A Biblical Woman

What are the characteristics of a Biblical woman? How can we find them? And, more importantly, how can we apply them to today?

Let's look at a few passages. First of all, take Titus 2:3-5.

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

Okay, so, taking that apart, what do we get? A Biblical woman is to be...

-Reverent in behavior

-Not a slanderer

-Not addicted to wine (or anything else)

-A teacher of good

-Loving towards her husband and children

-Self-controlled

-Pure

-Working at home

-Kind

-Submissive to her husband

There we go. Some of that sounds a bit hard... I'm beginning to think that I can't do this on my own. Oh... wait a minute. I'm not supposed to anyway. I'm supposed to do all of this through CHRIST who strengthens me.

Let's look at Proverbs 31:10-31 now, that famous passage of Scripture which outline's a godly woman's character and actions. It's a bit long to post, so you can click on the link and read it for yourself if you like. Okay, what do we see? Some of these things are actions, so we have to think what characteristics these actions spring from and denote.

A Biblical woman is...

-Trustworthy (v. 11)

-A doer of good (v. 12)

-Industrious, a willing worker (v. 13)

-Goes to great lengths to provide for her household (vv. 14-15)

-Economical (vv. 16-19, 22, 24)

-Caring towards the needy (v. 20)

-Devoted to caring for her household (v. 21, 27)

-Clothed with strength and dignity (v. 25)

-Not anxious (v. 25)

-Always teaching kindness (it's on her tongue; I take that to mean, she is always teaching it) (v. 26)

-Always speaking with wisdom (v. 26)

-Not idle (This one, for me, is sometimes a verse that causes pangs in my heart when I compare it with my life.) (v. 27)

-Praiseworthy (vv. 31)

-A homemaker

Wow. That is quite a list to live up to, isn't it? Certainly, it is quite overwhelming. After I read through all of that, I have to just pray and say, "LORD, I can't do this on my own. Father, You have commanded me to be like this, but in my own strength, I cannot. Give me the strength I need to bring glory to Your name."

Alright, last passage. Let's take a quick look at 1 Peter 3:1-6.

"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 - when they see your respectful and pure conduct. Do not let your adorning be external -the braiding of hair, the wearing of gold, or the putting on of clothing - 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. For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening."

Wow. Yet again, a bit overwhelming. Some of the characteristics we have already seen in the other passages, but some we haven't. Let's break it down.

A Biblical woman is...

-Subject to her own husband

-Respectful

-Pure

-Adorned with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit

-Not afraid of anything that is frightening


So there we have it. The characteristics of Godly, Biblical womanhood. A woman is submissive and respectful towards her husband (or, in our cases, the head of our earthly life is our father, for the time being), pure, reverent, kind, and trustworthy. But what I find very interesting is that, while feminism makes this sound as if women are hiding behind their husbands and fathers, and are being held back, a Biblical woman is commanded to "not fear anything that is frightening." She is also strong, both in spirit and body, and she laughs at old age. She is fearless and beautiful, worshiping God in spirit and in truth. This is, indeed, a beautiful woman, and one who I want to be. Will you join me?

"שֶׁקֶר הַחֵן וְהֶבֶל הַיֹּפִי אִשָּׁה יִרְאַת־יְהוָה

הִיא תִתְהַלָּֽל׃"

Or, if you'd rather have that in English...

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."