As we make our way through the book of Titus we have looked at what God expects from the older men of the church. Now he turns to the older women of the church. His first phrase is that they are “likewise.” Therefore, we must look to verse 2 to find out what he is talking about. He says the older women are to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, and patient like the older men. (For an explanation of these character traits read yesterday’s post Behavior Of Older Men.) Paul then adds to these character traits.
Titus 2:2-3 “That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women, likewise, that they are in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;”
The first on his separate list for women is that their behavior becomes holiness, which means to be reverent. The Greek word for holiness here is hieroprepes. This Greek word is found nowhere else in the Bible. Those who are saved are called to be holy. In I Peter 1:15-16, we are instructed to be holy because the one who made us and called us to himself is holy. In verse 15 we are called to be holy in all of our conduct. This would include our clothing, our speech, our actions, and our attitudes toward others. Our desire to be like Jesus should influence our conduct at all times. While no one is sinless because we still have a sinful nature in these mortal bodies, we are to live in such a way that sin is not normal behavior for us. It should be an exception, not a customary practice. Our lives are to be lived as it states in I Corinthians 10:31 “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Living our lives in the light of living for Him helps us to order our steps to be holy. The command to be holy should govern our entire life. It should make us think before we act.
I Peter 1:15–16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
Living a holy life will take care of the rest of the commands of this verse. We are not to be false accusers. In other words, don’t lie. The Greek word for false accusers is diabolous, this is the title for Satan or devil. In John 8:14 Jesus calls him the Father of lies, This allows us to see how series lying is to God. When we are living for the glory of God, we will be broken when we sin. At the moment you say that lie, the moment you accuse someone falsely there should be a pain of guilt that floods your soul.
John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar and the father of it.”
Women as mentioned in the verse addressed to the men, are not to be under the power of alcohol. This would include any substance that can impair our behavior or our thinking. In Ephesians 5:18 we are not to be controlled by anything except the Holy Spirit. We are to be filled with the Spirit. When something is full there is no room for anything else.
Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;”
Then Paul turns the corner and begins a long list of what the women should teach. There’s to much for this devotional, but in short, Paul says to teach them good things. This should cause us to think and examine all of our actions to see if they are honoring God. Are we teaching them good things or are we teaching them to gossip, be busybodies, or be lazy? In I Timothy 5:13, Paul warns against these things being a danger to the younger women.
I Timothy 5:13 “And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.”
As an older woman, I realize the command from God is to live a life that represents Him well. I am to represent Him in my conduct, attitude, and what I say. This command should challenge all women. We all have someone younger than us to influence. However, if a person is not learning and living a godly life as a younger woman, it will be difficult to ever influence anyone when you are older to be what God designed them to be.
Paul continues in the next few verses to tell Titus what to teach the women in the church at Crete. We will break down the next few verses in Titus 2 in devotionals to come. They are tall orders, but with God’s help, we can be what He wants us to be.
