MAIN POINT

God has designed the headship of men and the help of women to display the gospel of Christ to the culture around us.

Watch Session 4: Sexuality video by David Platt(30 minutes)

INTRODUCTION

• What does the word “complementary” mean? How is God’s design of man and women complementary?
• How have ideas about gender, sexuality, and marriage changed since you were younger?

Recently, there has been a massive shift in the way our society views issues like gender, marriage, and sexuality. These changes are evident in culture and in the church. But amidst the changing attitudes of culture, God’s Word is not silent on these issues. God designed men and women with equal value but differing roles. This idea may often be thought of as offensive or even dangerous today, but we do not have the option to abandon God’s revealed truth about gender. God’s Word compels us to action.

UNDERSTANDING

Read Genesis 1:26-31; 2:4-25.

• David said in this session that every conversation about sexuality must begin with the equality of men and women before God. How do we see men and women created with equal dignity in these verses?
• While men and women have equal value, they also have different roles. How did God design men and women differently? How do these differences complement each other?
• God designed man to be the head and women to be the helper, what does the Bible mean when it uses this language?

We live in a society that says to be equal in value means to be equal in every other way. This is an unbiblical assumption. Men and women were created in a loving act of God to complement each other and worship God. God designed man to be the head or leader in the home and woman to be a helper fit for Him. We were designed like this before the fall, and God said this was very good. As believers, we must get our view of sexuality from God’s Word.

• How was God’s creation of man different than all other creatures? What does this suggest about man’s value?

Read Genesis 1:26 again.

• Men and women were created by the action of all three members of the Godhead. In what ways do men and women reflect the image of God in the way they have been made?

As discussed in the previous lesson, all human life has value. God does nothing by accident. Unlike every other created thing, God has made us in His image. With the rest of creation, He spoke. With men and women, God was physically involved. There was a Trinitarian council that resulted in the creation of man and woman. Just as each member of the Trinity is equal in value, they serve different roles. Jesus submits to the will of God the Father. We mirror this pattern of leadership and submission in our relationships.

Read Ephesians 5:22-33.

• What about these verses may be offensive in broader culture? Which part is most offensive?
• What are men told to do in these verses? What are women told to do? How would you define the differences between these roles? Is it bad that they’re different?
• What is marriage ultimately supposed to demonstrate? Why is this crucial to understand in a culture that devalues traditional marriage?
• Why did Paul quote Genesis 2:24 in these verses? What was he trying to illustrate?
• How can embracing roles in marriage as God designed them help create a strong and healthy marriage?

Marriage is a picture of the gospel of Christ. Christ is the head of the church who died and gave Himself for her. Husbands die to themselves and live for the sake of their wives. Likewise, wives represent the church, the bride of Christ who lovingly submits to His leadership. Paul called this a mystery. Ultimately our marriages are not about us but about God. They reveal something deep and meaningful about the gospel. We counterculture by cultivating marriages that reflect God’s glory and God’s design.

APPLICATION

• How do issues of sexuality open a door to conversations about the gospel? Give examples of statements that relate the gospel to sexuality, gender, and marriage?
• If you are married, how can you make your marriage a clear picture of the gospel?