“Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4, NRSV).
As Christians who are called to walk in newness of life, we oppose, rather than advance, the consequences of the fall. Most Christians I know eagerly resist death, pain in childbirth, and toiling against other thorns and thistles—all the results of sin. We are thankful for good medical care that prolongs our lives. Most women are also grateful for pain medicines used during delivery. And, the agricultural industry invests billions of dollars to lighten our labor in producing food.
However, men’s inclination to rule over women—also a consequence of the fall, is something secular people are often more comfortable opposing than Christians, sadly. A graduate of Wheaton College, working in Africa with those living with HIV said:
One of the newer (and, I believe, more effective) ways of combating the HIV pandemic is to work on gender equality, particularly encouraging men to realign their views of gender. This is incredibly important because…married men have many sexual partners while women are expected to be faithful, and if a woman insists on the use of condoms, even when the woman knows the man is cheating on her, it is viewed as evidence of unfaithfulness on the woman’s part. Many of my non-Christian friends have been trying to work with African Christians only to be faced with men pulling out passages of the Bible to show that women should be submissive (never mind the numerous passages that state that men should be faithful to their wives) and they feel frustrated and unable to discuss the issue…this is the perfect place for Christianity to be on the forefront of the campaign against HIV. I was wondering if you can help me.
The help we give people are biblical resources that affirm fidelity and mutuality in marriage as God’s call to walk in newness of life through Christ’s victory over death!
Friends, as we approach the end of the year, will you give CBE a hand? We need your prayers more than any other resource. We also need your financial support so we can respond to those who need help walking in newness of life. Please consider making a generous gift today!
