Titus 2:2-15 - Series on the Epistles of Paul (130)

Good evening, brethren. Titus was a young evangelist whom Paul personally taught and trained. Now we come to a situation here in which Paul writes instructions to Timothy and Titus, and the main themes that he is writing to Timothy and Titus is really to defend a sound doctrine.

After Paul's first imprisonment in Rome in 6162 AD, he did go to Crete as part of the Evis following trip after that imprisonment, and he left Titus there in Crete. We see in Titus verse 5, chapter 1 verse 5, that says, I left you in Crete that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. And so he, Paul, left Titus there in Crete, and he gave Titus the authority to correct some problems that existed there, and to establish local elders or local overseers, as the word is there, to maintain stability and order in the churches.

Then, from verse 6 onwards, he enumerates a number of qualifications for elders, because when an elder leaves, like Paul traveled there, and then he left Titus, but Titus would leave. And so when these leaders leave, then the ones that stay behind as leaders need to be faithful in teaching the doctrine, in teaching God's way of life, and being a godly example.

And so he then addresses not only with the instruction of how a leader should be and what he should teach and how he should behave, but then he addresses the issue that was existent in Crete, because there were some men there whose mouths had or should be stopped, as he mentions in verse 11, because these people were following or teaching humanly devised commandments. And even though they professed to know God, they were denying God in works.

And so that's how he basically covers the first chapter. And then in the second chapter, Paul describes what good works are and what is the doctrine that leads to those good works. So yeah, he starts talking about Titus himself, that he says, but as for you, Titus, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.

So he emphasizes that a leader, the pastor, must teach sound doctrine. And what is sound doctrine? In the last Bible study, we discussed that sound doctrine is the accurate, truthful teaching of Jesus Christ without any corruption. And so now he goes on to some examples of what the sound doctrine would produce in the form of conduct that one should expect from different people in the church. And so Paul now goes and discusses from chapter 2 verse 2, he discusses how to address and what to expect of the different groups of people in the congregation.

In other words, he addresses the various demographics, you know, with older men and older women and younger men and younger women and those that are working for others. So he addresses these different demographics and he starts with the older men. So let's read in verse 2. He says, let's just continue, complete verse 1, that you should speak things which are proper for sound doctrine, that the older man be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, and in patience. And so Paul begins first with older men, those older adults, as they tend, or they should be, the good congregational leaders, those that are setting examples.

And he starts with a number of characteristics which you could group them into two basic sets. The first set of characteristics are those addressing personal conduct. In other words, for older men being sober, reverent, and temperate. Those are related to personal conduct. One that is sober, is vigilant, is aware of what's going on, is he conducts himself in a proper way, reverent.

That means he lives in a manner that is worthy of respect and temperate, being balanced, being of a sound mind, self-control, moderate, as to different opinions that he may have, or different passions or desires of the flesh that he may have. That he needs to be moderate in behavior, temperate. So, really, the first set you are sober, reverent, and temperate, is addressing a degree of seriousness, seriousness to life, an approach to life which needs to be used dignity and maturity.

And then, he has a second set of characteristics which relate to or address one's spiritual life, which is sound in faith, in love, and in patience. Faith, which is basically, it begins in faith, trust, but it's a thing that quite often maybe we don't think about, but faith is actually addressed in the first commandment, which says, thou shalt have no other gods before me. That is an act of faith. So, we are to serve God only. Then, sound in love. Now, love is an outgoing concern for others. So, those older men should be sound in love.

And Jesus Christ himself said in John 13, verse 34 and 35. Let's just read that very briefly. John 13, verse 34 and 35. And just get there, John 13, 34 and 35.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, and that you also love one another. Now, we obviously know that love one another was a commandment right from the beginning, but what he is saying is, as I have loved you, that is the new part of the commandment, which is a higher degree of love, not just love others as you love yourself. So, it's a new commandment as Christ loved us. And he says that you also love one another at the same level. And then look at verse 35. By this all will know that you are my disciples. If you have loved for one another. And so, yeah, Paul is stating or restating what Christ said, that that is an indicator of true discipleship, outgoing love for others. And so, Paul says, yeah, to Titus, says that all the men be sound in love. In other words, have a sound, balanced approach to love, and in patience. Patience is upamoni, which is injurious, which is remaining faithful in trials. We have many scriptures that talk about he that perseveres to the end will be saved. We can see that, for instance, in Matthew 24 verse 13. Let me just turn there. Matthew 24 verse 13 says, But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And that requires endurance, patience, patiently enduring, which is basically the meaning of the Greek word upamoni. And so now he continues in verse 3, and he says, And all the women likewise. And so exactly what he mentioned to the man, it applies to the to the older woman. That, in other words, having sobriety, being sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love and in patience. So likewise, but that day may be reverent in behavior. It says they should do the same, but they also should be an example of holiness to others, not slanderous, not gossiping, not giving too much wine. In other words, as maybe as one gets older, and maybe some people living by themselves could get bored, depressed, discouraged, and there's always the potential to drink too much. And so he says, yeah, not, this is not given to too much wine, given to, that means enslaved, addicted to too much wine. And then teachers of good things.

That is a positive instruction to the ladies, to the elderly, all the older ladies, not elderly, but older, to teach good things to the younger ladies, to the younger woman. And so that is a positive instruction. And now in verse 4 says that they admonish the younger woman to love their husbands and to love their children. Now, love is a word which is related more like to commitment to husbands and to children. And yeah, it's an instruction that the older woman are to teach the younger woman. And on the other side, the younger woman are to be willing to listen and learn from the older woman. So, and when he's talking about the young woman, he's more along the lines of in reference to those that are newlywed or have more recently had children because it says to love their husbands and to love their children. So it's basically a younger woman recently married and starting to have children in their family. And so this is something that requires wisdom because the older woman could get to the point and telling everybody what to do.

And that is not what he's intending to say. And the other side, it also requires wisdom to be willing to learn and apply with wisdom whatever he's taught. But it also requires humility and humility to listen. Now, it is interesting if you read the King James Version because he are in the new King James Version, verse 4, says that they admonish the younger woman to love their husbands and to love their children. But the word admonish, let's just look at how it's translated in the old King James Version, which is that they may teach the younger woman to be sober.

To love their husbands and to love their children. It's also seen, for instance, in the young's literal translation. And so the Greek word here that is translated admonish in the new King James, but in old King James, is to be sober, teach to be sober. The Greek word is 4-9-9-4, which is sophronyzo, in other words, to make of sound mind. That is, teach to be sober, in other words, discipline or correct or teach to be sober. But in the new King James Version, it merely says to admonish. So I thought that would be an interesting point to highlight that. In verse 5, then it goes on, and it says, for the young woman to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. And so they are to be discreet, you know, self-controlled, chaste, morally pure, homemakers, to be busy around, or as some put it, gorgians of the home, busy with the duties around, rather than to be idle. And then it says good, you know, was kind, beneficent, just good and kind young ladies. And then obedient to their own husbands, in first place, is not to every male on earth, it's to their own husbands. And we can see the wife is called to cooperate in the loving family unit. On the other side, there is an implication that men are not to dictate, as we can see from other of Paul's writings. And so he says, and this is, so that the Word of God may not be blasphemed. So this good example will give a good name to God's Word. And so again, he ties in with the commandment, don't use God's name in vain, because if one is using or carrying God's name in a manner which is incorrect, that is also breaking that commandment. Right, then he moves to the young man.

In verse 6, he says, likewise, again, likewise, the same manner with the same principles, the same characteristics, particularly of the older man, which is to be sober and reverent and temperate and sound in faith and love and patience. Then he says, yeah, young men, likewise, be sober-minded.

Now the word sober-minded is slightly different word. Is sophronio, Greek for nine nine three, as the other one was four nine nine four. It's a slightly different word, which is more inclined to mean self-control, sober-minded self-control. In other words, managing one's ambitions, pride, avarice, managing one's appetites and fleshly desires, and managing the tongue and one's temper, making sure that one is managing it correctly. So he says being sober-minded. Verse seven, in all things, showing yourself to be a pattern of good works, in doctrine, showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility. And so for a young man, need to be showing themselves.

And maybe it's applicable also to Titus, because Titus was also a young man, but showing yourself and maybe that's why it says yourself to be a pattern of good works. So Titus and young man need to be an example of good works in doctrine. And so it says as far as doctrine, they need to be showing integrity. It says in doctrine, showing integrity, reverence, and incorruptibility. It was purity of motive, reverence being serious about doctrine, and incorruptibility meaning that you never to compromise with doctrine. Verse eight, and sound speech that cannot be condemned.

His speech must be irrefutable, unable to be condemned. So that's part of the instruction here that we have. Sound speech that cannot be condemned. That one who is in opposition may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. And so what he's saying here is that people might not like your religion, but should not be able to look at your works and condemn you, but rather they should look at your works and praise God for it. They should not find anything wrong. In other words, being a good example in works. Verse nine, then he says, exhort bond servants. That means people that are workers. He says to be obedient to their own masters. Now think about it. Jesus Christ, he said, I do what my father tells me. I say what my father tells me. Christ was always submissive to the Father. The plan required that Christ would come to earth and die for us, and he was submissive to the Father. And he was always praying and asking for the Father's guidance and help, because as a human being, he had also was a carnality. He was divine. He would never sin. He never sinned, but he was inside his mind, his spirit was inside the body. Like you and I are in a body in a container which has carnality. And so we got to be overcoming and be submissive. And he's saying yeah to the servants to be obedient to their own masters. Christ was submissive to the Father. He was also interesting. Christ was also submissive to the Jewish leaders and Roman leaders.

He did not break some of the laws, like for instance, when the Romans asked him to carry the cross, or rather told him to carry the cross, he did as best as he could initially, as far as he could physically speaking. And so he was submissive to the different leadership. Then it says also yeah on verse 9, it says, to be well pleasing in all things. Now, well pleasing is more than just obeying your master, but it is desire and seeking to please your manager, your master, those above you. And so it is more than just doing your job. It is going over and beyond the duties of that job. And then it says not answering back. That's quite an important point when we're doing a job. It's so easy, so easy to argue back, to argue with your boss and say, no, yes, whatever, not answering back. We should learn how to please now. That's what we need to do. We need to learn how to please and not answer back. Verse 10, not pulfuring. So it appears that at that time there was and there is a tendency of employees to steal. And so we'll be careful not no pulfuring. Then it says, but showing all good fidelity. In other words, good trustworthiness. If you ask to do a job, you do it properly. Good fidelity. And then it says that they may adorn the doctrine of God, of our Savior, of God our Savior, in all things. And so when we are faithful, when we are producing these good works, we are adorning the doctrine of our God and Savior, of our God our Savior. And therefore, that's what we need to be doing. Look at not only Yah chapter 2 verse 10, but also in verse 13. It talks about Yah, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior. And look also at 3 verse 6. And it says, abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so we can see that God and Savior, in verse 10, and in verse 13, we can see that it's talking about one individual. Because in Greek, there's only one article to God and Savior. It says, in the doctrine of God our Savior, and also in verse 13, what it says of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. And we can see that in verse 16, he's talking about Jesus Christ our Savior. So it's actually talking about one being, which is Jesus Christ. Obviously, the Father is our God as well. And you know, that's a whole different subject that I'm not covering now. But in very summary, the Father is our God. And Jesus Christ is also God. He's also of the God family. He's also God, but He is not the the Supreme God. The Supreme God is God the Father. And by the Father, He instructed Christ on what to do, and Christ did everything that the Father told him to do. And so what we're talking about is a God family. They both are God. They both are the God family. And the hope that we have, that we're going to cover a little later, is for us to be in that family, is to be part of that God family. And so when as servants we are faithful to our masters, to our you know, leaders or or bosses at work, we are adorning or embellishing or beautifying the doctrine of God. That's what it says, yeah, that they may adorn the doctrine of Christ, of God, our Savior in all things, in all things. Now we go into verse 11, for the grace of God that brings salvation as a peer to all men. Now Paul is basically saying for or because, and so Paul now explains the doctrines which lead to this behavior. So think about it. In verses 1 through 10, Paul described a behavior, an outcome, an outcome from this doctrine. And now he talks about the doctrine. The doctrine is what it should produce this outcome.

And the doctrine is now emphasizing it as we look at it. Two key points. One is related to Christ's first coming and the other is related to Christ's second coming. So yeah, in verse 11, he's talking about, in a sense, about Christ's first coming because he says, for the grace of God that brings salvation as a peer to all men. The grace of God as a peer to all men. That's Christ. Christ is exemplified. His act is coming. He is God's gracious act coming and appearing to us.

And it says, as appeared to all men. Now it doesn't say that all mankind have heard the truth.

No, but he says that the grace of God, it was this act of Jesus Christ coming, has appeared to all men. So Jesus Christ's first coming, what he did and what the outcome of his first coming, what is it? He brought the good news of God's grace that brings salvation.

And so the grace of God, which is him coming and the very act of what he came and he died for us, and that shows God's grace. But also Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom of God, the good news. And that's the good news of the kingdom of God, that it is only possible to come because Christ came and gave his life for us. That is the grace of God that brings salvation.

And so we, from the other side, when we understand this completely, we then need to have a proper response. We are obliged, we are obligated, we should be compelled to be, put it this way, grateful to show gratitude. And what is grateful also gratitude is but being obliged to return the favor. And that is the act of gratitude, is showing gratitude. And what should therefore be our gratitude for this act of grace? Nothing else but repentance. The act of repentance, the act of us responding to this graceness from God should be one of repentance.

And why is he saying this? Because some of these false teachers that he addresses in chapter one, whose mouths must be stopped, as he said, could be spreading, as an example, gnostic beliefs. And amongst them, maybe all, is that you need to have special knowledge or special understanding.

We don't need special knowledge. We need to repent. The grace of God has appeared to us, and we need to respond to that calling, to that graciousness. As God opens our minds to understand, we need to repent. And so goes on in verse 12, teaching us. And so this grace of God, that it was appeared to all man, is teaching us that denier ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. And so this doctrine, this teaching of Christ's first coming, should yield the fruits, the outcome, that we should deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this age, in this life. We should do that. And so, again, when we deny worldly lusts, that shows our response through repentance. And as outcome, we are to live as a new man, soberly, righteously, and godly.

And it was not glorying that you know everything with special knowledge, as the Gnostics could say, but in humility, live soberly, righteously, and godly. That's what it says here. So the world around, whatever you and I got, we got a world around that does not live that way. The influence of this world is all negative and it's all against God. And you and I, we cannot live according to the standards of this world. We always have to maintain a high standard. But as the standards in this world go down, as the standards in society go down, what happens? What happens to a lot of people in the church? What happens to a lot of us? We tend to be pulled down with it and we tend to compromise and we've got to be careful. That's why it says, we've got to deny ungodliness and all the lasts and we should live soberly, righteously, and godly. If we look back at 20, 30, 50 years, when we look at it at the world, we see that the world is compromising, it's becoming worse and worse.

And unfortunately, this affects the church as well. And if we, for some reason, start comparing ourselves to the world, we might think, oh well, we're doing well. But that's why we need to compare ourselves to Jesus Christ. We need to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. We need to grow in the way he is. We need to go further. We need to grow in the standards of Jesus Christ. We need to be living righteously, doing what is right and godly. And so, this all, basically what Paul is, he's basically re-emphasizing his Christ's teaching. For instance, think about the Beatitudes, you know, being humble and mourning, you know, with repenting and being teachable. All the Beatitudes of Matthew 5, and then later he says, we're going to be aligned. We're going to be an example. And then later on, even in Matthew 5, Christ says, you know, it's what comes out of the heart that affects us. So, we gotta be working in our attitudes. And Paul is emphasizing nothing else but sound doctrine. And the sound doctrine is exactly what Christ taught us. Christ obviously taught us during or as a result of his first coming. But then, in verse 13 says, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. And you see, now he's focusing the doctrine onto Christ's Second Coming. And he says, looking forward to the hope that is set before us, you know, of Christ's Second Coming and the glorious return of Jesus Christ.

What is he going to do? He's going to solve this world's problems. I mean, I get occasionally, over the last few weeks again, I started getting quite a few messages from people in other countries that are running the church just saying, oh well, we are pastors, please just send us money because we've got these starving children and all that. And my heart breaks. Obviously, we'd love to help.

But, you know, you look at it, we just can't. We just can't. I mean, there is brethren in the church that are struggling that we ourselves financially, we can't even help them all. And there's some brethren going through difficult trials and situations. And so, we can't solve the whole world's problems, but Christ will. So that's why we need to look for word. That's why it says here in verse 13, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We look for the appearing of Christ is our great God and Savior, obviously under God the Father, but is our great God and Savior. He's the one that the Father delegated the responsibility to do this great work. And so, we look forward in hope of His coming, because when we look at the world and look at the problems and difficulties and wars and things that are just happening and getting worse and worse, we just have to look and hope for the return of Christ.

We gotta hope for His coming to solve these world's problems. And so, that is what Paul is emphasizing when he's writing to Titus. The doctrine, the sound doctrine, a lot of the Christian living principles of the doctrine are related to Christ's first coming and what He taught. And then we need the hope, which is the anchor of our faith, and look forward to Christ's coming because, second coming, because that's when these problems in the world are all gonna be solved. And then he says here in verse 14, who gave Himself for us. So now he ties, again, the first coming, that Christ gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and, secondly, purify us for Himself, His own special people, zealous for good works.

So in verse 14, he says, Christ gave Himself. He was a complete, let's call it burnt offering of Himself, a complete sacrifice. He gave of Himself completely for us so that we might be, as it says here, redeemed, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed. So we need, He did this so that we might be brought back to redeemers, brought back. He paid the price to secure our release from all our lawless actions. And so, yes, He paid that price for the redemption of our body, for us to be redeemed. And, but it's not just that. It says, and, it says, and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. And so, He gave Himself for us so that we could be purified for Himself. In other words, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we now have the power to escape the bondage of sin, rather than just to escape the penalty of sin.

And so, it's not just escaping the penalty of sin, but it's to escape the bondage of sin that ties us. And how can we overcome and escape this bondage of sin, which Paul himself, in Romans chapter 7, at the end of chapter 7, said, you know, there's this body in these members of sin. And how can we overcome this? With Christ's help through God's power. God's power. His Holy Spirit. And His Holy Spirit is what, it's the strength, it's the help that you and I all need to be purified, as it says in 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 2, the sanctification of the Spirit for us to be purified, for us to be sanctified, for us to be set apart. And so, His intent is that His outcome for us is that we may become His own special people. In other words, we're not just to be anybody.

We are to be special, special to God. So, do we think of ourselves as special?

Well, obviously we're nobody, but with God's grace and the help of Christ and God's power. But God wants us to be special in the sense that we will be very special for Him because we are going to be zealous for good works. We should be very special to God because we are zealous, we are eager, we are very motivated to do good works. We are very enthusiastic to do good works. And in the verses 1 through 10 of this chapter, we are lighted some of those good works that we need to be doing. And so, we are to be a valued property or treasured property of God. We are God's treasure. We are those that God will trust to do whatever because we are faithful or we need to be faithful till the end so that we'll be proven faithful at Christ's second coming and in the kingdom. And so for that, we are God's valued treasure.

We are His valued children. We are to be His glorified children. And so, what is the sound doctrine behind this teaching? Because remember, in verse 1, He said that we are to speak, He said to Titus and we are likewise to speak to things which are proper for sound doctrine. So, what is this sound doctrine and what is this teaching? Well, as we see in Titus, we see that it mentions that we have to teach sound doctrine. That is, that's what He says in verse 1. And then in verse 2 through 10, it shows what the sound doctrine produces, the outcome, in other words, in a godly life. And in verse 11 through 14, we see that that is, that outcome is the response that we need to have because of God's saving grace so that we repent and change and we have a new way of life. And so, in verse 15 says, that's what Titus needs to teach. He says, speak these things. Verse 15, speak these things as a young minister. Speak and speak again and continue to speak. Preach sound doctrine. Exhort.

Titus and ministers have to exhort, have to encourage the brethren to continue striving for good works, to be zealous for good works. And if there is any opposition, we as ministers must rebuke, that's what it says here, exhort and rebuke with all authority. We are to teach with godly authority and teach sound doctrine. This is the way, this is the way of life that we need to teach. We need to live and exhort others to follow, to imitate Christ in this area of life. We need to be sober, godly and in conduct. We are not to allow anyone to despise us. That's why then he says, let no one despise you. Don't allow anyone to despise you, to disrespect the office that he, in this case, Titus had as a minister of Jesus Christ, but by extension is that every minister has as a minister of Jesus Christ. So we are not to allow people to despise the responsibility.

But again, speak these things, exhort and rebuke all with authority. Now why was Paul therefore saying this? Once again, because they were those false teachers, they were leading many people astray. Next study will then continue with chapter three.