Presuppositional Patterns: A Biblical Study of the Unmarried Woman’s Role - Part One

[Let me say one thing before I jump into the topic at hand. This area I’m addressing is one in which I’ve swung from one extreme to another. I’ve found myself influenced over the years by those on opposite ends of the spectrum and have subscribed to different views at different times. Only recently have I approached Scripture with this specific area in mind and with a desire to understand the Lord’s heart on it. What a blessing this study has been! The Word of God never ceases to change me – to transform my thinking and to alter my lifestyle. Though I am sharing what I have learned from my own study of Scripture, there is nothing that can replace personal study. I challenge each reader to spend time for themselves seeking the Lord’s heart on this issue, as expressed in the pages of Scripture; time thus spent will render blessings beyond those from reading these writings of mine.]


The question has been posed, “Should girls go to college?” From the emphatic “no!” to the incredulity that such a question could even produce a negative answer, the responses to be given are as diverse as the experiences of those who give them. Ah yes…experiences. Though they teach us much about life, experiences cannot be the standard by which we measure the validity of a pressing decision or the acceptability of a particular situation. You see, two people encountering the same situation may experience entirely opposite results. For one, it may provide a good experience, while for another, it provides a bad experience. Two things, based upon the same standard of measurement, that are antithetical to one another cannot both be right. (Unless, of course, one subscribes to a relativistic view whereby each one determines for himself what is right depending upon the present situation. In which case, it would be pointless for us to have this discussion in the first place…)

The first step in answering the afore-mentioned question is to acknowledge that God’s Word is the absolute standard by which we must measure every situation and every decision. God has no intention of leaving us on our own to make such crucial and life-impacting decisions as whether or not to attend college. On the contrary, Scripture speaks to every area of life and God promises to bless those who walk in His ways.

“Blessed is everyone that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.”
Psalm 128:1

“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”
Psalm 119:1-3

Let us commit ourselves, then, to seeking the Lord’s way with our whole heart and determining to walk in it, wherever the path may lead!

There is certainly more than one direction we could take in approaching a study of Scripture with the question, “Should girls go to college?” in mind. As I pondered the question, though, I found myself wondering what God’s role is for young women who are beyond their childhood years but have not yet entered into marriage. Before we can even answer the specific question of college, we must lay a framework with a clear understanding of God’s general role for such a woman. This will be the foundation, then, upon which every other decision can be built. I invite you to join me as we explore an even more foundational question, “What’s an unmarried woman to do?”