ious kinds of false teaching to exist in the church, probably in every
generation, and by these false teachings God tests His people, to see
whether they will be faithful to His Word. In this generation, I believe
that one of those tests is whether we will be faithful to God in the
teaching of His Word on matters of manhood and womanhood.
A similar idea is found in 1 Corinthians 11:19: “for there must be
factions among you, in order that those who are genuine among you may
be recognized.” When divisions and controversies arise in the church,
people who make the right choices about the division eventually become
“recognized,” or are made “evident” (NASB). Others make wrong choices
and thereby disqualify themselves from leadership. Charles Hodge
wrote about this verse, “By the prevalence of disorders and other evils in
the church, God puts his people to the test. They are tried as gold in the
furnace, and their genuineness is made to appear.”^52 Today, by the con-
troversy over manhood and womanhood, I believe that God is testing all
of His people, all of His churches. The egalitarian alternative would be
so easy to adopt in today’s culture, and it can appear on the surface to
make so little difference. But will we remain faithful to the Word of God?
KEYISSUE6: THISCONTROVERSYISMUCHBIGGER THANWE
REALIZE, BECAUSEITTOUCHESALL OFLIFE
I also believe that the question of biblical manhood and womanhood
is the focal point in a tremendous battle of worldviews. In that battle,
biblical Christianity is being attacked simultaneously by two opponents
who have great power over the dominant ideas in the cultures of the
world. Opponent 1, on the left, may be called “No Differences,” and
its slogan would be, “All is one.” Opponent 2, on the right, may be
called “No Equality,” and its slogan would be, “Might Makes Right.”^53
The chart on the following pages shows how a biblical view of
men and women (“the complementarian middle”) stands in contrast
to the opponent “No Differences” on the far left and the opponent
“No Equality” on the far right. For example, a biblical view of God
includes equality and differences and unity. God is a Trinity where the
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have equal value and different roles, and
they have absolute unity in the one being of God.
The Key Issues in the Manhood-Womanhood Controversy 69