Objections to Being a Homemaker
What about Lydia, she worked outside the home?
Using Lydia is like grasping for straws. The scripture does not give much detail on how she did her work. Lydia is only mentioned by name in Acts 16. In this account we see that she was a “seller of purple” and was seemingly wealthy with servants. As a seller of purple she would use snails to make the purple dye. There are no details on whether she or her servants collected the snails. However, she was a businesswoman before the apostle Paul came and brought her the gospel. It is not clear whether she continued in the trade after she was saved. Furthermore, it is not clear how much she worked outside the home and how much of her work she did at home.
However, what is clear is that the Bible teaches that women should be “keepers at home” (Titus 2:5, 1 Timothy 5:14). Many times, the Bible simply states what happened without giving commentary on whether that is right or wrong, such as the case with Lydia. In cases like these, we need to go to the didactic (i.e. biblical teaching) to see whether these examples are good or bad. Clear biblical teaching always overrides specific events from scripture. Therefore, assuming she worked outside the home (which is unclear from scripture) before she was saved, we cannot use Lydia to say that it is ok for women to work outside the home now.
Doesn't Galatians 3:28 teach that women can do the same things as men?
In the creation account of Genesis 1, we see that men and women were equally created in the image of God (v. 27). Both were made with the same dignity and worth before God. The Bible begins with this fundamental equality. As individuals and spiritual beings, men and women are entirely equal.
Despite this equality, Genesis 2 provides a more detailed account that highlights different roles and responsibilities given by God. Adam was created first, and Eve was created later as a helper for Adam, signifying distinct roles within God's design.
Men and women stand as equals before God, both bearing the image of God Himself. However, without making one inferior to the other, God calls upon both men and women to fulfill different roles and responsibilities specifically designed for them, a pattern that can be seen even in the Godhead (1 Cor. 11:3).
In the New Testament, both principles of equality and submission for women coexist. Galatians 3:28 emphasizes equality, indicating that salvation is the same for both men and women and that they have equal standing in the body of Christ. However, this does not eliminate all distinctions in their roles. This passage focuses on salvation and unity in Christ, not on the erasure of God-given differences in responsibilities. Numerous other passages in the New Testament outline specific roles for men and women, particularly in the family and the church.
What if I am single or don’t have a husband?
Life's circumstances can sometimes make it challenging to follow Titus 2:3-5. There are situations where a woman is single due to divorce, the death of parents, or having a disabled husband who cannot provide for the family. The Bible addresses these circumstances—like caring for widows. For a Christian woman in a tough situation, the Bible provides guidance. Relatives should care for her first (1 Timothy 5:8). If she lacks relatives and is still young, she should marry. Otherwise, the church should support her. For example, 1 Timothy 5:14 discusses caring for younger widows.
In the past, marriages often occurred out of necessity, with women marrying to gain protection and provision, and men stepping in to fulfill this role because God designed women to be under a man's protection and provision. A single woman should be under her father's care; a married woman under her husband's. This may sound old-fashioned or idealistic, but it is biblical teaching, and the church can improve in these areas. John MacArthur's church, for example, with its ministry to widows, including financial support, is a good example. If more churches followed suit and taught biblical manhood and the necessity of marriage more frequently, things would change.
Proverbs 31 illustrates much of what a woman can accomplish as a keeper at home. However, it seems unfair for women to be expected to manage a full-time job keeping the home and also working outside the home. Since women are described as "the weaker vessel" (1 Peter 3:7), if a second job is necessary, it should be the man's responsibility. The woman's role as a keeper at home is a full-time job in itself.
Do I need to be a keeper at home as an older woman?
Paul mentions in 1 Timothy 5:9 that widows who are 60 years or older are considered older women. Presumably, this is because by that point, their children would have grown and moved out, and they would no longer have the responsibility of raising them. Even though 1 Timothy is referring specifically to widows, this can be applied more generally to when a woman is considered an older woman. However, even though older women who are not widows no longer have the responsibility of caring for children, they still have the responsibility of caring for their husbands.
While older women are not given the command to be keepers at home, they are given the command in Titus 2:3-5 to train the younger women. This type of training was certainly presumed to be hands-on and take place in the homes of the younger women. Since the younger women are at home, that is where the older women need to be in order to teach them. The idea is that these older women, having gained experience from raising children and loving their husbands, are now to impart their wisdom to the younger women. Raising children is never easy, and having an older, wiser woman helping and teaching you day by day in practical ways can make a significant difference in the home.
God made women to be helpers, as we see in Genesis 2. In the early part of a woman’s life, she is to pour herself into her husband and children. As she moves into the later part of her life, she continues to pour herself into her husband and also into younger women who will raise the next generation. Women should not think that, now that they have raised their children and launched them, they can simply “fulfill their own desires.” Women are to be pouring themselves into others. This is what they were made for, and it should occupy the bulk of their time and energy.
