Women Training Women

Training in Godliness in the Context of the Local Church

Introduction: Talk Slowly they don’t know your accent.

Elizabeth Elliot. Wife of Jim Elliot. Tell their story.

Went back to the States to write and teach younger women.

She taught that godliness wasn’t glamorous, but holy and mattered deeply.

This is one example of what Paul meant in Titus chapter 2.

Context:

This was a pastoral letter.

Paul wrote this to a young Titus who was going through opposition from ungodly people.

Titus was written to strengthen and establish churches to do the work.

Paul probably wrote this in 60s A.D. close to his death.

Sermon Idea: Godliness in young women comes through the training from older women (vv.4-6)

What godliness are we talking about exactly?

PNPS: Older women are to train younger women, in their own life and through instruction, how to be godly in the home in six different ways: love, self-control, pure, not neglecting their home, kind, and submissive, so the church does not hurt it’s testimony.

Verse 1:

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

The “but” forces us to go back. (False teachers). Read verses 10-15 slowly.

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. 12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.

Talking to Titus.

“Healthy doctrine.”

Completely contrary to the false teachers

Verse 2:

2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Older men ages 50-60 should have these characteristics.

“Sober-minded” means not given to any extremes especially alcohol.

“Dignified” or worthy of respect

“self-controlled” not given to his passions

Older men should be healthy in faith, love, and steadfastness.

Fatih and love are the engine for steadfastness.

Older men are supposed to be leaders in the church. Elders as Paul talks about earlier in Titus.

Older men that don’t have these characteristics should not be elders.

Older men that don’t have these characteristics should not be leaders.

It’s a tall task but a noble one.

These older men are supposed to be role models and spiritual mentors for young Christian men who are confused about manhood and what that means.

We’ll look more at men, specifically young men next week.

The first way in which older women can train younger women is through their own life.

1. Older Women train young women through your life.

Verse 3a:

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine

“Likewise” women (50-60s) are supposed to be similar to the older men.

These older women are to be highly esteemed. Paul sure values them highly.

They are supposed to have similar characteristics.

“reverent in behavior”

“Holy in character”

The aged women should be in a habit of becoming holy.

Let me ask you women: Are you in the habit of becoming holy? Are you in the habit of becoming reverent in behavior?

Women are also not to be “slanderers”

The Greek word for slanderers is also devil.

John 8:44 ESV

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Slander is malicious lying about somebody.

Do you lie about other people?

Do you spread things that might not be true as gossip?

Slander usually come from a deeper root issue.

What you say comes from the heart:

Bitterness

Unresolved hurt

Unforgiveness

Jealousy

Older women are not to be slaves to alcohol.

This isn’t only talking about wine, but all forms of alcohol.

Don’t be bound by your love for alcohol. In whatever form.

Don’t be bound by your desire for alcohol.

All of these things are so that the older women would set an example for the younger women in their conduct.

Older women who practiced these things were sure to stand out in the Cretan culture. They were not like this at all.

If you as a unbeliever see an older believer lying about another, or getting drunk, are you going to be wanting to become holy?

Older women are to train younger women through the good actions of their life and through instruction.

2. Older Women train young women through instruction.

This comes from the end of 3b-4a:

“They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women.”

The older women are supposed to train younger women in the home.

Although women should not teach or have authority over men (1 Tim. 2.12), “they have a God-given responsibility to formally and informally teach children, especially their own, and younger women in the church.”

Some of these work outside the home but they are mainly for home life. The older women are to train the younger women in six areas:

V. 4b

To love their family

Not all of you are married but you could work on loving your family right now.

Paul writes this to explain that they should be loving their families in the companionship kind of way.

In this day, marriage was a financial and political arrangement that had nothing to do with feelings many times. Paul is encouraging the older women to show love to their family despite the more earthly arrangement.

The Greek word philandros. Explain meaning.

This is not sexual or based on the husband’s worthiness of love but on God’s command.

JMac notes: “Where there is genuine practical love, genuine emotional love is sure to follow.”

You want the emotional love? Love practically! Love genuinely!

This is not the agapē form of love mentioned in other Scriptures.

This is a friendly form of love. Like you would love a friend. Like Allan has shown us love by giving us a place to stay, food to eat, and giving us the gift of letting us teach.

The younger women are supposed to do this with their husbands and children.

A marriage relationship is built and maintained by this mutual love and affection for each other.

This realm of the family is super important. Training women in the home to be loving is vital for the next generation.

Not only is Paul establishing generational discipleship within the context of the local church (women training women) but also in the home.

V.5

Self-controlled

Also urge younger women to be trained in self-control.

We can easily tell when someone is not self-controlled.

They are controlled by their bodies, and not pure.

They are controlled by their tongues spouting whatever comes to their minds.

They are controlled by their desire for comfort in being lazy. Not keeping busy at home.

They are controlled by their unkindness as towards their family.

They are controlled by their desire for authority and not submissive.

Women instruct younger women to be self-controlled!

Pure

Young women, how pure are your thoughts?

When you see that good-looking guy walking by, do you lust or desire him in a sinful way?

Matthew 5:27-30. (Applies to women too).

Older women, how are you encouraging younger women to act in a pure way?

Working at home

“Keeping busy at home” or “not neglecting the home.”

This would not have been a crazy command for these Christians.

Paul is not saying that women should only work in the home.

This is not a limiting command. Paul is saying that they should not neglect their home.

This was the habit of some.

Paul is not saying this to oppress women, nor would the women of the time have taken it that way.

Paul is trying to explain to the women the beauty and gentleness the women are supposed to bring to the home.

Women understand the importance of caring for the home and children. This is a divine role of mother, wife, and homemaker.

Women how are you caring for the needs of your home?

For those of you that aren’t married, how are you working on being a homemaker right now?

Kind

Women if we were to ask your friends and family, are you kind or good to those around you?

Talk about my own struggle with this.

It is not easy, but it’s godly.

Older women, how are you setting an example in being kind to other people?

Lastly…

Submissive to their own husbands

A commentator named Larson notes that: “Paul’s command for submission was given in the middle voice. This means that the woman was to submit herself. The husband must not take it upon himself to make his wife submissive.

This biblical leadership men are supposed to have, is not

Giving women all the dirty work

Exerting all the power in the world

Being rude or cut ordering your wife around

This biblical leadership is:

Self-sacrificing

Serving your wife

Leading towards Christ

Fanning her flame of the faith.

Women, submissive to your husband. Even if he doesn’t exhibit these characteristics.

Don’t sin in order to submit.

Obey God no matter what.

But submit nonetheless.

Why should women do these things? Paul tells us:

V. 5b

That the word of God may not be reviled

Reviled or blasphemed.

The best testimony to unbelievers is not the what you say but what you do.

Actions speak louder than words.

Women you want to serve Christ well? You want to honor God and help nonbelievers come to faith?

Do these things!

If you don’t…

You hurt the testimony of the Church.

You blaspheme the word of God!

You are disobeying God’s commands!

So…

Older women are to train younger women, in their own life and through instruction, how to be godly in the home in six different ways: love, self-control, pure, not neglecting their home, kind, and submissive, so the church does not hurt it’s testimony.

What is a practical way to put this in practice?

Older women, seek younger women to mentor and disciple!

Instruct them in the proper way and train them according to God’s Word.

Younger women, seek younger women to mentor and disciple you.

Heed the instructions of the older women. They are to be loved and cherished.

Don’t just listen to their advice but put it into practice.

Younger women, work on doing these good things in your life. Be self-controlled, love people well, be pure and kind.

Conclusion

Remember Elizabeth Elliot. She was a model for younger women.

She was submissive to her husband in going to Equador.

She cared for her children, her husband, and took care of her house.

Women should be training younger women. This is what Paul wanted for the structure and oder of the local church.

Let’s pray.