Deo Volente: Legacy of Biblical Womanhood Study: Week 4 "How should a woman of God conduct herself?"

Read: Esther 1:16-18; Ezekiel 18:30-31; Philippians 1:27; Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Philippians 3:10; Galatians 2:20; I Thess 5:18; Romans 12:2; Rom 8:28-29; Philippians 1:6; John 3:30

As true believers in Christ, we are citizens of the kingdom of God not to be conformed to this world: but transformed by the renewing of our minds.

To ‘renew our minds’ according to God’s Word does not happen automatically.
We must immerse ourselves in THE truth, not just dip our toe in or allow other people to jump in and tell us what it’s like.
The Lord has so mercifully and sufficiently provided the Bible for us in this time.
We are not merely left to our own devices and with our own experiences.
God IS the Spirit of truth.
Though chosen men held the pen, God wrote the words of this Bible in order that we may be helped and taught as we are illuminated by the Holy Spirit that He has provided to all who truly believe.
You cannot renew your mind unless you are diligently abiding in God’s Word, both in the reading and study of it and in living it out by His grace.
You not only need to hear it preached to you without compromise, but you yourself need to struggle with it and search the Scriptures yourself, longing prayerfully and genuinely to understand it as the Spirit leads and guides you,
as you use your mind
as you seek earnestly to grasp it and constantly apply it for the purpose of glorifying God and conforming to the image of Christ.

You must, your entire life in this world, no matter how long you have been a Christian, approach everything in light of God’s standard that has been revealed in His holy, knowable, applicable Truth.

In Christ you are literally transferred from one condition to another.
You are not merely forgiven of all your sins past, present and future.
It goes further than that...
You have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness, and into the kingdom of God through the work of the Son of God.
You have been adopted and you are now joint heirs with the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
And Clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ

We are part of a fallen world and we are creatures of habit.

We have been so accustomed to thinking in a certain way that we naturally will want to continue in that way even after being born again.
We will not automatically think like Christ.
The Christian life will involve breaking old ways of thinking, reacting, old sin habits and training yourself to think Biblically.
Even the things you were taught in your church as a child and even now will have to stand up to God’s Holy Word of Truth.
As a Christian, you will wrestle, question, fail, sometimes not conduct yourself in a manner worthy of your calling… even though, by His grace alone, you have obtained such abounding mercy and unfailing grace mercy.

You must, therefore, diligently renew your mind

Why are we prone to forget what Christ has FULLY accomplished like the Israelites were prone to forget all that God had accomplished on their behalf? Because we must be constantly reminded of who we are and what has happened so we don’t end up like dogs that return to their vomit.
To `be renewed in your mind' means that you will not allow yourself to forget.
You will be on guard as you remind yourself of who you are and what He has done.
All your groanings, whinings and worries are due more to the fact that you have 'forgotten what you know.
How can you listen to the voice of truth if you do not know what the truth is or abide in the truth?
Is relying on what you have been taught by your parents enough?
Are the examples of those around you godly enough for you to not have to study God’s Word yourself?
“The best of men are but men at the best, and the brightest saints are still sinners”-Spurgeon
Even when Paul said “imitate me” he exhorted them to do so only as he followed the example of Christ.
Is Sunday morning preaching enough to satisfy your thirst for the Living Water when you have God’s very Word in your hands in this country where most of us own up to 10 copies each… when other countries like Egypt have people that would die just to get a hold of a ripped page of it.

I will tell you that even the most stellar example of a Christian family will not suffice in providing what you need to stay on guard, renew your mind, equip you to be conformed into the image of Christ and cause you to conduct yourself as a woman of God.

Do you find any of this burdensome or legalistic?

Then I beg you to consider the fact that a true woman of God will find rest in God’s Holy Word as her soul is consumed with the longing for it.
She will cling to it, delight in it, love it...
She sometimes may not even feel like reading it or studying it, but she will, God-willing, press on in spite of how she feels; abiding in His Word as she earnestly pleads to God to help her once again delight in it.
Sometimes she will be rightfully laid low by it, justly convicted, counseled, encouraged, strengthened, and appropriately fearful of twisting it or compromising it

Read: 2 Peter 3:10-12

So, how can you conduct yourself as a woman of God according to God’s Holy Word?

I. Virtuous woman (KJV): woman of excellence (NAS); a worthy woman

(Ruth 3:11)

Virtuous Having moral excellence; characterized by morality; upright; righteous; pure; as, a virtuous action; Chaste; pure; -- applied especially to women.

Excellence The state of possessing good qualities in an eminent degree; exalted merit; superiority in virtue; An excellent or valuable quality; that by which any one excels or is eminent; a virtue; A title of honor or respect; -- more common in the form excellency.

Worthy Having worth or excellence; possessing merit; valuable; deserving; estimable; excellent; virtuous.

II. Opens mouth with wisdom: on her tongue is law of kindness (Proverbs 31:26)

Wisdom: to speak with appropriate or righteous judgment; speaks sound, discerning judgment in complex situations

sapientia (Latin): We are homo sapiens. Sapien is a root of Sapienta and was chosen as our species name. This was apparently to emphasize man's uniqueness and separation from the rest of the animal kingdom.

law of kindness:

Why is it called a law? Because it proceeds from an inward and powerful principle of true wisdom.
Synonyms for kindness: grace, tenderness, compassion, gentleness, goodness, generosity

III. Persuade those who are wrong through patience & with a gentle tongue (Proverbs 25:15)

Patience: Forbearance Bearing or enduring pain, difficulty, provocation, or annoyance with calmness;Persevering; constant;Capable of calmly awaiting an outcome or result; not hasty or impulsive.

Gentle tongue Considerate or kind words; amiable and tender;Speaks not harshly but mild and with fairness

IV. Learns in quietness and full submission (I Timothy 2:11)

Quietness: Hesuchia (Greek) hay-soo-khee'-ah; does not officiously meddle with the affairs of others

(to be officious: Marked by excessive eagerness in offering unwanted services or advice to others)

I Timothy 2:11 applies to a formal assembly in which the women are not to be gossips or busy bodies, but eager students of God’s Word as preached by the male pastor, who is to proclaim God’s Truth without compromise. (so be careful what church you put your self under the authority of) They are not to teach over men, nor seek to usurp the authority of God according to His divine order or she will be like a bird in the ocean trying to swim or a fish in the sky trying to fly. But she is to pursue being a Titus 2:3-4 woman.

full submission: subjection: Hupotage (Greek) hoop-ot-ag-ay; obedience

came from Hupotasso, which means:

to arrange under, to subordinate
to subject, put in subjection
to subject one's self, obey
to submit to one's control
to yield to one's admonition or advice
to obey, be subject

A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in amilitary fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use,it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden".

V. Better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious, angry woman (Proverbs 21:19)

Contentious argumentative; quarrelsome; unsubmissive; spiteful; malicious

Angry easily annoyed; tumultuous; uptight; irritable; irrational

Read: Colossians 3:12-14

I also read to the ladies a testimony out of THIS BOOK (on pg. 87) of a godly woman I hope that I can conduct myself like. She reflected Christ and His faithfulness and sufficiency up to her death.