Read an Excerpt
True Woman 201: Interior Design
Ten Elements of Biblical Womanhood
By Mary A. Kassian, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Lydia Brownback Moody Publishers
Copyright © 2015 Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8024-1258-4
CHAPTER 1
WEEK ONE / INTERIOR DESIGN
discernment
Those who have met us know that we (Nancy and Mary) are almost as different as two friends can be. And those differences extend beyond our personalities and appearance into our interior decorating styles.
If we were to walk into a home décor store, Nancy would gravitate toward primary, winter colors—vibrant reds, blues, and greens. Mary would gravitate toward warm, bold, autumn tones—cinnamon, caramel, rust, chocolate, and teal. Nancy would like the floral patterns. Mary would like anything but. Nancy would be attracted to furniture that had light, clean, classic lines. Mary would be attracted to heavier, antique furniture with a funky modern twist. Nancy would be drawn toward serious and sophisticated accessories. Mary would be drawn toward quirky and artsy ones. One of the beautiful truths about women is that God created us all different.
The two of us have different styles. And your style is likely different from ours. There are so many to choose from: contemporary, country, Victorian, Federal, St. Louis, Nordic, modern, French provincial, retro, eclectic. What's more, these styles can be combined with an endless variety of patterns, colors, textures, and accessories. As a result, our homes don't look exactly the same. They're all different.
But although styles differ, there are certain elements that all good designs have in common. Designers choose and arrange flooring, wall treatments, lighting, window treatments, furniture, and accessories according to their color, texture, line, form, and space. These are the critical elements of every design.
This Bible study is about the critical design elements of womanhood. As we explained in the introduction, it's based on the passage in Titus chapter 2, where Paul outlines what the women in Titus' congregation needed to learn.
The first critical element of womanhood evident in the passage is discernment. A True Woman is characterized by right thinking ... She knows "what accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1).
"Wait a minute!" you may object; "isn't discernment something guys need too?" Absolutely. In this chapter Paul gives instruction tailored to several different groups of people in the church. In verse 2, he lists some things older men need to learn. In verses 3 to 5, he lays out the curriculum for older and younger women. In verse 6, he talks about the curriculum for young men. All these groups need to learn "what accords with sound doctrine." Obviously, both sexes need discernment. Men and women, young and old—all need to know sound doctrine.
But here's the thing. Though there's overlap, Paul's lists in Titus 2 suggest there's a different emphasis needed for each gender, in terms of how they apply and live out sound doctrine. Some traits are especially important to what it means to be a man, and some are particularly important to what it means to be a woman.
Paul gives certain traits a gender-specific emphasis. But that doesn't imply that they're gender-exclusive. For example, Paul instructs women not be slanderers; he exhorts men to be sound in faith. Obviously, that doesn't mean that men don't need to learn to control their mouths, or that women don't ever wrestle with doubt or doctrinal error.
Women are instructed to be reverent, to love their spouses and children, to exercise self-control, to be pure and kind, to be devoted to their homes, and to submit to God-ordained authority. Yet men arguably need to learn these things too! Men are instructed to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Yet women need to learn these things too!
So why the sex-specific lists? Why not just lump everything together under one big category of "Important Stuff for Christians to Learn"?
The reason for the differing lists is that men and women are different. As we learned in True Woman 101, Paul's lists counteract our sex-specific sin tendencies and point us back to our divine design. So although "discernment" is important for both men and women, there are specific applications of "sound doctrine" that are particularly directed to and important for each gender to understand.
According to Paul, right thinking leads to right living. If what you think about womanhood isn't shaped by sound doctrine, chances are, you're not going to live in a way that pleases the Lord. Discernment, grounded in a clear understanding of God's Word, is the first critical element of true womanhood.
DAY 1
a healthy mind
"He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it."Titus 1:9
"But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine."Titus 2:1
"... in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned."Titus 2:7–8 NKJV
"... so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior."Titus 2:10
Not long ago, a nurse working at a hospital experienced a series of asthma attacks that flared up whenever she worked on the bone marrow transplant unit. Another nurse and nurse's aide also started to have chest tightness and wheezing, itchy eyes, and constant runny noses. All three complained to their supervisor about a dank, musty smell that seemed to emanate from the ward, but their complaints fell on deaf ears.
It wasn't until a six-year-old patient on the unit developed a fever and pneumonia and suddenly died, and an autopsy revealed that her lungs were filled with a fungus typically found in decaying organic matter, that management took the employees seriously. All of a sudden, their claim that the building was making them sick didn't sound so far-fetched.
Sure enough, an environmental investigation found that the air filters on the bone marrow transplant unit were clogged with a thick, greenish-black mold. The contaminants in the air were responsible for the employee sicknesses and the little girl's death. To deal with the problem, the hospital had to rip out its heating and air-conditioning system and renovate the entire bone marrow transplant unit.
Some experts suggest that the lack of ventilation in newer buildings, combined with increased use of mold-friendly building materials, allows for severe mold infestations. The contaminated air results in "sick buildings," where large numbers of employees begin to experience similar health symptoms.
The apostle Paul wanted to make sure that the churches on the island of Crete provided a spiritually healthy environment for fledgling new believers. He wanted to make sure they were breathing spiritually healthy air.
Read Titus 2:1. What did Paul want Titus to be careful to teach?
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Doctrine is a major theme in the book of Titus. Circle the word doctrine in each verse in the margin on the previous page.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word doctrine? How would you define it?
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For some, the word doctrine undoubtedly conjures up images of old, coke-bottle-lensed theology professors using long, unfamiliar words and droning on and on in unintelligible languages. Perhaps the mere mention of the word makes you want to stifle a yawn, or bolt for the nearest exit.
It's important to understand that doctrine isn't something reserved for the theological elite. The word simply means "teachings." A doctrine is a set of beliefs. And everyone has one.
Atheists have a doctrine. For example, the famous evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins believes the Bible should not be taught as reality. "It is fiction, myth, poetry, anything but reality." That is his doctrine.
Oprah Winfrey used her multi-award-winning talk show to teach her doctrine of self-improvement, church-free spirituality, and guilt-free sexuality to millions of women each day.
In the space below, list some doctrines (teachings) about womanhood that are commonly expressed in popular media and contemporary culture:
The teaching you believe determines the way you live. Paul knew that believers in Crete would undoubtedly have and follow a doctrine. But he was concerned about what kind of doctrine they were going to teach, believe, and practice. Not any kind of doctrine would do. Paul was concerned that their doctrine would be "sound."
sound doctrine
Like the word doctrine, the word sound is also a recurring theme in the book of Titus. Sound essentially means "healthy." The Greek word for sound—hugiaino—is closely related to our English word hygiene. Sound doctrine is doctrine that is free from contamination. It's pure and wholesome. It is that which makes sick people well.
Our culture is obsessed with physical health and soundness. It advises us to avoid junk food, read labels, shop in whole-food stores, and pay more for organic foods. As a result, many people watch what they eat. But sadly, most are utterly unconcerned about their spiritual consumption. They are unaware that they are ingesting a lot of contaminated, unhealthy ideas.
Sound doctrine is healthy. It's pure, uncontaminated, and free from error. It's like breathing in clean, fresh air. Unsound doctrine is a mixture of truth and error. It's like breathing in air that's tainted with a dangerous contaminant. You may not smell or notice the toxin, but it's inevitable that it will negatively impact your health. Unsound doctrine leads to spiritually sick and weak believers, which leads to spiritually unhealthy churches.
In the verses in the margin, put a box around the word sound.
In the word cloud, cross out the three words that are antonyms (opposite meaning) of the word sound:
proven
healthy
solid
wholesome
infected
sick
true
safe
flawless
undamaged
reliable
proper
debilitating
secure
Why do you think Paul was concerned that the women in Crete know and believe sound doctrine?
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Do you know what your doctrine is? Do you care? Have you evaluated the doctrine of your favorite TV shows? Of the books and magazines you read? Have you evaluated what you're being taught about womanhood? Because every time you hear or see an advertisement, or watch a TV/computer/movie screen, or listen to the lyrics of a song, or read an article or book, or listen to your girlfriends chatter about their exploits, or catch up on the latest happenings on your Facebook or other social network, you are breathing in doctrine. And it's important to consider whether that doctrine is sound.
Check any statements below that are true of you:
[] The teaching about womanhood I breathe in is generally sound.
[] The teaching about womanhood I breathe in is generally unsound.
[] I'm not sure if the teaching about womanhood I breathe in is sound.
[] I don't think the unsound teaching in my environment affects me.
[] I have strong filters in place so as to minimize the unsound teaching.
[] I'm not convinced that my doctrine about womanhood matters.
Explain why you chose those particular statements:
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In Titus 2, Paul outlines the Lord's expert design for womanhood. The basis for that design is sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is healthy, wholesome, and beneficial. Do you believe that? Do you believe that the Lord's design for women is not only right, but also beautiful and desirable? Do you believe that the instructions He gives you are truly "for your good" (see Deut. 10:12–13)?
* Close today's lesson in prayer, asking the Lord to help you learn about and embrace His expert design.
"WHAT DOES THE LORD YOUR GOD REQUIRE OF YOU, BUT TO FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD, TO WALK IN ALL HIS WAYS, TO LOVE HIM, TO SERVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND TO KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS AND STATUTES OF THE LORD, WHICH I AM COMMANDING YOU TODAY FOR YOUR GOOD?" Deuteronomy 10:12–13
DAY 2
the plumb line
"Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to build up the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness ..."Titus 1:1 HCSB
"He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it."Titus 1:9
"Make sure to snap a line!" my (Mary's) handyman dad always reminds me when I embark on a decorating project. An accurate guideline is necessary to get the pieces set in the right place. Without one, the wallpaper, tiles, flooring, pictures, or moldings might not line up properly, and the decorating project may turn into a disaster.
Two tools are essential necessities for the decorating enthusiast: a plumb bob and a level. These tools ensure that a guideline is perfectly vertical or horizontal relative to the earth's true horizon.
You've probably seen a level (sometimes called a "spirit level" or a "bubble level"). It looks like a thick, metal ruler with embedded glass vials. The vials are incompletely filled with a colored spirit (alcohol), leaving a large bubble visible inside. The bubble moves with the angle of the ruler and indicates whether an object is "level"—that is, whether it is exactly horizontal, or true. To get a perfectly horizontal line, the decorator has to tilt the tool until the bubble is situated perfectly between the markings on the middle of the vial.
A plumb bob is a simple brass or metal weight with a point on one end. The bob is attached to a string (the plumb line), which is often coated in colored chalk. This tool uses the law of gravity to establish what is "plumb"—that is, what is exactly vertical, or true.
You can use a plumb bob to line up wallpaper, wall decor, or art, or to locate fixtures or decorations in relation to an object or surface above or below. You simply hold the end of the string near the ceiling and let the plumb bob hang free. When it stops swaying, the string is perfectly vertical. Depending on your project, you can then mark the top and bottom points, or snap the line to leave a chalk mark on a wall.
On one occasion, I tried to hang wallpaper without following my dad's advice. The walls looked straight to me, so I started papering in the corner. I didn't bother to check if the adjacent wall was plumb, and I didn't take the time to snap a line.
The first piece of wallpaper looked just fine. But I had to raise and tilt the second piece to get the edge and pattern to match. After that, each piece looked more crooked than the last. By the time I got to the middle of the wall, it was painfully obvious that the wall I had used as my starting line was slanted, and that things were going extremely wrong. The pattern was running uphill, and the bottom of the paper was getting farther and farther away from the floor. It was a disaster! I had to rip it all down and start over ... Needless to say, I was careful to snap a line the second time around!
Paul knew that the ideas being promoted by some of the Cretan believers were a bit off. He wanted Titus to "snap a line" and put things in order by ensuring the lives and doctrine of the believers lined up plumb, level, and true with God's standard.
Read Titus 1:1–9 in your Bible. What do verses 1 to 4 point to as the standard for truth?
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What would happen if the women in Crete increased in their knowledge of the truth (see verse 1)? Check all that apply:
[] They'd all turn into mindless puppets.
[] They'd demonstrate that Christian women are intelligent.
[] Their increased knowledge would lead to increased godliness.
[] Their right thinking would lead to right behavior.
What do you think it means to "hold firm to the trustworthy word"(v. 9)?
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a plumb line
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." John 17:17
Scholars think that Paul wrote his pastoral letters of Titus and 1 Timothy shortly after being released from Roman imprisonment. Nero was the emperor on the throne (AD 54–68). Animosity against Christians was on the rise, and things were about to get a lot worse. The Roman government would soon take an official stand against Christianity. Paul would be imprisoned again, and eventually would be beheaded.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from True Woman 201: Interior Design by Mary A. Kassian, Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Lydia Brownback. Copyright © 2015 Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Excerpted by permission of Moody Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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