Teaching Women to Live in these Last days

Teaching Christian Women to Live in These Last Days

Living as a Christian has never been particularly easy.  Living in these End Times though, can be even harder. Teaching Christian women how to live in these End Times is therefore an important task.  There are so many distractions today -- distractions which our parents and grandparents never experienced.  These distractions can pull a woman away from following Christ and from living the Christian life.  There are also many sins and temptations in these End Times.  The world and the flesh are still around.  The Devil isn't going away.  How shall we then live?

Upon What Should All Teaching of Women to Live in These End Times be Based?

Teaching Christian Women to live in End Times must be based on the Bible.  Why?  The reason for this is that only the Bible was actually inspired by God:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Timothy 3:16)

We can see from this verse that the Bible is "profitable" for "instruction".  There are certainly other sources that could be used for instruction other than the Bible.  Nevertheless, there is no better source than the Bible, because the Bible came from God Himself.  Also, if you want to use any other source, such a source must always be compared with the Bible, to make sure that it is in agreement with what the Bible says.  Otherwise, you might end up teaching things contrary to God's Word, which would be a sin.

Who is Qualified to Teach Women to Live in These End Times?

First and foremost, any teacher who wishes to teach Christians should be converted through trusting Jesus for Salvation.  There is really no excuse for a teacher of Christians to not actually be a Christian.  The Bible says:

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God:  for they are foolishness unto him:  neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14)

This means that you are spiritually blind if you have not yet been converted by trusting Jesus to forgive your sins.  If you are spiritually "blind", then you are not qualified to teach Christians about anything of a spiritual nature. Jesus said:

"And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." (Matthew 15:14)

If you are lost, then please get saved before trying to teach women to live in these End Times.

As for who is or is not qualified, almost anyone who is a Christian is qualified, so long as his or her teaching is based upon God's ideas from the Bible, and not on the ideas of man.  There is no special requirement from the Bible that one must be a pastor or an elder in order to teach Christian women.  Nevertheless, the Bible does warn us against teaching people anything that is contrary to the Word of God.  God takes such a sin against His Word very seriously.  Therefore, do not attempt to teach anything that is in conflict with the Bible:

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1)

What is the Purpose of Teaching Women to Live in End Times?

The main purpose of any such teaching should never be the entertainment of the audience.  The world sure loves its entertainment.  The world as a whole is also quickly traveling down the road leading to Hell.  As Christians, we should be different from this lost and Christ-rejecting world.  The manner and method which we use to teach other Christians should be a basic part of this difference between Christians and the world.  Of course, this does not mean that we should never teach in an entertaining manner.  The fact is, any teaching that is at least somewhat entertaining is generally more likely to be listened to -- and then applied.  After all, no one really wants to sit and listen to a "boring lecture", if that can be avoided.  And it can be avoided.

Nevertheless, teaching Christian women should always have at least one definite purpose or objective to it, apart from any entertainment value of the teaching.  However, the Bible strictly warns us that many so-called Christians in the End Times will have "itching" ears. (In other words, they will long for entertainment-based teaching) -- while at the same time rejecting any meaningful spiritual substance of such a teaching.  In fact, this urge for unscriptural entertainment apart from personal application is one of the main problems with Rick Warren's "Saddleback Church" type philosophy of so-called "Christian" teaching.  Nevertheless, the Bible warns us specifically that such apostasy away from Bible-based Christian teaching would happen during these current End Times:

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Teaching should attempt to build up Christian women in one or more ways - not just to entertain them or to "tickle" their "itching ears".  Also, because such teaching is spiritual work, prayer must always proceed it.  You should ask God for wisdom concerning what to teach such women and also pray to God for His blessing upon it as well.  God promised us that He would give us wisdom in answer to our prayers to Him for such wisdom:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;  and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

What Should be Taught when Teaching Women to Live in End Times

(1) Christian women should be taught that they must be Christians

Women should be taught that they need to actually be Christians, and not just be "religious but lost".  I believe that great harm has come to many churches by women trying to work for Christ without the Spirit of Christ indwelling them.  Many "church splits" have also been caused by such lost women as well.

Another related problem is that many lost women in the church end up marrying a non-Christian man -- (even a preacher!) -- and then become a huge source of spiritual trouble in the lives of those men.  The Bible specifically warns us against creating such an "unequal yoke" between a Christian and non-Christian:

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?  and what communion hath light with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Therefore, women should be taught that they need to be SAVED if they are to do any REAL Christian work. Working in the flesh is not spiritually profitable.  It is neither spiritually profitable to God nor to men:

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God:  for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." (Romans 8:7-8)

(2) A Christian woman should be taught that, if she marries, she should only marry a Christian man

I have already mentioned the problem of creating an "unequal yoke" joining together a Christian with a non-Christian.  Nevertheless, if a woman becomes a Christian after she gets married to a non-Christian man, then such an "unequal yoke" is quite unavoidable.  Still, a Christian woman should never willingly or deliberately marry a non-Christian.  To do this is to commit a potentially life-wrecking sin against God.  Nevertheless, some Christian women go ahead and do this anyway, giving themselves the excuse that "their man" will some day become a Christian through their efforts.  This thinking is very dangerous, and can and does lead such women into troubled marriages with lost men.  Such women may pray to God that their lost husbands will become Christians, but there is no guarantee of this ever happening:

"For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband?" (1 Corinthians 7:16)

Because of the danger of creating such an "unequal yoke", Christian women should avoid even going out on a date with lost men.  They should not allow  themselves to consider even one date with a lost man -- ever. Emotions could cause a confusion in the minds of such women, blinding them to the spiritual state of these lost men, (especially if they are "really nice guys" who wear nice suits to Church on Sunday).  The Bible says that the Devil sows many "tares" among the "wheat", (see Matthew 13:38-39).  Such lost "tare" men could ruin the witness of such Christian women, causing them great sorrow later in life.  Therefore, women should be taught that a lost man is still a lost man, no matter how "nice" he seems to be.  A pig is still a pig, no matter how much you clean one up.  Therefore, a lost man is still a "pig in a suit", even if he looks so "holy" at Church.  He is still lost if he has never actually trusted Jesus alone for his salvation.

(3) Christian women should be taught that they should live with the same commitment to Christ as unmarried women

Now I will admit that this is a very controversial statement.  Nevertheless, this is exactly what the Bible actually teaches women to do.  Married women naturally have their affections drawn towards their families, and therefore away from Christ and away from His work.  This tendency toward family and away from Christ must be resisted by married Christian women if they are to faithfully live a life of service to Christ:

"But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned;  and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned.  Nevertheless such shall have trouble in the flesh:  but I spare you.  But this I say, brethren, the time is short:  it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none;  And they that weep, as though they wept not;  and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not;  and they that buy, as though they possessed not;  And they that use this world, as not abusing it:  for the fashion of this world passeth away.  But I would have you without carefulness.  He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord:  But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.  There is difference also between a wife and a virgin.  The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit:  but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband." (1 Corinthians 7:28-34)

(4) Christian women should be taught to "bridle their tongues"

There is no question that God made women different from men.  Women like relationships.  Men generally like action.  Women are more apt to seek emotional pursuits and men intellectual pursuits.  Even the toys that girls and boys prefer point to this basic difference:  Girls generally prefer dolls.  Boys on the other hand prefer more "action"-type toys, like toy guns or trucks.

Another noticeable difference between men and women is that women generally like to talk more than men.  I recently heard a story about a study done on babies that were still in their mothers' wombs.  This study found that such girl babies opened and closed their mouths about twice as many times as baby boys still in the womb.  Although individual women and men may be different, that women like to talk more than men is pretty much true across the board.

Although talking itself is not a sin, women talking "too much" can cause a big problem.  This problem here is that many women are drawn to listen to and give out "gossip".  The Bible calls this problem an unbridled tongue, and God considers this to be a major problem for women in the Church:

"Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us;  and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.  Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.  Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  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." (James 3:3-6)

Please notice that the Bible says that an uncontrolled tongue is "set on fire of hell".  Satan often uses a woman's uncontrolled tongue to bring sin into a home as well as into a church.  I believe that this is one of the main reasons that the Bible commands women to keep silent in the church and forbids them to speak:

"Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak;  but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: f or it is a shame for women to speak in the church." (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)

(5) Christian women should be taught to serve God at home and in the church.

Many women are too idle.  Such women often use up some of this idle time watching "soap operas", "Oprah", or other worldly and sinful television programs.  From these programs these women absorb the world's standards and ideas into their minds and bring these false ideas into their homes.  Instead, women should be taught to live godly lives, different from the world.  They should be taught to avoid watching television.

Women should also be taught to be subject to their husbands at home.  The problem of women not being subject to their husbands is often directly related to television-watching by such women.  This is because one of the primary themes constantly regurgitated through television is: rebellious women thinking and acting independently from their husbands.  This idea that a woman need not listen to her husband was what caused Eve to listen to Satan in the Garden of Eden; instead of asking her husband what to do about the fruit.  She fell into sin as a direct result of her independent attitude.

This sinful theme of rebellion by women against their husbands was always a central part of such television programs as "I Love Lucy" and "The Honeymooners".  It is even more pronounced in today's television programs, which are often produced by homosexuals or other sexual perverts.  Women should be taught to turn off Satan's "idiot box" and keep the Devil and his demons out of the home -- and out of the church as well.  Godliness should be a woman's goal, not worldliness:

"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.  Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety." (1 Timothy 2:9-15)

"The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." (Titus 2:3-5)

(6) Christian women should be taught to pray

Jesus often talked about prayer.  Jesus spoke a parable about a widow who needed to obtain justice from an unjust judge.  Jesus said that this widow obtained what she wanted from this judge because she was persistent. Jesus used this parable of a persistent widow to point out that a woman should have the faith to persistently pray to God for her needs.  Jesus then asked a direct question concerning prayer and these current End Times.  Jesus said:

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; ... And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:1,7-8)

Did Jesus imply that the current End Times would be filled with women of great faith in prayer?  Alternately, would this current "Laodicean Age" be characterized by very little faith in prayer?  The implication from this parable was rather strong, that these current End Times would be both faithless and prayer-less.  Women should therefore be taught to pray, and also be taught to have faith in God that He will answer their prayers.

The flesh is against prayer.  Prayer is also spiritual warfare and Satan often attacks those who obey God and pray faithfully.  Nevertheless, God will also defend such women from such attacks by Satan.  Therefore, teach women to pray.  A world of good will come if they take this teaching to heart.

(7) Teach Christian women to wear modest women's clothing and not men's clothing

The world is very adamant in its insistence that women wear men's clothing.  By this, of course, I mean: women wearing pants.  Some women are quite unashamed to wear such men's clothing, even sometimes wearing pants in church!  God, however, is also adamant in His insistence that women always wear women's clothing and never men's:

"The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment:  for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God." (Deuteronomy 22:5)

"Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands;  that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.  Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.  For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:  Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord:  whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement." (1 Peter 1:6)

This plain old-fashioned teaching from the Word of God is of course very controversial in this Christ and Bible-rejecting age.  The Bible said that these End Times would be characterized by women unwilling to "endure" such "sound doctrine". (See 2 Timothy 4:3-4)  Such Bible truth is not very popular today with many rebellious Christian women who often want "softer teaching".  Nevertheless, Jesus said:

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free....If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." (John 8:32,36)

Conclusion

Teaching Christian women to live in these End Times is not an easy task.  The world and its wicked television is constantly tempting women to do that which is evil and disobey God and His Word, The Bible.  Those women who choose to reject Satan, and instead obey God, will choose the truth of Jesus and the Bible instead of such as the worldly lies spewed out on "Oprah" and other wicked programs.  Nevertheless, godly teachers of Christian women will probably not get very many speaking engagements, in comparison to those who choose to obey Satan and teach what is contrary to the Word of God.  Still, the Bible does say:

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof:  but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (I John 2:17)

To put it another way, as C. T. Studd was credited with having once said, "Only one life, 'twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last."  Women should be reminded that life on Earth is short, and that Eternity lasts forever.  The attention of all Christian women should therefore be on heavenly things and not on things of this life - not on a life which will soon pass away.