The Word Is Alive Titus

1. The Word Is AliveTitus Chapter Two Narrated by Tony Gillon

2. Chapter Two • Summary of Chapter Two • Titus is instructed to teach with sound Gospel-based doctrine.

3. Chapter Two • Summary of Chapter Two • Titus is instructed to teach with sound Gospel-based doctrine. • Titus is to maintain a high level of personal standards as a model for others.

4. Chapter Two • Titus 2:1–3:11 – Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers

5. Chapter Two • Titus 2:1–3:11 – Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Paul describes proper Christian living that is rooted in the Gospel, which is in direct contrast to the behaviour of the false teachers as recorded in Titus 1:10–16, but in conformity of what is required of true church leaders, refer to Titus 1:5–9. This is the primary concern of the letter for right doctrine leads to right behaviour.

6. Chapter Two • Titus 2:1–3:11 – Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • This major section is composed of two parallel units: vv.1–15 and Titus 3:1–8, that describe right behaviour, root this behaviour in the Gospel, and close with a charge to Titus to teach these things with authority.

7. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1-15 - Teach Sound Doctrine

8. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1-15 - Teach Sound Doctrine • Above all else the true Gospel is to be preached.

9. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1-15 - Teach Sound Doctrine • Above all else the true Gospel is to be preached.But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority’ (Acts 5:29).

10. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1-15 - Teach Sound Doctrine • Paul opens the section by providing Titus with instructions for five groups of people that would comprise the church, four of them by age and gender, and the fifth referring to servants or slaves.

11. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1-15 - Teach Sound Doctrine • Paul then returns to exhorting Titus to behave in a manner that was beyond reproach as he was acting as God’s representative.

12. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1–10 – • Proper living by age and gender groups

13. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1–10 – • Proper living by age and gender groups • Christian behaviour is rooted in sound doctrine.

14. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1–10 – • Proper living by age and gender groups • Christian behaviour is rooted in sound doctrine. • Paul addresses the behaviour of five groups in the church.

15. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus 2:1–10 – • Proper living by age and gender groups • Christian behaviour is rooted in sound doctrine. • Paul addresses the behaviour of five groups in the church. • Paul is concerned with the church’s witness.

16. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • 1But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine.

17. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • 1But as for you, teach what is consistent with sound doctrine. • But as for you indicates the sharp contrast that must exist between people, on one hand, whose deeds disprove their claim to faith: • They profess to know God, but they deny him by their actions (Titus 1:16a).

18. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Titus must teach the people to live in a way that is consistent with sound doctrine: • Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29).

19. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Every believer’s lifestyle must be subjected to the test of biblical principles; the alternative is to allow their lives to be shaped and approved by a value system that is opposed to that of God.

20. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Paul found it necessary to issue this instruction because the false teachers had clearly rejected the message and perverted the concept of a Christian way of life. • Christian ethics and the Christian message are meant to be inseparably and harmoniously related.

21. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • 2 Tell the older men to be temperate, serious, prudent, and sound in faith, in love, and inendurance.

22. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • It is generally accepted that Paul’s reference to older or younger people in the following verses refers to their actual age and not their time as disciples, for most people on Crete are assumed to be recent converts resulting from Paul’s recent missionary journey.

23. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Personal comment: • In the ancient world, and indeed the modern one, experience, knowledge and even wisdom often come with age, although not exclusively so. People should never cease to try to learn and gain more experience; younger people should respect those with such experience, and older people need to realise that they do not have the monopoly on such things.

24. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • The overall picture of older men is of Christian dignity and vibrant faith.

25. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • The overall picture of older men is of Christian dignity and vibrant faith. • Temperate indicates that these men were to be characterised by the moderation and self-restraint in all aspects of their lives.

26. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • The overall picture of older men is of Christian dignity and vibrant faith. • Temperate indicates that these men were to be characterised by the moderation and self-restraint in all aspects of their lives. • Serious refers to their attitude to their faith and its natural outworkings, rather than their personal demeanour.

27. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Endurance is perhaps of particular importance to those who are coming nearer to the ends of their human lives, where it might be easy to become distracted by natural difficulties that accompany later life and the aging process.

28. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Paul issues a similar command to the church in Thessalonica that compares favourably with the triad of values given here as sound in faith, in love, and in endurance.

29. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labour of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3).

30. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • 3Likewise, tell the older women to be reverent in behaviour, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, chaste, good managers of the household, kind, being submissive to their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited.

31. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Likewise links Paul’s call for older women to display the same Christ-like characteristics.

32. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Likewise links Paul’s call for older women to display the same Christ-like characteristics. • Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity (Acts 9:36).

33. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.’ But he said to her, ‘You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:9-10).

34. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • The instruction to older women and young women is intertwined because part of the role of a Christian older woman is to teach the younger women, where Paul uses the Greek word sōphronizō, which means ‘to give instruction in wise behaviour and good judgment’.

35. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • The topics the older women are to pass on, i.e. teach what is good, are very practical and focused on the domestic sphere.

36. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength, and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. (Continued).

37. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • She is not afraid for her household when it snows, for all her household are clothed in crimson. She makes herself coverings; her clothing is fine linen and purple. Her husband is known in the city gates, taking his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them; she supplies the merchant with sashes. • (Proverbs 31:16-24).

38. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • This indicates a wide range of activities that a woman could legitimately undertake that both reflect well on her household duties and provide fulfilment in her life.

39. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Women are of course the primary source of teaching for their children, as was the case for King Lemuel: • The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him (Proverbs 31:1).

40. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Women are of course the primary source of teaching for their children, as was the case for King Lemuel: • The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him (Proverbs 31:1). • She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. (Proverbs 31:26).

41. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Paul pairs not to be slanderers or slaves to drink, for these were perhaps two characteristics of some women once their familial responsibilities had diminished.

42. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Speaking ill of others, whether they were inside the church or not, is a poor characteristic trait and breaks the commandment: • You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord (Leviticus 19:18).

43. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • The second part of the prohibition does not restrict drinking alcohol in moderation but speaks of those whose excess would either cause them to lose self-control or that might lead to addiction. • Both are poor reflections on a life of faith.

44. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Yet all this is to be done while being submissive to their husbands, i.e. supporting their husbands’ leadership role in the family.

45. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Yet all this is to be done while being submissive to their husbands, i.e. supporting their husbands’ leadership role in the family. • Wives, be subject to your husbands as you are to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife just as Christ is the head of the church, the body of which he is the Saviour. (Ephesians 5:22-23).

46. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord (Colossians 3:18).

47. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord (Colossians 3:18). • Wives, in the same way, accept the authority of your husbands, so that, even if some of them do not obey the word, they may be won over without a word by their wives’ conduct, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives (1 Peter 3:1-2).

48. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • It was ordained by God: • To the woman he said, ‘I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you’ (Genesis 3:16).

49. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • To the woman he said, ‘I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you’ (Genesis 3:16). • The submission of wives is not like the obedience children owe parents, nor does this text demand all women to submit to all men. For it states to their husbands, not to all husbands!

50. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers • There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:28–29).