Sound Conduct by Sound Doctrine
Titus 2:1-10
Titus 2:1-8 ~ But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—
4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
6 Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.
9 Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,
10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.
- Introduction — This last week I was listening to a podcast conversation between British comedian and cultural commentator, Russel Brand, and Canadian professor and clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson.At about the hour and ten minute mark Brand made the comment that we cannot trust people, in free markets to do the right thing. He said that we need to regulate and control access to things like alcohol, because free markets will not self regulate, and people can’t be trusted to regulate themselves either.
So Brand’s conclusion, “There has to be some moralizing force. There has to be something that’s not economically led, that’s not the manifestation of greed … Someone in a secular society, where there is no reasonable or trusted voice of God, has to be able to say, “don’t drink too much alcohol” because people will [drink too much alcohol].”
- That’s a fascinating observation. And really Brand isn’t only speaking from observation, he’s speaking as a former addict himself. He understands quite personally the problem of what we would refer to as the fallen nature of man. Not only does he acknowledge human fallenness (what theologians call “original sin”), but he also accepts the need for an external moral standard. And not just an external moral standards, but the necessity of enforceable standards of morality, and someone empowered to enforce them.
- Peterson responded with a fix for Brand’s dilemma, which he said is to have economic systems “run by distributed individuals who are themselves aiming at a higher good.” What’s that mean? He explains, “the most effective way of regulating the market is to improve the moral character of the people who make up the market, rather than directly regulating the market.”
- I don’t necessarily disagree with Peterson.
- Brand says, “people can’t regulate themselves. They’re broken.” Agreed! So he concludes, “we need to give authoritarian power to someone, or some group, to enforce regulation of our fallen human inclinations.”
- Peterson says that’s not the answer, instead “we need some way to make fallen people better.”
- Ok, fine. What’s that way?
- Peterson went on to say, “what you want is to orient people toward a transcendent good that’s over and above market interests.”
- What is that transcendent good? He suggests outcomes that “benefit yourself. Your future self. Your family and ultimately community.” So he encourages a moral path resulting in a better community. That’s the transcendent good we need to aim at.
- This is an absolutely astounding conversation, from two very prominent voices in a largely secular 21st-century culture.
- Brand’s objection is that the current consumeristic culture we’re living in is not aiming us at the target Peterson promotes.
- He’s right. If you yield to the riptide of our cultural current you will not end up anywhere near a moral path promoting the transcendent good of humanity. The cultural emphasis of our day is 100% self, 100% of the time. What then is the answer?
- I think Peterson is closer to the mark on this one. Legislating better behavior (Brand’s plan) only works to an extent. Peterson desires the transformation of the individual, resulting in the transformation of families, then communities, and ultimately culture.
- That seems like a good desired outcome. It only leaves us wondering, how?
- Brand’s objection is that the current consumeristic culture we’re living in is not aiming us at the target Peterson promotes.
- Cultural commentators of our day observe the same thing that has been observed for centuries. Human beings, if left on their own, will not progress toward righteousness.
- The fallenness of humanity is real.
- In fact the last section of this passage (which we considered last week) says just that.
- The fallenness of humanity is real.
- Peterson went on to say, “what you want is to orient people toward a transcendent good that’s over and above market interests.”
- Titus 1:15-16 ~ To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.- Point 1 — We are fallen and in need of transformation.
- This was true 2,000 years ago, and it is still true today. The people that Titus was called to minister to were known for being dishonest, cruel, lazy, and self-absorbed (Titus 1:12).
- Societies filled with individuals that are dishonest, cruel, lazy, and self-absorbed (i.e. fallen individuals) are societies that are not as they could be. Not as God desires that they would be.
- God originally created everything perfect. At the beginning “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).
- But of course it didn’t stay that way for long. Brokenness, and death entered the world through sin. And thus we have the world as we know it.
- But God came to bring about a new, transformed, and restored world through the Gospel of the Kingdom.
- This is what we experience in Christ and through His church.
- The church is to be the expression of God’s Kingdom.
- And Christians are to be the ambassadors of His Kingdom.
- Through Paul’s efforts as an ambassador of God’s Kingdom, a church had been established on the Island of Crete. And Paul appointed Titus to the task of establishing the structure within that early church.
- Societies filled with individuals that are dishonest, cruel, lazy, and self-absorbed (i.e. fallen individuals) are societies that are not as they could be. Not as God desires that they would be.
- This was true 2,000 years ago, and it is still true today. The people that Titus was called to minister to were known for being dishonest, cruel, lazy, and self-absorbed (Titus 1:12).
- Titus 1:5 ~ For this reason 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—
- Now to do this effectively, you have to have good leaders. Bad leaders don’t only lead badly, they often lead in a bad direction.
- Jesus said, “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39)
- Isaiah 9:16 ~ For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed.
- That’s seriously strong language, “those led by bad leaders are in danger of destruction.”
- But how do you get good leaders if people are (by nature) dishonest, cruel, lazy, and self-absorbed?
- In the podcast I was listening to, Jordan Peterson said that We need “to improve the moral character of the people who make up” society. We need “individuals who are themselves aiming at a higher good” to lead us.
- Ok, how?
- But how do you get good leaders if people are (by nature) dishonest, cruel, lazy, and self-absorbed?
- That’s seriously strong language, “those led by bad leaders are in danger of destruction.”
- Now to do this effectively, you have to have good leaders. Bad leaders don’t only lead badly, they often lead in a bad direction.
- Point 1 — We are fallen and in need of transformation.
- Titus 2:1-8 ~ But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine:
- NLT ~ As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.
- Point 2 — Sound doctrine promotes sound conduct.
- Which means that our teaching should ultimately be practical. It should be useful, and not merely hypothetical theory and ideas. Our teaching should be oriented toward action.
- And it therefore would make sense that those who are teaching should be practicing what they preach. There needs to be alignment between the words and works of the teaching elders.
- Jesus said, “you will know them (good and bad teachers) by their fruit.” Matthew 7:16
- And it therefore would make sense that those who are teaching should be practicing what they preach. There needs to be alignment between the words and works of the teaching elders.
- Which means that our teaching should ultimately be practical. It should be useful, and not merely hypothetical theory and ideas. Our teaching should be oriented toward action.
- Point 2 — Sound doctrine promotes sound conduct.
- Right teaching should promote right and good conduct. First in the leaders, and then also in those being led.
- But what does that actually look like?
- What kind of living reflects wholesome teaching and doctrine?
- What should we see in people who are being given sound doctrine?
- But what does that actually look like?
- NLT ~ As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.
- Titus 2:2 ~ that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
- First notice that he says, the older men (in v. 2) … the older women (in v. 3) … the young women (in v. 4) … the young men (in v. 6)
- Point 3 — Good doctrine promotes godliness in God’s people in every generation.
- Older men, older women, young women, and young men … the doctrine which accords with godliness applies to every person at every stage of life. The Scriptures are for men, and women, young, and old. And they are given (in part) for our transformation.
- If you come to the Scriptures in sincerity, then you can be assured that the truth of Gods word, the doctrine of God, will reprove, correct, and instruct you in righteousness.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ~ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ~ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
- The Scriptures aren’t just for those stodgy old people. They’re not only for the aimless and carnal young. They’re for you (I’ll let you determine if you’re the former or latter).
- This is why it is important to come before the word, whether it is corporately when it is preached, or privately in your own daily time with God, asking the question, “What do You want to speak to me, Lord?” and “Lord, what do you want me to do?”
- If you come to the Scriptures in sincerity, then you can be assured that the truth of Gods word, the doctrine of God, will reprove, correct, and instruct you in righteousness.
- Older men, older women, young women, and young men … the doctrine which accords with godliness applies to every person at every stage of life. The Scriptures are for men, and women, young, and old. And they are given (in part) for our transformation.
- Now before we leave this point, I think it is really important to emphasize an essential Gospel truth.
- Endeavoring to walk righteouslywithout the grace of God first bringing salvation is an absolutely vain, useless, and futile undertaking. Why?
- We are hopelessly lost without God’s grace unto salvation
- We are helplessly incapable of righteousness without God’s grace and salvation.
- Proof of this…
- Experience and observation
- Romans 7:18-24 ~ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
- Romans 7:18-24 ~ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
- Scripture
- Titus 2:11-12 ~ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,- The grace of God…
- Brings salvation (in the form of justification )
- Instructs us in righteousness (sanctification)
- Carries us unto ultimate salvation in the future (glorification)
- Titus 2:13-14 ~ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
- Titus 2:13-14 ~ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
- The grace of God…
- Titus 2:11-12 ~ For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
- Point 4 — The doctrine of grace is effectual for justification, sanctification, and glorification.
- Quick aside for the theology students … I did not say “doctrines of grace” as with a nod toward Calvinism. I said “THE doctrine of grace.” As in Grace teaches us.
- What does grace teach us?
- That we cannot save ourselves by our own efforts
- That we are justified by Christ’s death, in our place, on the cross.
- That we are sanctified by the truth and word of His grace.
- That we will be gloried, as a final working of His grace in us.
- What does grace teach us?
- The grace of God is able to save us completely, past, present and future.
- Quick aside for the theology students … I did not say “doctrines of grace” as with a nod toward Calvinism. I said “THE doctrine of grace.” As in Grace teaches us.
- Experience and observation
- Endeavoring to walk righteouslywithout the grace of God first bringing salvation is an absolutely vain, useless, and futile undertaking. Why?
- Back to the passage… “As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching.” (NLT)
- Point 3 — Good doctrine promotes godliness in God’s people in every generation.
- that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
- The older godly men should be…
- Sober — temperate, circumspect, not drunkards.
- Temperate — honorable persons of good character and deeds.
- Sound in faith — healthy in faith
- Sound in love — wholesome in love (charitable)
- Sound in patience —strong and steadfast in endurance and perseverance.
- Outline of Biblical Usage — “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings”
- The older godly men should be…
- First notice that he says, the older men (in v. 2) … the older women (in v. 3) … the young women (in v. 4) … the young men (in v. 6)
- Titus 2:3 ~ the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—
- In the same way the elder godly women should be…
- Reverent in behavior — “behavior as becomes holiness” … a demeanor of holiness.
- Not slanders — literally “not διάβολος” (diabolos) … not false accusers
- Outline of Biblical Usage — “applied to a man who, by opposing the cause of God, may be said to act the part of the devil or to side with him”
- Not drunkards — not excessive in alcohol (or any such thing that might be overused)
- Examples of good things —
- And what should they teach…
- In the same way the elder godly women should be…
- Titus 2:4-5 ~ that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.- The older women should instruct the younger women to…
- Love their husbands — this (apparently) isn’t natural.
- Love their children — this also is (apparently) not natural.
- Be discreet — curbing one’s desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate
- Be chaste — modest
- Be homemakers — domestic and caring for the work of the home
- Be good —
- Be obedient (submissive) to their own husbands
- Why?
- To honor and esteem God’s word (more on this in a bit).
- The older women should instruct the younger women to…
- Titus 2:6-8 ~ Likewise, exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.- Young Men…
- Sober minded — temperate (same given to older men and younger women)
- A pattern of good works — a type or example of what’s right and good.
- In doctrine showing..
- Integrity — “uncorruptness”, incorruptibility and soundness of mind.
- Reverence — dignity, gravity, honesty
- Incorruptibility — sincerity, purity
- Sound speech — discourse, logic, doctrine
- Young Men…
- Titus 2:9-10 ~ Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,
10 not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.- Bondservants should be…
- Obedient (submissive) to their own masters
- Well pleasing in all things — acceptable
- Not answering back — not disputing, not contradictory
- Not pilfering — stealing or embezzling
- Showing all good fidelity — showing oneself trustworthy and faithful
- Why?
- So “that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”
- Just as we saw back in verse 5 “that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”
- And also in verse 8 … “that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”
- Point 5 — Our sound conduct substantiates the soundness of the doctrine we proclaim.
- So “that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”
- Bondservants should be…
- Conclusion…
- The cultural commentators of our day agree. Society is broken and in need of transformation.
- Only by the doctrine of God do we see such a transformation, in the expression of God’s Kingdom here on earth, with in the church.
- The cultural commentators of our day agree. Society is broken and in need of transformation.