Titus 2:5
5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Most Christian woman would never agree or imagine themselves to be the cause of the Word of God to be blasphemed. Many Christian woman today have also come into agreement with our feminist worldly society that says ‘you can do whatever you want!’ ‘You don’t need to stay home, be discreet or chaste and you definitely don’t need to be OBEDIENT to your husband!”
Sadly, this is what many Christian woman believe today. That this verse and others in the bible are irrelevant to our time and culture. That they don’t hold any real value and that God doesn’t really care. Somehow being involved in Church activities and ministries has become more important than these simple and yet profound principles in the bible specifically for woman.
Are you blaspheming the Word of God
Firstly we should look at what the word blasphemed in this verse actually means. The strongs concordance shows that the word used in Titus 2:5 means to speak impiously, defame, speak evil of and more, of the word of God! When woman leave their biblical roles, the word of God gets blasphemed. That’s serious! So I want to unpack this verse to make sure that I am not allowing the Word of God to be blasphemed and see what I can work on. There is a lot in this one verse so I am going to do separate posts so that we can look at it in parts. This part looks at being a ‘keeper at home’.
What does being ‘a keeper at home’ actually mean?
Some definitions from the Strong’s Concordance are:
A guard; be ‘ware’
a stayer at home
domestically inclined (a good housekeeper)
caring for the house
working at home
The watch or keeper of the household
keeping at home
taking care of household affairs
It is clear by these definitions and the context of Titus 2:5, that the home is the women’s domain. That the wife is to watch over and guard the home as well as take care of the home and be a worker within the home. This ties in perfectly with other verses such as 1 Timothy 5:13-14;
And with all they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
Her Biblical Role
The will of God is that woman would be workers and keepers at home, not out in the world seeking careers. Now I am not saying that a woman can’t work outside of the home ever, as we can see in Proverbs 31 that this is not the case. However it is not her biblical role to be the main provider. That is the role of her husband. Yes there are seasons or circumstances where a woman may need to work. In the bible Ruth and Naomi worked in the fields so that they could eat and survive. However God’s plan was that woman would be provided for.
There are laws and commandments from the Old Testament through to the New, that are there to protect woman so that they would be cared for such as for Widows. A woman should not be desiring to leave the home because she is unsatisfied with her God given role and responsibilities.
Being a keeper at home is a career!
We (Christian woman) have been brainwashed along with the world to believe that being a wife, mother, keeper at home and all of the responsibilities that go along with that, are just not all that important. It is a lie! It’s really sad to see believers going along with the world and discouraging woman from having children young, or from having too big of a family, or even getting married in the first place! They say wait until you’ve finished your study or career. Don’t have too many as you need ‘me’ time.
Ladies this is a career! Even if you are unable to bear children I still believe you are to be a keeper of the home. Look after your husband and do work for God or whatever you and your husband decide but don’t forfeit your feminine role that you were designed for. Our Creator knows what works best. Don’t do what is right in your own sight or based on the what the world thinks.
Sadly I was once an independent career/study/work driven Christian woman with a feminist mindset. I am ashamed to admit that I grew up deciding that I was too good to just get married and have kids. I actually looked down upon woman who had no formal qualifications and so called worthy jobs or careers. I was such a fool! God really woke me up to the truth and today I couldn’t be more proud to say that I am a stay at home mother because truly I know the eternal value of what I do. No job or career could measure up to it. I admire woman who take their role as a wife and/or mother seriously and I see things very differently now.
A noble calling
It may seem like a worthless fruitless pursuit staying at home, however the consequences for not, are far beyond our four walls. Society falls apart and has fallen apart since women were encouraged to leave the home for careers. Children are handed over to institutions as young as 6 weeks old. Takeaway dinners are the norm and houses are left unkept not to mention that marriages do not thrive in the long-term when a woman is not home.
I have witnessed this truth time and time again and seen the wisdom in God’s word. Please don’t think I am judging any ones individual situation as I do not know every situation. However I do ask that you would consider your choices in light of God’s word and what His plan is for Husband’s, wives and children. The important role of being a keeper at home. The duty of serving your family is never a fruitless or an unworthy role. It is vital.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
Proverbs 31:27-29