It's surprising that so many people believe that men are more highly favoured in the eyes of God than women. And it's not just chauvinist males that think this, but even women who have as a result felt inferior and less important in the eyes of God.
The truth about God's heart is that He shows no favoritism at all. His ability to love is not limited like ours is and therefore can pour out unlimited favour and grace to anyone who would like to have it. Jesus says in Matthew 5:45, "For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." So if Jesus shows no prejudice to all mankind, why would He show prejudice towards men and women?
Galatians 3:28 says this: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." God has always been about equality between man and woman. Yes general roles, strengths and characteristics may differ, but they are all vital and necessary thus God values both men and women alike.
A common scripture that people use to discredit God's equal treatment of men and women is found in Paul's letter to instruct Timothy to disallow women to have teaching authority over men. In 1 Timothy 2:12-13, Paul says, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve." In fact, chapter two seems to be full of verses that appear like discrimination of women - not allowing them to minister, telling them to submit, lecturing them about what they should wear and so on.
It's important however to understand the context of what Paul is talking about in this passage. We must remember that the Bible was never written directly to us Christians today, but to a specific group of people who had a background and status. When writing these instructions, Paul was referring to the direct context of handling corporate worship and ministry, not to life as a whole. When Paul instructs women to leave the teaching to men, it in no way means that she is inferior in every way.
Paul makes this statement on allowing only men to teach most likely because of a specific cultural context within the church of Ephesus (which was the church Timothy pastored). In our church for instance, almost 70 percent of our small group leaders are women. As a result, when I preach on discipleship, a lot of the things I talk about are directed towards men because men don't always rise up to spiritual leadership naturally, sometimes they need a nudge.
But that in no way means that I, the apostle Paul, or God value men more than women. Especially in the eyes of God, men and women are as valuable. Jesus died for both men and women alike and that should speak of the equally limitless value that is within all of us whether we're a man or a woman.
