God's Plan for Older Women

Titus 2:3-4a

Sunday, April 25, 2010

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Our series of studies in Titus is a great blessing. The more I study this, the more I am convinced that this letter should be taught carefully in all churches. This letter has only three short chapters that can fill less than 2 pages but it is so full of lessons that will bring great benefit to the church.

 

We are right now in chapter 2 but before going to our study, let me just share with you a few comments based on our study of chapter 1  for the sake of those who have not been with us when we were in that   chapter. There were two very important things that we learned from chapter 1 of this letter.

 

First, the issue of church leadership, or specifically, eldership. Some may think that they don't have to listen to that because it is not relevant to their lives. Those who say that do not realize that that attitude is sinful because they are rejecting the Word of God. Don't ever reject anything from the Word of God. Don't ever say, "I am not going to listen to that because it is not relevant." Is that how you read your Bible? Do you skip many portions of Scripture when you do your Quiet Time because they are not relevant to you at that particular time? The study on church leadership is essential. This is why there are too many portions of Scripture that address it such as Acts 20, 1Ti 3, Titus 1, and 1Pet 5. Even the world recognizes the importance of having standards for the leaders in government. You always hear that in the advertisements, especially during this election period. Many churches are suffering right now because they have appointed wrong leaders.

 

The second thing Paul addressed in the first chapter is false teachers. Again, what an important topic! False teaching and false teachers are the reasons why we have most of the New Testament epistles. The main reason why we have this letter of Paul to Titus was because of false teachers influencing Christian families on the island of Crete. This topic is very important. Again, don't reject it because you may think that it is not relevant. And are you better than God? God thinks it is important that is why He had it written in our Bibles in so many places. [Illustration: Share the error of Bro. Eddie Villanueva's greetings to Mr. Quiboloy and his congregation during the 25^th anniversary of the Kingdom of Jesus, the name above all names.]

 

This month of April, we came to chapter 2 of this letter. Here Paul describes the kind of living that corresponds with sound doctrine. He gives an exhortation that is absolutely essential to produce a healthy church. Paul's teaching here is not only very practical, it is also very specific. He addresses different age and gender groups in the local church and he exhorts them to live in a certain manner. Let me give two comments on this.

 

1.    First, as I reflected on this section (2:1-10), I realized that this can be used to objectively evaluate the spiritual health of local churches.

 

We have here a God-given counsel which we can use to find out whether our church is healthy or sick.

 

To put it in practical terms, there are leaders who are quite content that their church is theologically sound and that they have clear mission statement, vision, core values, and organizational structure. Being theologically sound is of course very important so that you do not fall into heresy and be classified as a cult. And having a clear mission and vision statement has its place for the orderly functioning of the church. But let us not make this mistake. Having an orthodox Statement of Faith, a clear mission statement, and an excellent organizational structure is quite worthless if what Paul says in this section does manifest in the different groups of people in a local church.

 

Do you remember what James says in James chapter 2 verses 19 and 17?

·            James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!

·            James 2:17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

 

Likewise, you may say, "Do you have a clear mission, vision and core values? Do you have a clear organizational structure? Can the members of your church state them clearly? If you can, then you do well. But even demons have those things, in the sense that they are very much committed to their mission and organizational structure. I say this because of the statement of the Lord Jesus when He was accused of doing His miracles in the power of the prince of demons. He said in Luke 11:18, "And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?"

 

My point is that even if a local church has a clear mission statement, an excellent organizational structure, etc., if the members do not have the kind of life that Paul describes here in Titus 2:1-10, then they are nothing. They are no different from demons.

 

If we want to know if we are really ok in the eyes of God then we should find out if the different age and gender groups in our church are living according the standard that Paul has laid down for his readers here in Titus 2:1-10.

 

·            Are the older men in our church sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness?

·            Are the older women reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine? Do you teach what is good, and are they training the young women?

·            Do they young women love their husbands and children? Are they self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, so that the word of God may not be reviled.

·            Are the young men self-controlled among other things?

·            Do the church leaders show themselves in all respects to be a model of good works, and in their teaching show integrity, dignity,  8  and sound speech that cannot be condemned?

·            Are slaves (or in contemporary terms, "house help" or "employees") submissive to their employers in everything; well-pleasing, not argumentative,  10  not pilfering, but showing all good faith?

 

Do you see how this section (2:1-10) can be used to objectively evaluate the spiritual health of local churches?

 

2.    My second comment is this: The godly behavior that Paul is describing here is not culturally bound to the first century but rooted in "sound doctrine."

 

This is the reason why he says in Titus 2:15 ESV  Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

 

Today's Study

 

Let's now come to our study. Last time, we looked at what Paul wanted Titus to tell the older men to be. We learned that in Titus 2:2. Today, we are going to look at Paul's instructions to older women (Titus 2:3-4a).

 

The Greek word that Paul uses here for "older women," presbútis (pl. presbútidas), means an "older, elderly or aged woman; an adult female advanced in years." Paul does not specify the age a woman to qualify as older. Paul could be referring to an age when women could no longer bear children (which normally ends at about 40 years of age) and they would no longer be raising children as younger mothers would. Perhaps he is referring to women that are at least 60 years old. That is the age that Paul mentions in 1Ti 5:9 in regard to widows who are qualified to be put on the list to receive financial support from the church (1 Timothy 5:9 ESV  Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age...).

 

Older women who are godly are a great blessing in the church.

 

MacArthur: Women are to be a godly resource in the church. Back in 1 Timothy chapter 5, older women who become widows are singled out and those women, he says in verse 9, who are 60 years and older who have been one-man women, chaste, faithful, pure wives who had a good reputation for good works, who brought up children, who showed hospitality to strangers and washed the saints' feet and assisted those in distress and devoted themselves to every good work, those women you need to take care of them. Now if they have a family, let the family take care of them. If they don't have anybody to take care of them at all, he says in that same chapter, and their only hope is in God, then you take care of them. Those kinds of women are worthy of your care. Bring them into the church, put them on the list of cared widows. They're precious.

 

Sinning women who haven't been faithful and weren't faithful to their husbands and didn't bring up children properly and didn't show hospitality to strangers and weren't known for their good works and all of that, why you don't put those on the list. No, the Scripture exalts those women who are godly women. And they should be brought into the church to be models to the younger women.

 

God expects older women to live in a certain way. They should be instructed in these matters.

 

·            Titus 2:1 ESV  But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.

·            Titus 2:3-5 ESV  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  4  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,  5  to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

 

If older women don't live the kind of life expected of them, they should be admonished. (Titus 2:15 ESV  Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.).

 

Older women, if the pastor or elder corrects you regarding your conduct, your attitude and your duty, you are not to resent it but accept it. God has given a charge to pastors to do that. Listen to how other translations render Titus 2:15:

 

·            (AMP) Tell [them all] these things. Urge (advise, encourage, warn) and rebuke with full authority. Let no one despise or disregard or think little of you [conduct yourself and your teaching so as to command respect].

·            (NLT)  You must teach these things and encourage your people to do them, correcting them when necessary. You have the authority to do this, so don't let anyone ignore you or disregard what you say.

 

 

However, older women are to be admonished gently. (1 Timothy 5:1-2 ESV  Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father. Treat younger men like brothers,  2  older women like mothers...)

 

MacArthur: Do you know that if an older woman isn't what God wants her to be, she's to be rebuked also? 1 Timothy 5:1-2 says, "If you have to rebuke an older woman, rebuke her as a mother." It's hard to rebuke your mother, isn't it? Well nigh impossible because you have so much love and so much respect because your heart gets in the way of your head. But sometimes older women need to be rebuked but it must be done gently and lovingly and graciously and kindly and they must be treated with the dignity and respect that a mother deserves.

 

We should all remember what Exodus 21 says:

·            Exodus 21:15 ESV  "Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death.

·            Exodus 21:17 ESV  "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death.

 

Now let's look at God's plan for older women. Let's see what those qualities are that the apostle Paul said should be manifested in the lives of older women.

 

1.    Older women are to have the same behavior as those expected of older men.

·            Those virtues before recommended to older men in Titus 2:2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.), are not applicable to them only, but also to older women. (Titus 2:3  Older women likewise.)

·            The word "likewise," an adverb of manner which means "in like manner, just so." The mention of "likewise" in vv. 3 and 6 points to the fact that the same kind of behavior is expected for all age groups in the body of Christ, older men and women and younger women and men.

 

2.    Older women are to be reverent in behavior.

Reverent (hieroprepēs). The Greek word is mentioned only in Tit 2:3 and it means "to act like a sacred person" (The Complete WordStudy Dictionary). Other commentators say that "reverent" literally means "suitable to a sacred person," or a "priestess in a temple."

In behavior (en katástēma). "Behavior" refers to manner of life, conduct in all respects and on all occasions, demeanor or inner character.

 

So, to be reverent in behavior means to act like a sacred person. In other words, they're holy. In dress, in speech, in conduct, they are to reflect their holy calling. They were not to be like the world, but like the church, decent without, and adorned with holiness within. The reverent woman fears God and lives in His presence.

 

What do they look like.

·           Luke 2:36-38 ESV  And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,  37  and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.  38  And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

·            1 Timothy 2:9-10 ESV  likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire,  10  but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works.

·            1 Timothy 3:11 ESV  Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.

·            1 Timothy 5:5-10 ESV  She who is truly a widow, left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day,  6  but she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.  7  Command these things as well, so that they may be without reproach.  ... 9  Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband,  10  and having a reputation for good works: if she has brought up children, has shown hospitality, has washed the feet of the saints, has cared for the afflicted, and has devoted herself to every good work.

·            1 Peter 3:1-5 ESV  Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives--  2  when they see your respectful and pure conduct.  3  Do not let your adorning be external--the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing--  4  but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.  5  For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands,

 

3.    Older women are not to be slanderers (me diábolos)

·            The word "slanderer" comes from the Greek word "diabolos." A term used 34 times in the NT to describe Satan, the arch-slanderer.

·            Slanderer means a false accuser, one who falsely accuses and divides people without any reason.

·            The old Webster dictionary defines "slander" this way: "a false tale or report maliciously uttered. and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing min to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of living."

·            MacArthur: Nothing is more Satanlike than slander. And whereas men tend to sin and violently react physically ... women have a tendency to be rough or violent in their words. Satan is a malicious slanderer, slandering night and day. Don't be Satanlike. Older women may have in the island of Crete as elsewhere found themselves with a lot of time on their hands they were given over to talk. And that talk became gossip, criticism, fault finding, slander. Paul says that's the devil's work. Older women should not vent their depravity through their speech.

 

4.    Older women are not to be slaves to much wine.

·            Steven Cole: There is a connection between a loose tongue and intoxicating drink. A woman who drinks too much will probably talk too much.

·            Preceptaustin. "Enslaved" (douloo) means to bring into bondage or to make a slave and in the perfect tense emphasizes the completed state or permanent condition of being held and controlled by wine. Even worse an older believer who becomes addicted brings dishonor to the Lord's name, sullies the reputation of the church, and more often than not leads others into following their ungodly example. The warnings against malicious talk and addiction to wine reflect a popular stereotype of an old woman.

·            MacArthur: "Not enslaved to much wine." This term refers to a drunkard. It's a strong term. Apparently in Crete as elsewhere, older people turn to stimulants to refresh their weary bodies, tired minds, and he says your women are not to do that. Your women don't need to become slaves to that. It must have been a common thing as it even is today. These older believers are not to become drunkards, they're not to give themselves to wine, they're to maintain their senses. ... Perhaps in the pain of their old age and maybe even in the loneliness of their old age they wanted to dull their senses a bit and so they gave themselves over to these things and he says that's not fitting. They need to be in full use of their senses for God's holy purposes. They are to be like priests who draw into the presence of God. Their tongue is to speak nothing but that which is edifying and seasoned with grace, never are they to talk like the devil does, slandering or gossiping and never are they to become slaves of anything that inebriates them or takes away their senses.

5.    Older women are to teach what is good. (kalodidaskalos)

·            The Lord intends for older women to be teachers.

·            Calvin. It is not enough for older women to be decent. They are also to be teachers and trainers of young women to live a decent and chaste life.

·            NIVBC: By personal word and example, they must teach what is morally good, noble, and attractive. The reference is not to public instruction, but to their teaching function in the home.

·            John Gill: the old women should be teachers, not of old wives' fables, of superstitious customs, rites, and ceremonies, of the intrigues of love, and of things filthy and obscene...; but of things that are solid and substantial, useful and improving, honest and honorable, chaste and pure.

·            One commentator says, "The idea in the word ‘teach' is not some kind of formal thing. It's not conducting seminars, writing a book, making tapes, holding formal classes--it is the idea of "the very life they live becoming a model of a pattern of goodness." Older women, when their children are grown and gone and they reach the senior years, are not supposed to just wander away from the church and travel around as if they had no responsibility. In their older years they are responsible to become teachers of the next generation. They do that by mentoring, by disciplining, by modeling, by setting the example of godly living with regard to marriage, and the family, and the home."

 

6.    Older women are to train (sōphronizō) the young women.

Older women have a duty to teach and correct the younger women

 

·            NIVBC: The training of the younger women is the duty, not of Titus, but the older women, qualified to do so by position and character.

 

·            NET Bible translation note: "This verb sōphronizō denotes teaching in the sense of bringing people to their senses, showing what sound thinking is."

Amplified: So that they will wisely train the young women to be asane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined)

KJV: That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

Weymouth: They should school the young women

Young's Literal Translation: that they may make the young women sober-minded,

 

·            Constable: "We have bought into the notion that older people have had their day of usefulness and ought to make way for the young. But the principle here is quite the opposite. With age and experience come wisdom, and many older women have discovered secrets of godly living in relation to their husbands, children and neighbors and in the workplace that could save younger women a lot of unnecessary grief. And when the unavoidable trials come to the young woman, who better to guide her through than an older sister who has been through it before? Somehow the church must see that younger women have contact with older women." 50 Towner, p. 237.

 

Let me close with this prayer of John MacArthur. This is the same prayer that we want for our older women and the church.

"Father, thank You for our time this morning in Your Word and the wonderful practicality of it. Thank You for the richness this church has in its senior saints and, O God, how we pray that they'll be the kind of people You want them to be and that they might bring great stability, great strength and character and wisdom to this congregation, that You'll give them a ministry in the lives of the youth of this church and those in the middle years that the lessons that they have learned and the character they have developed can become that which is passed on to the following generations. Preserve Your church, Lord, as the older generation who walked with You for so many years pass on the great life-changing truths and their practical implications. Bless this congregation. Bless its seniors and make them all that You want them to be and we'll give You praise in Christ's name. Amen."