Titus 2:3-5

Older women cultivate beliefs that influence reverent behavior

Titus 2:3–5 ESV

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.

Look at verse 3. We should be able to agree that character determines behavior. The book of James says we make silent decisions about sin and compromise long before we take action. Paul uses ‘likewise’ so we know some of his instructions for older ladies also apply to older men. Just as older men had specific roles, Paul defines specific roles for the older ladies in a congregation.

The first role that Paul gives older women is ‘reverent in behavior.’ The phrase translates to say, “holy in the way one lives.” The way a person lives is our worldview and is defined by what a person believes about the timeless truth of Scripture and how Scripture impacts the world and our daily life. When Paul instructs the older women to be reverent in behavior, he tells them to put on their spiritual eyeglasses and pursue holiness in their daily life.

Jesus was the only person that walked the earth with 20/20 spiritual vision. The rest of us need corrective lenses through the grace of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit because ungodly influences around us attempt to blur any reverent behavior found in our life.

A few weeks ago, Bridget and I were watching hockey on TV. The losing goalie gave up 4 goals and the announcer said those goals were not his fault. Bridget said, “Really? He’s the goalie. His first job is to stop the puck.” Older ladies, your first job is to cultivate righteous beliefs in your own life that will influence reverent behavior in your own life, so you are able to influence other lives.

Paul gives two examples that blur our righteous beliefs. The first example is slander. By definition, slander is attacking the reputation of another person. Character assassination. This can be talking to another person, sending a text message, writing an email, posting on social media. They are malicious words about one person given to a third-party with the intent to do harm. This is wicked behavior and contradicts Matthew 18. Seeking biblical counsel so you can wisely confront a person is different than slander, but don’t let the conversation go beyond biblical counsel.

The second example is slaves to much wine. A short disclaimer ~ Alcohol is not part of my world. It never has been. It never will be. I don’t understand the point of alcohol. From what I have seen, I think alcohol complicates life more than it helps life. There might a person in this room that will tell me alcohol isn’t a sin, Jesus drank wine, and slaves to much wine is different for every person. I get all of that.

I’m going to be scientific and then I’ll be biblical.

According to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control:

“A standard drink is 12 ounces of beer, four ounces of wine or 1-1/4 ounces of 80 proof distilled spirits. They all contain the same amount of pure alcohol (about 1/2 ounce). About five percent of the alcohol consumed leaves the body through urine, sweat glands, and breathing. Most of the alcohol must be broken down (metabolized) by the liver to remove it from the system. The liver metabolizes alcohol at a very constant rate, approximately one drink per hour. If there is excessive alcohol in the blood, the liver cannot speed up the detoxification process. The unmetabolized alcohol just continues to circulate in the bloodstream. This is intoxication – when there is a buildup of alcohol in the system.”

Liberal California suggests that more than one drink per hour defines a person as intoxicated, or under the influence. Our bodies were created with the inability to process more than one drink per hour.

Can I have the next slide? I think the emphasis is ‘slave’, which means to ‘be under the influence’ or ‘become property of’. Ephesians 5:17–18 - “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit…”

There are plenty of verses in the Bible that connect alcohol and foolishness, but I have never read a verse connecting alcohol and wisdom.

If God has not given you a personal conviction to avoid alcohol, I challenge you to consider this question. Does alcohol cultivate reverent behavior OR is it a foolish practice that blurs reverent behavior in your life?

Older women lead discipleship that honors the Word of God

Titus 2:3–5 ESV

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.

Look at the end of verse 3 and verse 4. The older women in a congregation have a biblical partnership in the discipleship of younger generations. Paul gives two options - teach or train. Teaching is exactly what it sounds like. You are opening the Bible for somebody other than you with the intent of helping them understand and apply it their life. Paul said that older women are to teach what is good, meaning their teaching is to be biblically accurate, must avoid the false teachers of chapter 1, and be within the boundaries set forth in Scripture. The purpose is at the end of verse 5 says, “that the Word of God may not be reviled.” Reviled can be insulted or blasphemed.

One scenario that reviles the Word of God is being biblically inaccurate. Most often that happens when a teacher doesn’t prepare or wants the verse to say something that it doesn’t say. Another scenario that reviles the Word of God is an incorrect audience. 1 Timothy 2:12 says, “do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man…”

Training might be a little less clear. In a job situation, training is a group of 2 or 3 people for a specific period of time. One person has the necessary job experience to guide others toward competency. Transfer that situation into discipleship and it begins to make sense. Older women that are training younger women have the necessary life experience to pour wisdom into another person’s life. A negative example is King Rehoboam. When Israel requested lower taxes, Rehoboam took the advice of those he grew up with instead of the wisdom of life experience. You can read about his decision in 1 Kings 12, but it ended badly.

Most often, training happens outside the church building. It’s on a park bench while kids are running around. It’s in a coffee shop or cafe. It’s at the grocery store. It’s going for a walk on a trail. It’s sitting in kayaks. It’s conversational because the younger women have questions that require answers. If the older ladies in her church do not take the time to impart wisdom, those answers are coming from somewhere that might not honor God’s Word.

Discipleship efforts that honor God’s Word do not take a ton of time, but a willingness to pour into another person is necessary.

Younger women cultivate a heart that honors the Lord in the moment

If I were a young women reading commentaries on verses 4-5, I would be completely overwhelmed with the responsibility that generations have placed on mothers. It’s not fair and I question the biblical accuracy of it, but I see four roles in these two verses. There is ambiguity; however, consider these roles so the Word of God may not be reviled.

Be a wife that honors the Lord. Verse 4 says to love your husband and verse 5 says to be submissive to your own husband. We spent time on the marriage relationship in March, so I’m going to move on. If you want to revisit on Wednesday night, we can do that.

Be a mom that honors the Lord. Verse 4 says to love your children. It is possible to be an excellent mom without being a perfect mom. It is likely that your human children will break your human heart and that doesn’t make you a bad mom. Your mission is to love them and cultivate biblical character in them with the help your husband and the older ladies of your church.

Cultivate character that honors the Lord. You will become one of the older women some day. When you begin cultivating the necessary character that influences reverent behavior, qualities like self-controlled, pure and kind will be fruitful in your life.

Carry a diligent attitude that honors the Lord. Verse 5 says working at home. The essence behind the phrase is a loving care for the function of the household. There are younger women who are single and everything rides on their soldiers. There are younger women that are privileged to be a full-time mom. There are younger women who shed tears as they go off to work and their kids walk to the bus stop. There are younger women that are single moms. There are younger women who want to be moms, but aren’t. The message to every younger woman is to carry an attitude about your home, your living situation, and your family that refuses to insult God’s Word.

Our application for today:

Last week, do you allow circumstances to create poor spiritual hygiene in your life?

Men and women, who is one person in this building that you can begin sharing life experience with for the purpose cultivating reverent behavior?

Are there decisions or actions in our life that blur reverent behavior?

Announcement after final song:

After prayerful consideration, Bridget and I believe the Lord has led us to accept a call to Dundee Baptist Church. Our ministry in Dundee will begin on May 24. Our ministry at Trinity will officially end on May 23; however, due to an already scheduled vacation, our final service will be Sunday, May 10.

We continue to pray for this transition and what God has for Trinity in the future.