Building up believers and the New Testament church

The Godly Woman

Preface

Before reading this book, it is important to understand two basic presuppositions. The first one is that anyone reading this is already a born-again Christian. If you are not, the message contained within this book will be absolutely meaningless, if not ridiculous, to you. This whole study is an investigation into Scriptural teaching concerning women. As in all matters of Bible study, it is impossible for an unregenerate person to understand these things. The contents of the Bible are spiritually appraised. They cannot be comprehended unless the spirit of the student has been brought to life by the Holy Spirit. If you are not born again and do not understand what I am saying, please refer to the appendix in the back of this book before going any further.

The second presupposition is that this book is not a rule book. It is not a handbook or manual for behavior. It is not a "how to" book. The only "how to" book in the life of a Christian is the Bible. This book is simply an examination of the Biblical teaching concerning women. It is my desire that after reading this you will honestly evaluate yourself in the light of the Scripture and ask God to deal with you accordingly. I hope this will clarify passages of Scripture; and I hope it will open up new paths of obedience for you. But I do not want anyone to view this as a set of rules and then set about in their own strength to obey them. The Christian life is not a set of rules and regulations. Instead, it is the indwelling life of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only as Christ abides in the believer and the believer abides in Christ that the Christian life is expressed.

Use this book to get yourself into the Bible. Ponder the verses mentioned and open your heart to their practical application. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you through these pages, and as He does, submit your will to the Lord so that obedience will follow. I, as well as you, need to move into these paths of obedience, so "forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).

Martha Goetzman, 1975