TITUS
CHAPTER 2: CHRISTIAN QUALITIES BECOME GODLINESS
Teaching objectives:
1. To teach the kind of life people who are Christian's should live. Verse 1-10.
2. To teach the kind of pattern our life should be before others. Verse 7-8.
3. To teach that sound doctrine involves not only sound speech but also Godly actions. Verse 1-15.
4. To teach what the Holy Spirit desires that we know. Verse 12-14.
5. To teach what Christ did for us by his death on the Cross. Verse 14.
6. To teach the pupils to have an understanding of their pastor=s work, position, and their proper attitude toward him.
Introduction: In this second chapter Paul passes from the subject of qualifications of church pastors to a consideration of the duties of the various groups which make up the congregation. It may be divided into three sections:
1. The kind of life expected of each group in the church. Verse 1-10.
2. The motivating power of the Christian life is the grace of God. Verse 11-14.
3. The duty of Titus to maintain his ministerial authority. Verse 15.
Verse 1 - The "thou" is emphatic and sets Titus in contrast to the false teachers who were teaching what they ought not. Verse 11. Embodied in the sound doctrine were the things stated in the following verses which were to be taught by precept and example to the five groups enumerated therein.
Verse 2 - Aged men - this does not refer to office but to the older men in the church. The extent of their influence will depend wholly upon the sweetness and mellow-ness of their Christian character
Sober - a person discreet and prudent.
Grave - that gravity and dignity which invites respect and reverence.
Temperate - in control of their appetites and desires.
Sound in faith, love, patience. They are to be strong and robust in their personal faith, tender and mellow, rather than bitter and vindictive, in their love and characterized by patience.
Verse 3 - Aged women - likewise should they be as the aged men. They too, have a grave responsibility. Their behavior should be characterized by holiness and reverence (priest-like). There is to be at about their life that reverential spirit of consecration consistent with the fact of their spiritual priest-hood. Not false accusers or slanderers. Proverbs 10:18; Deuteronomy 19:15, II Corinthians 13:1.
"Not enslaved to much wine" - This was a common vice of Oriental women. Christian women must show that they are not enslaved by anything in this world but have been delivered from such bondage.
"Teachers of good things" - They are the natural teachers in the home and should teach that which is noble and attractive by precept and example.
Verse 4 and 5 - The older women are responsible for teaching the younger women in the church. Sober-a person discreet and conservative. Christian women have an important responsibility in their homes to their families. They are to make home life attractive and beautiful by love of husband and children. They are to be good home-keepers (workers at home). They should be the best of housekeeper's and models to others. To fail to do these things will cause the word of God to be evil spoken of. The world still judges the church largely by the character of its women.
Discreet means careful, cautious, circumspect, guarded, discriminating, prudent, wise. Its antonyms are rash, careless.
Verse 6 - young men are to cultivate balance and self restraint; their faculties; appetites, and passions must be kept under the control of a sound judgment and an enlightened conscience.
Verse 7 and 8 - Titus is to be an example in all things of good works so that those who are rebellious will have no evil thing to say about him and will be ashamed. How we live and act speak louder than our words. Titus' doctrine was to be that of truth, he was to be grave (respectful), sincere, have sound speech which means it was to be such that it was convincing. I Peter 3:15.
Verse 9 and 10 - Servants (Slaves). They are urged to voluntarily be subject to their masters as a matter of principle. This subjection is not to be yielded in a reluctant, sulking, and bitter manner. They were to show no rebelliousness. Matthew 5:39. They were not to purloin or steal. They were to show fidelity or trustworthiness. Matthew 7:17,18; 6:14, 15. By such actions they would adorn or beautify the teachings of Jesus.
Verse 11 - The grace of God is the motivating power for the Christian life. God's grace or favor has appeared with its offer of salvation to all mankind. Romans 1:20. God's offer of salvation is to all. 1 John 2:2.
Verse 12 - The recipients of this instruction (us, Christians). God trains us as Christians and in this training process, he teaches us to leave ungodliness and worldly lusts. An ungodly man is one who has no place for God in his life. 1 John 2:15-17. He teaches us to live soberly (verse 2 and 4); righteously that is, a life of truth and strict justice in all our dealings; Godly, the old attitude of indifference to God has been replaced by an attitude of supreme devotion to him. The world instinctively recognizes the contradiction in Christian profession when these characteristics are lacking. These three things he teaches us to live and they indicate respectively, our duty to ourself, to our neighbors and to God..
Verse 13 - He teaches us to look for and live expecting His second coming. I Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Verse 14 - The Holy Spirit's teaching is based upon the three-fold work of Christ for his people as a result of His death upon the cross. He set us free, "redeemed us" from all inequity; He set us apart - "purified unto Himself a peculiar people." He set us on fire-made us zealous of good works". Surely these things motivate us to serve Him and to live for Him as He desires us to. I John 5:3. "His commandments are not grievous."
Verse 15 - These three words set forth the function of the pastor. "Speak"-set forth the will God with authority. "Exhort" - apply the truth to local and practical applications and urge the people to follow it. "Reprove" or convict-rebuke those who neglect their duty and bring conviction upon them for it. These things he must do with authority. "These things" refer to the previous teachings in the chapter. The message must be delivered to God's people as God commands and God's people have no choice but to obey. "Let no man despise thee." This means Titus is not to allow himself to be belittled or disregarded. People are to respect the man of God. They are to speak respectfully to him and about him.