Church as God intended

Steve PetchSunday 6th April 2008

Part 14: Sexual Equality?1 Corinthians 11 v 2 – 16

Sexual Equality?

Is this passage relevant today?

Sexual Equality?

Equal in status and value

Different / complementary in role

Male and female:

“Male and female he created them”Genesis 1 v 27

Sexual Equality?

1. Background principles2. Historical application3. Cultural context4. Spiritual principles5. Application

Sexual Equality?Background principles

1. Scripture comes from God

2. Some scripture is hard to understand

3. Paul is not a sexist

4. He is correcting a church with big problems

5. No one has the perfect grasp of this passage

6. Some parts of the bible are cultural

7. The underlying spiritual principles remain

8. The bible is counter cultural

Sexual Equality?Historical application

1. A Strict-Brethren application

2. A Salvation Army application

3. A traditional UK church application

4. A modern UK evangelical church application

5. An emerging church application

6. My worst (or best!) experience

Sexual Equality?

The cultural context

Sexual Equality?Three spiritual principles:

1. There is a God given order of headship and authority

2. A man’s character is reflected in his wife

3. Male and female are co-dependent

Sexual Equality?

Application

Spiritual principle 1:Headship, authority, submission

Sexual Equality?

Spiritual principle 2:Your wife – your glory!

Application

Sexual Equality?

Spiritual principle 3:Co-dependency

Application

Church as God intended

Steve PetchSunday 6th April 2008

Part 14: Sexual Equality?1 Corinthians 11 v 2 – 16