A Thread For Christian Women, & All Women ~ Being a Proverbs 31 Woman ~

Creation of Woman Bible Study Lesson 2:
The Help Meet Dilemma


And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet ~ Genesis 2:18


My Oh My. How things can get lost in translation.

I am not sure if you can relate, but in the past, whenever I have heard the words help meet, I always felt so secondary.

Like God’s afterthought.

"Is that all I am," I wondered, "Someone's help meet? And what in the world is a help meet anyways?"

But, to an all knowing God, there is no such thing as an afterthought.

He knew as He formed Adam with His hands, that He was hiding the beauty and strength of Eve deep inside of Him. And that He would only unveil her after He made a very important point: Like you learned in Lesson 1 of this Creation of Woman Bible Study, a world without woman is a world that is "not good."

The Purpose of A Woman

God said, "I will make him a(n) ezer" (Genesis 2:18).

Now, you will have to forgive me. I usually try not to get in to very minute details. But when we are talking about why God created you, I think it is more than necessary to be thorough.

So, here goes a quick lesson in Hebrew (-:

First off, the Hebrew language is very different from English.

A single word in the English language could represent several different words in the Hebrew language. Each individual Hebrew word would have a more in depth meaning than it’s English counterpart.

There are different Hebrew words that we translate as help.

The Hebrew term "ezer" is actually based on an ancient word "azar." The Strongs Hebrew dictionary translates it as "to surround, i.e. protect or aid:--help, succour."

I personally had to look up the word succour. It means to be the one who gives assistance in a time of great difficulty.

If we look in the Bible for other instances when we see ezer used instead of other words that mean help, we see something very interesting.

It was usually used by believers who were in grave danger! They needed a special kind of help.

They needed to be surrounded with protection.

They needed the One who gives assistance in a time of great danger.

They needed an ezer!

Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help [is] in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.- Psalm 124:7,8

* * * * * *

Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: He is their help and their shield. - Psalm 115:11

* * * * * *
And my personal favorite:

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. - Psalms 121:1 and 2

After looking at those scriptures, and many others using the word, I personally think that the usual translation of ezer as "help meet" does not quite capture the true meaning of the word.

What do you think?

God has called you so much more than just a helper. Just like Eve, God created you because there was a serious problem. And, He uniquely designed you to fix it.

This world needs the gifts that God has stored on the inside of you.

Make no mistake. When God gave the commission to subdue the Earth, Eve was not excluded from the mandate!

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion..." - Genesis 1:28

You are important to God, and you are important to the world. You have a strength and beauty all your own. Ask God to reveal it to you so that you can become the Ezer you were destined to be since the creation of the world.


Creation of Woman Bible Study
Lesson 2: The Help Meet Dilemma

Reflection Questions

1. Has the term 'help meet" ever bothered you? Why or why not?

2. What changes about the way you see yourself when you meditate on the idea of being an ezer?

3. God has made each of us for a very specific reason. Have you given any thought to your God ordained destiny?

4. Did you read something in the Creation of Woman Bible Study Lessons that touched you? Write it down and reflect on it throughout the course.


I hope that God has used these Creation of Woman Bible Study Lessons to minister to your heart. Click here to select your next lesson from the Women's Bible Study Course.

[link to www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org]

Last Edited by Aenon on 06/10/2010 03:25 AM

Becoming a Proverb 31 Woman

The Proverb 31 Woman is sometimes misrepresented. Allow God to reveal the true picture of His plan for you.

Becoming a Proverb 31 Woman
Lesson 1: Clothed in Strength and Dignity

The Proverb 31 woman is sometimes misrepresented. At times, she has been described as nothing more than a glorified maid.

But that is not who God says is more valuable than precious jewels.

That is not the standard that He has given you to aspire to.


Who Can Find a "Chayil" Woman?

Proverb 31: 10-31 KJV

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

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

Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

The word "chayil" is what God uses to describe His idea of a real woman.

You have probably always heard it translated as the "virtuous woman."

But it means so much more.

The Amplified Bible gets a bit closer to the heart of the matter by describing her as a "capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman" (Proverb 31:10 AMP).

That sounds better, but, it is still not quite what God has in mind for the woman He has destined you to become.

The Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary explains that the term "chayil" was used to describe great forces and armies. A woman said to be "chayil" would possess a certain strength, might, and power!

If you were a man going out to fight the good fight of faith, doesn’t that sound like someone you would want fighting on your side?

The Proverb 31 Woman is no wimp. She is a woman of great strength!

A Strong Christian Woman-
Isn't that An Oxymoron?

Living in the 21st century, we can sometimes get a skewed idea of what a strong woman is.

Is she the woman who always speaks her mind and doesn't need anyone's help?

The one who runs her household and is convinced that, if she lets her husband do it, he would just mess everything up?

Or is she the corporate tycoon who only has one child because she refuses to be distracted from her career?

Proverb 31 reveals what your Heavenly Father considers to be true strength.

As He describes this woman, He says that: Strength and dignity are her clothing
and her position is strong and secure...
- Proverb 31:25 (AMP)

Wouldn't you love for your Heavenly Father to say that about you. That is what we all want, right?

But, we are not fighting against flesh and blood in this life. So the strength that you will need to accomplish God's will is not carnal (Ephesians 6:12).

Being able to work 60+ hours and still make time to keep the house clean and cook dinner is not where your true strength and value lies.

Jesus taught this same truth to Martha over two thousand years ago. But it is just as true today.

...a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, "Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me."But the Lord said to her, "My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her." - Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)

The woman God describes in Proverb 31 understands this.
She girds herself with strength [spiritual, mental, and physical fitness for her God-given task]...
- Proverbs 31:17 (AMP)

How much time do you spend girding yourself spiritually for the daily tasks that God gives you? Time sitting at His feet, just like Mary did.

Sometimes, it's easy to be so busy running around doing things for God, that you forget all He really wants is your heart.

As I explained in our online Bible class on Living in the Spirit and experiencing constant fellowship with God, God's desire from the beginning of time has been to walk and talk with you in the cool of the day. For His presence to be your constant source of comfort and strength, and His voice your ever present counsel.

You hear many wives complain that their husbands spend so much time at work trying to provide for them, that they have little to no time to spend with the family. These wives say they would rather have time alone with the one they love, than have them constantly working - Even though they are working for them.

God feels the same way about you. He would rather have time alone with the one He loves, than all of your work - Even when the work you are doing is really for Him.

It is only in that time alone communing with you that He can give you the strength that you will need to be the woman He designed you to be.

It is in the time you spend laying at His feet in fellowship with Him that your Father can truly clothe you in strength and dignity. If you feel God calling you to a place of constant fellowship and communion with Him, I would highly recommend our online Bible Class, Living In The Spirit. It will guide you step by step into a place where you can experience more of God's presence in your daily life, and hear His voice guiding you throughout each day.

Proverb 31 Bible Study Lesson 1

Reflection Questions

1. Does understanding the true meaning of "chayil" change the way that you see God's plan for you as a woman?

2. Do you ever fall into the trap of striving for the world's idea of a Strong Woman? Why or why not? If so, how can you safeguard yourself from doing this?

3. Do you feel that the example God gives you in Proverb 31 is attainable? Why or why not?

4. What are a few ways that you personally could make more time to be like Mary and sit at Jesus' feet?

Charm and grace are deceptive, and beauty is vain [because it is not lasting], but a woman who reverently and worshipfully fears the Lord, she shall be praised! Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]! - Proverb 31:30-31 (AMP)

We have established that the real strength of a woman does not lie in her physical accomplishments, but her spiritual ones.

The Virtuous Woman of Strength that God reveals in Proverb 31 exemplifies the importance of allowing everything that you do daily to flow out of your inner life with God. Doing everything each day as if it is unto your Lord. You will learn more about this in Lesson 2 of your Proverb 31 Woman Bible Study.

[link to www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org]

Becoming a Proverb 31 Woman:
Lesson 2: Let Her Works Praise Her


Will A Real Proverb 31 Woman Please Step Forward?

I can still remember the first time I truly understood what God created women to be. I had finally met a real Proverb 31 woman.

Sure, I had met other Christian women who thought they were. But, this woman was different.

God had clothed her in something I had never seen before in the flesh - Gentle strength.

In her was a perfect earthly example of Jesus – The lion and the lamb.

She wasn’t mousy. But, she wasn’t bossy.

She exuded the very love of God. And everything that she did, flowed out of that love.

Whatever may be your task,
work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, Knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah). - Colossians 3:23-24 (AMP)

Everything that the Proverb 31 Woman does flows out of her inner life with God. That time alone sitting at His feet that we discussed in Lesson 1. It gives her the strength and power that she needs to do everything each day as if it is unto her Lord.

Side Note:
If you have not completed
Lesson 1 of the Proverb 31 Woman Bible Study,
you may want to do so before you complete lesson 2. That lesson is definitely the foundation that we will be building on here


A Servant’s Heart Begins at Home

Whether she is serving the needy or preparing meals for her children, the Proverb 31 woman realizes that it is not a menial task. It is one of honor and dignity because it brings glory to her Father that sent her.

This is one of the things that we have lost in this generation. Many woman no longer recognize the dignity and honor of keeping a home for their families.

Somehow, women have begun to believe that their life outside of the home is more important than their life inside of the home. That serving our families is somehow insignificant or just an inconvenient hassle.

But, God tells us that a real woman "Looks well to how things go in her household, and the bread of idleness (gossip, discontent, and self-pity) she will not eat" (Proverb 31:27 AMP).

I’ve always wanted God to give me a ministry to bless His people. One day, as I was seeking Him for a way to serve others, He brought to my mind this very revealing question: How can I give you people to serve, when you won’t even serve the husband I’ve given you with a good attitude?

Where was my servant's heart towards him? No, I did not complain out loud. But, my heart was full of self-pity.

I allowed thoughts like 'I have to work outside of the home too!' and 'Why doesn't he help out more?' to flood my mind.

Little did I know that these negative thoughts were very quickly robbing me of two of God's most important rewards for servant-hood – His joy and His peace.

Answering God's Call

She opens her hand to the poor,
yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy
[whether in body, mind, or spirit].
- Proverb 31:20 (AMP)

I love how the Amplified Bible specifies that a Proverb 31 Woman opens her "filled hands to the needy whether in body, mind, or spirit" (Proverb 31:20 AMP).

As God's Proverb 31 Woman, you can not afford to let your cup get empty. You must be continually strengthened physically, mentally, and spiritually in order to reach out and fill the cups of those around you.

She girds herself with strength
[spiritual, mental, and physical fitness
for her God-given task]... - Proverb 31:17 (AMP)

Each of us has a specific task that God has called us to. Sometimes it can be easy to hide behind our femininity and pretend that God has not given us a calling. But that is just not so.

There are needy people out there. Some are needy physically. Others are struggling mentally and spiritually. But, regardless of their pain, God loves them.

And He wants to work through you to reach out to them.

This is why it is so important that you make time to spend alone seeking the face of God. This allows Him to fill your hand, so that you can open it and bless His children.


The Proverb 31 Working Woman?

She makes fine linen garments and leads others to buy them... - Proverb 31:24 (AMP)

Did I read that right - The Proverb 31 Woman works?

She can. But there is a huge difference between the way that we see working women today and the woman described in Proverb 31.

God’s woman understands that contributing to the Family’s Finances is not her first priority.

She considers a [new] field before she buys or accepts it [expanding prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties]... - Proverb 31:16 (AMP)

This is what many of us have lost.

Most women, Christian and non, who work outside of the home begin to put their job before the needs of their families. It is not purposeful. But, there is only so much of you to go around.

If we are honest, by the time many of us working women finally get home, we are totally spent!

Then there are still meals to be made and chores to be done.

A Proverb 31 Woman’s gentle strength brings order and peace to her home. But, an exhausted woman often has none of that left to give.

Yes, a Proverb 31 Woman can provide a financial contribution to her family. But it should not be at the family’s expense.

Would you rather get a promotion, or here your family call you:

...blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied); and your husband boasts of and praises you, [saying], Many daughters have done virtuously, nobly, and well [with the strength of character that is steadfast in goodness], but you excel them all. - Proverb 31:28-29 (AMP-bold words altered)

Becoming a Proverb 31 Woman is not easy. But, then again, you are not really the one who does most of the work.

All you do is take yourself before the Lord, and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. You humble yourself before Him and ask Him to show you what areas He wants to mold and change.

And, you walk in obedience to His leading.

In the end, you will taste and see that the fruit of your work with and for God is good (Proverb 31:18 AMP).

And your Father in Heaven will smile and say: Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates [of the city]! - Proverb 31:31 (AMP).


Proverb 31 Woman Lesson 2

Reflection Questions

1. Do you feel like you are reaching the standard set by the Proverb 31 woman? If not, what areas do you need God's help in?

2. What is one thing that God has really brought before your heart through this study? Write it down so that you can reflect on it later on.

3. If you work outside of the home, or even have a work at home business, are there any areas where you know in your heart that your family needs more than you are able to give? Pray and ask God to show you how to meet those needs of those most important to you.

[link to www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org]

There is no such thing as a ''Christian woman''. Jesus was not a woman and did not intend women to be a man like him.

Virtuous Women in the Bible

Journey through this women's Bible study on some of the most heroic women in the Bible. Discover the lessons hidden within the legacies of strength and faith that they have left for you.


Virtuous Women in the Bible Studies


Learning From the Legacies of God's Leading Ladies


Throughout this Virtuous Women in the Bible study, we will will be learning about several women who allowed God to used them in mighty ways. For each women, we will take a hard look at:

* Her place in God's divine plan
* Her challenges along the way
* Her victories
* And 1 lesson we can learn from her legacy


I pray that these short lessons on some of the heroic women in the Bible will help you to understand that God has never thought of women as secondary. Just as each of these women had integral parts to play in God's divine plan, so do you.

We will begin our Women in the Bible study with Sarah. Sarah's story is not an easy one to tell. But it is definitely one that needs telling. And, it is one that you might relate to...


Virtuous Women in the Bible Lesson 1
From Sarai to Sarah:
A Woman's Journey To Faith


Sarah is one of my favorite women in the Bible. Her life is a great reminder that God does not require that you be perfect, nor does He promise that your life will be.

Proverbs warns us that:

Hope deferred makes the heart sick...
- Proverbs 13:12 (AMP)

Sarai's life was a perfect example of the truth lying inside of this scripture.

Her journey began as God sent a message of destiny to Sarai's husband, Abram.

They were told to leave all that they knew, and travel to a new land - Canaan. God promised them that He would give them a child and that, through this seed, all the families of earth shall be blessed (Genesis 12).

Once they arrived in this strange land, God prophesied that He was going to deliver it to their descendants. The ones that were to come from this child.

A child that had not yet been born.

women of the bible two women and child from Bible timesWell, weeks turned into months and months turned into years.

And, for over a decade, God promised Sarai a son. A child that she could love, and nurture. And, for over a decade, Sarai waited for the manifestation of that promise. Her promise of motherhood.

But Sarai was barren.

Yes, her child was to hold the key to blessing all of the people of the world. But I wonder how much Sarai was really thinking about that part. I wonder if, as a woman, more than anything, she really just wanted a baby.

But, years passed. And still, no baby. Sarai could provide no heir for her husband. And, now, a servant born in her house would be his heir (Genesis 15:2-3). The shame and bitterness of her barrenness began to engulf her.

And, as time went on, Sarai began to say within heart,"The Lord has prevented me from having children," (Gen. 16:2). You know that she said in within her heart, because she had begun to say it to her husband.

Sarai blamed God.


Taking Matters of Prophesy Into Your Own Hands


Fearing that God's plan was flawed, Sarai prompted her husband, "Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her," (Genesis 16:2).

Notice what Sarai says here. "Perhaps I can have children." Her concern was not with the manifestation of God's plan, but with her own longing for motherhood.

Maybe if she realized that this child that she so desperately desired was to be the start of a lineage that would birth the savior of the world, she would have put her own desires aside. Or maybe not.

But surely Sarai's husband Abram, God's right hand man, understood after 10 years of walking with the Lord that He would not forsake them! Surely he told her to hold her tongue and wait on Jehovah God!

Never underestimate the amazing power of female persuasion.

Women in the Bible Hagar and Ishmael
"Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife," (Genesis 16:2-3).

But, this was not God's plan. This, was Sarai's plan. And it quickly began to backfire.

Once Hagar became pregnant, she resented Sarai. After being punished for her behavior, Hagar finally ran away.

Since the child Hagar carried was Abram's seed, and God had made covenant with Abram, God gave comfort to Hagar and convinced her to return to Abram and Sarai (Genesis 16:6-15).


God Sees Through Your Present Faults
To Your Future Faith


Thank God for His mercy. Though Abram and Sarai had gone outside of His will and created a huge mess, His love for them had not dried up, but was still as an overflowing well.

women in the Bible princessHe promised that kings and nations would come from Abram. Hagar's son Ishmael was not the son of promise. Once again, He proclaimed that Sarai would still bear Abram a son.

Speaking of God's unyielding forgiveness, He changed her name from Sarai which meant Noble Woman, to Sarah, which means Princess.

Now, of course I could be reading more into this than is here, but I feel that God calling her Princess is so symbolic.

Despite Sarah's imperfections, He had taken her as His daughter. Why?

Because God, unlike man, does not just see who you are today, He sees who He has destined you to become.


And, as a daughter of the King of Kings, what name would be more fitting than Princess?


Is This Study on Un-Virtuous Women in the Bible?


More time passed, and God returned to visit Abraham and Sarah.

Now, this is an interesting situation. Though Sarah knew Who was there, she didn't go out to welcome her Guest. The visitors even inquired about where she was, but she never came out of the tent.

women in the Bible sarah laughingInstead, Sarah stayed inside, and eavesdropped.

You have to ask yourself - Why didn't she come out? But, if you put yourself in her shoes, would you have gone out there? For what?

To hear more unanswered promises? To have your hopes raised yet again, but never fulfilled?


Or, would you have stayed in the tent, just like Sarah?

As Sarah listened, she overheard God telling Abraham, "I will return to you about this time next year, and your wife, Sarah, will have a son!" (Genesis 18:10 NLT).

As she overheard this, Sarah "laughed silently to herself and said, 'How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?'" (Genesis 18:12).

You see, as God's plan tarried, time did not. Sarah had long entered into menopause, and believed that her body could no longer conceive. As God so eloquently put it, "it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women" (Genesis 18:11).

So, she laughed within herself, I would imagine, to keep from crying. But, though her laugh was silent, there was One who could hear it.

Imagine Sarah's shock when God asked why she had laughed!

"Why did Sarah laugh?
Why did she say, 'Can an old woman like me have a baby?'
Is anything too hard for the Lord?" - Genesis 18:13-14


Uh Oh! Quickly, Sarah denied it all. But, God responded, "No, but you did laugh," (Genesis 18:15).

OK, so Sarah didn't just laugh at God, but she lied about it. She is definitely was not having a "Virtuous Woman in the Bible" day Bible study online Christiain smiley!

A Legacy of Faith Born From a Life of Fears


Now, we could all sit around judging Sarah, but would we have been so different?

Do you have anything that God has been promising you. A promise that, when you look at your physical circumstance, your chances at attaining it look grim at best. And, maybe, as the time has passed, your faith has begun to pass along with it.

But, let me tell you the second half of the proverb that we began this study with.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12 (AMP)

But, how do you open the door for God to fulfill the desire that He alone has placed in your heart? By faith.

God says that Faith is:

1. The assurance, confirmation, and the title deed of the things we hope for.
2. The proof of things we do not see.
3. The conviction of their reality.
4. It perceives as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.

-Hebrews 11:1 (AMP)

This is what Sarah began to develop within herself. You see, in order to bring forth the seed that would ultimately lead to the Christ, God did not just have to change Abraham, He had to change Sarah.

I think that is why she is one of my favorite women in the Bible. She is a shining example of God's desire to mold you into your destiny.

You can not hide behind your femininity or your husband, and assume you do not have a place in God's plan. God has a special plan for you, and you, like Sarah, will have to grow into your destiny.

In the end, "Because of faith also Sarah herself received physical power to conceive a child, even when she was long past the age for it, because she considered [God] Who had given her the promise to be reliable and trustworthy and true to His word," (Hebrews 11:11 AMP).

Sarah's faith won her the honor of being the only woman among the top 5 examples God gave to exemplify true faith in Hebrews 11.

In fact, you are actually considered Sarah's true daughter when you "...let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you]," (1Peter 3:6 AMP).

When you are able to look fear in the eye and say "No thank you - I choose to believe my Lord," you have inherited Sarah's legacy of faith.


Virtuous Women in the Bible
Lesson 1: From Sarai to Sarah-
A Woman's Journey To Faith

1. Have you ever caught yourself beginning to blame God for a particular situation? If so, why?

2. What do you think the significance was of God changing Sarai's name to Sarah?

3. Were you surprise by Sarah's imperfections? Why do you think God never glosses over people's missteps in the Bible?

4. Like the women in the Bible, what spiritual legacy would you like to leave for the future generations of women in your family?


I hope that you enjoyed Lesson 1 of your Virtuous Women in the Bible studies.

Sarah is one of the women in the Bible whose story is not one of perfection. And neither will your's be. But, Sarah's legacy is of her journey to being able to take God at His Word. Of growing into the name that He had given her - His Princess.

Lesson 2 of your Virtuous Women in the Bible study is a Bible lesson on Mary. Learn how her belief in God and willingness to do His will put her in the position to be called blessed!

[link to www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org]

Are you serious about what you say?

I guess so.

This is an important passage concerning women :

[link to www.biblegateway.com]

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, 2and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
4"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."

5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

6Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.[a]

I don't understand your point. Can you please make your point clear?

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."

Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."

Matthew 25
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'

9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'

10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'

12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'

13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

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.

4Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.

5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

6For 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.

7For 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.

8For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

I'm still not understanding your point, sorry.

17On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
21"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

24Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

27"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

28And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34"Where have you laid him?" he asked.
"Come and see, Lord," they replied.

35Jesus wept.

36Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"

37But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

Mary Bible Study...
Be It Unto Me According to Your Word

Virtuous Women in the Bible Lesson 2

And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. ~ Luke 1:45

Your second free Virtuous Women in the Bible Lesson is this Mary Bible Study.

Before we begin, I want you to start off by imagining that you are a young teenage girl. Engaged to be married, you have kept yourself pure and chaste for your new husband.

As you eagerly await your wedding day, you have a special visitor. He tells you that you will soon find yourself pregnant outside of wedlock - something punishable by death in your culture.

How do you respond?

Well, Mary responded "be it unto me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). And, since then, all of the generations of the world have called her blessed.

Find out why she was able to to say yes to God's will in this short Mary Bible study.


Blessed is She Who Believed...

The Bible doesn't give us Mary's exact age when she accepted God's calling to be the mother of the Christ. But, since she was betrothed to Joseph at the time, she was probably no more than a young teenage girl. So, why would God have chosen her?

Because of her heart.

Mary Loved the Lord! She was a devout Jew who, unlike many girls of her age, had been taught the scriptures, and knew about God's provision and promises.


Mary Bible Study The Annunciatian of Christ's BirthWhen the angel Gabriel visited her, He proclaimed,

Hail, O favored one [endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women! - Luke 1:28 (AMP).

But, like any young girl, Mary was startled.


She wondered what this visit meant, and why this strange visitor had come to her (Luke 1:29).

Gabriel told her that she would become pregnant, and that the child she bore would be called the Son of the Most High God.

Now, logically, this did not make any sense to Mary. She had kept herself pure as God's law had commanded. How would she, having never experienced intimacy with a husband, become pregnant?

But, when she inquired, the angel explained, "...with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment," (Luke 1:37 AMP).

To which this young girl replied, "Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said." (Luke 1:38 AMP)

How much can we all learn from just that short conversation between Mary and the angel Gabriel. Though Mary was scared and confused, she did not let her emotions or logic get in the way of doing God's will.

Did she say, "But what will my finance think if I go around claiming the Holy Spirit has come upon me and made me pregnant?"

Did she question, "Who will protect me from those who will seek to stone me for adultery, though I've done no wrong?"

No.

She said, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." (Luke 1:38 NLT).

When Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, her cousin proclaimed to her:

...blessed (happy,to be envied)
is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord. - Luke 1:45 (AMP)

Mary believed God with child-like faith. She took Him at His Word, and was called blessed!

After Elizabeth said this, Mary began to sing praises to God.


Mary Bible Study Mary Mother of Christ PrayingOh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior... For the Mighty One is holy, and He has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear Him...He has helped His servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For He made this promise to our ancestors,to Abraham and his children forever.
-Luke 1:46-50; 54-55 (AMP)


She worshiped and sent up praises to the Lord.

That is why God chose Mary. He knew her heart was for Him.

Because of her willingness to believe, God proved His promise that "...no word from God shall be without power," (Luke 1:37 AMP)! The consequences that most would have feared never came to pass in Mary's life.

God allowed no enemies to harm Mary. And her fiance' did not put her away, but the Holy Spirit spoke to Joseph on her behalf, and he remained with her (Matthew 1:18-21).

Since Mary's heart was for God, God's heart was for Mary.

The Holy Spirit Longs to Come Upon YOU Too!

When Mary asked how she could possibly become pregnant, the angel replied,

The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born of you will be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:35 (AMP)

There are things that God wants to do in your life that may not seem possible in the physical realm. In fact, like Mary, you may fear that stepping out of your comfort zone will cause complications you are not ready to deal with.

But, as the angel told Mary, "...no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment," (Luke 1:37 AMP). Whatever God has for you to do, and believe me, there is something, He will give you the power to complete the task.

The Holy Spirit is simply waiting for you to proclaim, "I am the Lord's servant. May everything you have said about me come true." (Luke 1:38 NLT).

As those words of trust and submission flow from your lips, the Spirit of God will come upon you, and birth something holy inside of your spirit that will bear the fruit of God for years to come.


Virtuous Women in the Bible
Lesson 2: Mary Bible Study
Be It Unto Me According to Your Word

1. How do you honestly think you would have responded to God's request to risk your future marriage and, really, your life, to carry His child? Why?

2. Have you ever pretended that you did not hear God's voice whispering that He would like you to do something for Him? Is there anything you think He may want you to be pursing right now that you are afraid to try? Why?

3. After completing this Mary Bible study, would you say that you have her attitude when it comes to believing the Lord and His promises? What actions have you taken, or not taken, that backup your answer?


Have you ever gone through a famine in your life? A time when the pain was so great that the very life within you seemed to be withering away?

That is how Naomi felt. But, even in Naomi's darkest hour, God had a plan. God had hope. Find out how God turned Naomi's famine into a plentiful harvest in your next Virtuous Women in the Bible Study.

[link to www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org]

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"

"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?"
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."

16Jesus said to her, "Mary."
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).

17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' "

18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

My soul doth magnify the Lord.
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid;
for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because he that is mighty,
hath done great things to me;
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is from generation unto generations,
to them that fear him.
He hath shewed might in his arm:
he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He hath put down the mighty from their seat,
and hath exalted the humble.
He hath filled the hungry with good things;
and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He hath received Israel his servant,
being mindful of his mercy:
As he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed for ever

Then Hannah prayed and said:
"My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn [a] is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.
2 "There is no one holy like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

3 "Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.

4 "The bows of the warriors are broken,
but those who stumbled are armed with strength.

5 Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
but those who were hungry hunger no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
but she who has had many sons pines away.

6 "The LORD brings death and makes alive;
he brings down to the grave [c] and raises up.

7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth;
he humbles and he exalts.

8 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
and has them inherit a throne of honor.
"For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's;
upon them he has set the world.

9 He will guard the feet of his saints,
but the wicked will be silenced in darkness.
"It is not by strength that one prevails;

10 those who oppose the LORD will be shattered.
He will thunder against them from heaven;
the LORD will judge the ends of the earth.
"He will give strength to his king
and exalt the horn of his anointed

Bible Study on Naomi:
Having Hope Through the Famines of Life

And Naomi said, "I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty." ~ Ruth 1:21 (AMP)

Have you ever gone through a famine in your life?

In this Bible study on Naomi, we will look at how God turned one woman's famine into a bountiful harvest. We will learn how, even in her darkest hour, God's plan was working to shine His light on Naomi's life.

Though she felt abandoned, He had in no way forsaken her. In all of her darkenss, God had left Naomi a ray of hope.

This is the first of two Bible studies on the Book of Ruth. The next lesson with focus on Ruth herself. But, this Bible study on Naomi is here to give you hope in your life's driest seasons.


Famines of the Soul


Your Bible study on Naomi begins with a great famine.

It is rather symbolic really, because, like the crops in Bethlehem and Judah, Naomi had to watch as those around her that she loved and cherished began to wither and die.

Taken to the strange land of Moab in search of a better life, it was there that she experienced her first lost. It was her husband, Elimelech.

Now, Naomi was a widow. She was miles away from any family, and was left with two sons to raise - Mahlon and Kilion.

Eventually, her boys became men, and took wives of their own from among the pagans of Moab - Orpah and Ruth.

Though Naomi's story only begins in Ruth 1:1. By Ruth 1:5, before either of her sons could even bless her with a grandchild to carry on their family's lineage, "both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband" (Ruth 1:5 NLT).

Can you even imagine? She's out in the middle of no where, in a land of pagans and idol worshipers. And, now, every member of her family is gone. She feels like she has been left with nothing.

Have you ever felt like that before? Like everything in your world was crumbling around you. Have you ever known a grief so deep that you felt there was no hope for restoration?

That is how Naomi felt. And Naomi blamed God.

The Lord Himself has raised His fist against me.- Ruth 1:13b (NLT)


Abandoned By God?


Now the head of her family, Naomi decided to take her two daughter-in-laws, and move back to Judah.

She had heard that the Lord had once again caused Judah to prosper and produce food, and decided to return to her true home.

But, as they began to travel, Naomi realized that she had nothing left to offer these young girls. No wealth for them to inherit or sons for them to marry.

So she pronounced a blessing over them, and told them to go back to their families, and their gods.

...Go, return each of you to her mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find a home and rest, each in the house of her husband! Then she kissed them... - Ruth 1:8-9 (AMP)

After much insisting from Naomi, Orpah agreed to leave, but Ruth did not.

You see, Naomi was not alone after all. Though she thought she had been forsaken by all, she did have someone left who loved her, and refused to leave her side.

Her daughter-in-law Ruth pleaded with her.

Urge me not to leave you or to turn back from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts me from you. - Ruth 1:16-17 (AMP)

Regardless of how Naomi may have felt, God had not utterly abandoned her. In Ruth, He had left her a hope.

Though God's plan to restore Naomi was indeed in motion, she herself could not see it. All she could see was her own pain.

When she arrived back home with her people, she told them,

Call me not Naomi [pleasant]; call me Mara [bitter],
for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. I went out full, but the Lord has brought me home again empty. - Ruth 1:20-21 (AMP)

But, indeed, Naomi had not returned as empty handed as she had thought.


A Ray of Hope

Sometimes when we are in our darkest hour, all we can see is the dark. We can not see God at work, shining His light into our darkness.

We are pressed on every side
by troubles, but we are not crushed.
We are perplexed,
but not driven to despair.
We are hunted down,
but never abandoned by God.
We get knocked down,
but we are not destroyed.
- 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT)

God had not abandoned Naomi, and He was not going to let her be destroyed. God had a plan to restore her and bring her hope.

The beginning of that hope was revealed in Ruth, and it was completed in a man named Boaz.

Boaz was related to Naomi's husband. Under Jewish law, he was one of two men who had the right to marry Ruth.

In modern day society, it can be hard for us to understand why this is significant to Naomi. Why would she care if her daughter-in-law remarried?

But, under Jewish law, if Boaz married her son's widow, it would "restore the name of the dead to his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren and from the gate of his birthplace" (Ruth 4:10 AMP).

Whatever child born to Ruth and Boaz would be considered Naomi's grandchild, and restore her family's lineage.

And there was indeed a child born.

And the women said to Naomi, Blessed be the Lord,
Who has not left you this day without a close kinsman,
and may his name be famous in Israel.
And may he be to you a restorer of life
and a nourisher and supporter in your old age,
for your daughter-in-law who loves you,
who is better to you than seven sons, has borne him
...And her neighbor women gave him a name,
saying, A son is born to Naomi.
They named him Obed.
- Ruth 4:14-17 (AMP)

Naomi's grandson was Obed - The grandfather of King David - The ancestor of Jesus Christ.

God did not leave Naomi empty as she had thought. God used her to bless the world.

God had a plan, as He always does. His plan was to give Naomi "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness" (Isaiah 61:3).

And, He has a plan to do the same thing for you.


Virtuous Women in the Bible
Lesson 3: Bible Study on Naomi
Having Hope Through the Famines of Life

1. Have you ever felt like everything in your world was crumbling around you? Have there been times in your life when you've thought "The Lord Himself has raised His fist against me" (Ruth 1:13b NLT)?

2. Why do you think that even though Naomi was bringing Ruth home with her, she felt that she was coming home empty? What can we learn from her incorrect assumption?

3. Why do you think it is significant that Naomi was not just blessed with a grandson, but an ancestor of Christ? What does that tell us about what happens when God restores us?

4. Based on what you've learned in this Bible study on Naomi, what legacy would you say that she has left for us as women of God?

I pray that you have enjoyed this Virtuous Women in the Bible Study on Naomi. Be on the look out for other Bible lessons on women in the Bible.

[link to www.hem-of-his-garment-bible-study.org]

Last Edited by Aenon on 06/10/2010 04:37 AM

Thanks for the bumps :)

Unrelated, but still these are good CHRISTIAN WOMEN

Mark 10:
2 Some Pharisees came and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?"

3 "What did Moses command you?" he replied.

4 They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away."

5 "It was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied.
6 "But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.'
7 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife,
8 and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one.
9 Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

10 When they were in the house again, the disciples asked Jesus about this.
11 He answered, "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her.
12 And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery."

Luke 16:18 Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery,
and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Excellent post goddrunk
I'm copying and emailing to myself and others.

"I desire that the men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting, and the women likewise [or 'in like manner']"[1 Tim. 2:12]
"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet."[1 Tim. 2:8]
"[I desire women] to array themselves in a befitted catastola,[13] with reverence and restraint, not with braids, or gold, or pearls, or costly garments. But as becomes women proclaiming godliness, with good deeds."[1 Tim. 2:9-10]
"Let a woman learn, quietly, in all subjection [to God]."[1 Tim. 2:11]
"Now I permit a woman neither to teach nor exercise authority over a man, but let her be in quietness. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived [when he sinned]; but the woman, having [first] been thoroughly deceived, became [involved] in the transgression [of Adam], and she will be saved by the Child-bearing [i.e., the bearing of Jesus Christ], if they abide in faith, and love and sanctification with self-restraint."[1 Tim. 2:12-15]

Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach...."[1 Tim. 3:1-2]
"A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well...."[1 Tim. 3:12]
"The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient."[Titus 1:5-6]
[edit] Criteria for deacons
"Deacons likewise must be serious, not double tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for money; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serves as deacons. Women likewise must be serious, not slanders, but temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be married only once, and let them manage their children and their households well; for those who serve well as deacons gain good standing for themselves and the great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus."[1 Tim. 3:8-13]

John Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople at the beginning of the fifth century, said of biblical women that they "were great characters, great women and admirable…. Yet did they in no case outstrip the men, but occupied the second rank" (Epistle to the Ephesians, Homily 13). Commenting on 1 Timothy 2:11-15,

Chrysostom said that "the male sex enjoyed the higher honor. Man was first formed; and elsewhere he shows their superiority…. He wishes the man to have the preeminence in every way." Of women he said that "The woman taught once, and ruined all. On this account therefore he saith, let her not teach. But what is it to other women, that she suffered this? It certainly concerns them; for the sex is weak and fickle, and he is speaking of the sex collectively." (1 Timothy, Homily 9).

Augustine elevated the contempt of women and sex to a level unsurpassed before. To him, women's inferiority to men was so obvious [9] that he felt that he had to ask the question: "Why was woman created at all". [10] He concluded that woman was created purely for procreation and for nothing else.[11] The expulsion of Adam and Eve from paradise, according to him, was purely the fault of Eve

Gregory of Nazianzus, the Bishop of Constantinople had this to say about women, "Fierce is the dragon and cunning the asp; But and cunning the asp; But woman have the malice of both."

According to the theologian Origen, women are worse than animals because they are continuously full of lust. [13] Origen does not approve of the sexual act even in marriage and taught that although widowers can remarry, they are by no means crowned for this. [14]He also argued in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 that female prophets never spoke publicly in the assembly.[4]

St. Clement of Alexandria had such a contempt for women that he believed such a feeling must be universal. He wrote, in his book Paedagogus that in women, "the consciousness of their own nature must evoke feelings of shame". He also suggested that wWomen should also fetch from the pantry things that we need. [15]

Gregory of Nyssa taught that the sexual act was an outcome of the fall and that marriage is the outcome of sin. [16]

Tertullian's views on women went further: "The curse God pronounced on your sex still weighs on the world. …You are the devil's gateway…. You are the first that deserted the divine laws. All too easily you destroyed the image of God, Adam. Because you deserved death, it was the son of God who had to die".[5]

St Jerome, the well known Biblical scholar and translator of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate) have a simple view of women. To him "woman is the root of all evil." [6] Like all the early Christian theologians, Jerome glorified virginity and looked down on marriage. He reasoning, was also rooted in Genesis: "Eve in paradise was a virgin ... understand that virginity is natural and that marriage comes after the Fall." [7]

Firmilian tells of a woman who went into an ecstasy and came out a prophetess. "That woman who first through marvels or deceptions of the demons did many things to deceive the faithful, among other things... she dared to do this, namely that by an impressive invocation she feigned she was sanctifying bread, and offering a sacrifice to the Lord." [8]

Specific prohibitions
Divorce
Women who have left their husbands for no prior cause and have joined themselves with others, may not even at death receive communion. [17]

[edit] Adultery
A woman of the faith who has left an adulterous husband of the faith and marries another, her marrying in this manner is prohibited. If she has so married, she may not at any more receive communion--unless he that she has left has since departed from this world. [18]

[edit] Abortion
If a woman conceives in adultery and then has an abortion, she may not commune again, even as death approaches, because she has sinned twice.[19]

[edit] Infanticide
Justin Martyr cautioned that it was wicked to expose children, given that almost all those who are exposed were raised to prostitution. [20]

[edit] Prostitution
Justin also added a warning against consorting with prostitutes because it was thereby possible that one would be guilty of having intercourse with his own child. [21]