TPW 80 Biblical Womanhood Incorruptible Beauty

Incorruptible Beauty in Biblical Womanhood

God's Word is saying here. Don't let your adornment be merely Outward let it be inward and outward let it be both. Welcome to the pros and witness. This is pastor Patrick Hines here at Brittle Heights Presbyterian Church.

Today, I'm gonna post part two of the series on biblical womanhood and today looking at first Peter chapter 3 and what God considers to be.

Beauty.

Incorruptible beauty that is very precious in his sight. It's a pretty amazing description that God's Word gives us there in first Peter 3 and I know that for women today The idea of being beautiful being attractive.

That's something that is a concern. It's always a concern. It's a concern and not just to women but also, you know, men want to feel attractive and things like that, too. But what does scripture say is precious in the sight of God and what is adornment really look like?

Inward and outward one of the things that I remember many years ago when God first got a hold of me and broke through my Stubborn foolishness and my sin and showed me the depth of my sin and drew me irresistibly to Christ.

I at the time I was 18 years old. There were certain Girls and there were girls that dressed a certain way and things like that that I tended to find attractive up to that point. But as as God Began to kill off the old Adam.

It was amazing how girls that once were attractive became rather repulsive and girls that weren't as attractive became far more attractive and I think that's one of the marks of Christian growth is that men learn to value the women in their lives For true beauty and in fact their their true inward godliness that gentle and quiet spirit Will bring out an outward beauty that you don't see in anyone else no matter no matter how much they may be Beautiful in the eyes of the world.

And so I want to encourage especially men to listen closely listen closely to The Word of God here and the exposition of it and make sure you understand what true beauty is especially as you think about Marriage or if you are married and God has given you a godly wife that her worth is far above rubies it says in Proverbs 31 10 and You need to praise and thank God every day if you have a godly wife who is an encouragement to you Who is a support to you who helps you to be better than you could ever be without her?

My heart breaks for women in the confusing and insane day and age that we live in and the standards that they're held to and the kinds of outward physical.

Really trashy.

Beauty as the world sees it how that's put forward to them and it makes them uncomfortable. It really is upsetting to Christian men ought to be. So let's understand what scripture says true beauty looks like and what the inward.

Adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit. Why that is so wonderful and precious in God's sight. So I hope you find this to be edifying. Let us pray together now for God's blessing on our understanding of his Word.

Heavenly Father we come to you now again in the name of Christ. To ask you to help us understand these passages of your holy word. To recognize their authority that they are breathed forth by your mouth to us.

The the words themselves are from you that you are speaking to us directly in them. Help us understand them rightly and to apply them to our lives in Jesus name. We ask amen. Please take your Bible and turn to.

The Biblical Texts on Modesty, Submission, and Older Women Teaching Younger Women

1st Peter chapter 3 Verses 3 and 4. 1st Peter chapter 3 Verses 3 and 4. We're going to read four texts of scripture this morning. This is the first of those. 1st Peter chapter 3 verses 3 and 4. 1st Peter chapter 3 verses 3 and 4.

This is God's Word. Do not let your adornment be merely outward. Arranging the hair wearing gold or putting on fine apparel. Rather, let it be the hidden person of the heart. With the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.

Now turn over to 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 9 to the left there in your Bible a little bit. 1st Timothy chapter 2 Verse 9. 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 9. 1st Timothy chapter 2 verse 9. This is God's Word and like manner also that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel with propriety and moderation.

Not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing. Okay, now let's turn over to Ephesians 5 22. Ephesians 5 Verse 22 through 24. Ephesians 5 22 to 24. This is God's Word. Wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord.

For the husband is the head of the wife as also Christ is head of the church and he is the Savior of the body. Therefore just as the church is subject to Christ. So let the wives be to their own husbands in Everything.

And then one last passage. Titus chapter 2 verses 3 through 5. Titus chapter 2 verses 3 through 5. Titus 2 3 through.

5.

Titus 2 3 through 5. This is God's Word. The older women likewise that they be reverent and behavior not slanderers not given to much wine teachers of good things. That they admonish the young women to love their husbands to love their children to be discreet chaste homemakers good Obedient to their own husbands that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.

May God add his blessing to the reading of his infallible worm. RJ rush to me once said that culture is simply religion externalized. Culture is religion Externalized. What our culture today calls beautiful is in many ways Repulsive to the godly and what our culture despises is in many ways delightful to the godly.

Since the fall of man there has been a very sinful obsession. With outward appearance and while we are obligated to take care of and to groom ourselves It is easy to allow fashion riches and sexuality become idols in our lives.

It really is kind of a strange thing if you think carefully about it about it. Why are we so interested in being attractive to other people? There are a few things more fleeting than the praises and approval of mankind.

Public opinion ought not to be nearly as important to us as it often is. People are very fickle in terms of what they like one day and dislike the next and So we turn to the Word of God now to find in it a portrait of what God? considers beauty to be in women.

What God considers beauty to be in women and we now look at what is called in the text one of the texts we just read incorruptible beauty and Very precious in the sight of God. And for all godly women nothing could be more important than that than what God calls Incorruptible beauty and what God calls very precious in his sight.

Because the godly woman wants the approval of Christ More than anything else and I want to encourage every woman here to have being beautiful to God. Your main priority when it comes to how you think about what beauty is I would encourage you ladies to commit some of these passages to memory.

They are very important. Commit some of the phrases to memory especially if you are Influencing or discipling young women the phrases of a gentle and quiet spirit things like that are very very important for younger women to understand.

There is nothing more beautiful than true Biblical godliness and there is nothing more lovely than women who exhibit the attributes that are spelled out in these texts of scripture. Which are part of this morning's passages.

So I've given you three points this morning. The first I've called true biblical beauty and modesty. That's the first point. Secondly that a godly woman is trustful and submissive and thirdly She is a godly mentor to younger women.

And if she is a younger woman, she's a teachable younger woman. So let's go back to first Peter 3 if you could turn back there again first Peter 3 3. I'd like to walk through in detail each one of these passages as there is so much that is important in each verse each phrase first Peter chapter 3 verses 3 through 4.

Verse 3 there and that text says to the women do not let your adornment be merely outward. Arranging the hair wearing gold or putting on fine apparel. Okay, stop there. Everyone men and women want to look decent and want to look good and the Word of God Specifically tells women here not to allow your beauty to be outward only not to be merely Outward and the application is clear.

There can be a real temptation To women to be so concerned about your outward appearance that the cultivation of true inward beauty is neglected. Now look at the three things that are listed there in the text.

It says don't let your adornment be merely outward arranging the hair now some translations translate that as braiding the hair or Plating the hair it says in the King James Version. Now that does not mean you're not allowed to braid your hair.

Okay.

At the time in which first Peter was written There were certain hairstyles that were associated with lewd women and this was one of them. It was a certain kind of hairstyle that was associated with prostitution and and women who had bad reputations.

The second thing wearing gold. Okay here again. While the godly women of the Old Testament like Sarah Rebecca the wives of the patriarchs they did have gold. They wore gold. The Israelites at times wore gold at this time.

This was chiefly the kind of attire. Attire that was worn by harlots and wicked women and Thirdly putting on fine apparel. That is not a prohibition against wearing nice clothes, but rather against extravagance and Excessive costliness.

That's what's being warned against there. Always remember we are to adorn our profession of the gospel in every way that we live our lives and everything that we do. The Way we dress the way we act the way we spend money.

Now as an example if I were to drive up to church in a Ferrari With fire painted on the side and if I was standing here in a four thousand five hundred dollar custom-made suit.

Which I assure you I am NOT.

Wearing eighteen thousand dollars worth of custom-made jewelry. Wouldn't you think that was a little strange if I look like mr. T up here. Matthew Henry said people should take care that all their external behavior be Answerable to their profession of Christianity.

What's the general principle here? What's the general principle of what is being said by Peter? Is that we ought to adorn our profession of the gospel with moderation with temperance in the way we dress?

What we wear what we put on all those sorts of things and that's being directed especially towards women here. That their adornment is not to be merely outward. Although there's nothing wrong with looking nice.

But not to be so focused on those things that they cause you to neglect the true beauty the true parts of Biblical femininity and biblical beauty that God says are beautiful. If we are able we ought to try to look washed.

Groomed and decently dressed. But ladies if you spend three hours Doing your hair and putting on gold and wearing excessively fine clothes. The Word of God is saying to you here. Your focus is too much on outward adornment.

It's too much on that. It is important, but it's not that important God's Word is saying here. Don't let your adornment be merely Outward let it be inward and outward let it be both. Moderation and temperance are the keys here when it comes to outward adornment.

Now notice verse 4 the contrast that's given rather. Let it be the hidden person of the heart with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. Which is very precious in the sight of God. And so what God is saying to women here is that there are ornaments and there is attire that Excel outward ornaments and outward attire in their beauty.

Nothing is more beautiful to God than a gentle and quiet heart that trusts in the Lord Jesus fully. Nothing is more beautiful than that to God. It is what the text describes as incorruptible beauty. It's beauty that can't be lost in a house fire.

It's beauty that can't be lost by any circumstances that come from the outside at all because it's inner it trusts in the Lord. It's incorruptible beauty a gentle quiet spirit ladies let your souls be adorned with the clothing of Christ a gentle quiet spirit a Gentle quiet soul now.

I want to elaborate a little bit on what each one of those words Mean they're very vivid very important words. What is gentle me a gentle quiet spirit. That word gentle? Is also the very same word that Jesus uses in the Sermon on the Mount when he says blessed are the meek.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. That's the same word. Blessed are the gentle. Blessed are those who are not easily angered. That's really what the term carries with it it's saying that God looks at that attribute in women as Incorruptibly beautiful.

A woman who is not easily angered a woman who is who is meek and the term also Carries with it not being overly impressed by a sense of one's self-importance. Gentle humble considerate meek. That's what the term means.

Those are the attributes of Christians in general. But here in first Peter, they are especially prized among women. Don't let your beauty be just your hair just your face or your clothes or jewelry. Let it be that you are not impressed by a sense of your own self-importance.

Let it be your gentleness. Let it be your humility. Let it be that you are considerate. Let it be that you are meek. You're not easily angered. Those are the marks of true biblical beauty. God sees this as beautiful in you.

It's that way in God's eyes. Now the term quiet that term quiet means peaceful. Tranquil well-ordered when it says a gentle and quiet spirit the godly woman who has that incorruptible beauty has a peace about her.

She is tranquil. She is well-ordered. The heart of a godly beautiful woman is not easily angered. She doesn't snap and start yelling. She is void of angry passions. She has a joyful submission about her toward her husband and family.

Strength and honor are her clothing and she doesn't worry about the future excessively, but she rejoices in the days to come. One of the hymns that I sing to my younger children in the evenings is called a Christian home and the second stanza of that wonderful Hymn says Oh give us homes with godly fathers mothers who always place their hope and trust in him.

Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers. That's a hard one. Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers. Or noise never bothers. Or just fill in the black. Whose calm and courage trouble cannot dim.

A home where each finds joy in serving others. And love still shines. Though days be dark and grim. Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers. That's the way you would describe a godly woman who has an incorruptible beauty.

A godly woman is not easily bothered. Turmoil does not send her. Spiraling down she has hope she is gentle. She is tranquil undisturbed. My great-grandmother died when she was a hundred and six years old back in 2007 she was 64 years the widow of a Baptist pastor.

My great-grandfather was a Baptist minister. Who died when he was 44 years old of a severe heart attack and my great-grandmother was left with five little kids when that happened. She never remarried and they had a pretty hard a lot back then.

My mother once told me a story about her mom. My grandmother who was the daughter of my great-grandmother. When she was a teenager, she once broke down and cried out to her mother. Why would God take our father from us like this?

Why has he left us to eat potatoes for almost every other meal. And my great-grandmother's response to her was Very calmly. Don't you ever question God? Her two other favorite sayings I learned at her funeral where God is so good and it just doesn't matter.

Whose tender patience turmoil never bothers. Whose calm and courage trouble cannot dim. Will women feel the sting of loss in a situation like that. I'm sure she did. I know she did great heartache and have spiritual lows.

Yes, of course we all do. But in her heart she trusts in the goodness of Christ. The one who bled and died for her soul. That's the most important thing to her. That's why the turmoil through it all there's a gentleness and a quiet there.

There is meekness not easily angered. There's tranquility and peace there. She trusts in God. She knows he's good. Therefore she has a gentle meek quiet tranquil peaceful soul sisters in Christ. That is according to the Word of God.

That is very.

Precious in the sight of God.

Very precious in the sight of God. Now turn back over to first Timothy 2 9. I want you to to see one of the phrases used here first Timothy 2 9. First Timothy 2 verse 9. First Timothy 2 verse 9. Just want to key in on one phrase here that I think is very very important.

Especially in the day and age that we live in now. First Timothy 2 9 says in like manner also that the women adorn themselves in modest Apparel with propriety and moderation not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing.

Hey that sound familiar very similar to what Peter just said except there's one difference there that phrase modest apparel. Now I want to give you an illustration when I took a course in seminary. One of the electives I took was called folk religions.

And we had the the great privilege of listening to a man who was 84 years old and had done pioneering missionary work in the Congo and in different parts of the world where the gospel had never been in places that had very little exposure to To the civilized world.

And one of the things that we learned in there is that when pioneering missionaries enter Unreached parts of the world there are almost always three things. They have to immediately tell people Among other things to stop doing the first thing is stop killing babies.

Godless cultures tend to do that like ours. Secondly stop cutting and scarring yourself and thirdly put clothes on. Have you ever noticed that you watch the documentaries you see about? Cultures that have no exposure to the Bible no exposure to any kind of Christian civilization.

They tend to be extraordinarily a modest.

Yes.

Some of it is due to warm climates but a lot of it's just plain immodesty. And the Undressing of America that we've seen just in the last 40 50 years is part of our cultural apostasy. The disrespect to the human body is a natural consequence of our collective turning away from God from truth from Christ.

From righteousness. Now that term for modest simply means appropriate. Is saying ladies wear appropriate clothing. And while this passage is not overly specific as far as Appropriate lengths of clothing or appropriate cuts and things like that as a general rule I think we can say this.

I would encourage women to err on the side of caution and err on the side of covering more as opposed to less. I Once heard a Christian woman speak to this issue with great insight. She said if people see someone wearing a police uniform what do they assume that person is a Policeman.

If someone sees someone wearing a nurse's gown What do they assume they are a nurse. If we see women who are dressed immodestly and the way that immoral women dress We will assume that that woman is what?

Immoral wicked bad. Many years ago. I started working on an essay that eventually I'm gonna try to finish. It was titled the Proverbs 7 woman how to recognize her and how not to be her. I Once taught a group of teenage men at a retreat this passage.

We drilled into it in great depth and I told them it's just a matter of time before you meet this woman. And the question is will you be ready when you do and notice just a couple of verses from Proverbs 7 about this woman.

Proverbs 7 verse 10 the immoral woman or as the King James Version says the strange woman. Proverbs 7 verse 10 and there a woman met him. Just this unsuspecting guy who's just wandering down the street a woman met him with the attire of a harlot and a crafty heart.

She was loud and rebellious her feet would not stay at home at times. She was outside at times in the open square lurking at every corner. So she caught him and kissed him with an impudent and defiant face.

She said to him and so on from there. Now everyone who reads that passage knows what is meant by the attire of a harlot. We all know what that means. In opposition to this godly women are to wear modest clothing.

Appropriate clothing. And my sisters you want to be modest because it is pleasing to God but also for the sake of your Christian brothers. You do not want to be a stumbling block to them. Remember the prohibition against adultery.

Contains within it something else the seventh commandment requires the preservation of our own and our neighbors chastity in heart speech and behavior. And so ladies, even if you don't feel like you dress them modestly on purpose remember that there are men all around you.

And Men are very visually oriented when it comes to sexuality. And I say to you this. This is why scripture speaks of this a moral woman in Proverbs 7 is wearing the attire of a harlot. Why do they do that to attract male attention?

Why. Because men are visual? There's a reason why Jesus when he elevates the seventh commandment and explains what it means. He says that if a man looks at a woman with lust in his heart, he's already committed adultery with her.

You'll notice I'm sure it can work in the other direction, but it's primarily a male problem that kind of thing. Why is there instruction in the Word of God to women about dressing modestly, but not directly to men.

The same reason do men need to dress modestly, of course. But think about the plague the scourge of pornography in our culture today the use of sex to sell.

Everything.

Is primarily aimed at men and. So ladies be concerned with the chastity and holiness of the men around you. Be modest and I would add one more thing. The kind of man you want to be married to. For those of you who are single or younger the kind of man you want To be married to is going to find immodesty repulsive.

Anyway, so the biblical woman is marked by Incorruptible beauty. Is she concerned about how she looks and taking taking care of herself, of course. But there's a much greater concern for what God says is incorruptibly beautiful a gentle and quiet spirit.

Godliness.

Peaceful heart she dresses modestly out of love for God respect for herself and love for her. Christian brothers, too. Okay, let's look at point number two is her turn to Ephesians 5 22 and following Ephesians 5 22 and following Ephesians 5 22 to 24.

I'd like to read these in your hearing again. Ephesians 5 22 to 24 wives submit to your own husbands as to the Lord for the husband is head of the wife as also Christ is head of the Church and he is the Savior of the body therefore just as the church is subject to Christ.

So let the wives be to their own husbands and everything. Okay, stop there here. We have what is probably the most hated part of the biblical teaching about women when it comes to marriage women. We're not designed to lead when it comes to marriage.

Women were not designed to lead but to follow specifically to follow their husbands. And while when I've done pre-marriage counseling and in my own experience 97 of decisions made in families will be joint decisions where the husband and wife are entirely in agreement.

There will be those moments when there is an impasse. And in those situations the wife is required to submit to the husband's leadership and to follow him. There is hierarchy in the Bible God spells it out. Very clearly.

We have to believe and practice it. And brothers when these situations occur when there is that impasse and you have to make the call. And you she is expected to submit to and follow you. It's a lot easier for them to submit if you've established a long track record of demonstrating by words.

Actions and attitudes that she is precious to you. That you love her dearly that you put her needs and desires before you own and that you would die for her if need be. It's much easier to submit to a man like that.

Then to one who lords it over. One reason our culture doesn't like this passage is that so many men are directionless visionless have no ambitions. No goals, no legacy. They're hoping to leave behind etc.

And sadly for many men in our culture their vision of manhood Doesn't go much farther than getting their guy to the next level of a video game. And now guys if that's you don't expect a woman to submit to you as to the Lord.

It says.

And to the married men with daughters in this room. We must model the kind of godliness that our daughters will one day have to submit to. It ought to be a joyful submission a trusting submission. Wives ought to be ready willing and able to submit to their husbands because that Man's a godly man.

He's worth following. He loves us. He's always done. What's best for me. And to the unmarried women here of all ages who have the desire to one day be married. You must not settle.

When you marry.

Do not settle for someone because you're afraid of being alone. You must wait for a godly man a Man who will lead and to whom you will be willing to submit because once you're married you have to submit to him.

Wait for a godly man whose goals and ambitions and life you can make your own. Wait for the man that you know you want to help along the way. Remember God created you to help him if you end up. Married you're his helper.

He needs your help. You got to marry someone you want to help. Whose goal is you want to help him accomplish? That man will not be able to do what God has called him to do without your help. Do you want to help him?

And will you want to submit to his leadership? The reason i'm emphasizing that is verse 24 is the absolute truth. Therefore just as the church is subject to christ. So let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.

That's a very important attribute of biblical womanhood. Now in contrast to that I want you to see if you can hear a pattern. In these next few verses i'm going to quote to you here. Proverbs 21 9 better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

Proverbs 21 19 better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman. Proverbs 25 24 it is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop than in a house shared with a contentious woman.

Proverbs 27 15 a continual dripping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike. You see a pattern there. Years ago I worked as a surveyor's assistant and we did. Just dozens and dozens of what were called location surveys for mortgage loans.

Every time a house is mortgaged the banks got to make sure the house isn't encroaching on someone else's border. So we would go and knock on people's doors to make sure that they didn't come out armed and try to hurt us because we Were walking around their house.

We would let them know we're there. One time a very nice elderly man met us at the door very pleasant guy. And his wife came up behind him and she was absolutely chewing him out. She didn't want us there.

She was yelling at him yelling at us wanted us to go away and this poor guy stood there saying it's okay, dear. Yes, dear. It's okay, dear. I understand dear. And then we were finally done and he shut the door and the guy was working with turned around looked at me and said I ain't.

Never getting married. If they're all like that.

I.

Used to watch man versus wild with bear grills where he's always out in the wilderness trying to test his british special forces. Training against the elements. And one of my one of my boys in his younger years said he must have a really contentious wife.

Better to dwell in the wilderness. For some reason he wants to learn how to live in alaska and vietnam and who knows where all. Ladies, if you do marry you will make or break a man. Okay, you want to be submissive you want to have a gentle and quiet spirit.

You want to have as your vision and goal to help him? To help make him as good as he can be to bring out the very best that's there. The guy that you end up married to if you end up married or if you are married is flawed.

He's got all kinds of problems and sins, but you can help to draw out the best that's there. Your life will be captured in one of two ways. And to the ladies here. I would encourage you. Remember these references write them down.

I think i'm pretty sure yeah I do have them in your thoughts for sabbath meditation. Proverbs 12 4 and proverbs 14 1 very important verses. Listen to these proverbs 12 4 an excellent wife is the crown of her husband.

But she who causes shame is like rottenness in his bones. And in proverbs 14 1 the wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands. You will either build your house and be the crown of your husband or you will pull down your house with your own hands.

And be rottenness in your husband's bones. And to the men in general and to the married guys here men I just want to give you an exhortation. You have to learn how to listen to godly women. You need to listen to their knowledge their insight their wisdom and their perspective.

Even if they're not as theologically well read and astute as you are. You need to listen to your sisters to godly women to listen to your sisters your aunts your mother your grandmother and women at church.

Listen and learn from them. Husbands learn to be quiet and hear your wife. Listen to what she's saying ask her for advice. And then be quiet and listen to it.

He did.

She knows you better than anyone else and her unique perspective is vital to you being good in this world. And brothers, she can't help you if you do all the talking. Learn to be quiet and listen carefully ladies.

Build up the men in your life. Be an encouragement to them when that passage in proverbs 14 1 says that the foolish woman Pulls her house down with her own hands. It's not talking about the mortars and the studs and and the siding.

It's talking about the people in there. A foolish woman is going to slash and burn everything in her sight. But a godly woman builds her house meaning what she is an encouragement to the people there.

She sees their flaws but emphasizes the strengths and tries to draw them out and make them stronger make them better. So when the scripture says wives submit to your own husbands eyes to the lord. The husband's the head of the wife is also christ's the head of the church.

Therefore just as the church is subject to christ. So let the wives be to their own husbands and everything. Godly women are trustful and submissive. And part of what brings this about is that the men they know are trustworthy and godly.

Older Women Teaching Younger Women to Love Their Families and Live Wisely

Okay, thirdly this morning a godly mentor to younger woman very key passage titus 2 3 through 5. Let's look at this one together titus chapter 2 Versus 3 through 5 if you'd like to turn there. Excuse me titus 2 3 through 5.

Titus 2 3 through 5 verse 3 Says the older women likewise That they be reverent in behavior not slanderers not given to much wine teachers of good things. Okay, stop right there. One of the great losses of our age segregated world today Is the older younger paradigm of discipleship that is so plainly taught in scripture.

And while people in general tend to flock to their peers because they they tend to have more in common. And they're more they make friends more easily with their peers. What is lost if that is the only contact we have with people is this the transfer of wisdom gained from life experience.

We lose that if we don't embrace the older younger model. We must be vigorous students of the word of god. We must avail ourselves of great books, but there is also no substitute for life experience. It is one of the ways that god drives in the nails from his word which then hold us together as people.

It is one thing to know that all things work together for good. It is quite another to experience suffering and hardship which Forces you to live upon god as if that was true. It is one thing to know That the counsel and plans of the lord will always stand to all generations.

But it's quite another thing to live for years and years and years and watch god's faithfulness in raising up godly young men and women in the church. It is one thing to know that god is faithful. It is another to see that faithfulness demonstrated in your own life and in the course of your conduct.

And so godly women here you must look to older women. In the church you must look to older women in the church and to the older women you must be Reverent in behavior. It says in the text there the older women are to be reverent in behavior.

What that means is religious suitable to what is sacred. In fact, one of the translations I looked at says to translate this this verse as in deportment as doth become sacred persons. Women are to be irreverent in that way.