster Standards.
3/ Sex that is marriage-less is destructive. It leads to children growing up in homes with a single parent and is a major cause for abortions.
Moreover, there are the improper emotional bonds that it creates between two people with no covenantal commitment made to each other.
My thesis is simple: both sexes are attracted to the sex-specific attributes that are central to fulfilling the creation mandate (Gen. 1:27-28).
1. The creation mandate has two interrelated commands 1) be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth & 2) subdue and rule the earth. In other words, God commanded mankind as a whole to reproduce image-bearers (children) that will subdue the earth for God’s glory (culture).
So…
a. Mankind is designed to have fruitful sex.
b. The fruit of that sex (children) is essential to creating God glorifying culture.
c. Therefore, the fulfilling of the command requires the sexes to cooperate biologically.
When women hold power in a church—whether officially or unofficially—two things tend to happen:
1. They strive to include anyone agreeable, regardless of error;
2. They strive to exclude anyone disagreeable, regardless of orthodoxy.
The reason for this is not due to some defect in women; on the contrary, it is exactly because God designed them to be the knitters-together of a society. Comity & harmony are women's forte & their ability to influence others toward such togetherness is both good & glorious...
...in its proper context. If you think of polite society at its best, of the way that it tempers the hard edges of men & establishes a structured space in which everyone can be included & feel confident of a place through observing the proper decorum, this is largely driven by...
1 “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” - 1 Sam 16:7
So this means looks don't matter, right? Wrong. Let me explain…
2 This verse is saying what we all know: looks really matter to people.
Someone might say: Sure, looks matter to people but not to God. Really?
So then is finding certain attributes attractive a product of the fall?
Maybe some of them, I suppose. But all? No...
3 God is the designer of our desires & we naturally find His design desirable.
We care about appearance because God made us to care. Our bodies are wonderfully made (Ps 139:14). The fall has marred our design but not obliterated it.