*Editor’s Note: This post is part of our series, ‘Satan’s Lies: Common Deceptions in the Church Today’…

From the very beginning, Satan’s strategy has been clear: to drive a wedge between man and woman, distort their view of each other, and corrupt their understanding of God’s good design. His first move wasn’t just to tempt Eve—it was to fracture the harmony of God’s created order and plant seeds of doubt about God’s goodness toward women.

“Did God really say?” The serpent’s question to Eve wasn’t merely about the forbidden fruit. It was the beginning of a long campaign to misrepresent God’s character and His beautiful design for humanity. Today, this ancient deception has taken new forms: “Doesn’t the Bible demean women? Isn’t Christianity oppressive to women?”

God’s True Design: The Glory of Creation

To understand the magnitude of Satan’s lie, we must return to the beginning. Before sin entered the world, we see God’s perfect design (Genesis 1:27). God’s declaration establishes an unshakeable truth: women, equally with men, bear the divine image. Both were given dominion over creation. Both were blessed by God.

The creation of woman as man’s helper (ezer) wasn’t an afterthought or a subordinate position (Genesis 2:18). The same Hebrew word is used repeatedly to describe God Himself as Israel’s helper (Psalm 33:20; Psalm 115:9-11)—a strong ally, a vital partner, an essential companion. Eve’s creation completed humanity’s reflection of God’s image, bringing the full beauty of divine design into focus.

The Impact of the Fall and God’s Redemptive Plan

When sin entered the world, it distorted the harmony between man and woman (Genesis 3:16). The curse brought strain into their relationship—but this was never God’s intent. Instead of working together in joyful partnership, humanity would now struggle with dominance, submission, and distrust. Satan had achieved his first victory in corrupting God’s design.

But God’s story didn’t end there. Throughout Scripture, we see Him consistently elevating and honouring women in ways that were radical for their time:

• Miriam led worship and was named a leader of Israel alongside her brothers (Exodus 15:20-21)
• Deborah judged Israel with wisdom and courage (Judges 4:4-5)
• Ruth’s faithfulness was to become central to the Messianic line (Ruth 1:16-17)
• Esther saved her people through God-given courage and wisdom (Esther 4:14)

Jesus: Restoring God’s Design

In Jesus, we see God’s true heart for women displayed with stunning clarity. In a culture where women were often marginalised, Jesus taught women directly, treating them as valuable students of His Word (John 4:27). He spoke with them about deep theological truths, defended their dignity, and made them the first witnesses of His resurrection. He even included them in His ministry (Luke 8:1-3; John 20:16-18).

These weren’t mere cultural accommodations—they were demonstrations of God’s unchanging value of women as His image-bearers.

The New Testament Church: Radical Dignity

The early church continued this counter-cultural elevation of women. In a world where women were often treated as property, the New Testament proclaimed:

• Equal inheritance in Christ (Galatians 3:28)
• Equal distribution of spiritual gifts (Acts 2:17-18)
• Equal value in the church community
• Dignity and honour in marriage (Ephesians 5:25-33)

Paul’s teachings about order in the church and marriage weren’t restrictions but protections, establishing frameworks where both men and women could flourish according to God’s design. These instructions flow from creation’s pattern, not cultural constraints.

God’s Beautiful Design: Unity in Distinction

Satan’s most subtle lie might be this: that difference means inequality, that distinction implies discrimination. But God’s design reveals something far more beautiful—a pattern of unity and distinction that reflects His own nature. Just as the persons of the Trinity are equal in worth yet distinct in role, so too God’s design for men and women showcases unity of value with distinction of purpose.

This divine pattern appears throughout Scripture:

• In creation, where Adam and Eve together reflect God’s image while fulfilling distinct roles
• In marriage, which pictures Christ and the Church—equal in worth, distinct in role
• In the church, where all possess spiritual gifts while operating within God’s ordained order

The world sees these distinctions as problems to be solved. God presents them as beauties to be celebrated. Even restored. When we embrace these God-given distinctions, we don’t diminish our potential—we fulfil it. We don’t restrict our impact—we magnify it.

Consider how this plays out in marriage. A wife’s submission isn’t about inferiority any more than Christ’s submission to the Father implies His inferiority. A husband’s headship isn’t about domination any more than Christ’s headship over the church involves suppression—it’s one of servant leadership. Together, these distinct roles create a dance of grace that displays the gospel itself.

Satan’s Modern Deception

Today, Satan’s strategy remains unchanged, though his tactics have shifted. He continues to whisper that God’s design is restrictive rather than liberating, oppressive rather than life-giving. The world has embraced this lie, viewing biblical teaching about women through a lens of suspicion and hostility.

But Satan’s lie crumbles when confronted with Scripture’s actual teaching. The Bible doesn’t diminish women—it dignifies them. It doesn’t restrict their flourishing—it establishes the very conditions necessary for it. Every word of Scripture, including its teaching about gender and roles, is given for our good and God’s glory.

The Truth That Sets Us Free

When we embrace God’s design, we find:

• Not restriction but freedom
• Not suppression but flourishing
• Not diminishment but dignity
• Not weakness but strength

The Bible’s teaching about women isn’t a burden to be endured but a blessing to be embraced. When we align ourselves with God’s created order, we discover the joy of living according to His wisdom rather than the world’s ever-shifting standards.

Conclusion

Satan’s lie about the Bible’s view of women is particularly cruel because it robs women of the very truth that would set them free. God’s Word doesn’t chain women—it champions them. It doesn’t suppress their gifts—it channels them toward true flourishing. It doesn’t diminish their worth—it declares it.

The choice before us isn’t between relevance and Scripture, but between truth and deception. When we choose God’s truth, we find what countless women throughout history have discovered: His design brings freedom, His truth brings life, and His ways bring deep, lasting joy.

*Let us be women who don’t just survive the culture’s lies but thrive in God’s truth, showing the world that His design isn’t just right—it’s beautiful.*

 

Does the Bible Demean Women?—Related FAQs

What are the consequences of believing Satan’s lie about biblical womanhood? When we reject God’s design as women, the ripple effects are profound and tragic. We see broken marriages, confused children, unfulfilled women trying to find identity in career or appearance, and churches weakened by compromise. Most tragically, we see women missing the deep joy and purpose that comes from embracing their God-given design, often leading to bitterness toward God and His Word.

• How do I develop a biblical sense of identity as a woman? Our primary identity is as an image-bearer of God, redeemed by Christ. This foundational truth sets us free from both cultural pressure to be “everything” and the fear of being “just” a woman. Our femininity isn’t a social construct to be questioned but a divine gift to be celebrated as part of God’s good design.
• What does it mean to be a woman serving in the church? Biblical womanhood in the church means exercising our spiritual gifts fully within God’s ordained framework. This includes teaching other women, discipling, counselling, serving in children’s ministry, and countless other vital roles that build up the body of Christ. The Bible’s boundaries aren’t restrictions but channels that direct our gifts for maximum impact.

How does biblical womanhood work in marriage? Biblical marriage invites us into a beautiful dance where submission is an act of strength, not weakness. Supporting my husband’s leadership doesn’t mean surrendering my intelligence or capabilities; rather, it means partnering with him in a way that reflects Christ and His church, bringing my gifts and insights to strengthen the marriage.

• What about single women—how do they express biblical womanhood? Singleness is not a waiting room for marriage but a full and complete calling in itself. Biblical womanhood as a single woman means living with undivided devotion to Christ, investing deeply in church family, and using our freedom to serve God’s kingdom in unique ways. Our identity and worth are secure in Christ, not in our marital status.
• How do we navigate biblical womanhood in the workplace? God’s design for womanhood doesn’t change when you enter the workplace. You can pursue excellence in your career while maintaining godly distinctiveness, bringing uniquely feminine strengths and wisdom to your role. The goal isn’t to compete with men but to complement them, reflecting God’s design even in professional settings.
• What’s the key to raising children to embrace biblical manhood and womanhood? The most powerful teaching tool is our example of joyful embrace of God’s design. Children need to see biblical womanhood lived out naturally and joyfully, not as a set of burdensome rules. This means actively countering culture’s lies with biblical truth, while showing through our lives that God’s design brings freedom and fulfillment.
• How do we walk in these truths when they seem counter-cultural? Walking in biblical womanhood requires both courage and joy. The goal isn’t just to survive the culture’s lies but to thrive in God’s truth, showing others through our lives that His design isn’t restrictive but liberating. When others see the beauty and freedom in our life, it challenges their assumptions about biblical womanhood more effectively than any argument could.

Remember: Satan’s lies promise freedom but deliver bondage. God’s truth may appear restrictive to the world, but it delivers the very freedom our hearts yearn for.

When we align ourselves with God’s design, we aren’t settling for less—we’re soaring as He intended. We aren’t surrendering our voice—we’re finding it. We aren’t limiting our impact—we’re fulfilling it.

In a world drowning in confusion about womanhood, we have the incredible privilege of showing a better way. Not by arguing louder, but by living more beautifully. Not by compromising truth, but by embodying it with grace.

 

Does the Bible Demean Women?—Our Related Posts

• The Debate Post 1: Complementarianism Vs Egalitarianism
• Biblical Gender Roles in Home and Church
• Biblical Gender Interpretations: Complementarian vs Egalitarian Views

 

Does the Bible Demean Women?—Suggested Reads

• Dorothy Patterson (Different by Design)
• Elisabeth Elliot (Let Me Be a Woman)
• Mary Kassian (The Feminist Mistake and Girls Gone Wise)
• Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth (Lies Women Believe)
• Susan Foh’s (Women and the Word of God)
• Susan Hunt (The True Woman)
• Wayne Grudem’s (Evangelical Feminism and Biblical Truth)