Application for the Christian Life – Part 2, The Matured Woman
Titus 2:3-5

Having spoken of the conduct of the older matured man, Paul instructs Titus regarding the appropriate conduct for the older matured woman. Paul begins by saying, “The aged women likewise.” The Greek word used here for “likewise” is hosautos (ho-sow'-toce). It means “in the same way.” They are to conduct themselves in the same way that is required of the older matured man. As a result, we might infer that she is required to do all of those things that were becoming of the conduct of an aged man. And it is important to note that Paul doesn't leave us hanging. Instead, he provides for us the reason. The reason is so that their behavior might be becoming to holiness.

Now if ever there was a word that has been misused and abused in the body of Christ, it is the word "holiness."  Although some have made it a denomination, it was never intended to become a denomination. Holiness is, by definition, a way of life. God said in His Word, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:16) Now if we don't understand what is being said, we will be defeated from the start because as hard as we try, not a single one of us will be as holy as God. The command was first given to Israel; they were God's chosen people. God's call was for them to be like Him. Since we have been grafted into the family of God, we who call ourselves Christians are called to be holy. God is calling us to imitate Him. When we look at the character of God, His righteousness, His love, His compassion, and all His virtues, we understand what it means to live holy. As God is righteous, so we are to live righteous lives. As God is compassionate, so we are to show compassion.  In Acts 4:13, the religious leaders were having problems with Peter and John because they had healed a man who was lame from birth. When the people tried to figure out what had happened, Peter and John started telling them about Jesus. So the priests called them into question. This is where Acts 4:13 comes in, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."(KJV) This is what it means to live holy—people which come in contact with you ought to know you’ve been with Jesus.

A woman of maturity should wear clothes which are not too revealing. They ought not to be too provocative. I know God looks at the heart and not at the outward appearance. However, I also believe that God calls both men and women to reflect modesty in appearance and behavior. This doesn't mean ladies should never apply make-up. It doesn't mean they should dress in such a way that they are so homely the only place for them is at home. No, it is alright for women to look attractive; but this doesn't mean to wear clothing that would be seductive or send the wrong signals to men. Believe it or not, there are brothers who struggle when they come to church because of the attire worn by some of the females in the congregation. I know you can say, “Well, if he is a man of God, his mind ought to be elsewhere.” However, men are visually stimulated creatures. It is simply a fact of our make-up. Whether it is intentional or unintentional, a woman will affect a man by what she wears.

The woman of maturity ought not to be a false accuser. It has been jokingly said, “If you want to tell the world, tell a woman!” Ladies, one of the most dangerous and yet one of the greatest forms of technology is the telephone. Like many other wonderful innovations of technology, the telephone can be used for good or bad. The mature woman ought not to be given to gossip. It opens the door for slander. This is so terrible a sin that the devil himself is called the slanderer. This certainly affects men as well—in fact, some more so than women. But let me tell you what James said in James 1:26, "If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.” (KJV) You see, James understood a very important thing about the tongue. In James 3:6, he points out, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."

The woman of maturity ought not to be given to much wine. She is not perfect any more than the matured man. We are all fallen creatures. However, the standards are high just like they are for the aged man, because she is to be a teacher of good things.

No matter how much we verbalize our beliefs, do you not know that our greatest teaching is by example and the testimony within our homes? The number of pregnancies among teenagers, ages 15-19 in 2003 was 746,820. Our young women must be taught the value of keeping themselves pure for their husbands. Sometimes it takes a woman of maturity who is not part of the young woman’s family to befriend her and to teach her how to live for Christ in a sinful and corrupt world. Too many young mothers do not know a single thing about rearing their children. The reason is because they were not taught, and in many instances, their own mothers were not taught. Like an epidemic, this lack of training spreads from one generation to the next. And your complaining serves absolutely no purpose if you are not willing to get involved.

I realize that you cannot help a person who doesn't want to be helped. But make yourself available and someone out there will see your sincerity and respond. It doesn't have to be your daughter or your son. If you are an older person, more than likely your children are adults. None of us is perfect and certainly none of us have been perfect parents. We can all look back and say, “If I had only done this or that one thing differently, it might have made a difference in my son’s or my daughter's life.” The great news is God gives second chances! That young lady who now has a child out of wedlock can be your second chance. The young lady who has just been married and has no idea what marriage is all about can learn from you how to be sober-minded and how to love her husband and children.

William Barclay said,

There is no greater task and responsibility and privilege in this world than to make a home. . . In the last analysis, there can be no greater career than the career of homemaking. How many a man, who has set his mark upon the world, has been enabled to do so simply because there was someone at home who cared for him and loved him and tended him. It is infinitely more important that a mother should be at home to put her children to bed and to hear them say their prayers than that she should attend all the public and Church meetings in the world.

We all realize that we live in a different day and time which requires two incomes. This message is not teaching that women should not work outside the home. However, it might mean living on one income in a smaller house that you can call home instead of living in a mansion you can only call living quarters!

In a time when abortions are on the rise and children are being abandoned, a woman of maturity who is full of earned wisdom can teach our new young mothers how to love their children. Oliver Greene states,

This verse [Titus 2:4] seems unnecessary—and yet it is very important. Most animals will fight and die to protect their young, but some men and women are so totally depraved that they lose all respect and love for their own flesh and blood—their children [cp. child abuse]. The aged saints are to teach the younger women to love their children. Any precious mother with a baby in the home has a full-time job twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. No other person will ever love your child as you love it if you are a true mother. No other person can train and discipline that child, as you will if you are a true mother. No person can take the place of a mother; therefore, mothers should love their children above fame, fortune, beauty, houses, or social prestige. Children should come first in the heart of a mother; and she should forsake all except her husband to give her love, time, and attention to her children. The best friend any child will ever have on the face of this earth is a godly, consecrated mother who loves him. (The Epistles of Paul the Apostle to Timothy and Titus, p. 442f) 

One of the best ways to help our daughters flee immorality is through the mentoring of a matured woman who is able to model chastity. Such a woman can teach young women to take care of their homes. She can teach them what it means to be discreet in their conduct, especially in the raising of their children. Webster defines ‘discreet’ as being "careful about what one says or does." So many times women have become mad at their husbands and after putting him down in front of their children, they have put their children in the middle of family fights. A husband may have a variety of faults and may be lacking in the skills of being a good husband. Nevertheless, if the kids are his, he is still their father.

I know that it is difficult for women to say Amen to a lot of these things. But the Bible has said that a wife is to also be obedient to her own husband. He may not be perfect, but he is the man that she married. His flaws may be many and his mistakes extensive. The Bible says that she is to be obedient to her husband.

Now men, this doesn't mean that you are going to always be right. It doesn't mean that you are the boss of your house. We are not called to be the boss of our families; instead we are called to lead our families. This means leading them God’s way in a way that He is honored. It doesn’t mean that we are to be verbally or physically abusive. It doesn’t mean to be disrespectful. It simply means that we are to love our wives as Christ loved the Church (Eph. 5:25). When a man loves his woman like Christ loved the Church, a woman will love her man just like the Church ought to love the Lord.

Now why in the world would a woman want to do all of these things? Well, Paul said she should do it so that the Word of God would not be blasphemed. You see, ladies, when you rebel against God's principles and refuse to obey His Word, Paul said it is like blaspheming or speaking irreverently about God’s Word. Maybe you’ve tried everything to make your marriage work and it is just not working. Rather than disobey the Lord and blaspheme against the Word of the Lord, turn your husband, your son, and/or your daughter over to the Lord, for sometimes only He can work it out.

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