Women are Being Duped!

 

Feminine Sins 

The daughters of Eve are being seduced.  Feminine temptations to sin are the same today as they were in the garden. That wile Serpent still whispers in the ear of women “God is holding back on you! You know better than God! You be you! You fulfill your dreams! Put yourself first” I see women everywhere nodding in agreement.

An Apology 

It is appropriate to start with an apology. For far too long I did not speak to women as women. I spoke to women with kid gloves on. I arrogantly thought Christian women couldn’t handle what God had to say to them. I tiptoed, walked on eggshells, beat around the bush, scared of the women in the church. It was cowardly. It was belittling. On behalf of the few pastors who would stand with me, I am sorry. We are sorry. I will speak to you as a woman. You can hear what God says to you without flinching! Cant you?

Giftings 

Now, back to deception. I think the center of deception for women in our moment in history is the celebration of “Gifts” without restraint. I see many women so embracing their giftings to the point that they are finding their identity in them. With the aid of feminism, self-care garbage, egalitarians, and soft-complementarians women are encouraged to embrace their gifts and use them in whatever way they so choose. But sister, you are more than your gifting. Your abilities do not define you and your abilities must be submitted to God’s word. You don’t have the liberty to use your gifting any way you see fit. Neither do I.

That is one reason I love the Proverbs 31 woman. Go ahead, open it up, and take a fresh look. A few things to note about this woman; her husband trusts in her, she works hard, she feeds her family, she buys a field to aid her work at home, she sees her merchandise is profitable, she helps the poor, she clothes her family for winter, and so on. I want you to notice something that is so crucial. As the noblewoman is working from home, she perceives her merchandise is profitable. What does she do? She sits on it. Why? Because her gifts are not her identity. It is not until verse 24 after her household is taken care of that she sends her garments to the merchants. Notice, the Proverbs 31 woman didn’t have to do what she wanted when she wanted. She was gifted to make clothes, but she was called to the home and she knew that was the priority. A woman like this deserves to be praised!

Callings 

Ladies, I want you to consider your calling. Calling is more important than gifting. Titus two tells us very plainly the calling of the woman. Notably, the chapter does not say anything at all about gifting. It is about calling. You may say: “Well I am not built for this. God did not wire me to be fulfilled doing that.” Okay, Eve… Suppose a husband said to his wife, “Babe, loving you as Christ loves the church does not fulfill me. He did not wire me to be the husband of one wife.” What would we all say? “Love your wife man! Obey! It does not matter if loving your wife makes you fulfilled or not!” Ladies, listen to this from 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.” That is your calling no matter what your gifting! Every one of you. You don’t get to opt-out of this!

Remember, you are a Christian woman, you can hear this without flinching! Ladies, you are called to the home. It is not your only calling, but it is where your glory is. There is a time for you to use your gifting elsewhere and within the parameters of God’s word. But your gifting is meant to shine the brightest in the context of your calling. Working outside the home is not bad. Growing in your gifting is not bad. But don’t drink the cool-aid. Your opportunity for kingdom impact starts in the home not out there!

Gospel 

Now ladies, lest you feel condemned. Let me remind you of Jesus. Jesus came to do the will of the Father. He did not question his Father’s words or put his fingers in his ears and hum when his Father was speaking. He obeyed in your place. You don’t have to approach these passages as if it’s all up to you. You must understand the gospel before you can properly obey. So by God’s grace, run to the cross and find rest for your soul. Then, you will be ready to obey God properly. You can be a woman of gratitude, not condemnation.

They Exist 

You may think women like this are unicorns. But church history is full of them. Today, you can find them around. I am married to one of these earth-shakers. I am a member of a church that is full of them. So sisters, look to the word, not to the world. See what God has plainly called you to. Rest in the finished work of Christ, and by that grace take dominion of this world through your home.