Did God create men and women to be equal in the sense of “interchangeable?” Are male/female differences something to be enjoyed or downplayed as being irrelevant? If they are both equal before God, does this mean their responsibilities in the home or in the church are identical in His sight? Today’s passage may provide us with some answers.
For many, day-to-day life is an area completely separated from beliefs or values that might be called “religious” or “spiritual”. Many now consider it an absolute virtue to “not let their personal faith affect how they do their job.” The Bible makes no such distinction. If Jesus is Lord at all, His influence will be felt in all our relationships and responsibilities.
Sometimes submission to God requires submission in earthly relationships. In those cases, whether we are in authority or under authority, we need to fulfill our God-given roles as if we are directly serving Him.
We come to Christ from a variety of backgrounds. When Jesus enters the picture, He needs to be allowed to take over so completely that our primary identity is formed by Christ, our relationship with Him and the others who form His body here on earth. Paul warns us in this chapter not to be “unequally yoked” or tied to the non-Christian world so tightly that our loyalties become divided.
Central Reflections 