Before, I answer that question I must disclose that I am a single woman pursuing my masters in bible who believes in biblical gender roles and wants very much to be married and stay at home and raise kids.
That being said, does my being current state of singleness and desire to teach God’s word mean that I am not fulfilling God’s vision of womanhood? Absolutely, not! God made man and woman equally capable[1] and responsible for procreation. When God spoke in Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…” he spoke to the man and the woman. This seems to imply that both men and woman should be married and no one should remain single. However, we know in 1 Corinthians 7 that Paul tells his readers that it would be better for them to remain single. In fact he states in 1 Cor 7:8-9, “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” A few verses later Paul says, “And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit” (1 Cor 7:34). So, if you are a single woman, rest assured you are standing on solid biblical ground. As a single woman I am fulfilling God’s purpose for me, because God’s purpose for creating me was for me to glorify him (Isa 43:21).
And so, we can, now, see how far off track these debates have gone. A biblical woman is not someone who is married, but someone who is serving and glorifying the Lord. This is the reason for the confusion, this and bad hermeneutics (which I will get to). I want you to understand that a woman's purpose in life is not to have children nor is a man’s to be a husband. Our purpose is to glorify Christ in all that we do (1 Cor 10:31).
So, if you desire to be single, then go for it! Paul clearly encourages it and so do I. If, however, you want to be married then you must submit to the scriptures teaching on marriage. This is where many have gotten off track. For example, Titus 2 is not about woman training younger women in the faith, it is about training younger women how to run a godly home-to be a godly wife. Titus 2:4-5 states, “...so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” This passage is about roles in marriage, not being a godly woman in general. Older woman ought to teach us younger women, who desire marriage, how to be godly wives who will love our husbands and children. You see, my friend, there is an intended audience in this passage and it is not the single women who have chosen to remain single. Paul is writing to the women who have been married and who desire marriage. Biblical womanhood teaches that if, you desire to be and are married then your role is to submit and your husband’s is to lead.
Please, my friends put God first not your pride. I know it is difficult to accept this teaching, but these are the very words of God, not merely of man. We should delight in doing as he pleases, even if we do not understand it. Lord, knows how often (particularly when I had to attend chapel at my university) I wished to get up and give a sermon for the poor preacher who was struggling to boldly proclaim the truth (sometimes it wasn’t even the truth). Although, I may have the knowledge and ability to do just as well, if not better, than many men, God asks me to rid myself of that pride and humble myself before him, submitting to his will.