Men are also to win favour for women, that women are confronted by the grace of the gospel, the same way as for the men. However, as a single man, there are natural boundaries that I must not overstep in order to generate the fullness of the gospel of Christ amongst the whole body, women and men alike.
Men are by nature strong and overbearing when compared to women. The more I grow into being a man, the more I realize it is not proper conduct to approach a woman directly. It is better to approach a woman by first considering the men in her life. A married women is best approached through her husband. A single woman is best approached through her father. Also, if a woman has brothers that she grew up with, I am to consider them as well. I am not saying that I won't talk to a woman directly, I am saying that there are things I should consider when I am talking to woman, that I am to talk to a woman with the full inclusion of the men in her life.
Above all, I am to approach the Father, The Lord of heaven and earth, who created all women as daughters in His kingdom, so that all my confidence will be in Christ, who knows what is best for all who are His.
It seems that there are periods of time where there are few men who respond to the coming of the kingdom of Christ. Often, the first to respond to the breaking in of the kingdom are the women. Jesus, in His resurrected body, first appeared to women who did not perish at His crucifixion and burial. When their eyes were opened to see that it was Jesus, they immediately believed and worshiped. Later, when Jesus appeared to the disciples, not everyone who saw Him believed. In time, all the remaining disciples became believers.
So my goal is to make believers out of men. Women can join as believers and even befriend me, but I am to approach them with a complete consideration of their Father who is in heaven, who cherishes and protects these women like any of the true men in their lives. And perhaps one day, God will permit me to cherish and protect one of His daughters as my wife. But regardless of what may or may not take place, the kingdom of God is at hand.
"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."
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