Proper Christian Behavior -- Titus 2:1-10
Proper Christian Behavior -- Titus 2:1-10
November 2, 2008 AM
By Pastor Lee Hemen
“Behave” is kind of a strange sounding word. I mean, listen to it as you say it slowly: BE…HAVE. It comes from Middle English “behaven,” meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Perhaps this is why “to have and to hold” was originally inserted into our marriage vows? Could it have meant to “behave,” to have or to hold onto someone else? To mind them? The Old English was “behabban” and it meant to keep oneself in check. We get the word “behavior” from this. My mother used it to mean we were to reign ourselves in and be good. She would say, “Behave!” and we knew immediately what she meant. If we did not, there would be consequences. Proper behavior is important and this is certainly true for the believer as well.
Proper Christian behavior is important for the believer to understand its “consequences” for their lives and the blessings it brings. God loves us and desires we live holy lives for Him. Going back to his instructions on to Titus, Paul compares false teachers and their false teaching with “sound doctrine.” Paul direly warns Titus, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” We might ask, “What is in accord with sound doctrine?” Paul teaches Titus exactly what this means, therefore, let’s discover what he writes Titus. For Paul, it meant proper Christian behavior.
READ: Titus 2:1-10
We forget, far too often, that our lives are not our own if we have trusted Jesus Christ. We are to now “live and move and have our being” in Him alone. (Acts 17:28) But how are we to live and move and have our being in Him? Titus was to teach in the Cretan congregation what was in accord with sound doctrine, or more literally, “healthy teaching.” Paul, in trying to show that every member of the church has a responsibility, gives Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
I. Older Men (vv. 1-2)!
1. Wisdom does not necessarily come with age, but with maturity! Titus was to teach “older men” to manifest the characteristics of true spiritual maturity. Paul writes that older men are “to be temperate.” The word here is nephaleos which means to stay attentive and to keep oneself clear-headed. It carries the idea of not getting drunk or fuzzy-headed about what you believe. He continues by saying they should be “worthy of respect,” which is the word semnos, meaning “honorable” or someone who is honest and respectable. He writes they should also be “self-controlled,” which is the word sofrone. It meant to have control of your emotions or being “sound-minded.” Paul continues by giving Titus three Christian virtues of being “sound in faith,” sound “in love,” and sound “in endurance,” meaning patient. Older men were to have proper Christian behavior.
When old men try to act like young ones, we call that “middle age crazy.” God says it is immature. Someone who is clear-headed and honorable in their faith will show it in what they believe. Older Christian men should be leading the way in the church by their spiritual maturity. Paul wrote Titus that older Christian men were to manifest characteristics of spiritual maturity. But Paul does not just write that it should be older men, in fact he continues by giving Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
II. Older Women (vv. 3-4)!
1. A pretty young girl may be an act of nature, but a beautiful older woman of God is a work of art! Paul would agree. He told Titus to teach the older women to behave reverently, in a way suitable to sound doctrine. Older women are “to be reverent in the way they live.” The word here literally means “holy continence” or “holy demeanor.” It carries the old fashioned idea of deportment. Paul continues by saying that they are “not to be slanderers.” He knew that a woman who gossips can bring dissention and destruction to a church community. It had happened in Corinth, Paul did not want it to occur at Crete. The word he uses here is “diabolos,” which is often translated “devil.” WOW! A deceitful tongue can be used by Satan for evil purposes. Older women were not to be “addicted to much wine” either. Evidently, some older women in Crete had more time on their hands than what was good for the church or the Christian community as a whole. Instead of being involved in the cause of Christ they may have been alcoholic gossips! Paul relates that they should instead be training younger women to be godly in every area of life through their example. Older women are to have proper Christian behavior.
Age does not bring about godliness. If it did, we would see a lot of older wiser and godly people! To this day I still remember the first time I heard an older grandmotherly-type swear like a sailor. I was both saddened and shocked. I discovered that wisdom is not found with growing older. Senior adults can live deceptive, deprecating, self-centered lives. Older women in the church are to be above reproach and examples for others. Paul continues by giving Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
III. Younger Women (vv. 4-5)!
1. A young woman in love with the Lord, is like a flower whose scent fills the room! Older women could help the younger women in at least seven areas. This list emphasizes, in the original, first what young wives and mothers are to be, and then only secondarily what they are to do. They are to 1) “love their husbands,” (philandros) meaning having an affection for their man; 2) they were to “love… their children” (philoteknos) which referred to their maternal affection; 3) to “be self-controlled” which is so?phronizo? meaning to “discipline one’s self;” 4) to be “pure” (hagnos) which, interestingly, meant “innocent, modest, or chaste”); 5) they were to be “busy at home” (oikouros) literally “keepers of the home,” 6) “kind” (agathos) meaning “good;” and 7) finally, “subject (hupotasso?) to their husbands,” which is the same word Paul uses in Ephesians 5:22 when he writes, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” It referred to their servant-like heart, not a subordinate servile demeaning relationship. Why? Paul wrote, “so that no one will malign the word of God.” This included the young woman’s household and those outside of her house that she influenced! Younger women are to display proper Christian behavior.
A young Christian woman’s sphere of influence extends beyond her front door. How her children act, dress, are cleansed, and what they ultimately believe are a reflection of her life. In fact, many a godly young woman has cleaned up the life of many a young man. Like the bride who hid a small sticker in her wedding bouquet. As she got to the front of the church she patted her future husband on the back, leaving the sticker in full view of the congregation. It read: “A Work In Progress.” Everyone laughed at the young man’s perplexed look, however, Paul would agree. He continues by giving Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
IV. Younger Men (vv. 6-8)!
1. While we are all young only once, some of us stay immature all our lives! Notice ladies what Paul immediately writes: “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.” Just like the young ladies, young men need to learn how to exercise self-control (so?phroneo?) being “right-minded” in every area of life. In fact, “In everything set them an example,” Paul writes Titus. He was to do this “by doing what is good!” He was to be a model (tupos) of “good” (kalos) things! “In your teaching,” Paul writes, “show integrity,” (adiaphthoria) an “uncorrupted lifestyle,” a “seriousness and soundness of speech” (honest and genuine) “that cannot be condemned.” There are so many bad things said about the church because of the foul language used by young men in the church! Paul felt that young men of God should be so above the world in their lifestyle “that those who oppose [them would] be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say!” (Titus 2:7-8) Young men of God, can this be said of your life lived away from the church? Young men are to live lives of proper Christian behavior.
There are those in our day and age that think they can dress anyway they want, say anything they want, live any way they want to. No one should “judge” them. We live under the false assumption that it is our life and we can do what we want “as long as it does not hurt anyone else.” This is not only a simplistic false way of thinking, it is immature as well. While Christians are free spiritually in their lives with Christ, they are bound by their holy witness to the world. Whatever we do and wherever we go, we belong to the Lord. In fact, Jesus revealed that what comes out of a person’s lips and life reveal what truly exists within their heart. Paul gives Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
V. And Employees/Slaves (vv. 9-10)!
1. Work may seem like drudgery, but it isn’t slavery! In Paul’s day slavery was a fact of life, which because of Christianity has been condemned in most of the world. Only in non-Christian nations does slavery still exist, and most of these are Muslim. However, what Paul related to Titus will fit well with employees and the workplace today. Paul listed five qualities for Titus which were to characterize Christians who found themselves serving others: They were to 1) “be subject (hupotasso? - obedient) to their masters in everything,” 2) “to try to please (euarestos – be acceptable with) them”, 3) “not to talk back to (antilego? - contradict) them,” 4) “not to steal (nosphizomai – embezzle) from them,” and 5) “show that they can be fully trusted,” the idea being that the Christian’s faith should shine like a necklace they wear! From the world’s perspective a slave should not owe any of these things to his master. People often have the same view about their bosses or their jobs. However, a Christian employee is in fact serving, not an earthly “master,” but the Lord Jesus. In this way his life will prove to be an adornment to the teaching about Jesus. Paul wanted workers to reflect Jesus and display proper Christian behavior.
Conclusion:
“Behave” is kind of a strange sounding word. Proper Christian behavior is important for the believer to understand its “consequences” for their lives and the blessings it brings. Paul direly warns Titus, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” For Paul, it meant proper Christian behavior in older men and women, younger women and men, and in employees/slaves. What proper Christian behavior do you display to the world?
----
This article is copyrighted © 2008 by Lee Hemen and if you reprint it, reproduce it, or want to use it in any way, you must do so in its entirety or get the written permission of its author.
November 2, 2008 AM
By Pastor Lee Hemen
“Behave” is kind of a strange sounding word. I mean, listen to it as you say it slowly: BE…HAVE. It comes from Middle English “behaven,” meaning “to have” or “to hold.” Perhaps this is why “to have and to hold” was originally inserted into our marriage vows? Could it have meant to “behave,” to have or to hold onto someone else? To mind them? The Old English was “behabban” and it meant to keep oneself in check. We get the word “behavior” from this. My mother used it to mean we were to reign ourselves in and be good. She would say, “Behave!” and we knew immediately what she meant. If we did not, there would be consequences. Proper behavior is important and this is certainly true for the believer as well.
Proper Christian behavior is important for the believer to understand its “consequences” for their lives and the blessings it brings. God loves us and desires we live holy lives for Him. Going back to his instructions on to Titus, Paul compares false teachers and their false teaching with “sound doctrine.” Paul direly warns Titus, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” We might ask, “What is in accord with sound doctrine?” Paul teaches Titus exactly what this means, therefore, let’s discover what he writes Titus. For Paul, it meant proper Christian behavior.
READ: Titus 2:1-10
We forget, far too often, that our lives are not our own if we have trusted Jesus Christ. We are to now “live and move and have our being” in Him alone. (Acts 17:28) But how are we to live and move and have our being in Him? Titus was to teach in the Cretan congregation what was in accord with sound doctrine, or more literally, “healthy teaching.” Paul, in trying to show that every member of the church has a responsibility, gives Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
I. Older Men (vv. 1-2)!
1. Wisdom does not necessarily come with age, but with maturity! Titus was to teach “older men” to manifest the characteristics of true spiritual maturity. Paul writes that older men are “to be temperate.” The word here is nephaleos which means to stay attentive and to keep oneself clear-headed. It carries the idea of not getting drunk or fuzzy-headed about what you believe. He continues by saying they should be “worthy of respect,” which is the word semnos, meaning “honorable” or someone who is honest and respectable. He writes they should also be “self-controlled,” which is the word sofrone. It meant to have control of your emotions or being “sound-minded.” Paul continues by giving Titus three Christian virtues of being “sound in faith,” sound “in love,” and sound “in endurance,” meaning patient. Older men were to have proper Christian behavior.
When old men try to act like young ones, we call that “middle age crazy.” God says it is immature. Someone who is clear-headed and honorable in their faith will show it in what they believe. Older Christian men should be leading the way in the church by their spiritual maturity. Paul wrote Titus that older Christian men were to manifest characteristics of spiritual maturity. But Paul does not just write that it should be older men, in fact he continues by giving Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
II. Older Women (vv. 3-4)!
1. A pretty young girl may be an act of nature, but a beautiful older woman of God is a work of art! Paul would agree. He told Titus to teach the older women to behave reverently, in a way suitable to sound doctrine. Older women are “to be reverent in the way they live.” The word here literally means “holy continence” or “holy demeanor.” It carries the old fashioned idea of deportment. Paul continues by saying that they are “not to be slanderers.” He knew that a woman who gossips can bring dissention and destruction to a church community. It had happened in Corinth, Paul did not want it to occur at Crete. The word he uses here is “diabolos,” which is often translated “devil.” WOW! A deceitful tongue can be used by Satan for evil purposes. Older women were not to be “addicted to much wine” either. Evidently, some older women in Crete had more time on their hands than what was good for the church or the Christian community as a whole. Instead of being involved in the cause of Christ they may have been alcoholic gossips! Paul relates that they should instead be training younger women to be godly in every area of life through their example. Older women are to have proper Christian behavior.
Age does not bring about godliness. If it did, we would see a lot of older wiser and godly people! To this day I still remember the first time I heard an older grandmotherly-type swear like a sailor. I was both saddened and shocked. I discovered that wisdom is not found with growing older. Senior adults can live deceptive, deprecating, self-centered lives. Older women in the church are to be above reproach and examples for others. Paul continues by giving Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
III. Younger Women (vv. 4-5)!
1. A young woman in love with the Lord, is like a flower whose scent fills the room! Older women could help the younger women in at least seven areas. This list emphasizes, in the original, first what young wives and mothers are to be, and then only secondarily what they are to do. They are to 1) “love their husbands,” (philandros) meaning having an affection for their man; 2) they were to “love… their children” (philoteknos) which referred to their maternal affection; 3) to “be self-controlled” which is so?phronizo? meaning to “discipline one’s self;” 4) to be “pure” (hagnos) which, interestingly, meant “innocent, modest, or chaste”); 5) they were to be “busy at home” (oikouros) literally “keepers of the home,” 6) “kind” (agathos) meaning “good;” and 7) finally, “subject (hupotasso?) to their husbands,” which is the same word Paul uses in Ephesians 5:22 when he writes, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.” It referred to their servant-like heart, not a subordinate servile demeaning relationship. Why? Paul wrote, “so that no one will malign the word of God.” This included the young woman’s household and those outside of her house that she influenced! Younger women are to display proper Christian behavior.
A young Christian woman’s sphere of influence extends beyond her front door. How her children act, dress, are cleansed, and what they ultimately believe are a reflection of her life. In fact, many a godly young woman has cleaned up the life of many a young man. Like the bride who hid a small sticker in her wedding bouquet. As she got to the front of the church she patted her future husband on the back, leaving the sticker in full view of the congregation. It read: “A Work In Progress.” Everyone laughed at the young man’s perplexed look, however, Paul would agree. He continues by giving Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
IV. Younger Men (vv. 6-8)!
1. While we are all young only once, some of us stay immature all our lives! Notice ladies what Paul immediately writes: “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.” Just like the young ladies, young men need to learn how to exercise self-control (so?phroneo?) being “right-minded” in every area of life. In fact, “In everything set them an example,” Paul writes Titus. He was to do this “by doing what is good!” He was to be a model (tupos) of “good” (kalos) things! “In your teaching,” Paul writes, “show integrity,” (adiaphthoria) an “uncorrupted lifestyle,” a “seriousness and soundness of speech” (honest and genuine) “that cannot be condemned.” There are so many bad things said about the church because of the foul language used by young men in the church! Paul felt that young men of God should be so above the world in their lifestyle “that those who oppose [them would] be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say!” (Titus 2:7-8) Young men of God, can this be said of your life lived away from the church? Young men are to live lives of proper Christian behavior.
There are those in our day and age that think they can dress anyway they want, say anything they want, live any way they want to. No one should “judge” them. We live under the false assumption that it is our life and we can do what we want “as long as it does not hurt anyone else.” This is not only a simplistic false way of thinking, it is immature as well. While Christians are free spiritually in their lives with Christ, they are bound by their holy witness to the world. Whatever we do and wherever we go, we belong to the Lord. In fact, Jesus revealed that what comes out of a person’s lips and life reveal what truly exists within their heart. Paul gives Titus some ideas for proper Christian behavior for…
V. And Employees/Slaves (vv. 9-10)!
1. Work may seem like drudgery, but it isn’t slavery! In Paul’s day slavery was a fact of life, which because of Christianity has been condemned in most of the world. Only in non-Christian nations does slavery still exist, and most of these are Muslim. However, what Paul related to Titus will fit well with employees and the workplace today. Paul listed five qualities for Titus which were to characterize Christians who found themselves serving others: They were to 1) “be subject (hupotasso? - obedient) to their masters in everything,” 2) “to try to please (euarestos – be acceptable with) them”, 3) “not to talk back to (antilego? - contradict) them,” 4) “not to steal (nosphizomai – embezzle) from them,” and 5) “show that they can be fully trusted,” the idea being that the Christian’s faith should shine like a necklace they wear! From the world’s perspective a slave should not owe any of these things to his master. People often have the same view about their bosses or their jobs. However, a Christian employee is in fact serving, not an earthly “master,” but the Lord Jesus. In this way his life will prove to be an adornment to the teaching about Jesus. Paul wanted workers to reflect Jesus and display proper Christian behavior.
Conclusion:
“Behave” is kind of a strange sounding word. Proper Christian behavior is important for the believer to understand its “consequences” for their lives and the blessings it brings. Paul direly warns Titus, “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.” For Paul, it meant proper Christian behavior in older men and women, younger women and men, and in employees/slaves. What proper Christian behavior do you display to the world?
----
This article is copyrighted © 2008 by Lee Hemen and if you reprint it, reproduce it, or want to use it in any way, you must do so in its entirety or get the written permission of its author.
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