Elderly women. Titus 2:3 aged women likewise in reverent behaviour, not slanderers, not being enslaved by much wine...
The first two if one had to sum up their meaning would indicate they were not gossips and title tattlers. In other words, don't spread rumours WHICH some ladies are prone to do.
And please note it does not say don't drink wine it says don't be enslaved by much wine. If you drink a little wine you are invariably not enslaved by it. If you drink a lot of wine you are invariable enslaved by it. That is an important distinction because some pharisaical people interpret that to mean you should not drink any wine. And didn't Paul say to Timothy to no longer drink water, but use a little wine on account of your stomach and your frequent infirmities. (1 Timothy 5:23) That verse seems to put a dampener on the "Name it and claim it" people.
Now women as teachers. Definitely, but not in the sense that they are demanding today. here is what Paul said....
Titus 2:3 teachers of good, that they might train the young women to be lovers of husbands, lovers of children, discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of God may not be blasphemed,....
An older woman in the church has a vital role to play in regard to teaching. They are to teach young women (who are married) to be lovers of husbands, lovers of children, discreet, chaste, keepers at home, (not working outside the home) to be subject to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
So let us look at what all this means.
Particularly in the atmosphere of so many broken homes and divorce, older women have a vital role to play to support the young wives in the church to be and do the things listed in Titus. The most likely reason why the level of divorce amongst Christians is no different to divorce in society is right here. Younger married wives are not getting the support they need from the older women in the church.
If you have had a successful marriage it is only reasonable that you pass on the reasons for your success. And it is no use younger women saying "what can she teach me. She has lived in a different era to me." It is for that very reason that she can teach you a thing or two. The older women have a much better perspective on the way things work that you will ever have.
I am not so much blaming the older women for why this does not happen. I am blaming the church that is happier for older women to go out and work because it means more money in the collection plate. A church that is the true church is a family where each one supports the other and leaves the finances to God.
If the church respected the older men and the wisdom that they bring to the church life. If they respected the older women and insisted that they fulfill their roles as teachers of the younger women. If they financially supported widows that devoted themselves to praying for the church it would be a church that is unrecognizable to the one we have today. And might I add, it would be having more of an effect with the world.
Women may not or seem not to be aware of how important their ministry is in the church. Paul's teaching finishes with the idea that the reason why he wanted women to do this is so that the word of God is not blasphemed. What does he mean by this?
It means that it will stop people from talking impiously abut the church which means it stops people from speaking evil about it. It prevents people from reviling the church. It stops people from defaming the church. To think that fulfilling their true role as teachers, older women can do all this for the reputation of the church.
Some people may not care what the world thinks about the church but I can assure you, if these things are not put in place in the church as instructed by Paul to Titus which means God to us, our representation in the world and our reputation will be dead meat.
If you can think of what you have heard from the world about the church and I don't necessarily just mean your own but the church in general, it doesn't paint a very good picture. For a lot of people, the church is a total disgrace and an insult.
Why is that? it is very simple. We have chosen to disregard most of what the scripture teaches us about the way the church is supposed to be functioning and expect God to give us a good write up. It ain't going to happen. Whatever good is happening with the church wherever, it would improve 10 fold if we dropped our slavery to denominational demands and put in place what is in scripture.
The first two if one had to sum up their meaning would indicate they were not gossips and title tattlers. In other words, don't spread rumours WHICH some ladies are prone to do.
And please note it does not say don't drink wine it says don't be enslaved by much wine. If you drink a little wine you are invariably not enslaved by it. If you drink a lot of wine you are invariable enslaved by it. That is an important distinction because some pharisaical people interpret that to mean you should not drink any wine. And didn't Paul say to Timothy to no longer drink water, but use a little wine on account of your stomach and your frequent infirmities. (1 Timothy 5:23) That verse seems to put a dampener on the "Name it and claim it" people.
Now women as teachers. Definitely, but not in the sense that they are demanding today. here is what Paul said....
Titus 2:3 teachers of good, that they might train the young women to be lovers of husbands, lovers of children, discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of God may not be blasphemed,....
An older woman in the church has a vital role to play in regard to teaching. They are to teach young women (who are married) to be lovers of husbands, lovers of children, discreet, chaste, keepers at home, (not working outside the home) to be subject to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
So let us look at what all this means.
Particularly in the atmosphere of so many broken homes and divorce, older women have a vital role to play to support the young wives in the church to be and do the things listed in Titus. The most likely reason why the level of divorce amongst Christians is no different to divorce in society is right here. Younger married wives are not getting the support they need from the older women in the church.
If you have had a successful marriage it is only reasonable that you pass on the reasons for your success. And it is no use younger women saying "what can she teach me. She has lived in a different era to me." It is for that very reason that she can teach you a thing or two. The older women have a much better perspective on the way things work that you will ever have.
I am not so much blaming the older women for why this does not happen. I am blaming the church that is happier for older women to go out and work because it means more money in the collection plate. A church that is the true church is a family where each one supports the other and leaves the finances to God.
If the church respected the older men and the wisdom that they bring to the church life. If they respected the older women and insisted that they fulfill their roles as teachers of the younger women. If they financially supported widows that devoted themselves to praying for the church it would be a church that is unrecognizable to the one we have today. And might I add, it would be having more of an effect with the world.
Women may not or seem not to be aware of how important their ministry is in the church. Paul's teaching finishes with the idea that the reason why he wanted women to do this is so that the word of God is not blasphemed. What does he mean by this?
It means that it will stop people from talking impiously abut the church which means it stops people from speaking evil about it. It prevents people from reviling the church. It stops people from defaming the church. To think that fulfilling their true role as teachers, older women can do all this for the reputation of the church.
Some people may not care what the world thinks about the church but I can assure you, if these things are not put in place in the church as instructed by Paul to Titus which means God to us, our representation in the world and our reputation will be dead meat.
If you can think of what you have heard from the world about the church and I don't necessarily just mean your own but the church in general, it doesn't paint a very good picture. For a lot of people, the church is a total disgrace and an insult.
Why is that? it is very simple. We have chosen to disregard most of what the scripture teaches us about the way the church is supposed to be functioning and expect God to give us a good write up. It ain't going to happen. Whatever good is happening with the church wherever, it would improve 10 fold if we dropped our slavery to denominational demands and put in place what is in scripture.
