Wednesday, August 11, 2010

woman to woman (4b) a Titus 2 curriculum: the Bible and sound doctrine

In Titus 2:3-5 God encourages older women to teach younger women. But what are we to teach? Top of the list is the gospel of grace; second on the list is God's word and big truths about God.

2. The Bible and sound doctrine

It's sometimes argued that women shouldn't teach doctrine, even to women. That's because the list in Titus 2:4-5 focuses on lifestyle, not doctrine, and because men are responsible for the teaching and theological direction of a church (1 Tim 2:11-15, 1 Cor 14:26-39).

But if older women are to teach young women what “accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1), older women need to understand great truths about God and learn to handle the word of God correctly (2 Tim 2:15). When I mentor a young woman, I begin with the same topics as my husband when he mentors a young man: salvation, assurance, the authority of the Bible, and so on. As needed, I'll address topics like the Trinity, the role of the Spirit and predestination. The main thing we'll do is simply learn from God's word together.

At the heart of godly womanhood is confident trust in God—an inner strength that comes from a deep knowledge of the Bible and of God's sovereign purposes. Only a woman who ‘hopes in God’ and who ‘doesn't fear what is frightening’ will have the courage for submission, and will display “the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” (1 Pet 3:1-7). Women, like men, need roots that go deep into God's word and God's truth.

In her book One to One, Sophie de Witt says that the Bible, prayer and friendship are the three pillars of discipleship. Do you open the Bible when you encourage other women? Do you help each other understand the big truths of the Bible? What stops us from doing this?

image is from jhall987 at flickr

3 comments:

Fiona McLean said...

I was encouraged by these words today (especially by the last paragraph). Thanks, Jean.

Fiona McLean

BG said...

Hi Jean,
I know this might sound like a strange one, but I think often my pride is what sometimes stops me from using the Bible in my One to Ones. It is easy to take pleasure in being the expert on life matters, rather than turning to God and letting him be the one who dictates what we should talk about and how we should live our lives.
I also think we often don't use the Bible because in our heart of hearts we don't believe that it is really all that powerful and relevant.
But I have been struck over and ove again by how powerful it is, and how whatever happens to come up in the book we are studying is always has great relevance and has much to challenge whoever I am meeting- as well as me.
Go the Bible!
love Belinda

Jean said...

Go the Bible indeed, B!

Glad you were encouraged Fiona.