It is the mission which gives authority
Christianity and masculinity
Expanding on and going up a level on Women want men to “just get it” and how that plays into submission. Some of this is also covered in A Christian understanding of attraction and the role it plays in marriage Part 3.
Mission and the Great Commission
Dominion from the beginning is tripartite.
Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” 29 Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Take dominion over all the earth
Cultivate and keep (the garden) and by extension the earth
Obey God by not eating of the tree
These 3 commands encompass the nature of man, and the creation of woman falls into that same plan.
Genesis 2:18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” 19 Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
1 Corinthians 11:3 But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 4 Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. 5 But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. 6 For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. 7 A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. 8 For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; 9 neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. 10 It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. 11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. 12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.
Woman was created to be a helper for man, and the mission was there from the beginning. In other words, authority was established so that man can effective carry out the Mission of God.
Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
John 5:19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
Instead of the beginning dominion in fellowship with God, we as Christians are invited to be helpers ‘redeem’ what Adam did in the beginning. In other words, we know that Jesus:Church::husbands:wives, the Church is a helper to Jesus while wives are a helper to their own husbands.
I’ve said before that the position of authority is given to the husband by God. While that is technically true, the position of authority is given because of the mission. A husband that is not striving for Christ’s Mission is missing the big picture as that is what gives the position purpose and meaning. Purpose and meaning change how you act.
The mission giving man purpose and meaning give him and goal and direction. This goal and direction needs foundational establishment (spiritual disciplines) and equipping (evangelizing, discipling, teaching, etc.). This leads to leadership, ambition, competence, excellence, and other masculine traits.
As we’ve discussed before, the side effects of the mission such as living out your life’s purpose is beautiful and very attractive to women. It’s not a coincidence that all of these things are intricately intertwined especially understanding that a husband’s authority is from the overarching mission and the purpose of a husband’s sub-mission requires his wife’s submission.
