We can never underestimate the value of women in our society and in the church. We need Godly women today that we can look up to. The church cannot be the church that God intends for it to be without Godly women who love the Lord. The women of the church are important and valuable beyond measure.

                The Presence of the Women. In Acts 1:14 we find the disciples of Jesus in the upper room praying and waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Along with the disciples we see Mary, the mother of Jesus, and the women. There were women present at the birth of the church. They were there from the very beginning. The presence of women in the church is paramount to the life and ministry of the church. Ladies, your presence makes a difference. You are needed in the church. You are valuable to the church. The church cannot be what it needs to be without you here.

                The Maturity of the Women. In 2 Timothy 1:5 and 3:14-15 Paul mentions how Timothy was raised by His mother and grandmother who taught Him the scriptures. The fact that Lois and Eunice taught Timothy and made him the pastor that he was, is a testimony to their spiritual maturity. We should be thankful for the spiritual maturity of the women of the church. Think of the women in your life that faithfully taught you the Word of God and set an example for you. The church needs spiritually mature women in the church to provide guidance and wisdom for us all.

                The Character of the Women. 1 Timothy 2:9-15. There are two things we see about the character of women in the church. (1) Modest. The women of the church should dress and conduct themselves in a modest fashion. A good rule of thumb when it comes to modest is: Does my appearance and conduct draw attention to me or to Jesus? The desire of every Godly woman should be to draw attention to Jesus and not to themselves. (2) Submission. The Bible is very clear about the equal value of men and women and the different roles of men and women. It is the responsibility of the men of the church to lead. The office of pastor and deacon is reserved for men. The administration of the church is the responsibility of the men. This is why Paul tells Timothy that the women should not be in an authoritative role in the church. They are to remain silent and allow the men to fulfill their God-given role of leadership. The downfall of many churches begin when women assume positions of authority in the church. It is imperative that we stay true to God’s design for men and women. The Godly women of the church who truly love the Lord will understand and embrace their role and will have no issue with Godly and Biblical submission to the authority and leadership of the men. The women of the church should display the Godly character of modesty and submission.

                The Behavior of the Women. In Titus 2:3 we see instruction given as to the behavior of the women. (1) Holiness. The women are instructed to behave in a manner that is holy. They are to be pure and live a life free from sin. (2) Honest. The women are to be honest. They should not falsely accuse someone or spread gossip. (3) Not given to wine. The women are to follow the Biblical principle of caring for themselves. They should not partake of substances that would cause them harm or to lose control. (4) Teachers of good things. The women are to teach and practice things that are good. They should be innocent and far removed from evil.

                The Responsibility of the Women. Verses 4-5 of Titus 2 lays out the responsibilities women of the church have. There are several responsibilities listed. (1) Teach one another. Paul tells Timothy that the older women are to teach the younger. This may be looked at as age, also as maturity. The women who are mature in the faith are to teach other women. They are to teach them how to live Godly lives and how to fulfil their God-given roles as women. (2) Be Sober. The term ‘sober’ means to be disciplined or to have a sound mind. One of the responsibilities women of the church have is to live a disciplined life. They are to be disciplined in spiritual disciplines and in all facets of life. (3) Love their husbands. The women of the church are also to love their husbands. Such love is not a feeling or an emotion. Love is a choice. Women are to love their husbands unconditionally. Loving their husbands is also tied to demonstrating respect for their husbands. (4) Love their children. It is interesting that Paul listed loving their husbands before loving their children. A Godly woman cannot love her children without loving her husband. The two go hand in hand. Loving her children is again an unconditional love, not based on the merits of the children. It is loving them no matter what. (5) Be discreet. To be discreet is to have good judgement. It is the ability to make wise decisions. Godly women should be able to make good judgments and wise decisions when it comes to their everyday responsibilities. (6) Chaste. The women of the church also have a responsibility to be chaste. To be chaste is to be restrained and to be morally pure. (7) Keepers of the home. We live in a world where most women today work outside the home. This is perfectly fine and good. However, God’s purpose and design for women is to be keepers of the home. Therefore, a Godly woman will not neglect her responsibilities at home even if she has a job outside the home. (8) Obedient to their own husbands. If a woman has a husband that loves the Lord, there is no excuse to not be obedient to the scriptures by living submissively. In the Christian home, the man is the head and ultimately the man is the final decision maker. Godly Women should help their husbands in that role by listening to their husbands, respecting them, and lovingly serving them without complaint.

                The women of the church are very valuable and important. Their lifestyle is an example of the relation between Christ and His church. Women should embrace their God-given role with joy. By doing so, they are living as missional women.