Shamefacedness for Godly Women

 Good day sister saints!

I'm joyous to be here again, one more day to send an encouraging note out on the internet to press you on!!!

Today I want to dig into 'shamefacedness'  and the depths of it as it's a character trait of a godly woman that seems to be almost forgotten today. Shamefaced is found in 1 Timothy 2:9...

1 Timothy 2:9 

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;

'Shamefacedness' means:

In case you can't read all that small writing I'll summarize it: (through the idea of downcast eyes) bashfulness that is (towards men) awe, reverence, shame, honor, modest.  

The whole point of 1 Timothy 2 is to show how a woman is do adorn herself. Not from the outside but from the inside with shamefacedness and sobriety.  I now want to go back over the passage inserting the greek meanings of the key words.

In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in (neat and orderly) (long robes / dresses), with (downcast eyes, bashfulness toward men) and (soundness of mind, self control), not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls or costly (clothing).  

So at this point most women are lifting their eyebrows and saying 'That can mean what it says, can it?'  This is serious stuff because the Greek word is also used one other place.

Hebrews 12:28 

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

The word reverence is the same Greek word as shamefacedness so when you serve God will you do it in a shamefaced manner?  What about around men? Now that we have that outlined, lets go to 1 Peter 3 and dig into that to formulate the entire picture.

1 Peter 3:1-6

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; [2] While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. [3] Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; [4] 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. [5] 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: [6] 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.

If we summarize both 1 Timothy 2 and 1 Peter 3 we see that women are to be shamefaced (downcast eyes, bashfulness toward men) meek and quiet with a chaste (pure) (manner of life / behavior) coupled with fear (reverence for her husband, fear) and in subjection (obedience) to her husband.  She's not to adorn her outsides but instead it should all come from within by the power of the Holy Spirit which is a transformed life.  

Now to add to this picture, let's read the remaining passage of 1 Timothy 2 so we can understand the importance of all this.

1 Timothy 2:10-15 

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. [11] Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. [12] But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. [13] For Adam was first formed, then Eve. [14] And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. [15] Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

Once again we see more silence and subjection / obedience as well as the creation order.  Understand that the creation order is a big factor here as God did not create Adam and Eve at the same time did He?  He created Adam then LATER created Eve FOR Adam.  God created woman as a help meet (one that helps) for man, ponder that will you?  God specifically created Eve to help Adam.  Now lets see more...

1 Corinthians 11:3-7 

But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. [4] Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head. [5] But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. [6] For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. [7] For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Here we see that man is the image and glory of God but the woman is the glory of man in which she fits as his help meet.  The passage continues on in the creation order again so we sisters have no excuse not to understand the depths of how important this is.  

If we start from the top of this and work our way down we see man was created in the image of God.  Then God creates woman to help man.  In order for that woman to be in her rightful role of not usurping authority over man, she needs to be living a pure life in silence (meek and quiet), obedience, bashfulness toward man and in reverence of him.  This will also help cultivate a thankfulness and contentment within her. 

All this should help us see the depths of shamefacedness and the importance of it, yet how often do you see it in practice of professing Christian women?  And lets be honest, how about yourself?

When I'm in the store and I cross paths with woman, I make good eye contact, smile and say something in hopes that maybe an opportunity might occur to witness.  When I cross paths with a man, however, I smile, make eye contact and then look down or away so as not to be bold.  Now, in saying that, there may be times an opportunity comes up for us to give out the gospel to a man and we must not shy from that. You can share truth with a man in a meek way that is fitting of a godly woman, and you will know by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, what to say, and how far to go in the conversation before it crosses the line into teaching etc.  Walking in the Spirit will guides us in all those situations as they are all different.

Brother Jim had me add this and I agree: While this is a quality we women should be, we are not one thing all the time.  There are times we need to be patient and loving and also a time to give a rebuke or be stern and separate from people.  That would require a bit more boldness and being led by the Holy Spirit. For example, you may have a man in your life that claims to be of Christ yet you see sin in him.  If he is unrepentant you may need to separate from him and let him know that.  We also see Priscilla and Aquila ministering together, this joint ministering is headed by her husband and we don't know what exactly she did but there are times a woman will be bolder than other times.  It's hard to describe every situation but for the most part, women are to be shamefaced in their every day life.

Now, God has not left us women to just sit and never be able to use our gifts or express our love of His word as we clearly see in Titus 2 where we are able to do that with our sisters. There is much to be shared among the sisters in encouragement, edification, teaching on women's topics or in the areas of how a godly woman should live and run her home etc.  There is a LOT to keep sisters busy and edified (all Christ centered) and when men are present, we exercise our shamefacedness/ bashfulness, meek and quiet spirit in obedience.  

I see the depths of this because by women being bashful towards men, they are putting themselves in their proper order of creation and respecting the authority of man that God set up.  She is not making him sit and listen to her, she is not speaking what is not necessary, she's not beginning a conversation that is best not started, she's not putting herself equal to him in conversation...she is totally leaving all the leadership to the men, where it should be.

Can you guess a popular word that encompasses the opposite of shamefacedness, bashfulness toward men?

FEMINISM! 

I just read this verse the other day and it fits perfectly here:

Proverbs 31:3

Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

We see it out here every day on the streets not only the utter lasciviousness of the way women (even professed believers) dress as harlots but the brazeneness of their speech and actions toward men.  Brazen means 'bold, without shame'.  There is no shamefacedness, no bashfulness, no respect for the male authority that God set up.  

It reminds me of this:

Jeremiah 8:12 

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

I also have to admit that I have repented of not being shamefaced in a certain area.  When we are out on the streets and brother Jim is preaching, the men will walk by him and then past me, saying something wicked and I've caught myself (a few times) getting mad about them slandering our Father and I find myself staring them down like the 'old me' used to do. I would not want to stumble a sister-to-be who is watching from afar, seeing a brazen preachers wife staring down a man.  I was convicted the third time I did it and repented.

So for those of you who are  practicing the shamefacedness and sobriety that the Lord instructs us, I praise you!  For those of you who are struggling to kill your flesh and become it (as I am still doing), I praise you!  For those of you who just learned about it, please go read, ponder and examine your life to see where you can make corrections in this area.  I will praise you for doing it!

Let us daughters of God, not disgrace His creation and headship order and instead strive to become that quiet, shamefaced godly woman that will honor and glorify Him.

Today as I was pondering all this, I was walking through a garden center and made you a video. It's too big to upload in this post so you can find it HERE on our main ministry site.  I was thinking how peacefully quiet and calm they are...rather like the picture of a godly woman.

Much love to you sister saints.

Sister Deb

Proverbs 31:30 

Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

Let me share the gospel good news with you HERE.  Test yourself to see if you are truly in the faith.