Looking Good - Being an Attractive Christian Titus 2:1-10
Paul told the Corinthian church that their lives were letters read by all men. The world is reading us today. What they read will either draw them to or drive them from Christ. If our lifestyle fails to reflect the character of God, then we neutralize our testimony. Paul writing to Titus gives advice on how each segment of the church – the senior men, the senior women, the younger men, the younger women, the church leadership, and the believer in the world, can become attractive and adorn or beautify the Gospel we preach.
I. Advice to the Older Men – Verse 2 - Aged - historically “presbutes” was a term used to refer to people over 50
A. Sober - moderate...not indulgent...not extravagant. Sobriety is a word that basically means with moderation.
• The mature Christian man is a man who isn't in to excess, who is generally a moderate person.
• Free from all forms of excess or life-dominating patterns
• Remember the influence you have on others. “What one generation accepts in moderation, the next will accept in excess."
B. Grave – does not mean being a gloomy Gus. It come from a word that means serious, when used of people, this term, the Greek semnos, means “worthy of respect, honorable, noble, dignified.” Hiebert describes it as “revealing a personal dignity and seriousness of purpose that invite honor and respect.”
• Christian dignity means to live a holy life, to live according to Biblical teaching, obey to God’s commandments, to live with the sense of seriousness that we are ambassadors on a mission for our Master.
• It does not mean we cannot have fun and enjoy life. But wew must have our priorities right.
• A mature Christian man is not frivolous. He’s not flippant. He is serious about being a Christian 24/7 and demonstrating it in His life.
C. Temperate – discreet, sensible, not impulsive
• The word used for temperate means “of sound mind, sane, sensible, thoughtful,” or “self-controlled, sober-minded.”
• Proverbs 16:32"He that rules his spirit is greater than he that takes a city"
• One of the most tragic sights in life is a man who has learned nothing from the years (Barclay, p. 283).
D. Sound in Faith – Sound – a strong, healthy unwavering faith
• A mature Christian man has a solid belief and trust (or confidence) in God and in Christ.
• Antithesis - Hebrews 5:12 “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”
• A mature faith is a tested faith. A healthy church has older men who are examples of balanced stability in faith & character
E. Sound in charity –
• A mature believer should have, and manifest, a healthy love for others. He should not be bitter or selfish, but love out of principle.
F. Sound in patience. – perseverance,
• The mature Christian is to demonstrate persistence in his holding fast to the truth, even in the midst of many difficulties and much opposition.
• Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering...”
II. Advice to the Older Women – Verses 3-4 - Women are to be a godly resource in the church
A. Holiness - reverent in their behavior (life-style) – priest-like
• “A woman’s heart should be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek Him first to find her.” - copied
• Living in a way that honors God.
• Not false accusers - not malicious gossips - diabolos - The Christian woman is to have victory over sins of the tongue.
• Not given to much wine – Temperate –Not under the restraint of wine Drunkenness was a big problem on Crete during this period; that's why it's mentioned so prominently in this letter.
B. Teachers of good things
• There are many young women who need the example and godly wisdom of the senior women in the church.
• Older Christian women need to be mentoring younger Christian women.
III. Advice to the Younger Women - verses 4-5
A. Christian wives are to love their husbands – devoted to their husbands
B. They are to love their children – devoted to the care and nurture of their children
C. “The Christian wife who sets an example of love sends a powerful message that is understandable even to those outside the church.”
D. A tomb inscription of the time of the Emperor Hadrian (3rd Cent.) read, "Julius Bassus to Otacilia Polla, his sweetest wife. Loving her husband (philandros) and loving her children (philoteknos), she lived with him unblameably for 30 years."
E. To be discreet -To be self-controlled
F. They are to be chaste, - pure, “free from defilement, morally pure, innocent, chaste, modest
G. Christian women are to be keepers at home - Fulfilling their duties at home
H. They are to be good, that is benevolent, heartily doing what is good and beneficial to others, especially those of her household
• Proverbs 31:10-12 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price [is] far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
I. They are to be obedient to their own husbands – They voluntarily yield from the heart submission to God’s ordained plan for the home.
• Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”
IV. Advice to the Younger Men – verses 6-8
A. Christian young men are to be sober minded - level headed
B. Since young men are inclined to be somewhat impetuous and unrestrained in conduct, their basic need is to be ‘self-controlled,’ cultivating balance and self-restraint in daily practice.” - D. Edmond Hiebert, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, New Testament
C. 2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
V. Advice to Leadership Verses 7-8
A. Christian Leaders are to be a pattern of good works.
• 1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
B. Christian leaders are to have a consistency in their lives - in doctrine showing uncorruptness, - “a sound message that cannot be criticized.”
• As opposed to those who “profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.”
C. Leaders are to be grave – that is they live lives “worthy of respect”.
D. They are to have a genuine sincerity about the faith.
E. Sound speech - Titus was to confront them not only with spiritual words but with a spiritual life in keeping with those words. Beloved does what you say show by your life validate what you say preach with your lips? Even our most forceful and compelling arguments will fall on deaf ears if our lives fail to back up what comes out of our lips. – copied
VI. Advice to those who are Employed – Verse 9
A. The Christian employee is to be obedient to his employer, and to seek to please them well in all things;
B. They are not argumentative - not answering again-
C. They do not pilfer or steal - Not purloining - Don't embezzle or appropriate wrongfully some of the Master's good for your own use.
D. A Christian employee is loyal - showing all good fidelity
E. 1 Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy”
VII. Adorn the Gospel – Vs 10
A. "Make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way."
B. The life of a Christian can either bring people into a closer relationship to Christ or drive them away from Him.
C. During the Spanish conquest of Mexico under Hernando Cortez in the early 1500s, a resistance leader named Hatney was captured after a fierce battle and sentenced to be burned alive. After tying him to the stake, his captors urged him to become a Christian so that at his death his soul might be given an entrance into heaven. He asked his tormentors if they expected to go to this place. On being told that they did, he cried out, “Then I will not be a Christian, for I would not again go to a place where I would find men so cruel!” - H. V. Lugt (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
D. In an article in Breakpoint entitled "Drawn to the Light - Why Muslims Convert to Christianity" , Dr. Dudley Woodberry, professor of Islamic Studies... aware that throughout the world Muslims have been turning to Christ, was curious about the reasons why -- especially in countries where the cost of converting is so high. To find the answer, he created a detailed questionnaire. Over a 16-year period, some 750 Muslims from 30 countries filled it out -- and the results are eye-opening. The number one reason Muslim converts listed for their decision to follow Christ was the lifestyle of the Christians among them.
E. Either you beautify or you blaspheme the gospel by the life you lead.
