Hello everyone! Today I’m going to tear down some lies. I’m probably going to make some people mad. I’m also going to let Jesus’ words set many free. I’m okay with making people mad, they aren’t signing my self-worth and validation checks. Let me be clear before I get started, Jesus is the only one who signs both of those checks in my life. Here we go!
I’m going to start with a statement from Pastor Jerry Flowers of Houston, TX. Pastor Flowers had been teaching about Adam and Eve and the wholeness before man and womankind’s great fall. He made the most profound statement,” Adam was a whole man before the fall.” I am going to rightly deduce from this statement that not only was Adam whole, but Eve was whole too. They were both whole before they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil – thanks to “help” from a certain being who isn’t worth being named here. This being will get his reward! He has already been judged. He has been found in violation of his purpose and wholly lacking by the King.
Let me get back to the point of the matter at hand. What do I mean when I say Adam and Eve were whole? I mean they were emotionally, physically, spiritually, and mentally whole within themselves and with each other. They viewed one another as equals and partners. Adam trusted Eve and Eve trusted Adam. Nowhere in Genesis 1 and 2 does Adam say, “I am the boss and you are servant.” Nowhere does he or Eve say, “I need you to complete me.” They were also whole partners with their God. Their brokenness only came after they, together, ate of the forbidden tree with one another’s full cooperation of and knowledge. Knowledge, in some circumstances, brings death. (Trying to acquire something you already have or questioning your identity when it was given to you by a perfect Creator who knows you perfectly was another root problem in this story but that is a story for another time) In this circumstance, knowledge brought them both physical and spiritual death as well as the death of their whole partnership with God and each other. Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent, and didn’t speak up when Adam blamed her (for reasons we don’t know)– and thus the rift between men, women and God began.
We have seen the fruit of this rift in the forms of patriarchy, misogyny, abuse of all kinds, human trafficking and slavery, the rise and fall of dictators, violence, drug abuse, abandonment, neglect, and death. In fact, I think we’ve had our fill. And because we’ve had our fill, I have good news!
What is this good news you ask? Can there be any good news in all of this chaos? Yes, there can be and there is even now. He name is Jesus Christ. He came to restore the rift between not just God and all man and womankind, but also between men and women. He came to restore these relationships, to restore us to the wholeness of Adam and Eve before they were told they were lacking without the elusive “more.” He came to end the blame game. He came to end victimization and victim mindset. He came to restore and heal. Many things have come as counterfeits to “heal” the rift between men and women or to even create more of a divide – patriarchy, misogyny, *radical feminism, and the law of religion to name a few. These are counterfeits. They offer nothing but more work, division, abuse, and ultimately spiritual and physical death in some cases. I have never known a patriarchist, misogynist, radical feminist, or “pharisee” (follower of the law) who was happy and exuded love, joy and peace - not ever and not one.
Jesus, however, offers something very real to men and women. He offers Himself. He offers Himself so He can restore them to right relationship with Him and each other. No other religious figure offers himself, not one. No other god of this world offers himself or herself. Not one. No other ideology offers itself. See for yourself if you dare.
Jesus offers himself to restore to men and women their divine place with one another, to restore their equality, to restore their partnership as heirs and partners with one another and God. He desires for men and women to return to Genesis before the 3rd chapter. He desires them to be whole in their own person and together as equal partners. I’ll put this plainly in modern vernacular – He desires gender reconciliation and gender equality. I know this may be causing some heads to explode but that is okay. God still loves you and He can put you and your head back together again if you let Him. Is His way not better? I think we’ve seen where humankind’s thoughts and decisions have led us in this matter – off a cliff with seemingly no hope. He is here to restore that hope. What say you to this? Do you want restoration and healing or do you want to keep going down the same road you are on now? Do you want the unbrokenness He gives to you personally and to your relationships? I know I do!
I am going to say this again because it is just not my truth, it is The Truth, which trumps my truth any day! The King came to restore the rift between men and women. The King came to restore the rift between God and humankind. We are unbroken and whole in Him! Ladies and gents, I give you courage this day! The King is at work in the earth to restore that which is broken and that which we thought was lost. The King has come to destroy the roots of all the counterfeits and throw them into the fire! Their reign of terror is coming to an end quickly. Watch for it!
I still love all of you, even if my words sting and offend a bit. I pray and hope for your restoration and for you to know the Hope Who is Jesus. I love you or I would not write these words to you. May you hear my heart and the heart of the King for you!
Love
Elizabeth
*A note: I do not believe feminism itself is evil, only man-hating feminism which is radical feminism. Feminism was necessary for its part because of the inequality brought on by patriarchy, misogyny and abuse. Women had no voting rights, rights to their own selves, no equality in pay (and we still need to work on this), and no political rights. Feminism was necessary because the church did not address patriarchy as it should have in our culture. I thank God everyday for the women who pioneered for all of us and for the women who still fight for us to be free from abuse!
However, man-hating feminism or radical feminism’s goal is to erase men from any equation and oppress them in much the same way women have been oppressed by men. Its roots lay in fear and unhealed, unresolved pain (and honestly these women have probably never had people treat them right in life so I understand why their deep hurt drives this movement). Radical feminism is more subtle and clever (I have to admit) in how it expresses its oppressive view (than say patriarchy whose gift is not subtlety), but if you listen, you will hear it clearly – you will hear hate. My heart honestly breaks for them. Hate is not and never will be love – it will never heal – it can only destroy. Eyes and ears wide open.
For those radical feminists who may read this; I see you, I hear you. You are not as alone as you think you are. I see and hear your pain, for I too have suffered under the hand of a broken man. I love you and pray for you. I know One who loves you and longs to heal you. He healed me, he can and wants to heal you too.
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