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Declare Sound Doctrine!
All biblical teaching is important! The emphasis in Titus 2 is on sound or healthy doctrine, specifically as it relates to character, roles, relationships, and behavior. Paul directs Titus as to what he should what he should teach various groups within the church in Crete. These include older men (Titus 2:2), older women (v. 3), younger women (vv. 4–5), younger men (v. 6), and slaves (vv. 9–10). The overarching concern is that Christians are to live godly lives that do not give the enemies of the gospel any reason to discredit the Lord or their faith. Intertwined are the two concepts, “Behave … because!” One striking phrase in particular is, “adorn the doctrine” (2:10).
Questions for Thought and Discussion
What are the two major concerns of this chapter? Behave … Because!
Why would Paul write, after the previous discussion, “But as for you …?”
When you hear “doctrine,” what do you think of first? Perhaps God’s teaching about conversion, baptism, the church, worship, etc. These are all important!
Here, however, to what kinds of things does “sound doctrine” refer?
Does the Word stipulate qualifications for all older men, even those who are not specifically “elders?”
Toward what four characteristics are all older men to strive? Discuss each.
- Sober-minded
- Dignified
- Self-controlled
- Sound
The last trait, “sound,” is split into what three elements? Discuss each.
- Sound in faith
- Sound in love
- Sound in steadfastness
Though older women cannot be female “elders,” what are their qualifications?
- Reverent in behavior
- Not slanderers
- Not slaves to much wine
What “job description” does the Lord assign to all older women?
- Teach what is good
- Train the young women
To do what and to be what (curriculum and job description)?
- to love their husbands and children
- to be self-controlled
- to be pure
- to be working at home
- to be kind, and
- to be submissive to their own husbands
For what reason?
- that the word of God may not be reviled.
What is the #1 command or challenge for all younger men?
- to be self-controlled.
What about the preacher, Titus himself?
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned …
For what reason?
- so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Why must a preacher be a faithful example of a genuine man of God in his personal life? What results if he is not?
What would be the biggest challenge, but primary duties, of bondservants?
- to be submissive to their own masters in everything
- to be well-pleasing
- not to be argumentative
- not pilfering, but …
- showing all good faith
For what reason?
- so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
Word study: “adorn.” κοσμέω (kosmeō): vb.; 1. beautify, make attractive, decorate, dress, put in order (Mt 12:44; 23:29; Lk 11:25; 21:5; 1Ti 2:9; Tit 2:10; 1Pe 3:5; Rev 21:2, 19); 2. trim a wick (on an ancient lamp), (Mt 25:7)
Where else – and what else – could we learn about instructions to slaves?
Eph 6:5–8; Col 3:22–24; 1 Tim 6:1–2; 1 Pet 2:18
How might all Christians adorn, or make attractive, the doctrine of God?
How might we as Christians defile the Lord’s doctrine?
Now let’s move from the “behave” in Tit 2:1-10 to the “because” in Tit 2:11-15.
How would you define the grace of God?
Is salvation available to all people, or only to the preselected few (Calvinism)?
Though grace brings salvation to all people, not all people will be saved. Why not?
Grace not only saves us; it also instructs, trains, or disciplines us (Greek) …
- to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and
- to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age
What future event, what blessed hope, also transforms our lives?
How does the text unmistakably declare the deity of Jesus Christ?
For what other reason, in addition to redeeming us, did Jesus give His life?
What (in this text) identifies you and me as those who belong to Christ?
So … what should the preacher preach?
In what manner should he preach?
Why would people want to disregard a faithful preacher? Why should they not?
