We live in a world where equality has become a major topic of focus. While equality is a valuable thing, we have marred it by equating equality with a lack of difference. In our world, for someone or something to be considered equal, they have to be considered the same. This confusion is especially evident in discussions about gender roles. People have assumed that different means “unequal”, so any way in which women and men are differentiated is considered unfair. The truth is that our differences don’t affect our equality; they are actually an important distinction designed intentionally by God.
Genesis 1: 26-27 states that both male and female are created in God’s image.1 God instructed both man and woman to rule over the earth and have dominion over it. This role was given equally to both men and women, but God gave distinct roles to each. For Man, God stated in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.”2 This verse is often taken out of context to show that men are superior to women, but that perspective misses the point. Just as Jesus’ submission to the Father is a distinction in relationship, not a declaration of inferiority, women’s submission is a difference in role that represents God’s design.
When God created Eve in Genesis 2:18-24, he expressed, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”3 Many people have misinterpreted this verse as saying that women were created to be servants for men, when in actuality, the verse communicates more of a partnership. The Hebrew word for “helper” in this verse is “ezer,” which actually means “strong support” in the original language.4 In his commentary on Genesis, Gordon Wenham articulates, “The word ʿēzer carries no implication of inferiority or subordination, since God is frequently described as Israel’s helper.”
We see this theme of divine distinction throughout scripture. We see this represented in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 when Paul communicates that the Church itself is made up of people with different roles the same way the body is made up of different parts with distinct functions. The brain and the heart have very different functions, but they are equally important and cannot function without the other. In a similar way, men and women have distinct but equally important designs in God’s creation and will. God created men with the purpose of leading, providing, protecting, and much more. Likewise, he created women with the purpose of helping, nurturing, life-giving, and countless other characteristics. These attributes only scratch the surface of God’s unique design of men and women.
The beautiful thing is that when we are living inside of God’s design, these purposes become our desire. It is because of our sinful nature and the brokenness of the world that this design has been confused to be something negative. God did create us differently, but the lie we’ve been led to believe is that this means we are unequal. God’s perfect order is that we are equal in value and different in role. When we learn to embrace these roles and their differences, we best represent the image of God in and to the world.
Written by Kayleigh Isaacs
Blue Letter Bible. “H5828 – ʿēzer – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (Kjv).” 2025. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5828/kjv/wlc/0-1/.
Crossway. ESV Study Bible (Ebook). Crossway, 2008.
Wenham, Gordon John. Genesis 1-15, Volume 1. Zondervan Academic, 2017.