FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 2
1 Corinthians 11:3
John 14:28

“The head of Christ is God.”

HEADSHIP IN THE GODHEAD

The role of women in society is heavily debated today, as seen in the rise of the Women’s Rights Movement. Sadly, this debate has also affected the church. There is a growing movement of women usurping (or are attempting to usurp) the headship of men in the church. These women are fighting for their perceived “rights” to be ordained as pastors or elders. They demand a role to teach and preach in the public worship of the church.

These acts of insubordination against men’s divinely appointed headship in the church are not new. The Corinthian Church was facing such issues within its congregation where some women attempted to teach and preach publicly. Paul addressed this issue in three parts:

1. The doctrine of headship (1 Cor 11:3).

2. Women worshipping with uncovered heads (1 Cor 11:4-16).

3. Women teaching during public worship (1 Cor 14:34-35).

Let us note first that there is an equality of essence in the Godhead. The Westminster Shorter Catechism states: “There are three persons in the Godhead; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.” The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God (1 John 5:6-8).

At the same time, a functional hierarchy exists within the Godhead, that is, there is subordination within the Godhead in terms of role. Though Christ claimed oneness with the Father (John 10:30), He claimed that the Father is greater than Him (John 14:28), for Christ’s role is to be the obedient Son fulfiling the Father’s will (John 4:34; see also John 17). “Thus, even though there was an equality of persons within the divine oneness, there was an order (a headship) to execute the divine counsel” (Robert Gromacki).

THOUGHT: Christ is always submissive to the will of the Father.
PRAYER: Father, I want to be fully submissive to Thy will for me.