Cheryl Schatz

Charis,
In word definitions, several options are listed and the exact meaning is dependent on the context. The context “unseeming” in this context is not about an outward disfigurement. It is about disgrace and shame. While men can lust for male power and position, the text specifically says that these men will lust for each other. It is lust for a person not envy for their position. The context is a moral failure not a failure to emotionally connect.

“Natural use” is not about relationships. Where is the word “use” ever used about relationships? We must have a second witness to make a sound case. Just because God is talking about the natural physical “use” in these verses does not mean that God did not create the woman for both physical, mental and spiritual purposes. I personally do not know of anyone who says that God created the woman only for a sexual purpose for the man. Even John MacArthur who is a strong complementarian admits that the woman was created for interpersonal relationship with the man. I think that it would be better for us to do away with the old English term “meet”. This word no longer has meaning in our time. A better term would be a “completer”. A woman completes the man in that she is able to give him what he lacks. The original creation of a solitary man without the woman was “not good” according to God.

The purpose of Romans 1 is that men who reject God are then able to reject the physical relationships created by their Creator. Those who reject the Creator will go on to reject morality and God will turn them over to “act out” their immorality so that they receive in their body the due penalty for their sin. The purpose of the passage is not to describe the wonderful complementary addition of women to a man. It was written to show the perversions on one thing only – the design of the human body. When perverted men reject God’s design for the human body, anything goes and when anything goes, shame and disgrace will follow.

I should have a look at other passages that actually do say what you are saying – that God made women to be a spiritual, emotional and physical partner for the man and when men discredit and disregard any part of her worth, men reject God’s good creation. Rejecting God’s full creation of the worth of the woman will lead men into myths and lies and marriage and the church will be greatly hurt.