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Of Red Dresses, Feminism, and Cage-Stage-Patriarchy
I think I coined the phrase “cage-stage-patriarchy” recently to describe some of the less than stellar commentary being offered on social media about the authority that God has given husbands over their wives. The phrase suggests that those who, having recently discovered the biblical teachings on patriarchy, are so indelicate in handling the truth that they would be well-served (and better serve others) if they were locked in a cage away from people until they gain deeper understanding of the truth they have discovered.
Ours is, as John Stott put it, an “anti-authority” age that has been permeated in every sphere by demonically inspired feminism. While rightly rejecting this ideology some have rediscovered biblical patriarchy—the teaching that God has purposefully made men and women to be different and has assigned to men the primary responsibility and authority to exercise leadership in the home, church, and world.
What Scripture teaches on this in no way denigrates women. Nor does the Bible prohibit or judge women to be inadequate for many roles and tasks that require leadership qualities. Rather than expound on that let me simply refer to a few examples of what I have in mind, such as Proverbs 31:10-31, 1 Samuel 1:21-28, and Titus 2:3-4.
My concern is the excesses that too often accompany the rediscovery of biblical patriarchy. Specifically, I am concerned about those who, in the name of patriarchy, are advocating positions and actions that do not adequately honor all Scripture. They have fallen into what I call, cage-stage-patriarchy (CSP).
This is a close relative of cage-stage-Calvinism (CSC). When one first discovers the doctrines of grace, he often begins to interpret everything, including every Scriptural text through his newly discovered, not yet matured understanding of the sovereignty of God.
Thus, anything that smacks of human freedom is judged to be anathema. For example (and I have witnessed or myself engaged in all of these), some CSCs get nervous singing or refuse to sing altogether songs like Just As I Am. Or when teaching verses like John 3:16 and 1 John 2:2, they feel compelled to spend more time telling you what the text does not mean than what it does mean.
Cage-stagers become obnoxious with their new-found insights and are quick to challenge and correct anyone who seems to disagree with them. Social media has magnified this because everyone has a platform from which to air his opinions (Proverbs 18:2). You can recognize a cage-stager, or just an immature Christian, by how quickly and authoritatively they jump into conversations that do not concern them at all (Proverbs 26:17). They are gadflies who can be easily seen as such by a simple search of their social media timelines.
Further, when controversy erupts, they feel justified to violate the very convictions for which they contend because of their sense of self-importance in defending the truth. Such cage stagers would be immensely helped by studying Bunyan’s Valiant-for-Truth. You miss the important lesson taught by this character unless you recognize that the enemies that bloodied that stalwart of the faith (but which he does indeed fight!) reside within his own heart.
This is why you see CSCs defend the doctrines of grace with so little evidence of the grace of those doctrines. It also explains why Cage-stage-patriarchists do not hesitate, in the name of defending the patriarchy, to speak derisively of men who deserve respect by virtue of their testimony and station in life. You can also see it in the way they speak down to and about women, violating the very Scriptures that form the foundation of male leadership and headship.
Cage-stagers regularly give hot takes on the issues they are advocating, often to the applause of immature listeners. When challenged, they either double-down in their not-yet-matured understanding trying to defend the biblically indefensible or offer multiple and needed qualifications to explain exactly what they meant and did not mean. One tell-tale sign of a cage stager is the claim that he is regularly being misunderstood when his very words are cited to critique the opinion he boldly espoused.
If you are regularly having to defend yourself and explain statements that you plainly make because people take your words in the plain sense in which you spoke them, you would be well-served to stop talking for a while until you figure out how to communicate clearly enough that you are not so often being misunderstood.
So, I appreciate CSPs rightly reacting against the widespread feminism of our day. It is not that they are completely wrong in their convictions. Rather, they have stopped short of going deeper into what the Word of God teaches about male-female distinctions and male leadership and headship. Therein lies the problem.
They speak beyond their maturity and, as such, wind up staking out positions that are often untenable, such as, the red dress test that recently made the rounds on X.com. To state the case starkly the argument goes like this: “If I tell my wife to wear a red dress every day for the rest of her life then she must do so. Period. Full stop.” That sounds bold. It sounds manly, patriarchal even. In our feminized age it will win applause from some who are awakening from the estrogen-drenched culture and churches in which they dwell. But this attitude misrepresents what God requires of both husbands and wives under the lordship of Christ. Do husbands have a responsibility to make sure their wives dress appropriately? Absolutely. Do wives have a responsibility to dress in accordance with their husband’s will? Absolutely. But there is a deeper dimension to the marital relationship that must never be overlooked by followers of Christ.
Before a Christian couple are husband and wife, they are brother and sister in the Lord. The duties and responsibilities that we have in God’s family under Christ’s lordship do not get cancelled by holy matrimony. Further, a husband’s headship over his wife is not arbitrary or unlimited. His authority, like all other human authority, is delegated and limited. Jesus is the sole possessor of “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Magistrates, elders, and husbands possess authority only because Christ delegates it to them. They are required to use their authority under His lordship.
What does that entail? Every thoughtful Christian knows that no human authority has the right to command you to break God’s law. But does that mean that a husband is free to require of his wife anything that is not a clear violation of God’s law? Hardly. He is free to require of his wife that which pleases the Lord who has delegated to him the authority which he wields. A husband’s authority is not arbitrary. It is not inherent. It is delegated.
Just as fathers are commanded to exercise their authority in ways that do not provoke their children to wrath (Ephesians 6:4) so husbands are given clear instructions to be like Christ in how they treat their wives. “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). I submit that arbitrarily requiring your wife to wear a certain color dress for the rest of her life is a violation of this command. To make the case a little clearer for those who are still fuzzy on this, let’s up the ante on the non-sinful requirement. Does a husband have the right arbitrarily to require his wife to stand in the corner of a room for three hours each day? Or to roll twenty times on the front lawn every day at 2PM?
To be clear, a godly wife’s default response even to such strange requirements should be the inclination to submit. But because she is a joint heir of grace with her husband, that inclination will be tempered by her own desire to please Jesus Christ. If she thinks her husband might not be thinking clearly then as his sister in Christ as well as his helper in marriage, she should try to get him to see her concerns. That may involve seeking counsel from other human authorities, most notably, the elders of their church.
This is a more integrated, mature approach to what the Bible teaches about the proper exercise of authority in marriage. Half-baked views of biblical patriarchy undermine this teaching. When they gain traction, they serve to inoculate against God’s good and wise teaching on the roles of and relationships between men and women. As a result, those still ensnared in feminism become more resistant to biblical teaching on the subject.
I know what it is to be in a cage-stage of some new conviction. And I have been the recipient of gracious patience and necessary rebuke by older, wiser men who recognized that my need was not refutation but correction. My hope is that men who are in a position to extend such patience and offer such rebukes to cage-stage-patriarchists will not shrink back from the opportunity to do so. The church of Jesus Christ needs to get right on this issue. And we need strong men who understand the full counsel of God on this question to lead the way.
Why Your Life Isn’t Working
Are you happy? Are you satisfied?
You tour the zoo with your daughter and peer into the glass with the gorilla. You stare at the gorilla; he stares back. Are your lives all that different? He lives one outdoor-time to the next, one feeding to the next — what is a jungle? You live one entertainment to the next, one bite of sin to the next — what is true happiness? It’s as though you live outside of your joy’s natural habitat.
Yet you are a man and not an ape; you can consider your cage, the prison of your own choices. But when you stop to think about life, you sink — is this really it? Perhaps life was brighter when you were younger. Perhaps you and the future-you were once best friends, but now you talk with less and less pleasure. He doesn’t know what you’re searching for either, and you both are running out of guesses.
Are you happy? Are you satisfied? No? Then why continue to search in vain?
Why?
This is not my question but God’s:
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? (Isaiah 55:2)
God translates your sighs: You are spending money for what is not bread, laboring for what does not satisfy. You chew on gravel; you reap the wind. So much energy, so much time, so much dedication to what isn’t working. You are making bad purchases, eating the undigestible. The God of heaven and earth asks you: Why?
Why do you insist on digging the desert for water? Why enter into the cave for light? Why the mindless living, the endless scrolling, the watching until your eyes hurt — have these ever flooded your soul with happiness? What are you getting from this life you’ve chosen for yourself?
Your decisions leave behind dry lips, a thirst preparing you for God’s invitation:
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)
Come, be satisfied. Come, be made happy. Come, God summons you. Simply come.
Wanted
The God of heaven hears your life of little whimpers and responds, Stop filling your mouth with sand; come to the waters. Stop intoxicating your heart with the world; come gladden it with my wine. Why labor for what leaves you hungrier? Will you not have real bread and water, wine and milk for free? Joy, life, substance, purpose — do these not interest you?
“Why will men not be happy?” we can almost hear one angel ask another. Why does the branch run from the tree, the egg from the nest, the fish from the water? You can answer from experience: you did not want this happiness if it is only found in God. Read the terms carefully:
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live. . . .Seek the Lord while he may be found. (Isaiah 55:2–3, 6)
God can be your Uber driver and deliver the meal, but if it requires eating with him, well, you will see what you have in the back of the fridge. Pride speaks, Better king over your own unhappiness than a happy servant of your Creator. You will not “enter into the Master’s joy” because you cannot abide that word — “Master.” You will find another way back to Eden. You leave no cheap pleasure untried, and yet, a heaven stands open before you and you will not enter because the entrance is as low as a bow and as heavy as a cross.
In other words, We are sinners. God’s offer is not simply to the unsatisfied; it’s to the unrighteous.
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. (Isaiah 55:6–7)
We do not just need better pleasures; we need abundant pardon. Justice, not just your heart, needs satisfaction. The gospel addresses not merely your discontent in happiness apart from God, but your disobedience in seeking happiness apart from God. The Lord Jesus does not just extend forever ecstasies; he stays final executions. We are creatures not just wanting but wanted.
Genius
What does your past (or present) life of fornication, lying, gossip, anger, or drunkenness have to do with your search for happiness? Everything. Alone, you have no right to this blessedness. Justice disallows sinners from the inheritance of the righteous. Should you who have sown hell reap heaven? Should God be mocked? How can God make you happy? His mercy, not his wrath, begs for explanation in the next verses.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8–9)
Your thoughts of grace and mercy inch upon the forest floor; God’s thoughts of grace dwell far above the heads of the seraphim. His gospel ways of pity and pardon hang above us from crossbeams of rugged wood upon a hill. In other words, the gospel is not man’s genius but God’s. We had no clue how justice and mercy could kiss. Man couldn’t fathom a way for his own forgiveness; he couldn’t dream how to be adopted into God’s family. The happiness in God we never sought was given to us through a plan we couldn’t have imagined.
Joy
God’s plan features God’s Son. He would send his only Son to take on human flesh, live the perfect life you didn’t, die your death, and rise from your grave. He suffered the wrath you deserved so you could have the heaven Christ deserved.
God welcomed back a banished people through covenant, foretelling, “I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David” (Isaiah 55:3). And amid the promise, he turns to another and says,
Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. (Isaiah 55:5)
Hundreds of years later, one man rises to his feet to reissue God’s invitation to the thirsty:
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:37–38)
Jesus invites all who will to come to him. He is the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world. He is the man who, when lifted up by his Father, draws sinners to himself.
Whether you accept Christ’s happy terms of surrender, the promised bliss for God’s people will arrive. His word will not return to him empty (Isaiah 55:11). The consummation of this everlasting covenant will spill over creation. Mountains and hills shall sing for his saints; the forest and the trees applaud us. The curse of thorn and thistle shall be overturned, displaced by the fertile green of blessing (Isaiah 55:12). And the happiness of his people in a new heaven and a new earth will “make a name for the Lord” as an “everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 55:13).
Do you thirst? Come to the waters. He promises to forgive you, satisfy you, adopt you as his own treasured possession. Leave behind the pornography, the living for your own name, your unsatisfying affair with the world, and let the Lord usher you into fullness of pleasures forevermore in his presence. Your joy, to his glory, forever.
10 Christian Mega-Projects Released In 2024
Lots of great books and other resources came our way in 2024. Among them were some that were particularly “mega”—that represented an extraordinarily long, big, expansive, or audacious idea, and I wanted to give credit where credit is due. With apologies to any I missed, here is my list of some of the most mega projects of 2024.
The Psalms: A Christ-Centered Commentary (4-Volume Set) by Christopher Ash. Few people are bold enough to write a commentary on the entire book of psalms. Fewer still are bold enough to write a four-volume commentary. Yet Ash came through with a tremendous set that is suitable for general readers and scholars alike. Here is what the publisher says about it: “In this comprehensive, 4-volume commentary, Christopher Ash provides a thorough treatment of all 150 Psalms, examining each psalm’s significance to David and the other psalmists, to Jesus during his earthly ministry, and to the church of Christ in every age. The first volume in the set is a detailed handbook that explains how to interpret the Psalms with Christ at the center. The remaining 3 volumes cover each psalm in depth, with introductory quotations, a deep analysis of the text’s structure and vocabulary, and a closing reflection and response. Ash also includes selected quotations from older readings of the Psalms, including patristic, medieval, Reformation, and post-Reformation scholars. Perfect for pastors, Bible teachers, and students, this commentary set helps readers sing and pray the Psalms with Christ in view.” (Best price at Amazon and Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books and Logos)
Missionary: Obeying the Great Commission. Missionary is an original 6-part documentary series created by the missions organization Radius International. Through six episodes it introduces viewers to six Christians who obeyed the Great Commission: William Tyndale, Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, William Carey, David Livingstone, and John Paton. The project was filmed on-location which means the filmmakers traveled to every continent except South America. It features John Piper, Kevin DeYoung, Rosaria Butterfield, Conrad Mbewe, Ian Hamilton, and others. It is currently sold in a box set that includes all six episodes on DVD or Bluray, digital access to stream the films, Leader’s Guide, Handbook, movie poster, and exclusive postcards from the film. It’s ideal for families, small groups, homeschool, and so on. (Currently available exclusively from Missionary.com)
Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life’s Most Important Questions by Tony Reinke. In 2013, Tony Reinke proposed an idea for a new podcast: He would ask questions and John Piper would answer them. Though the podcast was expected to last for only 400 episodes, it has now stretched to thousands. In this book, Reinke collects, categorizes, and adapts the best of 10 years and 2,000 episodes. Though not every book can survive the transition from one medium to another, this one does it well. Here is what the publisher says about it: “In this unique book, Ask Pastor John host Tony Reinke summarizes and organizes ten years of their most insightful and popular episodes into accessible, thematic sections. Readers will be able to quickly and systematically access Piper’s insights on hundreds of topics including Bible reading, dating, social media, mental health, and more. We discover afresh how asking good questions strengthens faith and grows our understanding of God’s word.” (Best price at Amazon and Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books)
On Classical Trinitarianism: Retrieving the Nicene Doctrine of the Triune God, edited by Matthew Barrett. This massive volume was published in part to celebrate the 1,700 anniversary of the Council of Nicea and received a nod from The Gospel Coalition as their Theological Studies book of the year. The publisher says this of it: “Motivated by the longstanding need to retrieve the classical doctrine of the Trinity, theologian Matthew Barrett brings together Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox scholars to intervene in the conversation. With over forty contributions, this ecumenical volume resurrects the enduring legacy of Nicene orthodoxy, providing a theological introduction that listens with humility to the Great Tradition.” Those who have considered the controversy related to the eternal subordination of the Son will find definitive answers in its pages. Contributors include Fred Sanders Scott Swain, Carl Trueman, and many others. (Best price at Christianbook.com; also available at Amazon, Westminster Books; discounted for pre-order at Logos)
Reformed Systematic Theology by Joel Beeke & Paul Smalley. This four-volume systematic theology, which was completed this year, is nothing short of a magnum opus that spans 5,200 pages. The publisher says, “Theology is not just an academic subject—it is also a spiritual practice. In the 4-volume Reformed Systematic Theology set, authors Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley explore central Scripture themes from biblical, doctrinal, experiential, and practical perspectives. The result is a comprehensive yet accessible systematic theology of the Reformed Christian faith that ministers to the whole person―head, heart, and hands. This series includes 4 volumes: Revelation and God (volume 1); Man and Christ (volume 2); Spirit and Salvation (volume 3); and Church and Last Things (volume 4). Drawing on the historical theology of the Reformed tradition, these books help readers grow in their understanding and application of the truth presented in God’s word.” (Similarly-priced at Amazon, Westminster Books, and Christianbook.com; also currently on sale at Logos)
Systematic Theology, Volume One: From Canon to Concept by Stephen J. Wellum. Though this is only the first volume in a multi-volume set, it is still a substantial accomplishment and one that was decades in the making. The publisher says this about it: “Trinitarian, reformational, and baptistic, Stephen Wellum’s Systematic Theology models a serious evangelical engagement with the Scriptures while being grounded in church history and keenly aware of contemporary issues. Building on decades of research, Wellum formulates doctrine exegetically, covenantally, and canonically for a new generation of students, pastors, church leaders, and seasoned theologians.” If you are interested in the framework of progressive covenantalism it should be of particular interest. (Best price Amazon and Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books and Logos)
Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction by Harrison Perkins. Some who don’t love Wellum’s progressive covenantalism may prefer Perkins’ covenant theology. “Covenant shapes our life with God. In Reformed Covenant Theology: A Systematic Introduction, Harrison Perkins shows how Christ and his work are the heart of that covenant relationship. Since God lives in covenant with his redeemed people, covenant theology provides a framework for Christians to grow in their life with God, to read the Bible, and to love the church.” The book promises to help you “see Christ and his work more clearly; learn the biblical basis for the Reformed confessions; and understand the role of grace and works in your salvation.” (Best price Amazon and Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books and Logos)
Ruined Sinners to Reclaim: Sin and Depravity in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective, edited by David & Jonathan Gibson. This is the second volume in a 5-part series covering the doctrines of grace. Not only is the series mega, but so is each volume. This one comes in at just over 1,000 pages. The publisher describes it in this way: “Ruined Sinners to Reclaim persuasively reaffirms the doctrine of total depravity from biblical, historical, theological, and pastoral perspectives, drawing on the debates of theologians throughout church history. Edited by David and Jonathan Gibson, this book features contributions from respected theologians―including Michael A. G. Haykin, Gray Sutanto, Garry Williams, Mark Jones, Daniel Strange, and R. Albert Mohler Jr.―to help readers understand the reality of our sinful nature, its debilitating effects, and the Holy Spirit’s role in salvation. This is the second book in the Doctrines of Grace series, which explores the central points of the Canons of Dort, providing a framework for understanding each doctrine in all its historical, biblical, theological, and pastoral richness.” (Best price: Amazon and Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books and Logos)
Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology by Kevin DeYoung. This is a fresh idea: dividing systematic theology into daily readings so it can be learned and digested over the course of a year. “Designed to make systematic theology clear and accessible for the everyday Christian, this devotional walks through the most important theology topics over the course of a year. Each month is categorized into broad themes, starting with the study of God and concluding with the end times. Written by bestselling author and associate professor of systematic theology Kevin DeYoung, each concise daily reading contains verses for meditation and application, building upon each other and easing readers into the study of systematic theology.” (Best price: Amazon and Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books and Logos)
Everyday Gospel: A Daily Devotional Connecting Scripture to All of Life by Paul David Tripp. Everyday Gospel is a daily devotional that leads readers through the Bible in a year. In it, “Paul David Tripp provides a roadmap for readers who want to spend a full year in God’s word. Tripp, author of the bestselling New Morning Mercies, has now written a second daily devotional, offering 365 fresh, engaging entries that follow an annual Bible reading plan from Genesis through Revelation. Brief and practical, these reflections connect the transforming power of Scripture to all you will experience in your everyday Christian life.” (Best price: Christianbook.com; also available at Westminster Books and Amazon)
Finally, here are a couple of bonuses:
Motyer by the Day: A Psalms and Isaiah Devotional Collection by Alec Motyer. This may not be the most mega project of the year, but it’s a good one nonetheless. “Alec Motyer was a man whose love for God and His Word inspired others to enjoy studying the Bible, and especially the Old Testament. Isaiah by the Day and Psalms by the Day exemplify this passion. Motyer’s scholarly brilliance and devotional warmth have cemented these books as firm favorites in the hearts of many readers. This beautiful cloth-bound box set contains both volumes from this esteemed Bible teacher. Moyter is a master at attending to the details and finding their precise place in the grand sweep of scripture’s redemptive narrative. Rich and full, yet concisely put.” (Best price: Westminster Books; also available from Amazon)
A New Era of Logos Bible Software. This year saw the release of the new edition of Logos Bible Software and its inevitable change from a purchase model to a subscription model. Beyond that change there were many other upgrades to the software. And, of course, Logos continued to extend its library. In my perspective, the software is now better than ever. (Learn more or enjoy a free trial at Logos.com)
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