Sermon Tone Analysis

PRAY WITH ME PLEASE

If you have a copy of the Scriptures with you this morning, please turn back with me to Paul’s letter to Titus.

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Introduction

Last week, we began our abbreviated view of this letter to Titus.

We looked at the Island of Crete, and the poor reputation of the people who inhabited that Island.

We see that Titus, a protege of the Apostle Paul was left on the Island, for the purpose, as Titus 1:5 says, “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.”

We saw that these Elders, Titus was to appoint, were to “hold fast to the faithful word of God,” both in their conduct and theology.

They were meant to exhibit the power of the Gospel through their transformed lives as they led the congregation they were a part of—>this conduct was in stark contrast to the general reputation of Island.

They were also meant to refute anything that falls short of the truth of the Word of God.

As there were false teachers there, adulterating the Word of God for their own benefit, pilfering money, and deceiving many into error and filthy living.

This week, we’ll see Paul exhort Titus, as he “sets in order what remains,” to address the lives of those who called themselves Christians.

He is meant to preach & teach correct doctrine, because that leads to godly lives for all those who adhere to what is taught.

Anything less, leads to disunity and conflict in the body at best, and people who live godless lives while being deceived into thinking they are believers at worst.

Both bringing reproach to Christ.

So…as we look into Titus chapter 2 today, we are going to see 3 things:

Life follows after doctrine (v. 1).

The Gospel instructs godly living (vv.

11-15).

The Christian’s Biblical Life…what does a godly life look like (vv.

2-10).

Let’s read Titus chapter 2.

1. Life follows after doctrine (v. 1).

Paul introduces this entire chapter of this letter by telling Titus, “speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”

The word “sound” literally means “healthy.”

We see this used in Titus 1:9, where Paul says that the elder should be, “able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict.”

This exhortation is not simply about correcting a body of knowledge that all people are supposed to make a mental assent towards, or to acknowledge as the truth.

No, Paul has in mind here the Spiritual health of the churches on Crete, as entire families are being “upset”.

Also, those who are teaching the false doctrine have consciences that are defiled, leading them to being unable to respond to the truth.

This leaves them in their deception, to the point that they think they are teaching the truth of God, but they are actually totally useless for Him, because their lives remain unfit and they are characterized by their disobedience (1:15, 16).

Therefore, the world and the church were indistinguishable.

As Titus, then, begins to set in order the conduct of the members of the churches on Crete, he is to do quite the opposite of the false teachers, by speaking the things that are proper for sound doctrine.

These “things” are the things that follow in verses 2-10.

Here, he addresses 5 groups of people: Older men, Older women, younger women, younger men, and slaves.

We’ll talk about these in greater detail in point number 3.

but notice, how Paul begins to build this case with Titus, by pointing out with each group of people that their conduct is connected to the Word of God.

v. 2: With the older men, they are to be “sound in faith”.

There does seem to be a definite article with the word “faith” in the Greek.

This means that it could read, “sound in the faith.”

(The faith meaning body of doctrine) So they are to live their lives according to a sound body of doctrine.

Again the word “sound” means “healthy”, therefore, the lives of the older men are meant to be accompanied and governed by healthy doctrine.

With the older women it is somewhat three-fold.

v. 3a: They are meant be “reverent in behavior” which means that they are to always live with God in view.

I appreciated the way Homer Kent said it: “The mature Christian woman should always exhibit in her manner a recognition of the sacredness of every aspect of life to the child of God.”

v. 3c: They are to meant to “teach what is good.”

Paul explains here how the older women are to disciple the younger women in biblical womanhood.

To be able to do this, they should know and model what that is, so that they are able to teach the younger.

The third point is connected with the younger women.

v. 5: While pointed towards the younger women’s conduct, the phrase “so that the word of God will not be slandered” is connected with what the older women teach the younger.

The conduct of the younger woman has the reputation of the doctrine of the word of God at hand.

If they claim the name Christian, and yet live an ungodly life, the word of God may be mocked by those around them.

This means that it is vital, that what the older women teach is thoroughly biblical.

v. 8, we see that the conduct of the young men should be godly in that, “the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us (the Church or Christians).”

v. 10: The slave is to “adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in everything.”

As Titus speaks the things which are proper for sound doctrine, he emphasizes that this is what it means to live according to the Word of God.

The Church’s conduct was ruining the reputation of the Gospel, so Paul then reminds them of what the Gospel is and what it accomplishes in the life of the believer, which brings us to point number two:

2. The Gospel’s Instruction (vv.

11-15).

“For...” connects everything that came before in the previous thought to this.

We are able to live as godly older and younger men, godly older and younger women, and as godly slaves/employees because this: God has brought us salvation.

Because we have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we now reckon ourselves dead to sin, and alive to God in Christ Jesus, as Paul puts it in Romans 6:11.

This is how the Gospel “instructs us”.

To deny sin, and to live in righteousness.

Why would we live in the sin that Christ spilt His blood for?

in this age, we deny worldly desires, as we live for the age to come!

This world and its lusts are passing away.

Let them die!

Live for the age to come!

1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”

1 John 3:2-3 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not been manifested as yet what we will be.

We know that when He is manifested, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Eternal Life encompasses not only the quantity of life, but the quality of life as well.

Christ redeemed us.

He purchased us by paying the ransom price for us from slavery to sin, unto slavery to righteousness: Romans 6:15-23.

Notice how Paul brings this to what “pattern of teaching” we believe.

Doctrine matters!

Our actions flow out of the pattern teaching that we follow, whether unto sin or unto righteousness.

In the same vein, 1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “For you were bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”

Sin is no longer our Master, our holy and righteous and just and merciful and loving God is!

He dealt with the penalty of sin, which is His righteous wrath, by pouring it out on His Son on the cross.

Christ died, where we were meant to die.

To prove that God’s wrath had been satisfied for sin, and that Jesus’s death was not some random Jewish man’s death, He rose again, defeating death and sin.

Now, all who believe and trust in Him as Savior and Lord are forgiven all their sin debt, to the point that Paul says that the death warrant has been canceled:

Colossians 2:13-15 “And you being dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him, having graciously forgiven us all our transgressions.

Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us, He also has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them in Him.”

And we are made new, as Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not by works which we did in righteousness, but according to His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,”

No longer to remain dominated by sin, but to live a life of constant and growing victory over it.

Because of the immense length He went, and the great love He showed, if we are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are Christ’s treasured possession.

Like Israel, redeemed as Yahweh’s treasured possession from Egypt.

Exodus 19:3-6 “Now Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob and tell the sons of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I lifted you up on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.

‘So now then, if you will indeed listen to My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine; and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’

These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel.””

Deuteronomy 4:5-8 illustrates how Israel’s godly testimony was to affect the nations around her.

We are to declare His excellencies: 1 Peter 2:9-12, our conduct is meant to cause those that may mock us to glorify God on the day of visitation (whether judgment or salvation).

According to Paul in this passage, what does that conduct look like?

3. The Christian’s Biblical Life (vv.

2-10).

Each of us are addressed in these verses.

Whether you are young or old, male or female…even an employee.