I .  MALE AND FEMALE

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;; So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he them, male and female he them." (Gen. 1:24-27) This was the creation of the sixth day. However abhorrent it may be for Semitic religion to conceive a consort to the deity, the picture here unequivocally declares that God had in him both male and female principles. Notice that this likeness of God is emphasized in the scripture several times. Four times the creation of man is mentioned in the Bible, and in all these four times this dualism is emphasized. (Gen. 1:27; 5:2; Mt. 19:4; Mk. 10:6) Gen. 5:1-2 reads; "When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God, male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them man, when they were created." Thus the name man means the union of male and female. Male himself is not man, nor is he the likeness of God. Jesus also affirms this in his reference to the creation of man. "Have you not read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female." (Mt. 19:4; Mk:10:6) This likeness is complete only in the union of male and female as Jesus goes on to show in Mt. 19:4-6. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh." This of course is the conclusion based on Gen. 2:24, "Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and cleaves to his wife and they become one flesh."

However on the sixth day only Adam was created and we do not meet Eve until much later. The apparent implication is that like God, Adam held within him both the male and the female principles. This concept is further borne out in the story of creation of Adam and Eve. There is a world of difference between the creation of Adam and that of Eve. However much that God tried to find fellowship for Adam from the created beings of ‘beasts of the field and birds of the air’, he could not find a ‘helper fit for him.’ So an operation was performed and the female principle was separated from Adam as Eve; as a separate being.

Notice that Eve was not taken out of the dust - she was taken out of man. She was not given any breath of life. The spirit of Eve was the same spirit that was in Adam. "So the Lord God took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh; and the rib which the Lord had taken from the man, he made into a woman and brought her to the man." In the creation of man only two ingredients were used; dust from the ground and the breath of life. The joining of the these two produced a qualitatively different property - a living soul. This is the personality, the self of man which he develops as he interacts with the worlds both internal and external. But for Eve, only one ingredient was used - that was man. She was also a living soul. Evidently the operation was a splitting up of one whole into male and female. Adam recognized her and hence the need of leaving, cleaving and being one in order that he may be a complete man. Gen. 2:25 is of special value. "And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed." Thus for Adam and Eve, sex was a fulfillment of this oneness they were to experience.

II .  MALE AND FEMALE PRINCIPLES IN GOD

Where is this male and female principle in God? It was conveniently covered up by the male dominated society. But those who read the Bible in its entirety cannot fail to see this.

We normally attribute three personalities to God - Gather, Son and the Holy Spirit. Son is identified with the Word of God which incarnated on earth as Jesus, who nevertheless was the Son of Man even before his incarnation. He did appear himself as man to Abraham (Gen. 18:1-33) and to the elders of Israel (Gen. 24:9-11). The Holy Spirit is known to us in

Her presence within us. How about Father? He has no form as is emphasized in the giving of the law to Moses (Deut. 4:15) But Jesus clearly addresses him as Father and later theology gives God a father image all through. (Mt. 5:16, 45,48; 6:4-32; 7:11,21; 10:29-33; 11:25-27; Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 8:6; 11:31; Gal. 1:2,3; 4:6 etc. a host of them) But this picture is not very clear in the Old Testament though Israel is often talked of as God’s first born. Only in Malachi, there is a faint recognition of God as Father. (Mal. 1:6; 2:10)

Regarding the Word of God we read, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him." (Jn. 1:1-30)

In the Proverbs we meet a female figure - Wisdom- as the first creation or better as first of God’s act. "The Lord created me at the beginning of his ...(this word is uncertain in the original), the first of his acts of old. I was beside him, like a master workman and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world...." (Pro. 8:22-31) Wisdom was thus involved in the creation of the planner God. "The Lord by Wisdom founded the earth." (Pro. 3:19) The actual creation took place by the Word. But before that was the Wisdom which conceived the great plan of creation. Wisdom produced the Way, the Truth and the Life.

What exactly is the female principle in nature? It is the planning and the conceiving spirit which produces changes and causes new creations. This description fits exactly the Holy Spirit which as in the Proverbs as Wisdom was before creation, active with God as the conceiver and the giver of life. (Ja. 2:26; Gen. 1:2; 6:3) It is the spirit that gives life. In the first creation it was so. And so was it in the creation of the Word incarnation in Jesus and also in the creation of Adam. (Gen. 1:2; Lk. 1:35; Gen. 2:7) The same process takes place in the new creation of man in Christ Jesus. Here the body of Christ in conjunction with the Holy Spirit gives rise to the new creation man.

Thus in the biblical expression, there arose a separation of male and female principle from the God as the first act of God - the generation of Wisdom from the male-female absolute God. As long as God remained the unseparated unity, He remained non-creative Person - the Nirguna Brahman. Brahman without any property. As soon as the separation took place They became active and together began to create the Universe through the Word of God. The Nirguna became Saguna Brahman. This principle is also found in the creation of Adam. As long as Adam remained a unity of male-female, changes did not start, pro-creation did not start. This principle that female principle as the creative energy aspect is also found in other religions as well. Thus in Hindu mythology Sakthi is the consort of Siva and together in a dance the create the universe. Siva in essence is actually portrayed as Ardha-Narreswara - half woman, half man God. In all religions the principle of fertility is symbolized as a woman as in Venus, Adonis, Ishtar etc. This concept is so strongly embedded in the minds of man that even among large number of Christians, Jesus is helpless without Mother Mary. The introduction of Mother Mary as the Mother of God arose out of this inner urge of a female deity. The modern liberal address of "Our Mother who is in Heaven" etc. are a result of such deep rooted understanding of man in their degenerate form.

In the creation of Church itself we can see a similar principle. As long as Jesus lived on the earth, he himself was a complete man. However no creation could take place in that state. In the cross, he was put to sleep and out of his body through the pierced wound came forth blood (the life carrier) and water (which is the spirit of creation - the water that cleanses and helps in creation Jn. 19:34) This blood was transferred into the life stream of the believers creating a new person in Church- who is the body of Christ and the bride of the Lamb. At the time of the Pentecost, the separation of Jesus was complete when the spirit was given to the church. Church therefore is the female aspect n- the creative aspect of Jesus. Her principal function is regeneration of additional cells, making each cell strong and grow into maturity that she may present herself as perfect before her groom. "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed

her by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish." (Eph. 5:25-27)

III.   REDEMPTION OF WOMAN

One of the immediate consequence of the fall of man was the alienation of man from woman. At the fall their eyes were opened and they realized that they were really two distinct, separate beings with separate bodies and separate personalities. Before the fall they had oneness of mind and they were one flesh. "Man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed." Sex was their fulfillment of one-ness. But on the realization, their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked. They felt ashamed of their nakedness. So they sealed and expressed or declared their separateness by sewing fig leaves and making themselves aprons.

There was now a material covering for them which said, "I am not you." It also created a separation from God and man and woman. Adam says, " "I heard your voice, I was afraid, because I was naked." (Gen. 3:7,10) The self consciousness hindered the relation ship of close fellowship of man with God. They saw themselves as two people with different interests and personalities needing to grow separately. This alienation aggravated in time through history each sex trying to assert themselves on the others. The greater muscular strength of man made him lord over the woman by brutal force. The woman tried to control man by her subtle senses. Pain and suffering, exploitation and aberrant management of persons and emotions continued through centuries. "Your desire shall be to your husband and he shall rule over you" (Gen. 3:16) The main point is this that this relation is a direct consequence of the fall. Any redemption of man should therefore involve the reinstatement of the relationship between man and wife before the fall.

In Jesus however the redemption of man is accomplished, but is not fully realized. "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us." Gal. 3:13) Thus in Christ women are liberated and made equal with man as coheirs to the Kingdom of God. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave or free, there is neither male or female; for we are all one is Christ Jesus." (Gal. 1:28) "In like manner, you husbands live with your wife, according to knowledge, giving honor unto wife, as unto a weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life......" (1 Pe. 3:7)

We see this equality in Jesus’ dealing with women. It is true He did not choose women in the twelve disciples because of the social and cultural constraints of that period.. But many women were very close to Jesus, probably closer than many in the twelve. (See Luke 8:1-3) Apparently women took Jesus very seriously and believed him more than many of his closer disciples themselves. None of his teachings differentiates man and woman. On the other hand he emphasized the equality of woman and man in marriage. Even his disciples were surprised with his teachings about monogamy and chastity of man as well as women. (Mt. 15:38) Large number of women attended his meetings. (Mt. 15:38) During the period of Jesus’ agony on the cross, it was the women who faithfully stayed with him, when all the disciples were scattered with fear. (Mt. 27:55; Mk. 15:40; Jn. 19:25-26)

There were five Marys in Jesus’ close circle. The question of who supported the mission of Jesus is partially at least answered by Luke, which indicates the part played by women in His ministry. (Lk. 8:3)

Thus a full redemption of man should involve a complete reinstatement of man in relation to the sex. This is exemplified in Jesus’ relation with the Church. The ultimate ideal is the relation of Father with the Holy Spirit. "In the Lord women is not independent of man, nor man of women; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born from women. All things are from God.’ This completes the shadow of Trinity with man (1 Cor. 11: 11-12)

Thus looking forward to this ideal, Paul advises thus in Ephesians, "Therefore be imitators of God.....walk in love..... Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ. Wives be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church, his body, and is himself her savior. As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also subject in everything to their husbands. Husbands love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her......Even so husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife, loves himself. For no man ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, as Christ to Church, because we are members of His body. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This mystery is a profound one, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church." (Eph. 5:21-32) So also Peter advises (1 Pe. 3:7) Notice Peter’s emphasis on the joint heirship of man and woman to the abundant life. Abundant life cannot be attained with broken family relation. He goes on to say that no prayers can be answered by God if the family is separated and women are not honored as coheirs. Abundant life is a joint account obtainable only by both parties counter signing. Thus family is a vital component in the full redemption of man and to his entry into the Kingdom of God.

Satan’s front line attack today is in the family as it had been in the Garden of Eden. Two types of heresies are rampant today. One extreme is the teaching of licentiousness - sex as a means of god-realization without love. These gurus propose indiscriminate sex as though it will create love and unity

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"But false prophets also are among the people , just as there will be false teachers among you, who will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of the truth will be reviled. (2 Pe. 2:1-2) There is then the other extreme as Paul warns in 1 Tim. 4:3) "Now the spirit expressly says that in the later times one will depart from the truth by heeding to deceitful spirit and

doctrines of demons,.....who forbid marriage and enjoin abstinence..." Kundalini Yoga attempts both these practices and was very prevalent in Indian culture during the period of Independence.

We thus look forward to the glory that Jesus has given us as expressed in his Priestly prayer Jn. 17:20-25 "....that they may be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us...even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may be come perfectly one....."