Titus 2:1-2

Growing up in our Christian school meant required Bible memory every month. I think it was 6th grade when I had to memorize Titus 2. This chapter had a high importance in our church and I remember it being modeled well. As I recall, isolated spiritual development did not exist. As a whole, it seemed the congregation bought into this idea that isolated spiritual development put a damper on individual growth while it decayed church fruitfulness.

Fast forward to 2015 when I led our church through a 3-year strategic plan. Before the plan was implemented, we had a series of town hall meetings so the congregation could ask questions or give comments. One person asked, “Chris, why isn’t there anything in this plan about youth ministry?” I read Titus 2 to the group and emphasized that verses 2-10 are multi-generational and plural. Then I explained how the American model of youth ministry is broken because congregations expect one or two people to connect with and disciple an entire generation of the church. I added the same is true for children’s ministry. I told them allowing this to be an accepted practice in any church is a violation of the Bible. That church should never expect fruitful growth.

Before we read Titus 2, let’s review why Paul wrote this letter to Titus ~ For the faith of God’s elect. For increased spiritual maturity. For the hope of eternal life.

Wherever you are in your walk with Jesus, Titus 2 presents specific decisions for each of us. These fifteen verses create an opportunity to transform our lives while they challenge how we think about our relational and spiritual connection with the people in this building and what our responsibility might be toward collective spiritual maturity.

When spiritual health invades the church…

Titus 2:1–15 ESV

1 But as for you (Titus), teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. 9 Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, 10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. 15 Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

There are six categories of Christians that we need to unpack: spiritual leaders (vv, 1, 15), older men (v. 2), older women (vv. 3-4), younger women (vv. 4-5), younger men (vv. 6-8), and employees (vv. 9-10). Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone and self-control is the cement slab.

Spiritual leaders prioritize spiritual self-control

Paul mentioned self-control in the list of elder qualifications back in chapter 1. Self-control is found in verses 2, 5, 6, and 12 ~ and implied in verses 4 and 9, we should not be surprised that Paul leans into Titus’ leadership for a moment. Always remember, it is impossible to lead another person where you have not yet gone. Look at verses 1 and 15. “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine…Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.” You might remember that Paul ended chapter 1 addressing false teachers in the church.

Titus, don’t be the guy that professes to know God and deny him by your works. Don’t be detestable. Don’t be disobedient. Don’t disqualify yourself. Don’t let people disregard your biblical message or authority. Keep delivering the important message of spiritual maturity and the hope of eternal life. While Satan roams the earth, the message of false teachers will never fully disappear, but Titus you need to stay far away from it. Take my advice to Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:15 - “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 4:2 “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Titus, leading Crete back to biblical truth and biblical action is a huge task. Remaining grounded in the Word of God is your top priority. Without it, your maturity will fade and your biblical authority will weaken.

I agree with Paul; remaining grounded in the Word of God requires self-control. It is one of the reasons why I preach through books of the Bible. People in Titus’ position or in my position do not have liberties that other people often explore. Spiritual self-control always begins with the truth of Scripture. When spiritual self-control is prioritized, spiritual leaders put unexplored curiosities in a drawer and leave them alone. Prioritized spiritual self-control means there are intriguing books that go unread and influencers that are not given time. Prioritized spiritual self-control quickly and constantly reels back in a wandering mind. Prioritized spiritual self-control is cautious about which rabbit trails are not walked upon and which ones are avoided. Prioritized spiritual self-control believes choices, decisions and opportunities are considered with biblical wisdom and measured according to God’s Word. As we read Titus, there is no reason to believe spiritual influence is protected while a person is being spiritually negligent.

Paul pressed Titus to remain grounded in sound doctrine because a lack of spiritual self-control is negligent and will hurt the mission. Spiritual health invaded the church throughout Crete when the example and preaching of Titus was absorbed, considered and applied by the members of the various congregations.

Verse 2.

Spiritual patriarchs establish the spiritual pace of the congregation

Titus 2:2 ESV

2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.

Who are the spiritual patriarchs and why do they establish the pace? First, let’s take care of who. There are three reasons to believe the line between older and younger is 50 years old.

Numbers 8:23–26 - “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”

John 8:54–57 - “Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?””

In both Testaments, we find that 50 years old was a benchmark. Non-biblical Greek literature supports that age 50 was the line between old and young. Therefore, the ‘older men’ Paul wrote about are the guys in the congregation who are 50 and older.

Second, let’s take care of why they are the pacesetters. Numbers 8 does not mention retire or quit serving in the temple. Their role changed and they were no longer throwing animals on the altar. They still ministered. They coached. They kept guard. They mentored the younger Levites. They made sure every temple job was filled and completed.

The second half of verse two says “sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.” It’s language used only for older men.

One commentator wrote this, “Sound has the basic meaning of ‘being well and healthy’ and is the term from which we derive ‘hygiene.’ Paul uses a form of this word five times in Titus and always in relation to personal righteousness and spiritual health. He repeatedly emphasizes that sound doctrine materializes in sound faith and sound speaking. Healthy doctrine produces healthy spiritual living. What is true of individual believers is also true of the church as a body. A church that is grounded in spiritual truth and protected from spiritual falsehood is to be spiritually healthy and productive through the way its members live. The fruit of sound doctrine is spiritually healthy living.”

One of our boys baseball coaches ended every practice with “do your homework, take care of your hygiene, be nice to your mom.” As much as he coached baseball, he also coached necessities of life into 11—12 year olds.

Older men, we set the pace by modeling and coaching necessities of spiritually healthy living. Another description is good spiritual hygiene. Faith that is spiritually healthy teaches sound doctrine and proclaims the gospel. Love that has good spiritual hygiene cares for the congregation well Monday thru Saturday. Steadfastness or endurance or patience that is spiritually healthy keeps plowing for Jesus when we don’t feel like it. This means if older men are the pacesetters and we’re not doing evangelism, we’re not inviting people to church, we’re not caring for the congregation during the week, we’re not putting our name on a serving list, then we should not be surprised when those things are neglected by others in the congregation. There is a transformative mindset that how we set the pace communicates what things are not important and what things can be neglected.

Verse two also says “sober-minded, dignified, self-control…” Verse two describes older men that have learned to temper our emotions and behavior. The NASB uses temperate instead of sober-minded. Both speak of a clarity and decisiveness about our identity in Christ. We have embraced our spiritual role to the congregation and we understand that while roles change, our service to a congregation has no end. We don’t allow circumstances and substances to create poor spiritual hygiene in our lives or in the church. We are dignified because we earn the honor and respect of the congregation. We are self-controlled in a way that holds all of this stuff together because we consistently make decisions against our own agenda and will.

I want to invite all of us to consider three questions this morning.

If you died today, are you 100% certain that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and you are on your way to Heaven?

If your answer is no…If your answer is yet, do you have clarity about who you are in Jesus Christ?

Do you allow circumstances to create poor spiritual hygiene in your life?