by Betty Brock

Titus 2:3-5—The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior 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 gives us the basic curriculum for women teaching women. The qualifications of the teacher are listed as well as the result of the teacher not teaching these subjects or of her students not learning and applying the truths. The result is more major than we can imagine: the Word of God being blasphemed. This blasphemy is not caused by unsaved people; rather, this blasphemy is a result of Christian ladies not applying the Word of God to their daily lives. Scripture says that these ladies can and should be taught these much needed lessons by godly women.

There are so many lessons to be taught to our ladies from God’s Word, but let’s not forget to often deal with the Titus 2 basics. You can plan whole Bible studies around each of the topics; and even after you have done a Bible study on Titus 2, it is needful to continue to remind and apply one of the principles at the beginning of each Sunday school class or Bible study time.  You may choose to initiate another lady to teaching with a five-minute “Wise Woman under Construction” or “Titus 2 Design” opportunity.

The first lesson in Titus 2:4 is about teaching the women to be sober. Now that’s simple—just tell them to quit their drinking and not smile very much. No, there is so much more that we are to teach. In looking up the word sober, I found that it means to be of sound (disciplined or correct) mind, stable, sensible, wise, having a “safe mind or understanding” . . . thus, thinking right.

Looking in the New Testament at other places the word sober is used helped me to understand the word better.  The italicized words below are the same as sober used in Titus 2:4. In brackets I have written some considerations.

Luke 8:35—Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. (See also Mark 5:15.) [being clothed and having sound thinking as opposed to being unclothed and having unstable thinking]

Romans 12:3—For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. [sober thinking as opposed to proud thinking ]

2 Corinthians 5:13—For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. [being sober as opposed to being deranged or out of one’s mind]

Women need to be taught by other godly women how to be “in their right mind”; instead, they are being taught by psychologists, magazines, and drug companies. Since the subjects about which the ladies are incorrectly thinking are often personal and intimate in nature, they need to be taught and counseled by another woman rather than a man. Rather than governing their lives by their feelings, women need to learn to govern their lives by biblical principles and sober thinking. The very tendency of a woman to live by feelings rather than by biblical thinking makes continuing study on being “sober” even more important.

One of the best places to start is a Bible study or short teaching time on discernment.  Let’s get back to the basics, Ladies, and start thinking soberly!