Jesus is Gender Blind and Free

Some decades ago in some parts of African culture, a female child was considered not having a career future and not worthy of been sent to formal school as a way of career path by some parents. A baby girl, as she grows up was considered only good for bearing children and for limited education, if any.

Another scenario is for many male gender to look down on females as been inferior to their own superiority. But for an enlightened person, male or female, gone should be the days for such a mindset. Male and female differences ought not be seen as discriminatory or inferiority basis, but maybe on physique only. And even as far back as Jesus’s day, the Scripture teaches us we are all created equal with dignity and significance by God, male and female God created them in His own image as per Genesis 1:26-27. In essence we are people of value and substance meant to complement one another in our respective areas of weakness and shortcomings, even in marriage. Women are not only for carrying pregnancy and raising children. It is the responsibility of both man and woman married together in love and care, not only for each other, but also for raising their children likewise together. Gone are the days when women are only to stay as home makers even though some men still seem to believe and practice that way simply because they can afford it.

In John 4, Jesus met a woman described as a Samaritan woman at the well where she came to fetch water. The Samaritan community is a mixed Jewish race married to none Jew for which they were despised by the “full Jews”. Ordinarily, such ‘proud’ Jews would have no relationship with the none pure Jews, the Samaritan, especially Samaritan women let alone talk with them in public. But here, Jesus broke the protocol inspite of the then culture.

Jesus initiated the discussion by asking the Samaritan woman to give Him water to drink to which the woman raised the discriminatory issue, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who says to you, ‘Give me a drink’, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you the living water”. She said to Him, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is so deep. Where then do You get that living water? ….

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw water” (verses 7-16).

Thereby,Jesus brought new higher greater quality order than mundane discriminatory gender idea rendering it somewhat archaic and unnecessary. Jesus’s concept of spiritual water is a true life giving gift of salvation through eternity for which He came to give to mankind. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

The salvation that Jesus brought is for all humanity irrespective of gender, race, color or geographical location, etc. That’s true freedom from the power of sin and evil turning our life around to spiritual newness (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Unfortunately, some Churches still discriminate on gender basis even today in the 21st century! Some Churches disallow a woman to be a Deacon or Pastor! They claim such are men’s roles only in the Church! And this inspite of God who is the One who calls and gives the gift to perform one task or the another through His Holy Spirit. Performing roles in the Church as given and inspired by the Holy Spirit is not and cannot be a sin, but positive contribution and enhancement of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God Christ who loves and cares so much for everyone engaging in no sinless discrimination to redeem us to Himself. May we all enjoy our freedom in Christ to do exploits for Him and no longer bound by unholy human tradition, limitations and discrimination of no eternal value.