Godliness In The Church: Young Men, Titus, & Slaves (Titus 2:6-10)
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[SLIDE 1] Introduction
Good morning, brothers and sisters!
I’m grateful that we get to gather together again as one church family.
Can you believe it’s September, already?
Students are heading back to school this week.
The Fall season reminds us that we’re returning to the normal rhythm of life.
Illustration
Context
We have been studying the letter to Titus since the beginning of the year.
Lord willing, judging by the pacing, we hope to finish this marvelous letter by the Spring of 2027.
[SLIDE 2] I want to remind you of the purpose of this letter.
Paul wrote this letter to Titus with a singular purpose.
He wrote this letter with an authorial intent.
This intent dictates how we interpret this letter.
The purpose is found in Titus 1:5.
5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
Paul had an unfinished business in the island of Crete.
However, he had to leave the Crete.
So, Paul delegated this unfinished business to Titus .
Titus was given the duty to establish order and appointing elders.
We have spent several sermons studying the biblical qualification elders, pastors, and overseers.
These biblically qualified men are called to teach sound doctrine and to rebuke false teachers.
[SLIDE 3] Furthermore, Titus was also called to put what remained into order is by teaching the church sound doctrine that leads to godliness.
1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.
Sound doctrine is what keeps the church alive and strong.
The fruit of right doctrine is righteous living.
The purpose of godly living is to give credible gospel witnesses in the community and in the pagan world.
Last month, we went through three different age groups in verses 1-5.
Older men, older women, and younger women are to live spiritually healthy lives.
[SLIDE 4] Paul’s purpose in giving them those instructions for godly living is found at the end of verse 5: “that the word of God may not be reviled.”
Most likely, these Christians in the church were not behaving in a godly way.
Unbelievers would have every reason to revile the word of God because of the sinful behaviour of the believers in the church.
So, Titus was to teach sound doctrine with all authority so that they would live in godliness.
Spiritually healthy living is not about behaviour modification.
These behaviours outlined in Titus 2:1-10 is not what saves you and gets you into heaven.
Spiritual healthy living proceeds after you are saved by God’s grace.
[SLIDE 5] Titus 2:11-12 tells us that the gospel of God’s grace through Jesus Christ has saved you when you have repented of your sins and trusted in Jesus for your salvation.
However, God’s grace not only saves you, but it transforms you.
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,
We’ll look at that passage next month.
Essentially, God’s grace does not give you the license to keep living in sin and living in your own ways.
God’s grace targets your will and heart to desire godly living.
God’s grace motivates you to live for Christ.
[SLIDE 6] I want to remind you of this main point that I gave last month: Healthy Teaching Produces Spiritually Healthy Living So That Your Lives Become A Testimony For The World.
[SLIDE 7] Here’s the outline for today.
We’ll continue with the topic of godliness in the church in verses 6-10.
Exposition
[SLIDE 8] In verse 6, Paul talks about Spiritually Healthy Living For Younger Men.
6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled.
Paul gives one instruction to the younger men, which is self-controlled.
This single word hits hard for the young men because Paul has been repeating this word many times in this letter.
The elders are to be self-controlled. (Titus 1:8)
The older men are to be self-controlled. (Titus 2:2)
The younger women are to be self-controlled. (Titus 2:5)
Self-control broadly carries the meaning of having common sense, good judgment, and being sensible.
It is to practice habitual self-restraint.
By the time it gets to the young men, it carries a lot of weight of everything Paul has been saying all along.
Why did Paul mention “self-controlled” so many times?
Perhaps, there is a greater lack of self-control in Crete.
Perhaps, it’s a part of their culture, but it’s a sinful culture.
Lack of self-control was common for them.
So, Paul repeats that word because there is a need for the Christians in Crete to grow in the quality of self-control.
And just as older men and younger women are to be self-controlled, so likewise are young men.
Thus, Paul tells Titus to urge, exhort, or encourage the younger men.
What’s considered a “young man?”
In the 1st century context, older men and women were typically those who had reached 50 years of age and beyond.
Some would say 60 or above.
So, a young man goes from being a teenager to around 40 years old.
Some would say a young man is anyone below the age of the older men.
So, I want to speak to you, young men of OBC.
This message is for you.
I hope you will listen and learn this right now at whatever age you’re at.
I want to acknowledge that you are full of energy, zeal, and strength.
You have big bodily appetites, that’s why you tend to eat a lot.
You may tend not to be self-controlled or sensible by natural inclination.
You have burning drives.
Yet, you most likely may tend to be full of yourselves in pride and arrogance.
You may tend to be impulsive, passionate, ambitious, and volatile.
Paul spoke to Timothy these words in 2 Timothy 2:22, “Flee from youthful lusts...”
Young men: you need self-mastery over your body and your mind.
You and I are tainted with the flesh.
Because of our flesh, we are tempted towards lust, greed, anger, distraction, etc.
So, we need healthy teaching from God’s word.
Healthy teaching should drive you to grow in self-control (Titus 2:1).
It should renew your mind.
It should produce a governed mind.
[SLIDE 9] Again, God’s grace trains us to have self-controlled lives in Titus 2:11-12.
Achieving a self-controlled shows genuine sign of strength and discipline.
[SLIDE 10] Self-control protects you against vulnerability and destruction.
28 A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.
Self-control shows that you have mastery over your impulses instead of having your impulses have mastery over you.
Self-control would gain you the respect from others because you are modeling an example for others to follow.
Young men: if you are in Christ, then here are three practical tips to grow in self-control.
First, ask the Holy Spirit to help you in this area.
If it’s impossible, there’s no point in Titus urging the young men to do this.
Self-mastery is possible even for young men.
Bring this before the Lord in prayer.
Second, come together in Christian brotherhood.
Attend Bible study groups in the church.
Mutual support and encouragement is an appropriate means to achieving such self-control.
Third, such a self-controlled life must be accompanied by a consistent example.
[SLIDE 11] So, in verses 7-8, Paul speaks about Spiritually Healthy Living For Titus.
Paul speaks to Titus directly.
This pivots from “what Titus tells others to do” to “what Titus must be.”
Titus has to set an example of spiritually healthy living.
This applies to spiritual ministers in the church.
This applies to elders, deacons, and other ministry leaders.
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.
As a young man, Titus sets an example for the young men.
As a pastor, he sets an example for the church.
Titus was to show himself to be a model of good works not just in some things.
Not just a few things.
But, in all respects.
[SLIDE 12] This is a similar pattern given to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12.
12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
The words, example and model, are the same Greek word.
It means leaving a mark or a copy.
That word was used to as a wax seal.
A godly life leaves its shape or mark on the people who observe your life.
[SLIDE 13] Good role model should permeate in all areas of his life.
It should permeate in our church gathering.
Outside of the four walls of the church.
In various church ministries.
What does it mean to be model of good works?
It means your life shows the good and noble virtue.
You are to show integrity, dignity, and sound speech in all aspects of your life.
To be a model implies that it has to be visible.
It has to be something that people can copy and imitate.
You can’t be a model of good works in your private or secret life.
A hidden example isn’t an example at all.
All of us need good role models in the church whom we can look up to.
All of us should BE good role models of good works in the church.
We are to be good role models for younger believers coming behind us.
For the children watching our every move.
For the unbelieving world to read our lives before they ever read their Bibles.
Here’s the warning the Bible gives.
If an example does not follow the teaching, the one teaching it will be viewed rightly as a hypocrite.
It does not matter how sound, biblical, or correct a person may be in his theology.
If his teaching is not backed by his life, he loses all credibility.
Hypocrisy in the church never produces godliness in the church.
It destroys credibility.
It drives people away from Christ.
As a pastor, I have a huge burden for all of you.
Is your life in church consistent with your life inside the home and at your job?
I’m not talking about perfection here, but consistency.
If I were watch a recording of your life, will I see a Christ-centered home?
Or, will I see ungodliness?
You tell people not to steal, but do you steal?
You preach against lying, but do you deceive others?
You tell your children to go to church and study the Bible, but do you obey Jesus?
Jesus gave some of the harshest words against the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees of His days.
He literally calls them: “Hypocrites.”
Hypocrites are the ones who say and teach things.
But, they either do not do them or they live contrary to them.
So, coming back to verse 7, Titus is given a responsibility to teach sound doctrine.
And Paul tells him how to carry it out in three parts.
First, he is to show integrity.
This can be translated as purity or soundness.
As Titus teaches sound doctrine, he is to live a life of moral purity and integrity.
His life matches with the teaching that he is proclaiming.
So, Titus is to be a model of integrity in his ministry.
If the teacher has integrity, then there’s purity and credibility in his teaching.
Second, he is to show dignity.
He is to be worthy of respect.
He must be honourable.
He must be serious in his action and teaching.
His life that is fixed on honouring God in whatever he does.
Having dignity doesn’t mean he can’t have a sense of humour.
What it does it mean is that his life carries weight.
Third, he is to show sound speech in verse 8.
When I was a teenager, I would keep my language clean at church.
But, once I immediately step out of the church, I start using vulgar language.
Sound speech has to do with day by day conversation and speech.
Whether Titus is speaking formally or informally, his speech is to be sound (hygenic), healthy, edifying, and life-giving.
His speech in the church gathering ought to be consistent with his speech outside of the church.
Think of your conversations during meal times.
How much of your words that come out of your mouth is considered “sound speech?”
Paul says that such sound speech cannot be condemned by anyone.
Your life and teaching are so consistent that nobody can pin a single blameworthy thing on you.
Do not underestimate the significance of setting a good example.
Paul explains why this matters at the end of verse 8: “so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”
Us referring to Titus, Paul, and other ministers of the gospel.
Look at this works.
The opponents of the gospel are put to shame.
They’re not put to shame by our arguments or clever defense.
They’re put to shame by the way we live out our lives.
Brothers and sisters, your integrity becomes your greatest defense.
You don’t even need to say a word because your life speaks more volume than your words.
Their accusations against Titus (and other Christians) fall apart when confronted with the irrefutable evidence of a consistent Christian life.
They should have nothing bad to say about us when we live out sound doctrine consistently.
However, if we don’t exemplify godliness in our teaching and our life...
If we are being hypocritical...
Then we are handing the opponents of the gospel ammunition.
We have given them every reason to shame us and speak evil against us.
And there’s no excuse or defense to justify our hypocrisy.
Brothers and sisters, a consisteny Christian life that matches with your words will speaks volume in your sphere of influence.
So, that was Paul’s charge to Titus to set an example for the younger men.
And by implication to the rest of the church.
[SLIDE 14] Lastly, in verses 9-10, Paul speaks about Spiritually Healthy Living For Bondservants.
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.
Finally, Paul speaks to the last group in this list.
The first four groups were sorted by age.
Now, this fifth group is sorted by social standing.
I’ll be more brief in this section.
He’s speaking about bondservants.
Or, a more accurate translation of the word would be slaves.
These slaves are unlike the modern notion of slavery, such as the American Slavery.
Nevertheless, they were legally owned by their masters.
Both the Old Testaments and New Testaments never condemned slavery.
But, the Mosaic law regulated slavery carefully.
It condemns abuse and exploitation.
And the New Testament puts slavery in a gospel perspective.
Christians are slaves of Christ.
We are called to serve and obey Christ.
We are called to serve one another.
That’s how we are to relate to each other.
Paul understood and recognized the condition of slavery, but that’s not what he’s going to address.
He doesn’t speak about the morality and fairness.
He’s speaking about the slaves who are followers of Christ.
He speaks about the attitude of the slaves.
He talks about how they are to treat their masters whether they’re Christians or not.
You can apply the relationship between slaves and masters to employees and employers.
The gospel does not rearrange the social latter.
It transforms the heart of the person.
The gospel gives dignity to the slaves and the master.
It has the power to transform how slaves and masters are to treat each other.
Practically, when we look at slaves, it can equally apply to workers in general.
So, what should you attitude be towards your employer?
First, you are to be submissive to your own masters in everything.
This may seem harsh to hear.
But, Paul is saying to be subject to your masters regardless of how unreasonable and oppressive the work may be.
However, if the situation is unbearable, then look for work elsewhere.
Second, you are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative.
This means giving your best in your work.
It is committing to highest degree of excellence in your job.
You should not be disrespectful to your boss in such a way that you become argumentative.
This doesn’t mean you can’t have a different opinion than your boss.
However, you should not be contentious.
Being argumentative is the opposite of being submissive.
Third, you are not pilfering, but showing all good faith.
Pilfering means stealing and commiting embezzlement.
You are to labour and doing honest work with your own hands.
You are to be loyal and faithful in whatever work you’re supposed to do.
You show yourself to be reliable at your job even when your boss isn’t watching.
Paul has a purpose for the behaviour and attitude of the slaves in their relationship with their masters at the end of verse 10.
It is so that they can see and adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour through the godliness of the slaves (or the employees).
The word, “adorn,” cause something to be attractive and beautiful.
Paul is saying that a slave, doing ordinary work with honesty and faithfulness, can make the gospel attractive before the master.
Brothers and sisters, your workplace is your mission field.
Unbelievers are observing you.
At work, are you patient or impatient?
Are you honest or dishonest?
Are you reliable or not?
Are you clean or vulgar in speech?
Do you have integrity?
Are you lazy or do you have good work ethics?
If your attitude and honesty at your job are questionable, then inviting your coworker to church doesn’t have much effect.
They have already seen the message you proclaim all week with your life.
However, if your life and your confession of faith are consistent, you can be an effective witness to your coworkers.
Application/Conclusion
[SLIDE 15] Big Idea: Healthy Teaching Produces Spiritually Healthy Living So That Your Lives Become A Testimony For The World.
Let me emphasize once again that sound doctrine is not optional.
You need healthy teaching in your life.
God’s grace ought to lead you to live in God’s way.
This is significant for the sake of the Great Commission.
For the sake of making disciples.
For the sake being a godly witness to those around you.
You have people in your life that I have zero influence in.
I can’t reach the people in your sphere of influence.
God has put you there so that you can demonstrate God’s saving power through your living testimony.
By God’s grace, will you demonstrate godliness wherever you are at?
