Women Made Under the Law

But the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them under the law.”

Galatians 4:4-5

A women made under the law brought us the birth of God’s son Jesus. It is Jesus who was to redeem those under the letter of the law. The law could not save humanity, but Jesus can. The law in the Old Testament stated not to commit adultery or covet a neighbor’s wife, yet this is still happening today. There was not much discourse for a woman when men’s evil lusts were at play. However, some women were held in respect such as Miriam, Deborah, Huldah, and Esther. Jesus treated women as a person, a human being who had possibilities for a full life. Jesus did not belittle women but talked to them, healed them, received their emotional and financial support.

As a Christian who has put on the Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to each other in love was the key to mutual respect. Women was made under the law and ruled by man. Through the ages it seems that most women lived in some kind of slavery since she was considered as a possession rather than a human being. Too much focus on physical appearance gave to dehumanizing women. Women did not have the right or freedom to choose whom they would marry.

Today in America women are fighting to gain self-determination to make decisions that are free from the law and judgment. This is another example of women being made under the law. The question is who will rule women’s reproductive system. Reproductive rights are at the forefront of the ongoing debate. To think that conception has fallen to such a position of abuse to endangering the mother and the child. What if the child is a stillbirth, where the fetus is dead after 28 weeks of Pregnancy. Something is wrong when women are being displayed on the market regarding conception. There is no right to privacy.

It takes two people for conception to take place. It should be noted that financial obligation for the mother and child has illicit legal claims for responsibility. Many times, this is overlooked. Women have been second class citizens in America until the suffrage movement gave them the right to vote. In August of 1920 with the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution the right to vote gave women a legal status almost equal to men. However, pay scales for doing the same work as men are still not equal after all these years.

Men are born through a woman but may not learn to grant women respect as a person, or a human being. The dominant group in society are men and we still have the patriarchy as a social system. The privilege that men have has been taken for granted. God has designed this patriarchal order for a reason. That reason is protection of women by man, since all men are under Christ as the head of the church. A group called the “Generation to Generation,” has filed a civil lawsuit against the state of Florida. This group has claimed that “in Jewish law, abortion is required if necessary to protect the health, mental or physical well-being of the woman, or for many other reasons not permitted under the Act.” One of the main issues in regard to women’s reproductive system is sexual abuse.

In recent years we have witnessed sexual abuse across all areas within society. Sexual harassment on the job is still ongoing as well as in social clubs and bars. Remember the woman who was taken in adultery in the Bible? What did Jesus say about this situation. Jesus said, “he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her,” [see John 8:7]. How wonderful that Jesus did not ostracize or persecuted the women. Jesus looked upon her with love and not condemnation. All the accusers had left the scene. Jesus then said to her, “neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more,” [see John 8:11]. We have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. No one is exempt. There should be no double standard in our Christian walk. Are we not all one, in Christ?

Paul told the Galatians that “there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus,” [Galatians 3:28]. We are all one in Christ and there is no position above another in Christ. The hierarchy God established was for submission unto God, and it was done through love and not in a militant attitude. It is the voluntary self- sacrificing action of protection that men would take care of those women in their own family. Let us remember that Christ is the head of every man. The apostle Paul stated, “I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God,” [ see 1 Corinthians 11:3].

Man should consider how they are treating women, for it may influence others around them as well as in the body of Christ. All relationship reflects on the body of Christ, and no offense should be given within the body of Christ. Whatever we do, must be done for the glory of God [see 1 Corinthians 10:31]. Women may be made under the law, but in Christ we are one body in the Lord.  God sent us his son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem us all under the law.