The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family

The Family - Part 4

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Family Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2007-09-16

Synopsis: In this sermon, John Weaver teaches on God's intentional order in the family, emphasizing that God created Adam first, then Eve, establishing a divine hierarchy of God, Christ, man, and woman. He argues that this order is not arbitrary but purposeful, with the man designed to lead and the woman to support. Rebellion against this order, whether through practical atheism or direct disobedience, leads to family disintegration and societal problems. The sermon calls for submission to God's design as the path to blessing.

[John Weaver] All right, let's open our Bibles to Genesis chapter 2 again, beginning with verse 18 and reading through verse 25. We're still continuing our study on the family. Genesis chapter 2, verse 18, the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make and help meet for him. And out of the ground, the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found any help, meat, or suitable for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept.

[John Weaver] And he took one of the ribs, and closed up the flesh, and stood thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore, shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."

[John Weaver] Today we come to the fourth message and it is entitled, God's Intentional Order. We're just going to look at that one point all day. today, God's intentional order. So far, we've covered three messages. The first two messages were on the dominion aspect of the family, where I showed you, of course, that dominion included responsibility, authority and stewardship and how that God created and ordained the family and the roles in that family.

[John Weaver] Last week, we looked at creational differences between men and women. And if you have not heard that message, I would encourage you to do so, because God did indeed design differences between the man and the woman. And I pointed out there were three main differences. First of all, there was a physical difference. Secondly, of course, there was a judgmental difference. And thirdly, there was an emotional difference.

[John Weaver] Now, today we come to this fourth aspect, and that is God's intentional order. And I think it may be well at this point to let me remind you of a distinction that I have given you in times past. And that is the distinction between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist.

[John Weaver] Now remember, a theoretical atheist is one who denies the existence of God based upon his own weak, anemic intellect. He basically denies creation, providence, and the existence of God simply because he cannot conceive of such in his mind or he cannot explain it satisfactorily for himself. That's why the Bible in Psalm 14 and verse 1 and Psalm 53 and verse 1 both say, the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. So this man is basically a theoretical atheist, based upon his own intellect, he denies the existence of God. Secondly, there is the practical atheist. Now, the practical atheist, on the other hand, is someone who admits there is a God. He may even confess to believe that God created the world, and that God sovereignly rules in his providence.

[John Weaver] But practically speaking, in his life, he lives as if God had not spoken, or as if God's word is not true. He is a practical atheist, while on the one hand, he is admitting that God is, and that God exists, and that God has spoken. On the other hand, he lives as if God does not exist, and God does not speak. You see, the Bible explains this in Titus 1, verse 16. Here God describes a practical atheist when He says this, They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, unto every good work reprobate. Note that. They profess that they know God, but in their works, that is in their lives, in their everyday life, They deny him. So a practical atheist, someone who will make a confession with his mouth, but his life is simply contrary to the truth of God. I believe that every one of you would agree with me that as a whole, our families are disintegrating before our eyes. And mainly one of the real reasons is because in the average family.

[John Weaver] They live as if there was no purpose, no order. and no design in our lives. At least no purpose and no order, no design that was created by God. May I remind you what I've already said, the family did not evolve. It did not just happen, nor did it just come into existence, nor is the family simply a convenient social compact. The truth of the matter is God created the family. Evolution is a lie in regards to creation, and evolution is equally a lie in regards to the family. The family just simply did not come into existence. The family was created by God. And God created the family for a specific purpose. And God gave a very deliberate and intentional order in creating the family.

[John Weaver] Now, the problem is, so many people have become practical atheists because they will profess to believe the Bible, but they will never make application of God's truth their everyday life. So if you are a theoretical atheist and deny the reality of God, or if you are a practical atheist and confess that He exists, but you don't make application of your life, in either instance, you condemn yourself to misery and heartache.

[John Weaver] Now, the one thing that we have to come to an agreement upon is this, that there is only one sovereign. There is only one God. God is absolutely sovereign, and God is in absolute control. What does that mean? That means rebellion is wicked and wrong. In fact, in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 23, God lacks rebellion to witchcraft. and he likens stubbornness to iniquity and idolatry. May I ask you, what was the penalty for witchcraft? Death. What was the penalty for idolatry? Death. Listen to what he said in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 23. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Do you realize that failure to follow God's will is rebellion?

[John Weaver] Most of us don't ever think about this. When we think about rebellion, we think about someone who just goes out and murders, or someone who commits fornication, or someone who steals, and we say, well, that man's a rebel against God. Or we think of someone shaking his fist in the face of God, and we say, that man's a rebel against God. Just like the comedian Kathy Griffin, who just recently cursed Jesus Christ publicly, I won't even repeat what she said. And then she held her trophy and said, this is now my God. My response was, well, let's see how your God delivers you in death. But I mean, the truth of the matter is, I mean, you can say that and be in rebellion against God, but let me just point out the fact you don't have to be that open and blasphemous to be in rebellion against God.

[John Weaver] Do you realize spiritual sins, like resistance to His Word, Wicked attitudes and lack of submission to Him are equally rebellious. We don't have to have those blasphemous, idolatrous sins in order to be in rebellion. Now, God does have an intentional order in the family. I'll say it again. The family did not just happen, nor did it evolve. God created the family and he did so based upon his sovereign will.

[John Weaver] Now, if you look in your Bibles, in verse 18 of Genesis 2, and the Lord God said it is not good that the man should be alone. What does that verse tell us? Well, it tells us a number of things, but first of all, It tells us that God made the man first. Adam was the first. Adam was alone.

[John Weaver] Now, let me ask you a question. Did God purposely create Adam first? And if He did purposely create Adam first, why? You've heard the old joke that God created man first, and the reason he did so, he didn't want any help from the woman. Because had he created the woman first, then she'd have told him how to create the man. Well, that's a joke, and you understand that. But the fact is God did create Adam first. Now you've got to ask, why was Adam created before Eve? And evidently, Adam was only created before Eve He was already working in the garden, because he had already named the animals, and he had already been commanded by God to dress and to keep the garden. Now, I want to emphasize one truth today, and I'm going to show you that this one truth is repeated over and over in Scripture, and that one truth is that God created Adam first. Now, let me ask you a question which I've asked you a dozen times over the years.

[John Weaver] You know the answer. How many times does God have to say something to make it true? One.

[John Weaver] Now, that means then if God repeats a truth over and over, He's either, number one, doing so for emphasis, Or number two, he's telling us it is a very important principle. Something that we need to grasp. So, the Bible tells us in the book of Genesis chapter 2 that God created Adam first. Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Hold Genesis 2, but go over to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and let's read there verse 3.

[John Weaver] You might want to just mark this passage because we will be coming back to this passage. 1 Corinthians 11, look if you would please at verse 3, what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul, riding on the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says, But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Now look at that one more time. It's very simple, but I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ. Okay? And the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

[John Weaver] Now you have here God's intentional order. You have God, Christ, man, woman.

[John Weaver] Now there is a very important word in verse 3, and that is the word head. The Greek word is the word kathalae, and the word kathalae has reference to that which is supreme, chief, or prominent. So the head of man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man. In relationships, the word head refers to what you and I would call masters or Lord, and it is used in reference between a husband and his wife. It is also used in reference of Christ and the church, because Christ is not only the head, but the husband of the church.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look at verse 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and I want to give you three quotes. And the reason I'm going to give you these three quotes is to show you that I'm not making up what I'm about to tell you today. This has been a historical interpretation down through the ages. Look in verse 3. But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

[John Weaver] Here's the first quote from the exposter Albert Barnes. He says this. The word head in the scriptures is designed often to denote master, ruler, chief. The Hebrew word is thus used in the Old Testament and then he gives a large number of passages. Then he continues, in the New Testament the word is used in the sense of Lord, ruler, chief. Here it means that Christ is the ruler, director, or Lord of the Christian man.

[John Weaver] The truth was to be regarded in all their feelings and arrangements and was never to be forgotten. Every Christian should recollect the relation in which he stands to him as one that is fitted to produce the strictest decorum and a steady sense of subordination." And then he continues,"...and the head of the woman is the man. The sense is she is subordinate to him, and in all circumstances, in her demeanor, her dress, her conversation, in public and in the family circle, should recognize her subordination to him." That was Albert Barth. Here is John Gill, The man is first in order and being, was first formed of the woman out of him, who was made for him, and not he for the woman, and therefore must be the head and chief, as he is also with respect to his superior gifts and excellencies, as strength of

[John Weaver] body and endowments of mind, which the woman is called the weaker vessel. Likewise, with regard to preeminence of government, the man is the head, and as Christ is the head of the church, and the church is subject to him, so the husband is the head of the wife, and she is to be subject to him in everything natural, civil, and religious. Moreover, the man is the head of the woman to provide and care for her, to nourish and cherish her, and to protect and defend her against all insults and injuries. One last one.

[John Weaver] Jameson, Fawcett, and Brown, the commentators, say this. The Corinthian women, on the ground of the abolition of the distinction of the sexes in Christ, claimed equality with the male sex, and overstepping the bounds of propriety, came forward to pray and prophesy. The gospel doubtless did raise women from the degradation in which they had been sunk, especially in the East. Yet while on a level with males as to the offer of and standing in grace, their subjection point of order, modesty, and seamlessness is to be maintained. Paul reproves here their unseemliness as to dress and as to the retiring modesty in public which becomes them. He grounds his reproof here on the subjection of women to man and the order of creation.

[John Weaver] Now, the only reason I read those was to show you, number one, what I'm about to teach is not anything new. But secondly, the Bible is teaching there is an intentional order in creation. God is the head of everything, and God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the mediator, the servant of the Father. In fact, one of the phrases that you will find of Christ over and over in the Gospels is that He is the sent one, and then over man is Christ. and then over the woman is the man. So God does then have an intentional order. It is God, Christ, man, woman.

[John Weaver] Now look in 1 Corinthians 11. We're going to come back to this passage, but 8 and 9. 1 Corinthians 11, verse 8. Look what God is emphasizing. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man.

[John Weaver] Now, we tend to think in only terms it's women who produce men because only women can have babies, but the Bible says originally and initially the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Look in verse 9, neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. Now why is God emphasizing the fact that man was made first, man is not of the woman, and the woman was made for the man? In Genesis 2 and verse 18, which we read earlier, when the Bible says that God said it was not meet for the man to be alone, but he would make an help meet for him. That is, he would make a helper suitable for him. And in other words, what the Bible is teaching is this. Here Adam was already created, and now God creates a woman out of the man and for the man to be a helper suitable to him.

[John Weaver] Now let me just tell you here is a very important principle. I'm going to show it to you in the scripture. The woman was created to fulfill a supporting role to the man. She was not made to fulfill a leading role, but a supporting role. She was to be the helper of the man. Now, go back in your Bibles to Genesis 2, and let me show you once again what the scripture says in verse 23. Genesis 2, verse 23. God created the woman out of the man. He created the woman for the man. He brought the woman to the man. And verse 23, and Adam said, this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.

[John Weaver] Now, let me explain something to you. There is a play on words in the Hebrew that you don't get when you read it in English. Here's what Adam said. She shall be called Isha. For she was taken out of Ish. She shall be called woman, that is, of a man, because she was taken from the man.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to think about this. When Janet married Henry, she became a clingler. She took his name. Joyce married Don. She became a Fleming. She took his name. When Alice married me, she took my name. Why do women take the name of the man when they marry? Here is why. Because the woman now becomes partaker of her husband's life, his work, and his family. She now fulfills a supporting role for the man that she marries. Hollywood, to the contrary, the woman's role is one to support her husband.

[John Weaver] She is entered into His calling, into His domain. She becomes His equal in standing, which I've explained before and I shall explain later on. She becomes His equal in standing, but subordinate in position. She's under the man. The creation ordinance has a great deal of significance and importance in relation to the purpose of marriage. So what has God done? God has created the woman out of the man, from the man, for the man, brought her to the man, and He said she shall be called woman because she was taken out of the man.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Then we're going to 1 Corinthians 15. 1st Timothy chapter 2. We're still coming back to 1st Corinthians 11, so you may hold that if you want to. But we're going to 1st Timothy chapter 2 and then 1st Corinthians 15. I told you I was emphasizing one thing today, and that is God's intentional order. So look at this. 1st Timothy chapter 2, verse 13. You can hold this passage, we'll be coming back here as well. First Sympathy 2, verse 13. Notice what the Bible says, For Adam was first formed, then Eve. Wow. Well, he just told us that. He's told us that already several times. But now he says, For Adam was first formed, then Eve. Now hold this passage, we're going to come back here, but look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 45. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45. Notice if you would please what is said. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45. And so it is written, the first man Adam was a living soul.

[John Weaver] The first man, Adam, was a living soul. Over and over in Scripture, God is pointing out that Adam was made first. Why is God pointing out that Adam was made first? Well, it's obvious when you read Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Well, God is pointing it out because it is God's intentional order. The problem is today that very few really and truly want to submit to the Word of God, especially in the family life. Consequently, what many families are doing or trying to do, they're trying to overthrow the Word of God in their lives.

[John Weaver] For instance, I can give you several of them. There are some women who marry and keep their maiden names and then pursue independent careers, that is a career that is totally independent of their husband. For instance, there are some men. Who just simply stay at home? Send their wives off to work that their wives make the living and the husband takes care of the house and usually they're referred to as househusbands.

[John Weaver] All I'm saying is there's something seriously wrong with that way of thinking. In both instances, what is produced is a matriarchal society. So if the woman then keeps her maiden name, has an independent career, what's it mean? She's independent of her husband. She is not dependent upon him. And some instances, The husband stays home, the wife makes the living. And let me tell you something. Usually whoever makes the money wants to control the money. And you end up with a matriarchal society. If you want to see an example of a matriarchal society, listen carefully to what I'm about to say.

[John Weaver] Look at the black communities. I know there are exceptions to this because I've met some. I know there are exceptions to this, but as a whole, the black community is a matriarchal community. What I mean by that is this. If you want anything done, you go to the woman. It's the black woman who maintains the home. It's the black woman who raises the children. It's the black woman who makes the finances while the husband usually loafs and runs around and does nothing. I never will forget. And since I was raised in the South, I've been around blacks all my life. And I never will forget when I was a young boy, I went to pick some up to go to work on the farm. And I never will forget what the little child said to me when I stopped in front of her house to pick her mother up. She ran out and said, Mama said to Teddy, she ain't home today. Well, but you know what I'm trying to say is if Mama doesn't want to do something, Mama doesn't do anything because Daddy is not usually there to make her do it or to even encourage her to do it or to help her do it.

[John Weaver] All I'm trying to point out is this. God made the man first. What does that mean? That means the man was designed to lead. He made the woman for the man. Consequently, she's designed to follow.

[John Weaver] Now go back in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Watch this carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 2. We read verse 13 earlier. All it says is for Adam was first formed, then Eve. Okay? Now let's go back to verse 11. Look what the Apostle Paul says. Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. And I'm going to show you we're really and truly talking about the church right here. But he says, let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

[John Weaver] Now let me ask you one question. Why can a woman not teach men publicly? Why can a woman not lead in prayer publicly when men are present? Here's why. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. God says, you go back to creation, you go back to my intentional order. And my intentional order is God, Christ, man, woman. That is the way that God ordained it. He says, but I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. If you were to go to Acts 16, don't turn there, but you will find that there was a woman's prayer meeting, a prayer meeting just for women down by the riverside.

[John Weaver] And when Paul got there, guess what? The women bowed out and said, Paul, since you're here, you're the man, you lead and you speak. And he did so.

[John Weaver] Now, all I'm trying to point out, the fact is Adam was first formed. Why does the Bible forbid a woman to teach? Not teach women. She may teach women. She may teach children. But what the Bible is forbidding here is a woman to teach men and women together. And here's why it harkens back to a creation. And if you look in 1 Timothy 3 and verse 15, you'll see the theme of 1 Timothy. Here it is, 1 Timothy 3 verse 15.

[John Weaver] Paul wrote, But if I tarry long that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar in the ground of truth. So the theme is. How do you want to behave yourself in the house of God? Well, how should women ought to behave themselves in the house of God? Verse 12 of Chapter two, but I suffer not a woman teacher.

[John Weaver] You serve authority over the men of being silence. Why? For Adam was first formed, then even he gives another one, which I'll explain later. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. But the first answer he gives is because of the creation mandate. In other words, here is God's intentional order. He designed men to lead and the women to follow. Remember, God created the man first. He created the woman for the man, out of the man, He brought her to the man, and He said, this is your help meet.

[John Weaver] This is your helper that is suitable for you. So once Eve then entered into Adam's life, She entered into his covenant and was designed to be one with him in marriage and help him and support him in the vocation that God had called him to. Interestingly enough, the very first time that Eve acted independently of Adam, she sinned. That's why in verse 14 he said, and Adam was not deceived, But the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you something. Go back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 16. In chapter 3, the man and the woman have sinned. God places a curse upon the serpent. He also curses the ground for the man's sake. Curses upon the man as well. And then in verse 16, God places a curse upon the woman. And look what He says, unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception, and sorrow shalt thou bring forth children. Now look, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Now wait a minute. Did not God already create the woman to be the man's helper? Yes, he did. Did not God already create the man to leave? Over and over the scripture says, or Adam was created first, then he. Yes, he did. Well, why is he now emphasizing the fact in verse 16? That her desire shall be to thy husband, he shall rule over thee.

[John Weaver] Well, let me tell you what he's saying. Originally, the way God intended and the way God created Adam and Eve, her submission was not onerous. It was not painful. There was nothing wrong with it. That's the way God created it. But now what he's pointing out is this, because of sin, Because of the rebellious nature, because she is now a sinner, her submission to her husband is going to be distasteful. She's not going to like it. She's not going to want to submit. As a sinner, it's going to be onerous. But God says, your desire shall be to your husband and he shall rule over you. Now watch this. Watch this.

[John Weaver] Here was the creative order And now you have the punitive decree to back up that creative order. Now, you remember, and I covered this last week, and let me just quote it again, 1 Peter 3, 7. God says, Likewise, you husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor to the wife as the weaker vessel, and being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. Now the fact is the woman is indeed the weaker vessel. If the woman is the weaker vessel, what does that mean?

[John Weaver] That means she's to be dependent upon her head. Doesn't mean the man is exceedingly strong, no. He is weak too, but he's not as weak as the woman. So God created a woman then to be the weaker vessel, to be subordinate to her husband, One in standing, equal in standing, but the positions differ. God, Christ, man, woman. Man and woman may be equal in standing, but they are not equal in positions.

[John Weaver] Now, here's how modern day individuals look upon the woman. All you've got to do is watch TV, watch Hollywood movies, listen to the radio, watch commercials, and especially these hair commercials for the women. I mean, you know, if you use this shampoo, not only is your hair going to sparkle and it's going to always be beautiful and stay in place, but you're going to have men waiting on you.

[John Weaver] to obey you every whim and obey you every command. If you just use the right kind of shampoo. You know, they show that. All these commercials, everything in modern day and time revolves around the woman. And men are pictured as being subservient and waiting upon the woman, just wanting to her to move her little finger so that they can take care of every command and every order that she gives.

[John Weaver] Well, that's totally and completely contrary to scripture, by the way. Let me show you something. Those of you who have pictures of your grandma and grandpa or great grandma and great grandpa, sometimes a family picture. Have you ever noticed in the old pictures? The men are seated. and the women are standing beside them or behind them. In modern day pictures, the woman is seated and the man is doing the standing. Have you ever noticed that?

[John Weaver] What I'm trying to say is there is reversal of God's intended order. You look around today at the women who are seeking and following their own independent careers. Just acting totally independent of her husband. Not with his blessing particularly. Not with his permission particularly. But just doing what they want to do.

[John Weaver] Now let me show you a principle. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Let me make a statement and then let me prove it to you from Scripture. Here's my statement. Women who do their own thing. Let me change that. Wives who do their own thing. Independent of their husband. Without his blessing. Or even sometimes without his knowledge.

[John Weaver] Or not right with God. It can't be right with God. You say, how can you say that? Well, let me show you. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. And let's begin reading at verse 29. And without me going over 1 Corinthians 7, let me just tell you, in this passage, God gives you three reasons why you should marry and three reasons why you should not marry.

[John Weaver] So He balances them out. But he says in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 29, But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away. Now look what he says, But I would have you without carefulness.

[John Weaver] He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and spirit. But she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back to verse 20. I'm going to comment on that in just a moment, but look in verse 20. Look what God says. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called, and then he explains that. But now here's what God is saying in verse 20. The man is to continue in his career working in order that he may please his wife. There's nothing wrong with pleasing the wife. Nothing wrong with that at all. But he said, look at this. Once the man is married, he has a distraction. He's got a wife and possibly a family that he has to take care of. So there's some things he cannot do like an unmarried man can do. Now he says there's also a difference between a virgin and a married woman. He says once you're married, the wife then cares for the things of the world how she may do what? Please her husband. Here's what God is saying. God does not necessarily give every woman a husband.

[John Weaver] Not every woman is married. God does not necessarily give every woman a husband. So if God does not give a woman a husband, then she may follow whatever career she wants to with the blessing of her father and the blessing of the Lord. There's no problem there. But what he's saying is this in 1st Corinthians chapter 7. Once she is married. Her obligation is to support her husband. and to follow him and to help him and to please him.

[John Weaver] Now, let me try to give you an illustration of what I'm talking about. I have run into several women in my life. That told me that God had called them. To be missionaries. in a foreign country. They're not talking about here. And so they were so sure that God had called them to be missionaries. That they drug their husband and their children to these foreign countries so that they could be missionaries. Let me tell you, based upon the principles of the Word of God, I do not believe that God has ever called a woman to be a missionary independent of her husband. Why? God created God, Christ, man, woman. If God wants the woman on the mission field, He's going to call the man. And then the woman in her supporting role then goes with the man and carries their family. But God does not call the woman and let her drag the husband and the children. That's contrary to the principles laid down in His Word. God created the man first.

[John Weaver] You see, there are ramifications for this principle everywhere you turn. The same thing with women preachers. I don't know how they get around 1 Timothy 2. I don't know how they get around 1 Timothy chapter 3. I've never known a woman in my life that could be the husband of one wife. You know, I don't know. But I knew of one lady in Georgia who was the pastor of the church and her husband was the janitor.

[John Weaver] Now, there's something wrong with that somewhere. Well, I'm just simply saying, if God gives a woman a husband, then everything is settled. Her calling is to support her husband. If God does not give the woman a husband, then she's free to do whatever God and her Father blesses her to do. There's no problem there. Now, the greatest honor that any woman can have, and I'm going to deal with this even next week, The greatest honor that any woman can have, the greatest honor that any man can have, is being in submission to the will of God. It is not degrading. It is not dishonoring. It is not demeaning to be in submission. Christ was in submission to His Father. Men are to be in submission to Christ. And women are to be in submission to their husband. Children are to be in submission to their parents. Servants are to be in submission to their masters. Each of us had to be in submission one way or the other. And the greatest honor that we can have is to be found in obedience to our Heavenly Father.

[John Weaver] You look at the average home today, and I can tell you this, the failure in the average home is found in one of several things. Number one, The husband has never been taught to be the head of his own. Or number two, the wife has never been taught to be in submission to her husband or number three. The husband doesn't want to be the head of his house or number four, the wife won't allow him to be the head of his house.

[John Weaver] In either instance, it's rebellion against God, what is the result? The result is this. In our society today, we have the feminization of men and the masculinization of women. Let me remind you of something. Those of you who remember the first two messages I preached on the dominion aspect of the family. May I remind you that masculinity has a great deal more to do than with muscles and physique. According to the Bible, masculinity has to do with authority.

[John Weaver] It has to do with responsibility. It has to do with obedience and knowledge. And what is happening in this day and what has happened is a number of wives have emasculated their husbands, sometimes unknowingly, sometimes willingly. And consequently, they destroyed their homes. No wonder most marriages are in trouble. It's just that simple.

[John Weaver] Now, we do have a few young women here today who are not married, but let me just tell you, since God requires you to submit to your husband, that means this. You have no right to marry anyone to whom you really cannot submit. And young men, I can tell you this, God requires your wife to be in submission to you, and you would have no right to marry someone who's going to be in rebellion to you.

[John Weaver] You say, oh, I'll change him. Yeah. I'll change her. Yeah. No, it doesn't work like that. And I'll tell you something, young ladies, if you look and see how A young man treats his mother and treats his sister, you'll probably get a pretty good idea how he's going to treat you. And young men, if that young woman is in rebellion to her father, she's going to end up being in rebellion to you. It's just that simple. Some men will not lead.

[John Weaver] Some women will not follow. Both are equally sinful and in rebellion against God. God has ordained His intentional order.

[John Weaver] Now, let me show you how this works out. Go back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11. Let me show you from the Scripture man's honor and man's humility. Also, the woman's honor and the woman's humility. In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, let's just look at verse 3 again. He said, But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Now skip down to verse 7. He says this, For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.

[John Weaver] For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman, but all things of God." Now stop right there. First of all, I want you to note in verses 7 through 9, man's honor. Here it is. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head white for as much as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man."

[John Weaver] So men can say this. I was not created for the woman. The woman was created for me. I was created first. I was made in God's image. Yes, the woman is made in God's image as well. But the woman was taken from the man. So the man has his honor. He has his area of boasting, if you want to say. Because he was made first, but I want you to also notice. Secondly, the woman's humility. That's found in verses seven through nine as well, the woman has to say. I was not made first. I was made second. The man was not made for me, I was made for the man. Adam was created in God's glory. I was created in man's glory because I was taken out of man. There's man's honor. There's a woman's humility. Now look in verse 11, because here's the man's humility. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman. Wow. Here's man's humility. Man can boast all he wants to. I was made first and the woman was made for me.

[John Weaver] But then we've got to admit and confess and acknowledge something as men. And that is without the women for nothing. It takes the woman to complete the man. We have to acknowledge and confess. Without the woman. The race ceases. It's over. So the man can boast and say one in one sense of the word, I was made I was not made for the woman made for me, I was made first, but then he's got to admit in humility. That without her, I'm nothing I can I need her.

[John Weaver] I want you to know, fourthly, the woman's honor in verse 11. He says, nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman. The woman can truthfully say, look, here's my honor. I may have been made second and I may have been made for the man, but I am the only one who can complete the man. Without me, he's absolutely nothing. He cannot carry on posterity without me. I, as a woman, am not only needed, I am absolutely necessary. That's her honor. But I want you to watch fifthly, God's intentional order, he said in verse 12. For as the woman is of the man. Even so, as the man also by the woman helped me out, what's that last phrase?

[John Weaver] But all things are of God. God's intentional order. God gave man both honor and humility, and God gave the woman both honor and humility. And as we fulfill our proper roles, as we see God's intentional order in creation, in marriage, in the home, in society, we see that God has an ordained way that we should live. God has not made any mistakes. The mistakes in our homes are from our sins and our rebellion and from our ignorance.

[John Weaver] I want to show you the next two Sundays. The role of a wife. And the role of a husband. And when you understand those roles, you'll understand God's intentional order, God's creation differences. And also, I hope more fully. the dominion aspect of the family. God does have an intentional order. Read it through scripture. And God ordained it for a reason. When we submit to that order. We prosper, we're successful, we're blessed. When we pervert that order. We're cursed.

[John Weaver] We have heartache and misery. Adam was created first, then Eve. The man was not made for the woman, but the woman for the man. Nevertheless, without the woman, man is nothing. All things are of God. Let's pray. Father, we do ask that you would help us and teach us Open our eyes and show us the truth of Thy Word. Give us grace that we may bow to Thee, be in submission to Thee, and thus have Thy blessings in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.

[John Weaver] This program was produced by Dominion Ministry. For more information about Pastor Weber's sermons, You may contact Dominion Ministry by mail at 7400 Abercorn, that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N Street, Suite 705, PMB 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912-925-0995.

[John Weaver] You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com

The Family - Part 4

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	11107111968
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2007-09-16
Dictation Name
Book	Book 035: The Family — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	77

Formatted Transcript

Introduction and Reading of Genesis 2:18-25

Weaver opens with the reading of Genesis 2:18-25, setting the stage for the fourth message on the family, titled 'God's Intentional Order.'

All right, let's open our Bibles to Genesis chapter 2 again, beginning with verse 18 and reading through verse 25. We're still continuing our study on the family. Genesis chapter 2, verse 18:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:18-25

"The Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a help meet for him.' And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a help meet, or suitable for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept."

"And he took one of the ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.' And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."

Review of Previous Messages

He reviews the first three messages: dominion in the family (responsibility, authority, stewardship) and creational differences between men and women (physical, judgmental, emotional).

Today we come to the fourth message, and it is entitled "God's Intentional Order." We're just going to look at that one point all day today: God's intentional order. So far, we've covered three messages. The first two messages were on the dominion aspect of the family, where I showed you, of course, that dominion included responsibility, authority, and stewardship, and how that God created and ordained the family and the roles in that family. Last week, we looked at creational differences between men and women. And if you have not heard that message, I would encourage you to do so, because God did indeed design differences between the man and the woman. And I pointed out there were three main differences. First of all, there was a physical difference. Secondly, of course, there was a judgmental difference. And thirdly, there was an emotional difference.

Now, today we come to this fourth aspect, and that is God's intentional order. And I think it may be well at this point to let me remind you of a distinction that I have given you in times past. And that is the distinction between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist.

Theoretical vs. Practical Atheism

Weaver distinguishes between theoretical atheists (who deny God's existence) and practical atheists (who profess belief but live as if God's Word is not true), applying this to family life.

Now remember, a theoretical atheist is one who denies the existence of God based upon his own weak, anemic intellect. He basically denies creation, providence, and the existence of God simply because he cannot conceive of such in his mind or he cannot explain it satisfactorily for himself. That's why the Bible in Psalm 14 and verse 1 and Psalm 53 and verse 1 both say,

Scripture Reading — Psalm 14:1; 53:1

"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."

So this man is basically a theoretical atheist; based upon his own intellect, he denies the existence of God. Secondly, there is the practical atheist. Now, the practical atheist, on the other hand, is someone who admits there is a God. He may even confess to believe that God created the world, and that God sovereignly rules in His providence.

But practically speaking, in his life, he lives as if God had not spoken, or as if God's Word is not true. He is a practical atheist. While on the one hand, he is admitting that God is, and that God exists, and that God has spoken, on the other hand, he lives as if God does not exist, and God does not speak. You see, the Bible explains this in Titus 1, verse 16. Here God describes a practical atheist when He says this:

Scripture Reading — Titus 1:16

"They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

Note that. They profess that they know God, but in their works—that is, in their lives, in their everyday life—they deny Him. So a practical atheist is someone who will make a confession with his mouth, but his life is simply contrary to the truth of God. I believe that every one of you would agree with me that as a whole, our families are disintegrating before our eyes. And mainly one of the real reasons is because in the average family...

...they live as if there was no purpose, no order, and no design in our lives. At least no purpose and no order, no design that was created by God. May I remind you what I've already said: the family did not evolve. It did not just happen, nor did it just come into existence, nor is the family simply a convenient social compact. The truth of the matter is God created the family. Evolution is a lie in regards to creation, and evolution is equally a lie in regards to the family. The family just simply did not come into existence. The family was created by God. And God created the family for a specific purpose. And God gave a very deliberate and intentional order in creating the family.

God's Sovereignty and Rebellion

He stresses God's absolute sovereignty, equating rebellion with witchcraft and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23), and warns that failure to follow God's will is rebellion.

Now, the one thing that we have to come to an agreement upon is this: that there is only one sovereign. There is only one God. God is absolutely sovereign, and God is in absolute control. What does that mean? That means rebellion is wicked and wrong. In fact, in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 23, God likens rebellion to witchcraft, and He likens stubbornness to iniquity and idolatry. May I ask you, what was the penalty for witchcraft? Death. What was the penalty for idolatry? Death. Listen to what He said in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 23:

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:23

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry."

Do you realize that failure to follow God's will is rebellion?

Most of us don't ever think about this. When we think about rebellion, we think about someone who just goes out and murders, or someone who commits fornication, or someone who steals, and we say, "Well, that man's a rebel against God." Or we think of someone shaking his fist in the face of God, and we say, "That man's a rebel against God." Just like the comedian Kathy Griffin, who just recently cursed Jesus Christ publicly—I won't even repeat what she said. And then she held her trophy and said, "This is now my God." My response was, "Well, let's see how your God delivers you in death." But I mean, the truth of the matter is, I mean, you can say that and be in rebellion against God, but let me just point out the fact you don't have to be that open and blasphemous to be in rebellion against God.

Do you realize spiritual sins, like resistance to His Word, wicked attitudes, and lack of submission to Him are equally rebellious? We don't have to have those blasphemous, idolatrous sins in order to be in rebellion. Now, God does have an intentional order in the family. I'll say it again. The family did not just happen, nor did it evolve. God created the family and He did so based upon His sovereign will.

Adam Created First: The Foundational Principle

Weaver argues from Genesis 2:18 that God purposely created Adam first, and this order is repeated throughout Scripture for emphasis and importance.

Now, if you look in your Bibles, in verse 18 of Genesis 2,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:18

"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone.'"

What does that verse tell us? Well, it tells us a number of things, but first of all, it tells us that God made the man first. Adam was the first. Adam was alone.

Now, let me ask you a question. Did God purposely create Adam first? And if He did purposely create Adam first, why? You've heard the old joke that God created man first, and the reason He did so, He didn't want any help from the woman. Because had He created the woman first, then she'd have told Him how to create the man. Well, that's a joke, and you understand that. But the fact is God did create Adam first. Now you've got to ask, why was Adam created before Eve? And evidently, Adam was only created before Eve—He was already working in the garden, because He had already named the animals, and He had already been commanded by God to dress and to keep the garden. Now, I want to emphasize one truth today, and I'm going to show you that this one truth is repeated over and over in Scripture, and that one truth is that God created Adam first. Now, let me ask you a question which I've asked you a dozen times over the years.

You know the answer. How many times does God have to say something to make it true? One. Now, that means then if God repeats a truth over and over, He's either, number one, doing so for emphasis, or number two, He's telling us it is a very important principle. Something that we need to grasp. So, the Bible tells us in the book of Genesis chapter 2 that God created Adam first. Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Hold Genesis 2, but go over to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and let's read there verse 3.

Biblical Evidence for God's Intentional Order

He cites 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9; 1 Timothy 2:13; and 1 Corinthians 15:45 to show that Adam was formed first, the woman was made for the man, and this establishes a hierarchy: God, Christ, man, woman.

You might want to just mark this passage because we will be coming back to this passage. 1 Corinthians 11, look if you would please at verse 3, what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Now look at that one more time. It's very simple:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ."

Okay?

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"And the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Now you have here God's intentional order. You have God, Christ, man, woman. Now there is a very important word in verse 3, and that is the word "head." The Greek word is the word kephalē, and the word kephalē has reference to that which is supreme, chief, or prominent. So the head of man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man. In relationships, the word "head" refers to what you and I would call master or lord, and it is used in reference between a husband and his wife. It is also used in reference of Christ and the church, because Christ is not only the head, but the husband of the church.

Now, I want you to look at verse 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and I want to give you three quotes. And the reason I'm going to give you these three quotes is to show you that I'm not making up what I'm about to tell you today. This has been a historical interpretation down through the ages. Look in verse 3: "But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." Here's the first quote from the expositor Albert Barnes. He says this: "The word 'head' in the Scriptures is designed often to denote master, ruler, chief. The Hebrew word is thus used in the Old Testament"—and then he gives a large number of passages. Then he continues, "In the New Testament the word is used in the sense of lord, ruler, chief. Here it means that Christ is the ruler, director, or lord of the Christian man."

"The truth was to be regarded in all their feelings and arrangements and was never to be forgotten. Every Christian should recollect the relation in which he stands to Him as one that is fitted to produce the strictest decorum and a steady sense of subordination." And then he continues, "...and the head of the woman is the man. The sense is she is subordinate to him, and in all circumstances, in her demeanor, her dress, her conversation, in public and in the family circle, should recognize her subordination to him." That was Albert Barnes. Here is John Gill: "The man is first in order and being, was first formed, and the woman out of him, who was made for him, and not he for the woman, and therefore must be the head and chief, as he is also with respect to his superior gifts and excellencies, as strength of

body and endowments of mind, which the woman is called the weaker vessel. Likewise, with regard to preeminence of government, the man is the head, and as Christ is the head of the church, and the church is subject to Him, so the husband is the head of the wife, and she is to be subject to him in everything natural, civil, and religious. Moreover, the man is the head of the woman to provide and care for her, to nourish and cherish her, and to protect and defend her against all insults and injuries." One last one. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, the commentators, say this: "The Corinthian women, on the ground of the abolition of the distinction of the sexes in Christ, claimed equality with the male sex, and overstepping the bounds of propriety, came forward to pray and prophesy. The gospel doubtless did raise women from the degradation in which they had been sunk, especially in the East. Yet while on a level with males as to the offer of and standing in grace, their subjection in point of order, modesty, and seemliness is to be maintained. Paul reproves here their unseemliness as to dress and as to the retiring modesty in public which becomes them. He grounds his reproof here on the subjection of women to man and the order of creation."

Now, the only reason I read those was to show you, number one, what I'm about to teach is not anything new. But secondly, the Bible is teaching there is an intentional order in creation. God is the head of everything, and God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the mediator, the servant of the Father. In fact, one of the phrases that you will find of Christ over and over in the Gospels is that He is the sent one, and then over man is Christ, and then over the woman is the man. So God does then have an intentional order. It is God, Christ, man, woman.

Now look in 1 Corinthians 11. We're going to come back to this passage, but verses 8 and 9. 1 Corinthians 11, verse 8. Look what God is emphasizing: "For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man."

Now, we tend to think in only terms it's women who produce men because only women can have babies, but the Bible says originally and initially the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Look in verse 9: "Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man." Now why is God emphasizing the fact that man was made first, man is not of the woman, and the woman was made for the man? In Genesis 2 and verse 18, which we read earlier, when the Bible says that God said it was not meet for the man to be alone, but He would make a help meet for him—that is, He would make a helper suitable for him. And in other words, what the Bible is teaching is this: Here Adam was already created, and now God creates a woman out of the man and for the man to be a helper suitable to him.

Now let me just tell you here is a very important principle. I'm going to show it to you in the Scripture. The woman was created to fulfill a supporting role to the man. She was not made to fulfill a leading role, but a supporting role. She was to be the helper of the man. Now, go back in your Bibles to Genesis 2, and let me show you once again what the Scripture says in verse 23. Genesis 2, verse 23. God created the woman out of the man. He created the woman for the man. He brought the woman to the man. And verse 23: "And Adam said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.'"

Now, let me explain something to you. There is a play on words in the Hebrew that you don't get when you read it in English. Here's what Adam said: "She shall be called Ishah, for she was taken out of Ish." She shall be called woman—that is, of a man—because she was taken from the man. Now, I want you to think about this. When Janet married Henry, she became a Clingler. She took his name. Joyce married Don; she became a Fleming. She took his name. When Alice married me, she took my name. Why do women take the name of the man when they marry? Here is why: Because the woman now becomes partaker of her husband's life, his work, and his family. She now fulfills a supporting role for the man that she marries. Hollywood to the contrary, the woman's role is one to support her husband.

She is entered into His calling, into His domain. She becomes His equal in standing, which I've explained before and I shall explain later on. She becomes His equal in standing, but subordinate in position. She's under the man. The creation ordinance has a great deal of significance and importance in relation to the purpose of marriage. So what has God done? God has created the woman out of the man, from the man, for the man, brought her to the man, and He said she shall be called woman because she was taken out of the man.

Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Then we're going to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Timothy chapter 2. We're still coming back to 1 Corinthians 11, so you may hold that if you want to. But we're going to 1 Timothy chapter 2 and then 1 Corinthians 15. I told you I was emphasizing one thing today, and that is God's intentional order. So look at this. 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 13. You can hold this passage; we'll be coming back here as well. 1 Timothy 2, verse 13. Notice what the Bible says: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." Wow. Well, he just told us that. He's told us that already several times. But now he says, "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." Now hold this passage; we're going to come back here, but look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 45. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45. Notice if you would please what is said. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45: "And so it is written, 'The first man Adam was a living soul.'"

"The first man Adam was a living soul." Over and over in Scripture, God is pointing out that Adam was made first. Why is God pointing out that Adam was made first? Well, it's obvious when you read Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Well, God is pointing it out because it is God's intentional order. The problem is today that very few really and truly want to submit to the Word of God, especially in the family life. Consequently, what many families are doing or trying to do, they're trying to overthrow the Word of God in their lives.

Consequences of Reversing the Order

Weaver gives examples of modern reversals (women keeping maiden names, independent careers, househusbands) leading to matriarchal societies, using the black community as an illustration.

For instance, I can give you several of them. There are some women who marry and keep their maiden names and then pursue independent careers—that is, a career that is totally independent of their husband. For instance, there are some men who just simply stay at home, send their wives off to work, that their wives make the living and the husband takes care of the house, and usually they're referred to as househusbands. All I'm saying is there's something seriously wrong with that way of thinking. In both instances, what is produced is a matriarchal society. So if the woman then keeps her maiden name, has an independent career, what's it mean? She's independent of her husband. She is not dependent upon him. And in some instances, the husband stays home, the wife makes the living. And let me tell you something: usually whoever makes the money wants to control the money. And you end up with a matriarchal society. If you want to see an example of a matriarchal society, listen carefully to what I'm about to say.

Look at the black communities. I know there are exceptions to this because I've met some. I know there are exceptions to this, but as a whole, the black community is a matriarchal community. What I mean by that is this: If you want anything done, you go to the woman. It's the black woman who maintains the home. It's the black woman who raises the children. It's the black woman who makes the finances while the husband usually loafs and runs around and does nothing. I never will forget—and since I was raised in the South, I've been around blacks all my life—and I never will forget when I was a young boy, I went to pick some up to go to work on the farm. And I never will forget what the little child said to me when I stopped in front of her house to pick her mother up. She ran out and said, "Mama said to tell you she ain't home today." Well, but you know what I'm trying to say is if Mama doesn't want to do something, Mama doesn't do anything because Daddy is not usually there to make her do it or to even encourage her to do it or to help her do it.

All I'm trying to point out is this: God made the man first. What does that mean? That means the man was designed to lead. He made the woman for the man. Consequently, she's designed to follow.

Now go back in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Watch this carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 2. We read verse 13 earlier. All it says is, "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." Okay? Now let's go back to verse 11. Look what the Apostle Paul says: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection." And I'm going to show you we're really and truly talking about the church right here. But he says, "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

Application to Church and Marriage

He applies the creation order to church conduct (1 Timothy 2:11-14) and marriage (1 Corinthians 7), arguing that a wife's role is to support her husband, and a husband's to lead.

Now let me ask you one question. Why can a woman not teach men publicly? Why can a woman not lead in prayer publicly when men are present? Here's why: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." God says, you go back to creation, you go back to My intentional order. And My intentional order is God, Christ, man, woman. That is the way that God ordained it. He says, "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." If you were to go to Acts 16—don't turn there—but you will find that there was a woman's prayer meeting, a prayer meeting just for women down by the riverside.

And when Paul got there, guess what? The women bowed out and said, "Paul, since you're here, you're the man, you lead and you speak." And he did so. Now, all I'm trying to point out, the fact is Adam was first formed. Why does the Bible forbid a woman to teach? Not teach women—she may teach women. She may teach children. But what the Bible is forbidding here is a woman to teach men and women together. And here's why: it harkens back to creation. And if you look in 1 Timothy 3 and verse 15, you'll see the theme of 1 Timothy. Here it is, 1 Timothy 3 verse 15. Paul wrote, "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." So the theme is: How do you want to behave yourself in the house of God? Well, how should women ought to behave themselves in the house of God? Verse 12 of chapter 2:

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:11-14

"But I suffer not a woman to teach..." "...nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

Why?

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:11-14

"For Adam was first formed, then Eve."

He gives another one, which I'll explain later:

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:11-14

"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."

But the first answer he gives is because of the creation mandate. In other words, here is God's intentional order. He designed men to lead and the women to follow. Remember, God created the man first. He created the woman for the man, out of the man. He brought her to the man, and He said, "This is your help meet."

This is your helper that is suitable for you. So once Eve then entered into Adam's life, she entered into his covenant and was designed to be one with him in marriage and help him and support him in the vocation that God had called him to. Interestingly enough, the very first time that Eve acted independently of Adam, she sinned. That's why in verse 14 he said, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."

Now, let me show you something. Go back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 16. In chapter 3, the man and the woman have sinned. God places a curse upon the serpent. He also curses the ground for the man's sake. Curses upon the man as well. And then in verse 16, God places a curse upon the woman. And look what He says:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"Unto the woman He said, 'I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.'"

Now look:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"...and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Now wait a minute. Did not God already create the woman to be the man's helper? Yes, He did. Did not God already create the man to lead? Over and over the Scripture says, "For Adam was created first, then Eve." Yes, He did. Well, why is He now emphasizing the fact in verse 16 that

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"

Well, let me tell you what He's saying. Originally, the way God intended and the way God created Adam and Eve, her submission was not onerous. It was not painful. There was nothing wrong with it. That's the way God created it. But now what He's pointing out is this: because of sin, because of the rebellious nature, because she is now a sinner, her submission to her husband is going to be distasteful. She's not going to like it. She's not going to want to submit. As a sinner, it's going to be onerous. But God says, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Now watch this. Watch this.

Here was the creative order, and now you have the punitive decree to back up that creative order. Now, you remember—and I covered this last week—and let me just quote it again, 1 Peter 3:7. God says, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as the weaker vessel, and being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." Now the fact is the woman is indeed the weaker vessel. If the woman is the weaker vessel, what does that mean? That means she's to be dependent upon her head. Doesn't mean the man is exceedingly strong—no, he is weak too, but he's not as weak as the woman. So God created a woman then to be the weaker vessel, to be subordinate to her husband. One in standing, equal in standing, but the positions differ. God, Christ, man, woman. Man and woman may be equal in standing, but they are not equal in positions.

Now, here's how modern day individuals look upon the woman. All you've got to do is watch TV, watch Hollywood movies, listen to the radio, watch commercials, and especially these hair commercials for the women. I mean, you know, if you use this shampoo, not only is your hair going to sparkle and it's going to always be beautiful and stay in place, but you're going to have men waiting on you... ...to obey your every whim and obey your every command. If you just use the right kind of shampoo. You know, they show that. All these commercials, everything in modern day and time revolves around the woman. And men are pictured as being subservient and waiting upon the woman, just wanting her to move her little finger so that they can take care of every command and every order that she gives.

Well, that's totally and completely contrary to Scripture, by the way. Let me show you something. Those of you who have pictures of your grandma and grandpa or great-grandma and great-grandpa, sometimes a family picture. Have you ever noticed in the old pictures? The men are seated, and the women are standing beside them or behind them. In modern day pictures, the woman is seated and the man is doing the standing. Have you ever noticed that?

What I'm trying to say is there is a reversal of God's intended order. You look around today at the women who are seeking and following their own independent careers, just acting totally independent of her husband. Not with his blessing particularly. Not with his permission particularly. But just doing what they want to do.

Now let me show you a principle. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Let me make a statement and then let me prove it to you from Scripture. Here's my statement: Women who do their own thing—let me change that. Wives who do their own thing, independent of their husband, without his blessing, or even sometimes without his knowledge... ...are not right with God. It can't be right with God. You say, "How can you say that?" Well, let me show you. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. And let's begin reading at verse 29. And without me going over 1 Corinthians 7, let me just tell you, in this passage, God gives you three reasons why you should marry and three reasons why you should not marry.

So He balances them out. But He says in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 29:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:29-34

"But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away."

Now look what He says:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:29-34

"But I would have you without carefulness." "He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and spirit. But she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."

Now, I want you to go back to verse 20. I'm going to comment on that in just a moment, but look in verse 20. Look what God says: "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." And then He explains that. But now here's what God is saying in verse 20. The man is to continue in his career working in order that he may please his wife. There's nothing wrong with pleasing the wife. Nothing wrong with that at all. But He said, look at this. Once the man is married, he has a distraction. He's got a wife and possibly a family that he has to take care of. So there's some things he cannot do like an unmarried man can do. Now He says there's also a difference between a virgin and a married woman. He says once you're married, the wife then cares for the things of the world how she may do what? Please her husband. Here's what God is saying. God does not necessarily give every woman a husband.

Not every woman is married. God does not necessarily give every woman a husband. So if God does not give a woman a husband, then she may follow whatever career she wants to with the blessing of her father and the blessing of the Lord. There's no problem there. But what He's saying is this in 1 Corinthians chapter 7: Once she is married, her obligation is to support her husband, and to follow him, and to help him, and to please him.

Honor and Humility in God's Order

From 1 Corinthians 11:7-12, Weaver shows that both men and women have honor and humility: man's honor in being created first, woman's honor in completing man, and mutual dependence under God.

Now, let me show you how this works out. Go back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11. Let me show you from the Scripture man's honor and man's humility. Also, the woman's honor and the woman's humility. In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, let's just look at verse 3 again. He said,

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:7-12

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Now skip down to verse 7. He says this:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:7-12

"For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.

For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman, but all things of God." Now stop right there. First of all, I want you to note in verses 7 through 9, man's honor. Here it is: "For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man."

So men can say this: "I was not created for the woman. The woman was created for me. I was created first. I was made in God's image." Yes, the woman is made in God's image as well. But the woman was taken from the man. So the man has his honor. He has his area of boasting, if you want to say, because he was made first. But I want you to also notice, secondly, the woman's humility. That's found in verses 7 through 9 as well. The woman has to say: "I was not made first. I was made second. The man was not made for me; I was made for the man. Adam was created in God's glory. I was created in man's glory because I was taken out of man." There's man's honor. There's a woman's humility. Now look in verse 11, because here's the man's humility: "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman." Wow. Here's man's humility. Man can boast all he wants to: "I was made first and the woman was made for me."

But then we've got to admit and confess and acknowledge something as men. And that is without the woman we're nothing. It takes the woman to complete the man. We have to acknowledge and confess: Without the woman, the race ceases. It's over. So the man can boast and say in one sense of the word, "I was made—I was not made for the woman; she was made for me. I was made first." But then he's got to admit in humility that without her, I'm nothing. I need her.

I want you to know, fourthly, the woman's honor in verse 11. He says, "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord." "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman." The woman can truthfully say, "Look, here's my honor. I may have been made second and I may have been made for the man, but I am the only one who can complete the man. Without me, he's absolutely nothing. He cannot carry on posterity without me. I, as a woman, am not only needed, I am absolutely necessary." That's her honor. But I want you to watch fifthly, God's intentional order. He said in verse 12: "For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman." Help me out, what's that last phrase?

"But all things are of God." God's intentional order. God gave man both honor and humility, and God gave the woman both honor and humility. And as we fulfill our proper roles, as we see God's intentional order in creation, in marriage, in the home, in society, we see that God has an ordained way that we should live. God has not made any mistakes. The mistakes in our homes are from our sins and our rebellion and from our ignorance.

Conclusion and Call to Submission

He concludes that submission to God's intentional order brings blessing, while perversion brings curse, and previews future messages on the roles of wife and husband.

I want to show you the next two Sundays the role of a wife and the role of a husband. And when you understand those roles, you'll understand God's intentional order, God's creation differences, and also, I hope more fully, the dominion aspect of the family. God does have an intentional order. Read it through Scripture. And God ordained it for a reason. When we submit to that order, we prosper, we're successful, we're blessed. When we pervert that order, we're cursed.

We have heartache and misery. Adam was created first, then Eve. The man was not made for the woman, but the woman for the man. Nevertheless, without the woman, man is nothing. All things are of God. Let's pray. Father, we do ask that You would help us and teach us. Open our eyes and show us the truth of Thy Word. Give us grace that we may bow to Thee, be in submission to Thee, and thus have Thy blessings in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.

Study Guide

Major Themes

God's Intentional Order in Creation

Summary: God deliberately created Adam first, then Eve, establishing a hierarchical order of God, Christ, man, and woman that is foundational for family and society.

Evidence: Weaver repeatedly cites Genesis 2, 1 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Timothy 2:13, and 1 Corinthians 15:45 to prove that Adam was formed first and the woman was made for the man.

Rebellion Against God's Order

Summary: Failure to follow God's intentional order is rebellion, equated with witchcraft and idolatry, and leads to family disintegration and societal problems.

Evidence: Weaver references 1 Samuel 15:23 and describes practical atheism as living contrary to God's Word, applying it to modern family roles.

Male Leadership and Female Support

Summary: The man is designed to lead and the woman to support; this is not degrading but a divinely ordained role that brings honor when embraced.

Evidence: Weaver explains that the woman was created as a 'help meet' (helper suitable) for the man, and cites 1 Corinthians 11:7-9 and 1 Timothy 2:11-14.

Practical Atheism in Family Life

Summary: Many professing Christians live as practical atheists by ignoring God's design for the family, leading to chaos and misery.

Evidence: Weaver defines practical atheism from Titus 1:16 and applies it to those who confess God but do not follow His order in the home.

Mutual Dependence and Honor

Summary: While there is a hierarchy, men and women are mutually dependent; both have honor and humility in God's design.

Evidence: From 1 Corinthians 11:11-12, Weaver shows that man is not without the woman, and all things are of God, balancing male headship with female necessity.

Key Arguments

Adam's Priority Establishes Male Headship

Summary: Because Adam was created first and Eve was made from and for him, the man holds the position of headship in the family and church.

Evidence: Weaver cites Genesis 2:18-23, 1 Corinthians 11:8-9, and 1 Timothy 2:13, emphasizing the phrase 'Adam was first formed, then Eve.'

Rebellion Includes Subtle Disobedience

Summary: Rebellion against God is not only blatant sin but also resistance to His Word, wicked attitudes, and lack of submission in family roles.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'spiritual sins, like resistance to His Word, wicked attitudes, and lack of submission to Him are equally rebellious,' referencing 1 Samuel 15:23.

The Curse Reinforces the Creation Order

Summary: The curse in Genesis 3:16 ('thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee') is a punitive decree that backs up the original creation order, making submission onerous due to sin.

Evidence: Weaver explains that originally submission was not painful, but sin made it distasteful; the curse reinforces the man's rule.

A Wife's Calling is to Support Her Husband

Summary: Once married, a woman's primary obligation is to please and support her husband, not pursue independent callings that undermine his leadership.

Evidence: Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 7:32-34 to argue that a married woman cares for how to please her husband, and criticizes women who claim independent missionary callings.

Reversing Roles Leads to Societal Decay

Summary: When men fail to lead or women refuse to follow, it results in the feminization of men and masculinization of women, destroying homes and society.

Evidence: Weaver points to modern trends like househusbands and independent careers, and uses the black community as an example of matriarchal dysfunction.

Scripture References

Genesis 2:18-25

Context: Read at the opening; foundational passage for the creation of woman and the institution of marriage.

Psalm 14:1; 53:1

Context: Cited to define the theoretical atheist as a fool who denies God's existence.

Titus 1:16

Context: Used to describe the practical atheist who professes to know God but denies Him by works.

1 Samuel 15:23

Context: Quoted to equate rebellion with witchcraft and stubbornness with idolatry, emphasizing the seriousness of disobedience.

Genesis 2:18

Context: Cited to show God's declaration that it was not good for man to be alone, leading to the creation of woman.

1 Corinthians 11:3

Context: Key verse establishing the hierarchy: head of man is Christ, head of woman is man, head of Christ is God.

1 Corinthians 11:8-9

Context: Emphasizes that man is not of the woman, but woman of the man; woman was created for the man.

Genesis 2:23

Context: Adam's declaration that woman is bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and the play on words 'Ishah' from 'Ish.'

1 Timothy 2:13

Context: States 'Adam was first formed, then Eve,' used to support male headship and restrictions on women teaching.

1 Corinthians 15:45

Context: Calls Adam 'the first man,' reinforcing the priority of Adam's creation.

1 Timothy 2:11-14

Context: Commands women to learn in silence and not to teach or usurp authority over men, grounded in Adam's formation first and Eve's deception.

1 Timothy 3:15

Context: States the purpose of 1 Timothy is to know how to behave in the church, the pillar and ground of truth.

Genesis 3:16

Context: The curse on the woman: desire shall be to her husband, and he shall rule over her; reinforces creation order after the fall.

1 Peter 3:7

Context: Husbands are to dwell with wives according to knowledge, honoring them as the weaker vessel.

1 Corinthians 7:29-34

Context: Discusses the cares of married vs. unmarried; a married woman cares for how to please her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:20

Context: Instructs every man to abide in the calling wherein he was called, applied to a wife's calling to support her husband.

1 Corinthians 11:7-12

Context: Discusses man as the image and glory of God, woman as the glory of man; mutual dependence and all things of God.

Historical References

Albert Barnes' commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:3

Context: Weaver quotes Barnes to support the interpretation of 'head' as ruler or chief, and that women should recognize subordination.

John Gill's commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:3

Context: Gill is quoted to affirm that man is head due to being first formed, superior gifts, and preeminence in government.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown commentary on 1 Corinthians 11

Context: Cited to show that Paul reproved Corinthian women for overstepping bounds, grounding his reproof in creation order.

Comedian Kathy Griffin's blasphemous remarks

Context: Weaver mentions Griffin's public cursing of Jesus and holding up a trophy as her god as an example of open rebellion.

Matriarchal structure in black communities

Context: Weaver uses the black community as an illustration of a matriarchal society where women lead and men are absent or passive.

Women's prayer meeting in Acts 16

Context: Weaver references a women's prayer meeting by the riverside where Paul was invited to lead once he arrived.

Important Quotes

The family did not evolve. It did not just happen, nor did it just come into existence, nor is the family simply a convenient social compact. The truth of the matter is God created the family.

Significance: Summarizes the foundational belief that the family is a divine institution, not a human invention, setting the stage for God's intentional order.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Significance: Quoting 1 Samuel 15:23, Weaver emphasizes the severity of rebellion against God's order, equating it with capital offenses.

But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

Significance: The key verse (1 Corinthians 11:3) that establishes the divine hierarchy, central to the sermon's argument.

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

Significance: A succinct biblical statement (1 Timothy 2:13) that Weaver uses repeatedly to ground male headship in creation order.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

Significance: 1 Timothy 2:11-12, used to apply the creation order to church practice, forbidding women from teaching or leading men.

Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.

Significance: 1 Corinthians 11:11, highlighting mutual dependence and balancing male headship with the necessity of woman.

Discussion Questions

How does the distinction between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist challenge the way we live out our faith in family life?

Context: Weaver defines these terms early in the sermon and applies them to those who profess belief but ignore God's order.

In what ways might we be guilty of 'spiritual sins' like resistance to God's Word or lack of submission, even if we avoid blatant rebellion?

Context: Weaver argues that rebellion includes subtle disobedience, not just open blasphemy.

Why does the Bible repeatedly emphasize that Adam was created first, and how should this shape our understanding of male and female roles?

Context: Weaver cites multiple passages (1 Corinthians 11, 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 15) to stress this point.

How does the curse in Genesis 3:16 affect the way we experience submission and authority in marriage today?

Context: Weaver explains that the curse made submission onerous, but it reinforces the original creation order.

What are the dangers of a wife pursuing an independent career or calling without her husband's blessing, according to 1 Corinthians 7?

Context: Weaver argues that a married woman's primary calling is to please her husband, not to follow independent ambitions.

How can both men and women embrace the honor and humility found in 1 Corinthians 11:7-12 without falling into pride or resentment?

Context: Weaver shows that men have honor in being created first but humility in needing woman; women have humility in being second but honor in completing man.

Applications

Examine Your Practical Atheism

Summary: Evaluate whether your daily family life aligns with God's Word or if you are living as a practical atheist, professing faith but denying it by works.

Evidence: Weaver challenges listeners to not just confess God but to apply His truth to everyday life, citing Titus 1:16.

Submit to God's Hierarchical Order

Summary: Embrace the divine order of God, Christ, man, woman in your home and church, recognizing that rebellion brings curse and submission brings blessing.

Evidence: Weaver repeatedly emphasizes the hierarchy from 1 Corinthians 11:3 and warns of the consequences of reversing it.

Husbands, Lead with Responsibility

Summary: Men must take up their God-given role as heads of their households, leading in authority, responsibility, and knowledge, not abdicating to their wives.

Evidence: Weaver states that failure in homes often comes from husbands not being taught or not wanting to be the head.

Wives, Support Your Husbands

Summary: Wives should prioritize supporting and pleasing their husbands, avoiding independent pursuits that undermine his leadership.

Evidence: Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 7:32-34 to show that a married woman's focus is on pleasing her husband, not independent callings.

Choose a Spouse Wisely

Summary: Before marriage, evaluate whether you can truly submit to or lead a potential spouse, observing their treatment of family members as indicators.

Evidence: Weaver advises young people to not marry someone they cannot submit to or who is in rebellion, as it will lead to trouble.

Find Honor in Your God-Given Role

Summary: Whether male or female, find honor in the role God has assigned, recognizing mutual dependence and that all things are of God.

Evidence: Weaver concludes from 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 that both men and women have honor and humility in God's design.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:43:15Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T05:30:43Z

Clean Transcript

The Family - Part 4

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

All right, let's open our Bibles to Genesis chapter 2 again, beginning with verse 18 and reading through verse 25. We're still continuing our study on the family. Genesis chapter 2, verse 18: "The Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a help meet for him.' And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a help meet, or suitable for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept."
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"And he took one of the ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be one flesh.' And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."
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Today we come to the fourth message, and it is entitled "God's Intentional Order." We're just going to look at that one point all day today: God's intentional order. So far, we've covered three messages. The first two messages were on the dominion aspect of the family, where I showed you, of course, that dominion included responsibility, authority, and stewardship, and how that God created and ordained the family and the roles in that family.
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Last week, we looked at creational differences between men and women. And if you have not heard that message, I would encourage you to do so, because God did indeed design differences between the man and the woman. And I pointed out there were three main differences. First of all, there was a physical difference. Secondly, of course, there was a judgmental difference. And thirdly, there was an emotional difference.
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Now, today we come to this fourth aspect, and that is God's intentional order. And I think it may be well at this point to let me remind you of a distinction that I have given you in times past. And that is the distinction between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist.
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Now remember, a theoretical atheist is one who denies the existence of God based upon his own weak, anemic intellect. He basically denies creation, providence, and the existence of God simply because he cannot conceive of such in his mind or he cannot explain it satisfactorily for himself. That's why the Bible in Psalm 14 and verse 1 and Psalm 53 and verse 1 both say, "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God." So this man is basically a theoretical atheist; based upon his own intellect, he denies the existence of God. Secondly, there is the practical atheist. Now, the practical atheist, on the other hand, is someone who admits there is a God. He may even confess to believe that God created the world, and that God sovereignly rules in His providence.
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But practically speaking, in his life, he lives as if God had not spoken, or as if God's Word is not true. He is a practical atheist. While on the one hand, he is admitting that God is, and that God exists, and that God has spoken, on the other hand, he lives as if God does not exist, and God does not speak. You see, the Bible explains this in Titus 1, verse 16. Here God describes a practical atheist when He says this: "They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." Note that. They profess that they know God, but in their works—that is, in their lives, in their everyday life—they deny Him. So a practical atheist is someone who will make a confession with his mouth, but his life is simply contrary to the truth of God. I believe that every one of you would agree with me that as a whole, our families are disintegrating before our eyes. And mainly one of the real reasons is because in the average family...
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...they live as if there was no purpose, no order, and no design in our lives. At least no purpose and no order, no design that was created by God. May I remind you what I've already said: the family did not evolve. It did not just happen, nor did it just come into existence, nor is the family simply a convenient social compact. The truth of the matter is God created the family. Evolution is a lie in regards to creation, and evolution is equally a lie in regards to the family. The family just simply did not come into existence. The family was created by God. And God created the family for a specific purpose. And God gave a very deliberate and intentional order in creating the family.
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Now, the problem is, so many people have become practical atheists because they will profess to believe the Bible, but they will never make application of God's truth to their everyday life. So if you are a theoretical atheist and deny the reality of God, or if you are a practical atheist and confess that He exists, but you don't make application to your life, in either instance, you condemn yourself to misery and heartache.
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Now, the one thing that we have to come to an agreement upon is this: that there is only one sovereign. There is only one God. God is absolutely sovereign, and God is in absolute control. What does that mean? That means rebellion is wicked and wrong. In fact, in 1 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 23, God likens rebellion to witchcraft, and He likens stubbornness to iniquity and idolatry. May I ask you, what was the penalty for witchcraft? Death. What was the penalty for idolatry? Death. Listen to what He said in 1 Samuel 15 and verse 23: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry." Do you realize that failure to follow God's will is rebellion?
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Most of us don't ever think about this. When we think about rebellion, we think about someone who just goes out and murders, or someone who commits fornication, or someone who steals, and we say, "Well, that man's a rebel against God." Or we think of someone shaking his fist in the face of God, and we say, "That man's a rebel against God." Just like the comedian Kathy Griffin, who just recently cursed Jesus Christ publicly—I won't even repeat what she said. And then she held her trophy and said, "This is now my God." My response was, "Well, let's see how your God delivers you in death." But I mean, the truth of the matter is, I mean, you can say that and be in rebellion against God, but let me just point out the fact you don't have to be that open and blasphemous to be in rebellion against God.
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Do you realize spiritual sins, like resistance to His Word, wicked attitudes, and lack of submission to Him are equally rebellious? We don't have to have those blasphemous, idolatrous sins in order to be in rebellion. Now, God does have an intentional order in the family. I'll say it again. The family did not just happen, nor did it evolve. God created the family and He did so based upon His sovereign will.
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Now, if you look in your Bibles, in verse 18 of Genesis 2, "And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone.'" What does that verse tell us? Well, it tells us a number of things, but first of all, it tells us that God made the man first. Adam was the first. Adam was alone.
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Now, let me ask you a question. Did God purposely create Adam first? And if He did purposely create Adam first, why? You've heard the old joke that God created man first, and the reason He did so, He didn't want any help from the woman. Because had He created the woman first, then she'd have told Him how to create the man. Well, that's a joke, and you understand that. But the fact is God did create Adam first. Now you've got to ask, why was Adam created before Eve? And evidently, Adam was only created before Eve—He was already working in the garden, because He had already named the animals, and He had already been commanded by God to dress and to keep the garden. Now, I want to emphasize one truth today, and I'm going to show you that this one truth is repeated over and over in Scripture, and that one truth is that God created Adam first. Now, let me ask you a question which I've asked you a dozen times over the years.
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You know the answer. How many times does God have to say something to make it true? One.
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Now, that means then if God repeats a truth over and over, He's either, number one, doing so for emphasis, or number two, He's telling us it is a very important principle. Something that we need to grasp. So, the Bible tells us in the book of Genesis chapter 2 that God created Adam first. Now, look in your Bibles, if you would, to 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Hold Genesis 2, but go over to 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and let's read there verse 3.
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You might want to just mark this passage because we will be coming back to this passage. 1 Corinthians 11, look if you would please at verse 3, what the Bible says. The Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, says, "But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." Now look at that one more time. It's very simple: "But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ." Okay? "And the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."
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Now you have here God's intentional order. You have God, Christ, man, woman.
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Now there is a very important word in verse 3, and that is the word "head." The Greek word is the word kephalē, and the word kephalē has reference to that which is supreme, chief, or prominent. So the head of man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man. In relationships, the word "head" refers to what you and I would call master or lord, and it is used in reference between a husband and his wife. It is also used in reference of Christ and the church, because Christ is not only the head, but the husband of the church.
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Now, I want you to look at verse 3, 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and I want to give you three quotes. And the reason I'm going to give you these three quotes is to show you that I'm not making up what I'm about to tell you today. This has been a historical interpretation down through the ages. Look in verse 3: "But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."
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Here's the first quote from the expositor Albert Barnes. He says this: "The word 'head' in the Scriptures is designed often to denote master, ruler, chief. The Hebrew word is thus used in the Old Testament"—and then he gives a large number of passages. Then he continues, "In the New Testament the word is used in the sense of lord, ruler, chief. Here it means that Christ is the ruler, director, or lord of the Christian man."
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"The truth was to be regarded in all their feelings and arrangements and was never to be forgotten. Every Christian should recollect the relation in which he stands to Him as one that is fitted to produce the strictest decorum and a steady sense of subordination." And then he continues, "...and the head of the woman is the man. The sense is she is subordinate to him, and in all circumstances, in her demeanor, her dress, her conversation, in public and in the family circle, should recognize her subordination to him." That was Albert Barnes. Here is John Gill: "The man is first in order and being, was first formed, and the woman out of him, who was made for him, and not he for the woman, and therefore must be the head and chief, as he is also with respect to his superior gifts and excellencies, as strength of
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body and endowments of mind, which the woman is called the weaker vessel. Likewise, with regard to preeminence of government, the man is the head, and as Christ is the head of the church, and the church is subject to Him, so the husband is the head of the wife, and she is to be subject to him in everything natural, civil, and religious. Moreover, the man is the head of the woman to provide and care for her, to nourish and cherish her, and to protect and defend her against all insults and injuries." One last one.
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Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, the commentators, say this: "The Corinthian women, on the ground of the abolition of the distinction of the sexes in Christ, claimed equality with the male sex, and overstepping the bounds of propriety, came forward to pray and prophesy. The gospel doubtless did raise women from the degradation in which they had been sunk, especially in the East. Yet while on a level with males as to the offer of and standing in grace, their subjection in point of order, modesty, and seemliness is to be maintained. Paul reproves here their unseemliness as to dress and as to the retiring modesty in public which becomes them. He grounds his reproof here on the subjection of women to man and the order of creation."
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Now, the only reason I read those was to show you, number one, what I'm about to teach is not anything new. But secondly, the Bible is teaching there is an intentional order in creation. God is the head of everything, and God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the mediator, the servant of the Father. In fact, one of the phrases that you will find of Christ over and over in the Gospels is that He is the sent one, and then over man is Christ, and then over the woman is the man. So God does then have an intentional order. It is God, Christ, man, woman.
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Now look in 1 Corinthians 11. We're going to come back to this passage, but verses 8 and 9. 1 Corinthians 11, verse 8. Look what God is emphasizing: "For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man."
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Now, we tend to think in only terms it's women who produce men because only women can have babies, but the Bible says originally and initially the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Look in verse 9: "Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man." Now why is God emphasizing the fact that man was made first, man is not of the woman, and the woman was made for the man? In Genesis 2 and verse 18, which we read earlier, when the Bible says that God said it was not meet for the man to be alone, but He would make a help meet for him—that is, He would make a helper suitable for him. And in other words, what the Bible is teaching is this: Here Adam was already created, and now God creates a woman out of the man and for the man to be a helper suitable to him.
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Now let me just tell you here is a very important principle. I'm going to show it to you in the Scripture. The woman was created to fulfill a supporting role to the man. She was not made to fulfill a leading role, but a supporting role. She was to be the helper of the man. Now, go back in your Bibles to Genesis 2, and let me show you once again what the Scripture says in verse 23. Genesis 2, verse 23. God created the woman out of the man. He created the woman for the man. He brought the woman to the man. And verse 23: "And Adam said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.'"
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Now, let me explain something to you. There is a play on words in the Hebrew that you don't get when you read it in English. Here's what Adam said: "She shall be called Ishah, for she was taken out of Ish." She shall be called woman—that is, of a man—because she was taken from the man.
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Now, I want you to think about this. When Janet married Henry, she became a Clingler. She took his name. Joyce married Don; she became a Fleming. She took his name. When Alice married me, she took my name. Why do women take the name of the man when they marry? Here is why: Because the woman now becomes partaker of her husband's life, his work, and his family. She now fulfills a supporting role for the man that she marries. Hollywood to the contrary, the woman's role is one to support her husband.
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She is entered into His calling, into His domain. She becomes His equal in standing, which I've explained before and I shall explain later on. She becomes His equal in standing, but subordinate in position. She's under the man. The creation ordinance has a great deal of significance and importance in relation to the purpose of marriage. So what has God done? God has created the woman out of the man, from the man, for the man, brought her to the man, and He said she shall be called woman because she was taken out of the man.
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Now, I want you to look in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Then we're going to 1 Corinthians 15. 1 Timothy chapter 2. We're still coming back to 1 Corinthians 11, so you may hold that if you want to. But we're going to 1 Timothy chapter 2 and then 1 Corinthians 15. I told you I was emphasizing one thing today, and that is God's intentional order. So look at this. 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 13. You can hold this passage; we'll be coming back here as well. 1 Timothy 2, verse 13. Notice what the Bible says: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." Wow. Well, he just told us that. He's told us that already several times. But now he says, "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." Now hold this passage; we're going to come back here, but look in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 45. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45. Notice if you would please what is said. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45: "And so it is written, 'The first man Adam was a living soul.'"
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"The first man Adam was a living soul." Over and over in Scripture, God is pointing out that Adam was made first. Why is God pointing out that Adam was made first? Well, it's obvious when you read Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. Well, God is pointing it out because it is God's intentional order. The problem is today that very few really and truly want to submit to the Word of God, especially in the family life. Consequently, what many families are doing or trying to do, they're trying to overthrow the Word of God in their lives.
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For instance, I can give you several of them. There are some women who marry and keep their maiden names and then pursue independent careers—that is, a career that is totally independent of their husband. For instance, there are some men who just simply stay at home, send their wives off to work, that their wives make the living and the husband takes care of the house, and usually they're referred to as househusbands.
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All I'm saying is there's something seriously wrong with that way of thinking. In both instances, what is produced is a matriarchal society. So if the woman then keeps her maiden name, has an independent career, what's it mean? She's independent of her husband. She is not dependent upon him. And in some instances, the husband stays home, the wife makes the living. And let me tell you something: usually whoever makes the money wants to control the money. And you end up with a matriarchal society. If you want to see an example of a matriarchal society, listen carefully to what I'm about to say.
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Look at the black communities. I know there are exceptions to this because I've met some. I know there are exceptions to this, but as a whole, the black community is a matriarchal community. What I mean by that is this: If you want anything done, you go to the woman. It's the black woman who maintains the home. It's the black woman who raises the children. It's the black woman who makes the finances while the husband usually loafs and runs around and does nothing. I never will forget—and since I was raised in the South, I've been around blacks all my life—and I never will forget when I was a young boy, I went to pick some up to go to work on the farm. And I never will forget what the little child said to me when I stopped in front of her house to pick her mother up. She ran out and said, "Mama said to tell you she ain't home today." Well, but you know what I'm trying to say is if Mama doesn't want to do something, Mama doesn't do anything because Daddy is not usually there to make her do it or to even encourage her to do it or to help her do it.
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All I'm trying to point out is this: God made the man first. What does that mean? That means the man was designed to lead. He made the woman for the man. Consequently, she's designed to follow.
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Now go back in your Bibles to 1 Timothy chapter 2. Watch this carefully. 1 Timothy chapter 2. We read verse 13 earlier. All it says is, "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." Okay? Now let's go back to verse 11. Look what the Apostle Paul says: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection." And I'm going to show you we're really and truly talking about the church right here. But he says, "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
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Now let me ask you one question. Why can a woman not teach men publicly? Why can a woman not lead in prayer publicly when men are present? Here's why: "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." God says, you go back to creation, you go back to My intentional order. And My intentional order is God, Christ, man, woman. That is the way that God ordained it. He says, "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." If you were to go to Acts 16—don't turn there—but you will find that there was a woman's prayer meeting, a prayer meeting just for women down by the riverside.
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And when Paul got there, guess what? The women bowed out and said, "Paul, since you're here, you're the man, you lead and you speak." And he did so.
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Now, all I'm trying to point out, the fact is Adam was first formed. Why does the Bible forbid a woman to teach? Not teach women—she may teach women. She may teach children. But what the Bible is forbidding here is a woman to teach men and women together. And here's why: it harkens back to creation. And if you look in 1 Timothy 3 and verse 15, you'll see the theme of 1 Timothy. Here it is, 1 Timothy 3 verse 15.
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Paul wrote, "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." So the theme is: How do you want to behave yourself in the house of God? Well, how should women ought to behave themselves in the house of God? Verse 12 of chapter 2: "But I suffer not a woman to teach..."
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"...nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." Why? "For Adam was first formed, then Eve." He gives another one, which I'll explain later: "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." But the first answer he gives is because of the creation mandate. In other words, here is God's intentional order. He designed men to lead and the women to follow. Remember, God created the man first. He created the woman for the man, out of the man. He brought her to the man, and He said, "This is your help meet."
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This is your helper that is suitable for you. So once Eve then entered into Adam's life, she entered into his covenant and was designed to be one with him in marriage and help him and support him in the vocation that God had called him to. Interestingly enough, the very first time that Eve acted independently of Adam, she sinned. That's why in verse 14 he said, "And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."
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Now, let me show you something. Go back in your Bible to Genesis chapter 3. Genesis chapter 3. And look, if you would please, at verse 16. In chapter 3, the man and the woman have sinned. God places a curse upon the serpent. He also curses the ground for the man's sake. Curses upon the man as well. And then in verse 16, God places a curse upon the woman. And look what He says: "Unto the woman He said, 'I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.'" Now look: "...and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Now wait a minute. Did not God already create the woman to be the man's helper? Yes, He did. Did not God already create the man to lead? Over and over the Scripture says, "For Adam was created first, then Eve." Yes, He did. Well, why is He now emphasizing the fact in verse 16 that "thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"?
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Well, let me tell you what He's saying. Originally, the way God intended and the way God created Adam and Eve, her submission was not onerous. It was not painful. There was nothing wrong with it. That's the way God created it. But now what He's pointing out is this: because of sin, because of the rebellious nature, because she is now a sinner, her submission to her husband is going to be distasteful. She's not going to like it. She's not going to want to submit. As a sinner, it's going to be onerous. But God says, "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Now watch this. Watch this.
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Here was the creative order, and now you have the punitive decree to back up that creative order. Now, you remember—and I covered this last week—and let me just quote it again, 1 Peter 3:7. God says, "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife as the weaker vessel, and being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered." Now the fact is the woman is indeed the weaker vessel. If the woman is the weaker vessel, what does that mean?
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That means she's to be dependent upon her head. Doesn't mean the man is exceedingly strong—no, he is weak too, but he's not as weak as the woman. So God created a woman then to be the weaker vessel, to be subordinate to her husband. One in standing, equal in standing, but the positions differ. God, Christ, man, woman. Man and woman may be equal in standing, but they are not equal in positions.
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Now, here's how modern day individuals look upon the woman. All you've got to do is watch TV, watch Hollywood movies, listen to the radio, watch commercials, and especially these hair commercials for the women. I mean, you know, if you use this shampoo, not only is your hair going to sparkle and it's going to always be beautiful and stay in place, but you're going to have men waiting on you...
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...to obey your every whim and obey your every command. If you just use the right kind of shampoo. You know, they show that. All these commercials, everything in modern day and time revolves around the woman. And men are pictured as being subservient and waiting upon the woman, just wanting her to move her little finger so that they can take care of every command and every order that she gives.
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Well, that's totally and completely contrary to Scripture, by the way. Let me show you something. Those of you who have pictures of your grandma and grandpa or great-grandma and great-grandpa, sometimes a family picture. Have you ever noticed in the old pictures? The men are seated, and the women are standing beside them or behind them. In modern day pictures, the woman is seated and the man is doing the standing. Have you ever noticed that?
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What I'm trying to say is there is a reversal of God's intended order. You look around today at the women who are seeking and following their own independent careers, just acting totally independent of her husband. Not with his blessing particularly. Not with his permission particularly. But just doing what they want to do.
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Now let me show you a principle. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. Let me make a statement and then let me prove it to you from Scripture. Here's my statement: Women who do their own thing—let me change that. Wives who do their own thing, independent of their husband, without his blessing, or even sometimes without his knowledge...
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...are not right with God. It can't be right with God. You say, "How can you say that?" Well, let me show you. Look in 1 Corinthians chapter 7. 1 Corinthians chapter 7. And let's begin reading at verse 29. And without me going over 1 Corinthians 7, let me just tell you, in this passage, God gives you three reasons why you should marry and three reasons why you should not marry.
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So He balances them out. But He says in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 29: "But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away." Now look what He says: "But I would have you without carefulness."
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"He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and spirit. But she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."
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Now, I want you to go back to verse 20. I'm going to comment on that in just a moment, but look in verse 20. Look what God says: "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." And then He explains that. But now here's what God is saying in verse 20. The man is to continue in his career working in order that he may please his wife. There's nothing wrong with pleasing the wife. Nothing wrong with that at all. But He said, look at this. Once the man is married, he has a distraction. He's got a wife and possibly a family that he has to take care of. So there's some things he cannot do like an unmarried man can do. Now He says there's also a difference between a virgin and a married woman. He says once you're married, the wife then cares for the things of the world how she may do what? Please her husband. Here's what God is saying. God does not necessarily give every woman a husband.
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Not every woman is married. God does not necessarily give every woman a husband. So if God does not give a woman a husband, then she may follow whatever career she wants to with the blessing of her father and the blessing of the Lord. There's no problem there. But what He's saying is this in 1 Corinthians chapter 7: Once she is married, her obligation is to support her husband, and to follow him, and to help him, and to please him.
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Now, let me try to give you an illustration of what I'm talking about. I have run into several women in my life that told me that God had called them to be missionaries in a foreign country. They're not talking about here. And so they were so sure that God had called them to be missionaries that they drug their husband and their children to these foreign countries so that they could be missionaries. Let me tell you, based upon the principles of the Word of God, I do not believe that God has ever called a woman to be a missionary independent of her husband. Why? God created God, Christ, man, woman. If God wants the woman on the mission field, He's going to call the man. And then the woman in her supporting role then goes with the man and carries their family. But God does not call the woman and let her drag the husband and the children. That's contrary to the principles laid down in His Word. God created the man first.
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You see, there are ramifications for this principle everywhere you turn. The same thing with women preachers. I don't know how they get around 1 Timothy 2. I don't know how they get around 1 Timothy chapter 3. I've never known a woman in my life that could be the husband of one wife. You know, I don't know. But I knew of one lady in Georgia who was the pastor of the church and her husband was the janitor.
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Now, there's something wrong with that somewhere. Well, I'm just simply saying, if God gives a woman a husband, then everything is settled. Her calling is to support her husband. If God does not give the woman a husband, then she's free to do whatever God and her father blesses her to do. There's no problem there. Now, the greatest honor that any woman can have—and I'm going to deal with this even next week—the greatest honor that any woman can have, the greatest honor that any man can have, is being in submission to the will of God. It is not degrading. It is not dishonoring. It is not demeaning to be in submission. Christ was in submission to His Father. Men are to be in submission to Christ. And women are to be in submission to their husband. Children are to be in submission to their parents. Servants are to be in submission to their masters. Each of us has to be in submission one way or the other. And the greatest honor that we can have is to be found in obedience to our Heavenly Father.
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You look at the average home today, and I can tell you this, the failure in the average home is found in one of several things. Number one, the husband has never been taught to be the head of his own. Or number two, the wife has never been taught to be in submission to her husband. Or number three, the husband doesn't want to be the head of his house. Or number four, the wife won't allow him to be the head of his house.
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In either instance, it's rebellion against God. What is the result? The result is this: In our society today, we have the feminization of men and the masculinization of women. Let me remind you of something. Those of you who remember the first two messages I preached on the dominion aspect of the family, may I remind you that masculinity has a great deal more to do than with muscles and physique. According to the Bible, masculinity has to do with authority.
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It has to do with responsibility. It has to do with obedience and knowledge. And what is happening in this day and what has happened is a number of wives have emasculated their husbands, sometimes unknowingly, sometimes willingly. And consequently, they destroyed their homes. No wonder most marriages are in trouble. It's just that simple.
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Now, we do have a few young women here today who are not married, but let me just tell you, since God requires you to submit to your husband, that means this: You have no right to marry anyone to whom you really cannot submit. And young men, I can tell you this, God requires your wife to be in submission to you, and you would have no right to marry someone who's going to be in rebellion to you.
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You say, "Oh, I'll change him." Yeah. "I'll change her." Yeah. No, it doesn't work like that. And I'll tell you something, young ladies, if you look and see how a young man treats his mother and treats his sister, you'll probably get a pretty good idea how he's going to treat you. And young men, if that young woman is in rebellion to her father, she's going to end up being in rebellion to you. It's just that simple. Some men will not lead.
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Some women will not follow. Both are equally sinful and in rebellion against God. God has ordained His intentional order.
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Now, let me show you how this works out. Go back in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 11. Let me show you from the Scripture man's honor and man's humility. Also, the woman's honor and the woman's humility. In 1 Corinthians chapter 11, let's just look at verse 3 again. He said, "But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." Now skip down to verse 7. He says this: "For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.
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For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman, but all things of God." Now stop right there. First of all, I want you to note in verses 7 through 9, man's honor. Here it is: "For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man."
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So men can say this: "I was not created for the woman. The woman was created for me. I was created first. I was made in God's image." Yes, the woman is made in God's image as well. But the woman was taken from the man. So the man has his honor. He has his area of boasting, if you want to say, because he was made first. But I want you to also notice, secondly, the woman's humility. That's found in verses 7 through 9 as well. The woman has to say: "I was not made first. I was made second. The man was not made for me; I was made for the man. Adam was created in God's glory. I was created in man's glory because I was taken out of man." There's man's honor. There's a woman's humility. Now look in verse 11, because here's the man's humility: "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman." Wow. Here's man's humility. Man can boast all he wants to: "I was made first and the woman was made for me."
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But then we've got to admit and confess and acknowledge something as men. And that is without the woman we're nothing. It takes the woman to complete the man. We have to acknowledge and confess: Without the woman, the race ceases. It's over. So the man can boast and say in one sense of the word, "I was made—I was not made for the woman; she was made for me. I was made first." But then he's got to admit in humility that without her, I'm nothing. I need her.
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I want you to know, fourthly, the woman's honor in verse 11. He says, "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord." "Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman." The woman can truthfully say, "Look, here's my honor. I may have been made second and I may have been made for the man, but I am the only one who can complete the man. Without me, he's absolutely nothing. He cannot carry on posterity without me. I, as a woman, am not only needed, I am absolutely necessary." That's her honor. But I want you to watch fifthly, God's intentional order. He said in verse 12: "For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman." Help me out, what's that last phrase?
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"But all things are of God." God's intentional order. God gave man both honor and humility, and God gave the woman both honor and humility. And as we fulfill our proper roles, as we see God's intentional order in creation, in marriage, in the home, in society, we see that God has an ordained way that we should live. God has not made any mistakes. The mistakes in our homes are from our sins and our rebellion and from our ignorance.
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I want to show you the next two Sundays the role of a wife and the role of a husband. And when you understand those roles, you'll understand God's intentional order, God's creation differences, and also, I hope more fully, the dominion aspect of the family. God does have an intentional order. Read it through Scripture. And God ordained it for a reason. When we submit to that order, we prosper, we're successful, we're blessed. When we pervert that order, we're cursed.
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We have heartache and misery. Adam was created first, then Eve. The man was not made for the woman, but the woman for the man. Nevertheless, without the woman, man is nothing. All things are of God. Let's pray. Father, we do ask that You would help us and teach us. Open our eyes and show us the truth of Thy Word. Give us grace that we may bow to Thee, be in submission to Thee, and thus have Thy blessings in our lives. In the name of Jesus Christ we ask and pray, Amen.
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This program was produced by Freedom Ministries. For more information about Pastor Weaver's sermons, you may contact Freedom Ministries by mail at 7400 Abercorn—that's A-B-E-R-C-O-R-N—Street, Suite 705, PMB 175, Savannah, Georgia, 31406. Or give us a call at 912-925-0995.
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You can also visit our website at www.dominionministry.com.
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-05T15:43:15Z

The Family - Part 4

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

In this sermon, John Weaver teaches on God's intentional order in the family, emphasizing that God created Adam first, then Eve, establishing a divine hierarchy of God, Christ, man, and woman. He argues that this order is not arbitrary but purposeful, with the man designed to lead and the woman to support. Rebellion against this order, whether through practical atheism or direct disobedience, leads to family disintegration and societal problems. The sermon calls for submission to God's design as the path to blessing.

Introduction and Reading of Genesis 2:18-25

Weaver opens with the reading of Genesis 2:18-25, setting the stage for the fourth message on the family, titled 'God's Intentional Order.'

All right, let's open our Bibles to Genesis chapter 2 again, beginning with verse 18 and reading through verse 25. We're still continuing our study on the family. Genesis chapter 2, verse 18:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:18-25

"The Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make a help meet for him.' And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the air and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them. And whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a help meet, or suitable for him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept."

Review of Previous Messages

He reviews the first three messages: dominion in the family (responsibility, authority, stewardship) and creational differences between men and women (physical, judgmental, emotional).

Theoretical vs. Practical Atheism

Weaver distinguishes between theoretical atheists (who deny God's existence) and practical atheists (who profess belief but live as if God's Word is not true), applying this to family life.

Scripture Reading — Psalm 14:1; 53:1

"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."

Scripture Reading — Titus 1:16

"They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

God's Sovereignty and Rebellion

He stresses God's absolute sovereignty, equating rebellion with witchcraft and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23), and warns that failure to follow God's will is rebellion.

Scripture Reading — 1 Samuel 15:23

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry."

Do you realize that failure to follow God's will is rebellion?

Adam Created First: The Foundational Principle

Weaver argues from Genesis 2:18 that God purposely created Adam first, and this order is repeated throughout Scripture for emphasis and importance.

Now, if you look in your Bibles, in verse 18 of Genesis 2,

Scripture Reading — Genesis 2:18

"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone.'"

What does that verse tell us? Well, it tells us a number of things, but first of all, it tells us that God made the man first. Adam was the first. Adam was alone.

Biblical Evidence for God's Intentional Order

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Now look at that one more time. It's very simple:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ."

Okay?

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:3

"And the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Consequences of Reversing the Order

Weaver gives examples of modern reversals (women keeping maiden names, independent careers, househusbands) leading to matriarchal societies, using the black community as an illustration.

All I'm trying to point out is this: God made the man first. What does that mean? That means the man was designed to lead. He made the woman for the man. Consequently, she's designed to follow.

Application to Church and Marriage

He applies the creation order to church conduct (1 Timothy 2:11-14) and marriage (1 Corinthians 7), arguing that a wife's role is to support her husband, and a husband's to lead.

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:11-14

"But I suffer not a woman to teach..." "...nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."

Why?

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:11-14

"For Adam was first formed, then Eve."

He gives another one, which I'll explain later:

Scripture Reading — 1 Timothy 2:11-14

"And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"Unto the woman He said, 'I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children.'"

Now look:

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"...and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."

Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:16

"thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee"

So He balances them out. But He says in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 29:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:29-34

"But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none, and they that weep as though they wept not, and they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not, and they that buy as though they possessed not, and they that use this world as not abusing it, for the fashion of this world passeth away."

Now look what He says:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 7:29-34

"But I would have you without carefulness." "He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But he that is married careth for the things of the world, how he may please his wife. There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy, both in body and spirit. But she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."

Honor and Humility in God's Order

From 1 Corinthians 11:7-12, Weaver shows that both men and women have honor and humility: man's honor in being created first, woman's honor in completing man, and mutual dependence under God.

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:7-12

"But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God."

Now skip down to verse 7. He says this:

Scripture Reading — 1 Corinthians 11:7-12

"For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and the glory of God, but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.

Conclusion and Call to Submission

He concludes that submission to God's intentional order brings blessing, while perversion brings curse, and previews future messages on the roles of wife and husband.

The Family - Part 4

John Weaver | SermonAudio

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	SermonAudio
Media ID	11107111968
Subject	Family Government
Course	The Christian Family: Marriage and Household Order: The Family
Genre	Sermon
Date	2007-09-16
Dictation Name
Book	Book 035: The Family — Chapter 4
Source Timed Segments	77

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction and Reading of Genesis 2:18-25: Weaver opens with the reading of Genesis 2:18-25, setting the stage for the fourth message on the family, titled 'God's Intentional Order.'
Review of Previous Messages: He reviews the first three messages: dominion in the family (responsibility, authority, stewardship) and creational differences between men and women (physical, judgmental, emotional).
Theoretical vs. Practical Atheism: Weaver distinguishes between theoretical atheists (who deny God's existence) and practical atheists (who profess belief but live as if God's Word is not true), applying this to family life.
God's Sovereignty and Rebellion: He stresses God's absolute sovereignty, equating rebellion with witchcraft and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23), and warns that failure to follow God's will is rebellion.
Adam Created First: The Foundational Principle: Weaver argues from Genesis 2:18 that God purposely created Adam first, and this order is repeated throughout Scripture for emphasis and importance.
Biblical Evidence for God's Intentional Order: He cites 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9; 1 Timothy 2:13; and 1 Corinthians 15:45 to show that Adam was formed first, the woman was made for the man, and this establishes a hierarchy: God, Christ, man, woman.
Consequences of Reversing the Order: Weaver gives examples of modern reversals (women keeping maiden names, independent careers, househusbands) leading to matriarchal societies, using the black community as an illustration.
Application to Church and Marriage: He applies the creation order to church conduct (1 Timothy 2:11-14) and marriage (1 Corinthians 7), arguing that a wife's role is to support her husband, and a husband's to lead.
Honor and Humility in God's Order: From 1 Corinthians 11:7-12, Weaver shows that both men and women have honor and humility: man's honor in being created first, woman's honor in completing man, and mutual dependence under God.
Conclusion and Call to Submission: He concludes that submission to God's intentional order brings blessing, while perversion brings curse, and previews future messages on the roles of wife and husband.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Adam's Priority Establishes Male Headship

Because Adam was created first and Eve was made from and for him, the man holds the position of headship in the family and church.

Weaver cites Genesis 2:18-23, 1 Corinthians 11:8-9, and 1 Timothy 2:13, emphasizing the phrase 'Adam was first formed, then Eve.'

Rebellion Includes Subtle Disobedience

Rebellion against God is not only blatant sin but also resistance to His Word, wicked attitudes, and lack of submission in family roles.

Weaver states, 'spiritual sins, like resistance to His Word, wicked attitudes, and lack of submission to Him are equally rebellious,' referencing 1 Samuel 15:23.

The Curse Reinforces the Creation Order

The curse in Genesis 3:16 ('thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee') is a punitive decree that backs up the original creation order, making submission onerous due to sin.

Weaver explains that originally submission was not painful, but sin made it distasteful; the curse reinforces the man's rule.

A Wife's Calling is to Support Her Husband

Once married, a woman's primary obligation is to please and support her husband, not pursue independent callings that undermine his leadership.

Weaver uses 1 Corinthians 7:32-34 to argue that a married woman cares for how to please her husband, and criticizes women who claim independent missionary callings.

Reversing Roles Leads to Societal Decay

When men fail to lead or women refuse to follow, it results in the feminization of men and masculinization of women, destroying homes and society.

Weaver points to modern trends like househusbands and independent careers, and uses the black community as an example of matriarchal dysfunction.

Scripture References

Genesis 2:18-25: Read at the opening; foundational passage for the creation of woman and the institution of marriage.
Psalm 14:1; 53:1: Cited to define the theoretical atheist as a fool who denies God's existence.
Titus 1:16: Used to describe the practical atheist who professes to know God but denies Him by works.
1 Samuel 15:23: Quoted to equate rebellion with witchcraft and stubbornness with idolatry, emphasizing the seriousness of disobedience.
Genesis 2:18: Cited to show God's declaration that it was not good for man to be alone, leading to the creation of woman.
1 Corinthians 11:3: Key verse establishing the hierarchy: head of man is Christ, head of woman is man, head of Christ is God.
1 Corinthians 11:8-9: Emphasizes that man is not of the woman, but woman of the man; woman was created for the man.
Genesis 2:23: Adam's declaration that woman is bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh, and the play on words 'Ishah' from 'Ish.'
1 Timothy 2:13: States 'Adam was first formed, then Eve,' used to support male headship and restrictions on women teaching.
1 Corinthians 15:45: Calls Adam 'the first man,' reinforcing the priority of Adam's creation.
1 Timothy 2:11-14: Commands women to learn in silence and not to teach or usurp authority over men, grounded in Adam's formation first and Eve's deception.
1 Timothy 3:15: States the purpose of 1 Timothy is to know how to behave in the church, the pillar and ground of truth.
Genesis 3:16: The curse on the woman: desire shall be to her husband, and he shall rule over her; reinforces creation order after the fall.
1 Peter 3:7: Husbands are to dwell with wives according to knowledge, honoring them as the weaker vessel.
1 Corinthians 7:29-34: Discusses the cares of married vs. unmarried; a married woman cares for how to please her husband.
1 Corinthians 7:20: Instructs every man to abide in the calling wherein he was called, applied to a wife's calling to support her husband.
1 Corinthians 11:7-12: Discusses man as the image and glory of God, woman as the glory of man; mutual dependence and all things of God.

Historical References

Albert Barnes' commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:3: Weaver quotes Barnes to support the interpretation of 'head' as ruler or chief, and that women should recognize subordination.
John Gill's commentary on 1 Corinthians 11:3: Gill is quoted to affirm that man is head due to being first formed, superior gifts, and preeminence in government.
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown commentary on 1 Corinthians 11: Cited to show that Paul reproved Corinthian women for overstepping bounds, grounding his reproof in creation order.
Comedian Kathy Griffin's blasphemous remarks: Weaver mentions Griffin's public cursing of Jesus and holding up a trophy as her god as an example of open rebellion.
Matriarchal structure in black communities: Weaver uses the black community as an illustration of a matriarchal society where women lead and men are absent or passive.
Women's prayer meeting in Acts 16: Weaver references a women's prayer meeting by the riverside where Paul was invited to lead once he arrived.

Important Quotes

The family did not evolve. It did not just happen, nor did it just come into existence, nor is the family simply a convenient social compact. The truth of the matter is God created the family.

Summarizes the foundational belief that the family is a divine institution, not a human invention, setting the stage for God's intentional order.

For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.

Quoting 1 Samuel 15:23, Weaver emphasizes the severity of rebellion against God's order, equating it with capital offenses.

But I would have you to know that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God.

The key verse (1 Corinthians 11:3) that establishes the divine hierarchy, central to the sermon's argument.

For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

A succinct biblical statement (1 Timothy 2:13) that Weaver uses repeatedly to ground male headship in creation order.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

1 Timothy 2:11-12, used to apply the creation order to church practice, forbidding women from teaching or leading men.

Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:11, highlighting mutual dependence and balancing male headship with the necessity of woman.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does the distinction between a theoretical atheist and a practical atheist challenge the way we live out our faith in family life?

[Context]

Weaver defines these terms early in the sermon and applies them to those who profess belief but ignore God's order.

[Question]

In what ways might we be guilty of 'spiritual sins' like resistance to God's Word or lack of submission, even if we avoid blatant rebellion?

[Context]

Weaver argues that rebellion includes subtle disobedience, not just open blasphemy.

[Question]

Why does the Bible repeatedly emphasize that Adam was created first, and how should this shape our understanding of male and female roles?

[Context]

Weaver cites multiple passages (1 Corinthians 11, 1 Timothy 2, 1 Corinthians 15) to stress this point.

[Question]

How does the curse in Genesis 3:16 affect the way we experience submission and authority in marriage today?

[Context]

Weaver explains that the curse made submission onerous, but it reinforces the original creation order.

[Question]

What are the dangers of a wife pursuing an independent career or calling without her husband's blessing, according to 1 Corinthians 7?

[Context]

Weaver argues that a married woman's primary calling is to please her husband, not to follow independent ambitions.

[Question]

How can both men and women embrace the honor and humility found in 1 Corinthians 11:7-12 without falling into pride or resentment?

[Context]

Weaver shows that men have honor in being created first but humility in needing woman; women have humility in being second but honor in completing man.

Applications

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