What does the Bible say about sexism?

What does the Bible say about sexism? We're going to answer that question. You can also discover more on GotQuestions .org.

Sexism is discrimination against people, typically women, based solely on gender.

Sexism can influence hiring practices, educational opportunities, social standing, and one's mental well -being.

In ancient times, sexism was the accepted social norm in most civilizations.

Women were considered second -class citizens and in some cultures were treated like slaves by their husbands.

Since the Bible records historical facts and does not always challenge the prevailing social norms, some wonder if the

Bible supports sexist attitudes. We need to first differentiate between sexism and respect for natural gender differences.

The recognition that God created men and women in a complementary fashion is not sexism.

Neither is the acknowledgment of physical, emotional, and psychological differences between the sexes.

Further, accepting God's designated gender roles in marriage and the church is not sexism.

So for the purposes of this article, we will define sexism as the unfair and unwarranted treatment of a person based solely on that person's biological gender.

God created mankind in his own image. In the image of God, he created them, male and female, he created them.

By virtue of their creation, men and women have equal value, equal worth, and equal dignity.

In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve fell into sin and that has messed everything up. Many people struggle with certain passages in the

Bible that seem to validate the negative treatment of women. Lot's proposal for his daughters and the

Levites' treatment of his concubine are two horrific examples of sexism in ancient cultures and neither are condemned in scripture.

One thing to remember is that the biblical record of history is just that, a historical record.

The Bible is brutally honest, reporting events as they happen, often in gritty detail.

God gives us the whole truth about biblical characters, including their sin and their failures and where to learn from their examples.

When we judge the lifestyles and behavior of people in 2000 BC by modern standards, it's easy to develop a sense of moral outrage.

But the people in those cultures would not share our outrage. The mistreatment of women was considered perfectly normal in those societies.

Considering the violence and barbarity of ancient civilization, the law God gave Moses in the

Old Testament represented a major step forward toward decency. God's law provided more protection and consideration for women than did the laws of the pagan nations around Israel.

The Mosaic law, far from being sexist, elevated the status of women to new heights.

God worked within the existing social structure to ensure that women were protected, given fair treatment, and provided for.

Specific laws protected widows and single women without male providers. In Genesis 3,

God promised women a high honor. Even though a woman had been the first to fall into sin,

God would use a woman to bring the Savior into the world. He did not use Mary in spite of her gender.

He chose her because of her gender. Only the unique female physical attributes that God had created could further his plan to save humanity.

During his ministry, Jesus combated the sexism of his day and elevated the status of women.

Many of Jesus' followers and financial supporters were women. He paid equal attention to the women who sought him out for healing and forgiveness, often to the shock of the religious men in that society.

It was a woman who was accorded the honor of first seeing the resurrected Christ, and women who were the first to bring the news of the resurrection to the world.

John 3 .16 says, Whoever believes, an all -inclusive statement, no one is left out on the basis of gender.

The cross of Christ is the great equalizer. Of course, equality does not mean sameness.

God's creativity is showcased in the different but complementary designs and roles for each sex.

That does not mean that God is sexist. There is no place for sexism within the family of God because God does not value one gender over another.

We recognize that God, who designed the sexes, also designed their strengths and weaknesses.

He has given us instructions for how those gender roles can best be celebrated. We are wise to consult those instructions with every decision, including the way we respond when sexism occurs.

That answers the question, what does the Bible say about sexism? On our website, gotquestions .org,

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