We have shared our hearts about loving our husbands and children, the character to which we should aspire, being a keeper at home, and being submissive to our husbands.
But why do we do these things? (Or why do we not do these things?) I cannot answer for you--but I encourage you to know your own reasons!
Do we do them simply because they are what we wanted to do anyway?
Do we choose not to do them because we feel we have a "right" (or a freedom) to not do them?
Do we do them because we want to be an example to other believers?
Do we not do them so we may lead others astray?
Maybe we should ask ourselves THIS question: "Why does GOD say I need to do them?"
The answer is right there in the passage! (Don't you love it when the answer is obvious?)
Titus 2:5 says, "So that the Word of God is not blasphemed." (Italics mine.)
"So that" means that it is connected to what comes before it. This passage is clearly a list of teaching for older women to give to younger women. If they do not teach it, or if young women do not live it, then the Word of God is in danger of being blasphemed!
Isn't that enough reason to choose His way?
When I study the word in that text, "blasphemed", I find this list of definition for the original text "blasphemeo":
"to vilify, to speak impiously, defame, rail on, revile, speak evil of"
(from Strong's Concordance)
None of that sounds like something we would want to do to the Word of God! But if we choose not to live His way, according to those teachings, isn't that what we are doing?
If we choose not to love our husbands or children (by giving them the affection they need)...if we do not develop the character traits of discretion, chastity, and kindness...if we are not keepers at home...and if we do not submit to our husbands...
...then either we ourselves are blaspheming the Word of God OR we are causing others to do so.
I have heard so many people say that Christians are hypocrites--we tell others what the Bible says to do, but we don't do it. What if we choose to do it His way? Can we prevent others from looking at us as hypocritical? Can we, at least, prevent His Word from being reviled?
I think YES! Yes we can! And we must!
How can we influence anyone else to live His way in any other area of life, if we aren't willing to live His way in the very basic level--as His created female--doing what He created us specifically to do?
I think we can. And now we know why we must!
One step further:
John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Scholars seem to agree this references Jesus, Who was the Word in the flesh.
What if the Word that will be blasphemed is not the text in our Bibles...
...but is our Savior Himself??
So, again--can we prevent JESUS from being reviled, defamed, vilified? YES! By living according to the teachings from Titus 2:4-5. It is for this reason that we must choose His way!
I encourage you to seek out these Scriptures on your own--in your closet, in prayer, in conversation with the Lord. He is your Master. He is your Judge. He is your Savior. He is the One to whom you owe your life as a living sacrifice.
My prayers are with you as you live out His way!
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