A Brief Look at Complementarianism and the Results of Its Rejection

What is complementarianism?

Complementarianism understands man and woman as complementary to one another, meaning that they are equally made in the image of God and yet distinct in their roles, completing one another as defined in Scripture.

In past decades, sound theologians have thoroughly explored this issue. I don’t really have anything new to say. My reason for saying anything at all is that our society continues to rush downhill on this matter, rejecting God’s truth and attempting to redefine what it means to be a man or a woman, if any clear definition is even given at all. In response to their unbelief, God has judged many by giving them over to their sin and the delusion of thinking that this sin is something to celebrate (Romans 1:26–27, 32).

Here’s a quick summary of complementarianism, organized according to the storyline of the Bible.

God created mankind with complementary roles.

God created mankind in His image, distinct as male and female who are equal in dignity and worth (Gen 1:26–28). They are fellow heirs of the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7). God created Adam first to be the authority and head of the home, and God created Eve to be his helper (Gen 2:18; 1 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:13). As husband and wife, they would be joined together as one (Genesis 2:24). As Paul would explain in time, marriage would picture Christ and the church by means of how the husband sacrificially loves his wife and how the wife respects and submits to her husband (Ephesians 5:22–33).

God continued these roles after mankind’s fall into sin.

Man fell into sin (Genesis 3:1–7; Romans 5:12), affecting all of creation (cf. Romans 8:19–22), himself and marriage included. In her sinfulness, the woman would desire to reverse the marriage roles and rule over her husband. In his sinful response, the man would harshly rule over her (Genesis 3:16b). It is therefore no surprise that the primary commands about marriage in the New Testament are for husbands to love their wives and for wives to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22–33; Colossians 3:18–19). By faith in Christ, a husband and wife can glorify God and live out the complementary roles that they are given. In common grace, unbelieving couples can reflect what God intends a marriage to be as well.

Multiple passages clearly teach that complementarianism spans the Testaments. In the New Testament, Paul repeatedly looks back to Adam and Eve when giving instruction for today (1 Corinthians 11:3, 7–9; 1 Timothy 2:11–15). Peter uses the example of Abraham and Sarah as well (1 Peter 3:5–6). Whether Adam and Eve before mankind’s fall into sin, the Old Testament after the fall, or the New Testament thereafter, complementarianism continues from one Testament to the next and into our present day.

God confirms these roles in the church.

As in the home, so also male headship exists in the church. Women may not teach or exercise authority over men in the church (and thus the church as a whole) and may therefore not function as pastors (1 Tim 2:11–14; cf. 1 Corinthians 14:34–35). Pastors may only be men and only as they fit the qualifications given by God (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9). To be sure, women use their spiritual gifts in the church, disciple other women in the church (Titus 2:3–5), and can clearly build up both men and women in their fellowship with one another (e.g., Acts 18:26). Both men and women glorify God together as one in Christ in their service to Him and to one another in the church (1 Cor 12:12–26; Gal 3:28).

What happens when someone rejects complementarianism?

The opposite of complementarianism is egalitarianism, understanding that men and women are not only created as equal in the image of God, but also in role and function. This belief holds that men and women can function in the home and church without a specified role.

First, it wrongly understands and wrongly applies the clear truth of God.

I believe this issue is patently clear in Scripture. It’s not like trying to figure out who are the two witnesses of God in Revelation 11 or the identity of the sons of God in Genesis 6. It’s not even like trying to figure out the method and meaning of baptism (though, for me, I’m convinced on the matter). Complementarianism stems from clear commands and teaching from biblical authors in multiple passages in the Bible. To deny the clear teaching of Scripture is a pretty serious matter. Which leads to my second point…

Second, a wrong understanding and application of this issue typically leads to further wrong understandings and applications in other passages of the Bible.

It has been my experience with egalitarians that, as they fail to understand what I believe is a clearly taught issue in Scripture, so also they misunderstand other matters in Scripture as well. I know this may sound like something of a generalization and a caricature, but, in my view, it is not. Perhaps I could ask it like this: if someone so misunderstands and denies the teaching of the passages mentioned above, what are other passages in Scripture that they also misunderstand and misapply?

Third, it reverses the roles of men and women in the home and the church and effectively institutionalizes sin.

Perhaps saying “no one is the head of the home” or “we head this home together” is not quite the opposite of “the husband is the head of the home.” But it’s still not scriptural. For a woman to lead the home is indeed opposite of what God intends. Worse, though, is when a woman leads a church as its pastor—also the opposite of what God commands, providing a public example for what is supposedly okay in the home as well. If Paul’s instructions for the leadership of the church find their basis in the created order and the home, then to set up a woman as pastor is to say that she can lead the home as well.

This reversal institutionalizes disobedience in the church by violating God’s command on the matter and encourages this reversal in the home.

Closing Thoughts

For those who have already studied this matter to some degree, I acknowledge again that I’ve said nothing new. I’ve not even delved into any fine-tuned questions that many might have. A post like this can only be so long. But I hope the above is still helpful to anyone who took the time to give it a read.

The push against complementarianism is nothing new. God made clear to Adam and Eve that their sin resulted in a perpetual struggle for men and women to live out their intended roles.

However, by the grace of God, we can overcome sin’s effects on the roles of men and women and glorify Him as He made us to serve. Men lead in the home, and as they are qualified and called by the church, they can lead in the church as well. Women can glorify God just the same in the role that He has designed for them. Both are equally made in His image, equal in dignity and worth. May God help us each to reflect who He is for His glory in our respective roles.

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David Huffstutler is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Troy, MI. He blogs here, where this article also appeared. It is published here by permission.

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