By Jacqueline, the Unimportant Homemaker

“Christian” doesn’t mean rule follower.
It doesn’t mean religious, inspirational, or well-behaved.
It doesn’t mean homemaker, homeschooler, or even happy wife.

Christian means: Believer in Jesus Christ—who accomplished salvation from sin, in full, without our help.

And that changes everything.

Christianity Is Not About Self-Improvement

It’s tempting, isn’t it? To turn to the Bible when we’re in a tight spot and search for a principle to fix it?

• Struggling with your kids? Read Proverbs for parenting wisdom.

• Marriage feeling dry? Study Abigail or Esther.

• Feeling insecure? Find your “identity in Christ” and repeat a few affirming verses until your mood lifts.

Is there anything wrong with seeking wisdom from the Word? Absolutely not. The Scriptures are full of wisdom, insight, and instruction.

But there is a line we must not cross—a dangerous one—and it’s this:

Using the Bible like a self-help manual instead of the living Word of the gospel.

When we go to Scripture simply to become better women, wives, or mothers, but we never arrive at the cross, we are not growing in Christ—we're polishing up our flesh.

And the scary part? It looks Christian.

It feels spiritual.
It even has results.

But it's not the gospel.

The Danger of “Gospel-less” Bible Study

It’s possible to study the Bible and miss Christ.

Jesus told the Pharisees in John 5:39:

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me.”

They had Scripture memorized. They were full of biblical knowledge. But they had no salvation, because they refused to come to Jesus. They thought their understanding earned them favor. They were wrong.

Let that be a warning to us.

Christian women’s circles are often filled with “principle-based” teaching:

• Be like Ruth.

• Follow Deborah.

• Imitate the Proverbs 31 woman.

• Learn from Sarah’s submission.

• Avoid Jezebel’s rebellion.

And while there is value in observing their stories, we must never base our standing before God on whether we’ve pulled off a convincing imitation.

Because if your hope is in your performance—you’re trusting in yourself, not Christ.

Works Righteousness Wears a Feminine Face Too

Legalism isn't just for pastors or theologians. It creeps into women’s hearts in the quiet places:

• “I’ve learned so much about submission—God must be pleased with me now.”

• “I don’t parent like those women. I follow the biblical model.”

• “I’ve implemented this structure in my home, and now everything flows beautifully. Praise God (and also, look what I did).”

Can we be honest?

We love being able to point to results. We love stories with bullet points and guaranteed outcomes. We love being the one who figured it out and now teaches the younger women how to do the same.

And that makes us very vulnerable to a self-righteous faith disguised as spiritual maturity.

But here's the truth:

If you can make yourself righteous, Christ died for nothing.
If your lifestyle can earn you God’s favor, you don’t need a Savior.
If your changed habits are what make you acceptable to God, then salvation isn’t a gift—it’s a wage.

But that’s not Christianity.

The Gospel Is a Work Done For You

Christianity does not begin with your behavior. It begins with your bankruptcy.

It begins with the admission that:

• You have nothing to offer God.

• You have no righteousness of your own.

• Even your best obedience is tainted with pride.

And then it lifts your eyes to a Savior who did everything:

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
—Romans 5:8

“For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
—2 Corinthians 5:21

God accepts only the perfect life and death of Jesus. And when we believe, He applies Christ’s work to our account—not because we’ve earned it, but because of sheer grace.

So any real change that happens in your life—whether in your homemaking, marriage, parenting, speech, habits, or heart—is the fruit of salvation, not the cause of it.

Know the Whole Bible—Not Just the Parts About Women

As young wives and mothers, it's easy to only study the “women’s sections” of Scripture.

• The wives.

• The mothers.

• The homemakers.

• The famous females of the Bible.

But if all we do is “unpack Sarah” and mimic her story, we’re missing the point.

Sarah wasn’t a Christian hero. She was a sinner saved by God’s mercy.

Just like you. Just like me.

You need the whole Bible—not just the parts that mirror your stage of life.

You need Leviticus to see God's holiness.
You need Romans to understand the gospel.
You need Job to learn suffering.
You need Revelation to long for glory.
You need the gospels to see Jesus clearly.

Your walk with Christ isn't just about being a good woman. It’s about knowing a great God.

Final Words

So yes, read the Word.
Yes, seek wisdom.
Yes, desire to grow in godliness and holiness.
But don’t you dare settle for behavior modification when the Spirit offers transformation.

You are not the hero of your story.
Jesus is.
And the Bible is not your how-to manual—it’s your rescue story.

So go ahead, read about Sarah. Learn from Ruth. Admire the Proverbs 31 woman.
But worship Christ.
Cling to Christ.
Trust only Christ.

Because that’s Christianity.

-Jacqueline, the Unimportant Homemaker