“What’s the relative importance of career and motherhood in the typical woman’s life? At 19 it’s all career. By 30 that’s just not the case. I don’t know if I’ve seen a single woman who I didn’t think had a psychological problem who hadn’t seriously flipped in their attitude towards the balance of family and career by the time they were 30. And then you see lots of women who at 40 haven’t had kids and perhaps wanted to. And that’s not a pleasant situation. Many women end up realizing the profession is actually nowhere as comprehensively fulfilling as the advertisements claimed, which is something that virtually everyone discovers as they move forward in their professional careers. The reason that you get paid generally for your work is because you’re doing something that you wouldn’t choose to do if you weren’t being paid for it. And so, the idea that your career is going to be the fundamental source of your fulfillment is true for a very tiny minority of people. And even with them, it’s complicated. Often it takes years for women to discover that there are other important dimensions to life. How many things do you do in your life that are fundamental: 1- you have a career on your education so that would be part of your career development—that’s part of what makes you generally useful in society. Perhaps, a place that you find some meaning and purpose; 2- you have your friends; 3- you have your family—like your parents, siblings and so on and 4- you have your relationship and kids. That’s it, there’s four things, which you can expand upon to some degree. Maybe you are creative, and you make good use of your personal time. There are other factors that aren’t trivial. But those four things are canonically important! You miss one of them and you’re going to pay for it and so our society needs to rethink our value, our relative valuation of career versus motherhood. We don’t know how to solve this problem, but we could at least have an intelligent discussion about it and we could start by admitting that the idea that most 19-year-old women are fed, which is that their career will be the primary purpose of their life is actually a lie.”
Jordan Peterson: Career vs. Motherhood
March 17, 2020
These seem like honest words from an educated man in this world, with a good deal of experience. He is speaking of physical circumstances that so many in this world will face in their lifetimes. A woman's responsibilities are just as much a part of God's plan as a man's. Indeed, a wife is in subjection to her husband, but this does not mean she is void of opportunities that develop the character necessary to be born into the Kingdom of God. A woman who chooses to marry and have children accomplishes just as much in the character-building department as a male business executive.
We are not dealing on a level of "superiority" or "inferiority." It is a matter of God specifically designing each—husband and wife—for a distinct purpose in this physical life. We are meant to fulfill certain responsibilities and duties. A husband is to lead and guide his family. A woman was designed by God from creation to fulfill a purpose no man is capable of fulfilling—to become wife, mother, and even more importantly, to be the spiritual type of the Church.
For those in the Church of God—ponder the subjects of Man, Woman, Husband, Wife, Marriage and Divorce—and then think about the spiritual parallels you have experienced in the past three decades. It will astonish you the more you think about it!
God's purpose involves raising up a church. A church that belongs to Him and is thereby named after the Father of the God Family—called the Church of God. A repentant and obedient believer, upon receiving God's Holy Spirit at baptism and the laying on of hands, is placed into God’s Church—by God Himself. Jesus explains how this entire process even begins, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44, 65). Who, then, is a real Christian? Only those who have been, and are being, led by the Holy Spirit of God (Rom. 8:9, 11, 14). And, of those who have repented from breaking God’s laws, and who do believe, which means relying on and believing Jesus, must remain chosen and faithful (Rev. 17:14). The very few, who have been called in this age, must do what Adam failed—reject the way of Satan, who rebelled against the government of God. Once called, after real repentance and belief, Christ reconciles us to God the Father, and we receive the Holy Spirit infusing us as children of God (2 Cor. 6:18).
Upon receipt of God’s Holy Spirit, we are now the begotten children of God—not yet born. As Mr. Armstrong taught us, the analogy of human reproduction pictures soundly the process of spiritual salvation. When a physical sperm cell unites with the nucleus in the ovum you have now begotten life, but the new life is not yet born—that process takes about nine months. God’s Spirit enters us and combines with the spirit in man, which begets us, and we become a new creature. We now have opened to us spiritual understanding never before comprehended (1 Cor. 2:9-11). We now have the presence of everlasting life within us (Eph. 1:14). Not yet born! Much the way a human baby is nourished and grows within his mother, the now begotten child of God must grow and be nourished also. Jesus instructed us that “man shall not live by bread alone” (Matt. 4:4). God’s apostle taught: “We drink in from the Bible! But we drink in this spiritual knowledge and character, also, through personal, intimate, continuous contact with God through prayer, and through Christian fellowship with God’s children in His church. And also by the continual teaching imparted by the church.”
Paul was inspired to write, “For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar—for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children—but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all” (Gal. 4:22-26). What are we to learn from Paul’s analogy? Hagar represents the Old Covenant, which symbolizes human efforts (rituals and animal sacrifices), as a reminder of sin (Heb. 10:3). Accordingly, Sarah represents the New Covenant, which includes better promises and requires the faith of Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:20). Paul references Hagar as “Mount Sinai,” which “answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.” Then continues, “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” What is Jerusalem which is above? As a physical mother nourishes the unborn child within her, God’s Church is the mother of us all. Mr. Armstrong continues: “It is the duty of Christ’s true ministers (and how scarce today) to protect the begotten, but yet unborn saints from false doctrines, from false ministers. The human mother carries her unborn baby in that part of her body where she can best protect it from physical harm; and that protection is part of her function, as well as to nourish the unborn child! Even so, the church, through Christ’s ministers, instructs, teaches, counsels with, advises, and protects from spiritual harm the unborn members!” What a tremendous picture—had it been followed!
Solomon wrote, “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward” (Ps. 127:3). It seems that as children in God’s Church we are no longer a blessing, we no longer represent a legacy, but have become a commodity. While alive, HWA held most of “God’s flock” together, but when he was “smitten” by death, this opened the way for God’s end-time “flock” to become scattered. Jeremiah and Ezekiel predicted this scattering (Jer. 23:1-4; Ezek. 34:1-12). A careful reading warns us that the ministers would do the scattering. Even Paul showed that certain ministers would also be guilty of later scattering God’s people (Acts 20:17-20, 27-35). Sadly, the ministers, who should feed and protect the “children of God,” are often guilty of scattering! Some have been guilty of ruling over God’s people “with force and cruelty” and abuse (Ezek. 34:4, 22)! Some ministers have subtly deceived and betrayed their congregation by abandoning the Truth for false doctrines—others blatantly. Others have been partial and have shown favoritism toward certain members while neglecting others in their congregations. Others have been arrogant and heavy-handed in their ruling, while others were plain harsh (Matt. 24:48-51). Some resorted to politicking, and “working the angles.” Some forsook the biblical pattern of hierarchical church government, in favor of a “democracy of the ministry”! And some, perhaps well-meaning, but misguided are simply using a “social club” platform in an attempt to “rally the troops” with no regard to sound doctrine. All are wrong! “But did He not make them one, Having a remnant of the Spirit? And why one? He seeks godly offspring. Therefore take heed to your spirit…” (Mal. 2:15). It is not too late for uncaring “shepherds” to repent, and make amends, by rededicating their lives to genuine service of the brethren, rather than looking out primarily for their own selfish interests (Phil. 2:1-5)!
The church is the mother of us all. Are there consequences for a mother choosing her career over her children? Imagine this situation: School is letting out soon, and a mother starts walking toward the school to pick up her child. But she soon reasons that “it’s just too far” and decides that she doesn’t really want to walk the half-mile to get there. Instead, about halfway, the mom comes across another child—a stranger—and hand-in-hand leads this other child back to her home where he can fend for himself because she is simply too busy with her job. Sounds preposterous right? Yet, this scenario has played out for over three decades.
The church (our mother) has been woefully and pridefully focused on her career, which has resulted in some 600 corporate splinter groups. And brethren (the children) have been carelessly hopping around from group to group exposing themselves to the “Baskins 31 flavors” of doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Some don’t even bother attending anymore—why—“it’s too far,” “I’m too tired” or perhaps just disenchanted with the whole mess? Mom’s disregard has created a church culture of latchkey children (Rev. 3:1-22). In so many cases, the children are so desperate for mom’s attention they forsake Christ’s apostle, the restored truths he taught, and God’s command to “speak the same thing” in favor of splinters with more people, more socials, friends, “it’s for my kids” or “I like that minister better”. And when corrected by a true minister of God—they bolt—in effect saying, “You can’t correct me! You’re not my mom!” To a degree, can the children be blamed for the actions of their derelict church-mother? No other “woman” can be a substitute for our spiritual mother. Brethren have been exposed to “every wind of false doctrine”. Some have cheerfully consumed every liberalized, watered-down “new truth” that has come their way—perhaps, it fits their lifestyle better. Some have been fed we “must grow in grace in knowledge,” which is code for we are changing the doctrines of an apostle. By the church rejecting its role as mother, the heresies that led to apostasy, have not been eradicated from God’s Church—only repackaged with a different name. Just because aspartame was disguised with a different name doesn’t mean it isn’t still dangerous and slowly destroys the body. By rejecting her role as a mother and turning to her career, we have not received protection from heresy. We are starved from all the restored truths supplied to us by our “dad”. We are suffering the consequences of not receiving the motherly nurturing of Christian fellowship, sound doctrine, reproof, instruction in righteousness, exhortation, and correction (2 Tim. 3:16-17). How can the spiritual mother reject her role, leave the children to fend for themselves, and yet we still expect to be born into the Kingdom of God?
Physically speaking, women in God's Church need to realize how important their God-given role is. If they realized the tremendous, awesome responsibility God lays before them—a part far superior to the greatest "career women"—they would have renewed zeal for the greatest job in the world. Do mothers realize their part in child-rearing is very important? Yes, God has made the man head of the home. But God lays the child-rearing equally upon both parents. God's Word shows that both parents must work together for proper child-rearing. And in its proper place, a woman's part is equally as important as the man's. God's law shows the obligation of both parents in child-rearing: “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard’” (Deut. 21:18-20). Both parents are responsible! Both parents teach, chasten, instruct! A mother's voice must be heard in child-rearing. In a sense, Mr. Armstrong was the head of the home—the “man” of the house or the “dad” of the children. Similar in thought to the Apostle John—how many times did he see himself in that position, when he addressed the brethren, “My little children…”?
Sadly, the status of the church as our mother has changed. To pursue her career, she has divorced herself from her husband—the head of the house—"our dad” who loved and provided for the family. There were no grounds for the divorce. She now sits as a single parent by choice. Rearing a child is never easy, but for one person to function as both mother and father is the toughest job of all. In today’s world, it is becoming increasingly more common—likewise in the church. Children often suffer in a single-parent home. They may have difficulty being fully understood. The problem of adjusting can be traumatic for a child having a single parent since the care of both parents was designed by God to fulfill the emotional needs of the child. Often children with only one parent have more difficulty at school. The panoramic view of Mr. Armstrong varies among the corporate splinter groups of God’s Church. Some don’t mention his name anymore—creating as much distance as humanly possible. Some think he was just a good teacher. Some look up to him, but remark “he’s made hundreds of mistakes”. While others claim him as a “flip-flopping” apostle that couldn’t make up his mind. Whatever the flavor, the situation is dire, and we are running out of time. Our mother (the church) is spewing out sweet-talking adulations to her children stating, “You should kind of listen to your dad, even though I divorced him” or “You should kind of listen to your dad, but really, I know better!”. And, as is often the case, the children are suffering. Do we truly believe this man-made confusion pleases God (1 Cor. 14:33)? Do we really believe this false flattery of God’s apostle is pleasing to Him? Do we forget that an apostle forms the very foundation of the church of which we comprise (Eph. 2:19-20)? Do we forget that an apostle is third in charge—only under the Father and Son? Do we forget that we only exist as the ekklesia because of the truths given through God’s apostle?
Do we now firmly grasp the spiritual parallels? Like any good mother, God’s Church is to protect, feed and nurture her unborn children so that they may grow within her “womb.” Remember, no person can come to Christ, except called and drawn by the Father. It is the purpose of the church—as the spiritual mother of the saints in it—to develop perfect, holy, and righteous character in those God has added to the church. For that training and development of this God-like character in future God Beings, we have been given a Great Commission: Preach the gospel to the world as a witness and as Jesus instructed Peter three times—“Feed my sheep”. Paul augmented the church’s role as our mother: “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto…the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:12-13). We need to find and assist faithful ministers who have steadfastly maintained the true doctrines and have ruled over the “flock” with genuine concern, patience, and Christ-like love! The Church of God is our mother, and this concept is firmly linked to our future inheritance—everlasting life. In 2 Corinthians 11:2 and elsewhere, we learn that "woman" is a symbol of the church. The Church of God, spoken of as a woman (not a harem), is the affianced Bride of the living, glorified Jesus Christ. At the time of the first resurrection, upon Christ's coming in supreme Power and Glory, the elect, now made immortal, shall enter the Kingdom of God. At last, Christ shall marry His Church (Eph. 5:22-33): At that time, it is written, "And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready’” (Rev. 19:6-7). It is not love to remain silent when the house is on fire. We must stop acting like a bunch of little kids hiding in a closet because we are scared. Will you be ready?
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