Read Part One HERE
In this post I continue to focus on some statements from the article "Relationships in the new creation" written by Pastor Mark David Walton of Glenwood Baptist Church, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. This article was published in the Spring 2006 issue of the Journal of the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood and afterwards placed on their website.
Mark David Walton: "Secondly, consider that subsequent to the Fall (and not as a consequence of it), the principle of male headship and submission in male-female relations is clearly affirmed in the New Testament. Furthermore, nowhere in Scripture is this principle replaced or rescinded. Surely within the context of biblical teaching on the church there would be an unambigeous repeal of the principle of male headship if, in fact, its end reflected the divine ideal. Such is simply not found. There is every reason to believe, then, that male headship will continue as the divine order for male-female relationships."
Mark David Walton: "Finally, consider that in the new creation, those who were husbands in the former dispensation will, at last, be unencumbered by the flesh. They will be able, as never before, to genuinely love, "as Christ also loved the Church" (Ephesians 5:25) They will as never before, have the capacity to relate to those they love "in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honour as a fellow heir of the grace of life" (1 Peter 3:7)
Mark David Walton: "Consider, moreover, that in the new creation those who were wives in the former dispensation, will have the mind of Christ " who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and.... humbled Himself." (Phil. 2:6-8). They will see in the example of Christ, as never before, the beauty and glory that inheres in gracious, selfless submission. With both man and woman thus perfected and transformed, are we to suppose that the new creation will abandon the order established in God's original creation? I think not. Rather, such relations will bring to each true joy, and to God, more glory than before."
My Comment
The principle of male headship is never replaced or rescinded in the New Testament because that principle cannot be found in the Creation Story in Genesis 1-2. Male headship began to take place at the time of the Fall because of the then sinful nature of Adam but was reversed at the time of Christ !!.
However, the term "head" is found in the New Testament as follows
In 1 Corinthians 11:3
".... The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."
And in Ephesians 5:22
"For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body of which He is the Saviour."
In both passages the Greek term for "head" is "kephale" which means "source," "source of life," but it does not mean "authority."
In the new creation, there will not be a marriage, not even in another form. I do not think Pastor Mark David Walton has thought his ideas through properly.
For instance,
What will happen to single women who do not have husbands to be in authority over them in the new creation?
What will happen in the situation that the wife died as a believer but the husband did not die as a believer and will, therefore, not be with her in the new creation to be in authority over her?
What will happen if a woman was widowed, remarried and both her husbands were believers? Will they both be in authority over her? Perhaps her first husband at the beginning of the new creation and the second husband at the later stage of the new creation? (Remember in the new creation there will not be time as we know it).
What will happen if a woman is divorced, remarried and both her husbands ended up becoming believers? Will they both be in authority over her at some time in the new creation or even together?
You will understand from the above situations that this teaching is a creation of man and cannot be supported by Scripture.
However, in the new creation we will all love each other fully as we are fully loved by the Lord Jesus.
As for a wife having the mind of Christ in the new creation, she does not have to wait until the new creation but she can have the mind of Christ in this dispensation already provided she studies and meditates on the Word of God according to 1 Corinthians 2:16b
As for a woman being "a weaker vessel," she was "a weaker vessel" because of her vulnerable position at that time related to the Greek/Roman culture she was part of. In the new creation that will no longer be the case.
In the new creation the woman will not be in gracious submission (meaning obedience) to the authority of her husband since the so-called divinely ordered creation order is a man-made tradition and will not be in place in the new creation.
Will there be a couple in the new creation? Yes, Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church, consisting of male and female believers, as His Bride as we can read in Revelation 19:7-9
In 1 Corinthians 11:3
".... The head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God."
And in Ephesians 5:22
"For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body of which He is the Saviour."
In both passages the Greek term for "head" is "kephale" which means "source," "source of life," but it does not mean "authority."
In the new creation, there will not be a marriage, not even in another form. I do not think Pastor Mark David Walton has thought his ideas through properly.
For instance,
What will happen to single women who do not have husbands to be in authority over them in the new creation?
What will happen in the situation that the wife died as a believer but the husband did not die as a believer and will, therefore, not be with her in the new creation to be in authority over her?
What will happen if a woman was widowed, remarried and both her husbands were believers? Will they both be in authority over her? Perhaps her first husband at the beginning of the new creation and the second husband at the later stage of the new creation? (Remember in the new creation there will not be time as we know it).
What will happen if a woman is divorced, remarried and both her husbands ended up becoming believers? Will they both be in authority over her at some time in the new creation or even together?
You will understand from the above situations that this teaching is a creation of man and cannot be supported by Scripture.
However, in the new creation we will all love each other fully as we are fully loved by the Lord Jesus.
As for a wife having the mind of Christ in the new creation, she does not have to wait until the new creation but she can have the mind of Christ in this dispensation already provided she studies and meditates on the Word of God according to 1 Corinthians 2:16b
As for a woman being "a weaker vessel," she was "a weaker vessel" because of her vulnerable position at that time related to the Greek/Roman culture she was part of. In the new creation that will no longer be the case.
In the new creation the woman will not be in gracious submission (meaning obedience) to the authority of her husband since the so-called divinely ordered creation order is a man-made tradition and will not be in place in the new creation.
Will there be a couple in the new creation? Yes, Christ as the Bridegroom and the Church, consisting of male and female believers, as His Bride as we can read in Revelation 19:7-9
Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His Bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.) Then the angel said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb."
P.S. in my next post I intend to begin to share on Nancy Campbell.
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