Is Marriage and Child Bearing God’s Plan For All Women?
“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully” (1 Timothy 5:14). Whenever I share this verse, undoubtedly someone will tell me that this verse refers to widows only. I have pondered this. Why would God command this of only young widows and not younger single women?
Then, I thought of Titus 2:3-5 where God commands older women to teach younger women to love their husbands and children and be keepers at home. Why is this topic to be taught to all younger women? I believe it’s because it’s God’s calling on women’s lives.
If we go back to Creation, we read that God first created Adam, then He created Eve from Adam to be his help meet (helper suitable for him) since God said it wasn’t good for man to be alone. Then, He told them to be fruitful and multiply. He told people to be fruitful and multiply four times in the Old Testament!
While the Israelites were in captivity in Babylon, God commanded them to do this: “Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.” (Jeremiah 29:5,6)
God created marriage not only for godly offspring but for women’s and children’s protection and provision. It wasn’t for bondage and oppression, as feminists have fooled women into thinking. Back before modern technology, most women lived at home under their father’s protection and provision until marriage. And if you ponder this, about 50 percent of babies being born are male and 50 percent female. It’s as if God created a spouse for everyone born!
Have you noticed as America drifts farther and farther away from biblical principles, there are fewer and fewer marriages and the birth rate is tanking? Are these good things? No, healthy nations and cultures are build upon solid families. Our nation is dying as the institution of marriage is dying.
What about the women who would love to marry and have children but never have the opportunity? We live in a fallen world. Many things are not as God has created. Many women now have to go out into the workforce and provide for themselves. God never intended this to happen. In 1 Timothy 5, family, relatives, and churches are required to care for the widows over 60 years old, and the younger widows are to marry, bear children, and guide the home. They’re never commanded to go out and provide a living for themselves.
When the Apostle Paul wrote about being single, he wrote it by permission, not command (1 Corinthians 7:6). He commands single women to live a life that is holy in body and spirit (1 Corinthians 7:34). Most do not have the gift of celibacy as Paul did. Young women today are fornicating, living with guys, and doing everything wrong. The single women who love the Lord are doing the best they can to honor the Lord with their lives and talents. Most would love to marry and have children. I wish churches were more active with their youth in preparing for marriage and encouraging them to marry, because our culture sure isn’t doing this. I know the Mormon church is great at this. Why can’t solid biblical churches be great at this too?
All honest women can see from the way God created them that they were created to bear and nurse children. Every barren woman in Scripture mourned deeply over her barrenness. Our culture has done everything possible to convince women that this is not their created purpose by inventing the birth control pill, murdering the unborn, and telling the youth that fornication is the only way to go. We must teach the youth differently. Teach your daughters that God did create them to marry, bear children, and guide the home. Then train them how to be good wives, mothers, and homemakers. Teach your sons to work hard and love the Lord deeply. Then teach them to look for godly wives who embrace God’s role for them.
Our culture is on a collision course to ruin. We are a remnant, but we’ve always been a remnant. God only saved eight people in the flood and only found one man who believed in Him in Sodom and Gomorrah. We are on the narrow path that leads to life. Let’s keep walking that path and obeying God in everything. Pray for your children to find godly spouses. They are out there! Your daughters are safest when married to a good man who will provide for them and protect them while they keep the home and care for the children. They were created for this!
He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 113:9
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One thought on “Is Marriage and Child Bearing God’s Plan For All Women?”
Typically excellent article, Mrs. Alexander. I would, however, very slightly correct the premise: The role of women is marriage, full stop. You allude to Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians, and you say well, but Paul’s point was that he wished everyone could be solely devoted to the work of the Gospel, as he was. Yet, it is not so. Young men have desires, good and wholesome desires given by our Creator.
Often and again in Scripture, marriage is likened to the union of Christ and His People. Good works are not the point of our following Christ. Worship of Him and His glory are. Good works attend upon earnest worship, and indeed glorify Him, but incidentally. In precisely like manner, just as man is the image and glory of God, marriage is the image of this unity. Sex itself is the likeness of worship, and children are the good works which attend upon it — again, by incident. The barren woman might be likened to the thief on the cross beside Christ. The worship itself, the willing heart, is the point of the arrangement. That no visible fruit had opportunity to blossom is unfortunate, but of no moment.