Titus 2:1-10

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.  Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.  Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.  Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.  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, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.  Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

God made all of us different and has defined different rolls for different people with different responsibilities.  Men and women, old and young, slave and free, all have been endowed by God with responsibilities and opportunities to serve in different ways and expects them to be faithful within the rolls He has defined.  Ministers are tasked with helping each person under their teaching to fulfill their own specific mandates from God.

OLDER MEN SHOULD BE MATURE: Men are expected to be leaders and demonstrate maturity in the context of the church.  Ministers are to call men to this high standard.  Too often it seems that ministers are afraid of offending men by calling them to leadership and maturity.  We must do just the opposite.  Paul tells Titus to call men to a standard of excellence that includes being sober-minded, which is to recognize the seriousness of spiritual leadership and headship in both the home and the church.  They are to be dignified in their actions and treatment of others.  Men must exercise self-control in their desires, temper, business dealings, and demonstrate discipline of mind, body and emotions.  They are to know and defend sound doctrine while having an abiding trust in the power and providence of God.  They are to love their wife, children, neighbors, the lost and the body of Christ.  They must be steadfast in the sense that they are not easily shaken from these standards.  If men will be like this, families and churches will be strong.  Men like this don’t happen by accident.  We must be intentional about building these qualities in our own lives as well as the men around us.

OLDER WOMEN SHOULD BE MENTORS: Like mature men, older women have a vital role to play in the church.  Godly men must have faithful and godly wives who will stand with them, encourage them and be an example of godliness.  Titus would be foolish to be involved in instructing the ladies in the church, especially the youngers ones.  As a single man, his instruction could be easily understood as affection.  He could become vulnerable to temptation.  Instead, the mature women in the church were to be reverent in their relationship with God and others.  Gossip and slander have no place in the church and the women were to be examples of controlling their tongues.  They are also not to be under the influence of alcohol or other substances.  They were to teach by both example and word.  Older women were to take on the responsibilities of mentoring the young women.  It interesting that love of husband and children is something that must be intentionally taught.  It does not come naturally to love members of our family in a biblical way.  

YOUNGER WOMEN SHOULD BE MOTHERS: Young women hold a vital place in the life of the church because they are supporting and helping their husbands and are also raising the next generation of leaders.  Maturity for these young women is also defined as exercising self-control and purity.  There are dangers that young women face in the area of temptation and desires for things that they may not be able to afford.  Pleasure and possessions can eat away at the soul of people who are controlled by these desires.  Paul recommends that women help to support the household by working at home.  When women work outside of the home, there is a price that the family will usually end up being neglected.  There are certainly circumstances where a woman can work outside of the home, and we must be careful not to be legalistic about this.  However, the family must be a priority above more income.  Generally, with some creativity a small business that is run from the home will often provide far more income as well as experience for children who can be trained in this manner.  Husbands are given the responsibility of providing for the family and providing spiritual leadership.  Wives are to demonstrate sweet submission in the home in a way that brings glory to God and protects the Christian family from being reviled in society. 

YOUGER MEN SHOULD BE MODELS: Titus was likely in the category of a younger man.  He was to call his peers to once again a life of self-control.  This is obviously a critical component to Christian character.  We are led and inhabited by the Spirit of God, but we are expected to exercise control of our desires and passions.  Titus was to model the life of a godly young man and call others to follow his example.  This includes works, teaching of the Scripture, integrity in dealing with others, control of the tongue, and practicing what is preached.  There are enemies to the church that are looking for any reason to criticize and excuse their unbelief.  We must do all we can to avoid giving them a reason to do so.  That includes teaching sound doctrine as well as living in a way that brings honor and glory to the Lord.

SERVANTS SHOULD BE MEEK: The fact that Paul speaks to the attitudes that bondservants are to have should not be misconstrued as supporting slavery.  Paul had no power to change the social structure of the Roman Empire.  He did want to give instructions to his brothers in Christ who were in that condition so that they could exercise their functions in a way that would bring glory to God.  In our lives today, we could apply the to believers who are employed.  We should be the best workers who are submissive to our bosses, work hard, don’t talk back but serve with honesty and integrity.  This is how we can be a testimony to all around us.

APPLICATION: As men we need to hold one another accountable and to a high standard of character.  Women need to be proactive in mentoring other women and understand the importance of ministry in the home.  Young men must be faithful to follow the Word of God and defend it before all who would stand against it.  Work hard, faithfully and honestly in whatever job the Lord gives us.