Titus Series - The Soundness of God’s Doctrine

 

The Soundness of God’s Doctrine

 in the Lives of His People

Titus 2:1-10

I have come across a great analogy of a centered-truth that every musician understands, the tuning fork. Even if you are a single instrument player or a great orchestra, each instrument needs to be tuned to the same tuning fork frequency of middle C. If they try to tune to each other’s instrument. They will not be nsync, and there will not be unity and soundness in their playing. The same is true for sound doctrine. All teaching about God, the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the teachings on salvation, godliness, and sanctification must be tuned to a single source, the Word of God. 

With the solid foundation of the Word of God, let's look at the first portion of the text, “You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” 

Paul had spent his life before Christ in the study of God’s word in the Old Testament. He had honed his interpretation skills to a sharp edge under the teachings of the Pharisees’ best teachers. Yet when the meeting of the Sanherin met in session, there were sharp disagreements on the meaning of texts and the obedience to the texts. But now Paul had learned a comprehensive understanding of the scripture through the teaching of Jesus and the Holy Spirit’s guidance and enlightenment for the letters to the churches. It was through the sound doctrines of both the Old Testament and the teaching through the Holy Spirit who received the words He revealed from Jesus. “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” (John 16:12-15)

Paul had taught the church leaders the value of sound doctrines of the scripture and exhorted them to be heeded and taught to all who would believe in the churches. This was the tuning fork that Titus was to use in teaching and training the church in Crete. The appropriateness of the teaching would be for the Gospel proclamation, the teachings on living by the Spirit as the body of Christ, and the personal walk in the Spirit for their individual lives. 

Application - I have been blessed and privileged to have a good education and training in the scriptures and the mentoring of godly men and women. And it is also my privilege to help others in comprehensive understanding of the scriptures and teach sound doctrine. For the days in which we live are evil, and darkness has creeped into the teaching of the gospel just as it did in the days of Paul and the twelve apostles. I believe in teaching the full counsel of the gospel, the old testament commandments, wisdom, historical truths, and the prophetic word for then and now. As well as the New Testament.  In all this I must always interpret scripture by scripture, using the Word of God as the tuning fork for all my teaching. For if I look to another source for truth, it will be skewed for the Word of God is the only source of divine truth, and my Lord Jesus is the Truth, the foundation for which I build upon. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 3:11) 

I advise everyone who studies the Word of God and teaches others to make the Word of God the center of everything we teach, hear, and do so that we will not be in error, but be commended by Him who sees and hears all that is said and done. Amen

Next Paul exhorted Titus to address the laity and all who believed in Crete. So let’s read the last portion of the text. “Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.”

Paul gives Titus instruction for the generations within the congregations of the church in Crete. Titus was to teach the older men to be temperate, self-controlled. This came with the bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-25). They were to be worthy of respect among the church and in the cities, towns, or villages that they lived in. For it was through their faith in Christ through grace that their lives would emanate the work of God through the Holy Spirit. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD.” (Matt 5:16; Rom. 8:5-6; 15:13; Isa.11:2)

Now to the older women, they were to be an example and a light to the younger women by their reverence for God and for their obedience and submission to their husbands by walking in the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit in their teaching and training of their own family.

To the younger women, Titus was to address them to live in purity of Spirit and life, to respect their husband and train their children in the ways of God. “Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God's wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov.22:6 AMP.), and to dress and act in modesty. “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” (1 Tim.2:9-10) 

And to the young men, Titus was to teach and encourage them to bear the spiritual fruit of self-control.

Titus’ own life as a leader was to be an example of what is good and sound in integrity, speech, and seriousness of a life in Christ, as well as in his teaching of sound doctrine from the scriptures, Word of God.

Last, Titus was to teach the bond slaves as well as the indentured slaves to trust in the Lord for their lives and to live their lives by obedience to their masters. Not only pleasing them but even more in pleasing Jesus, their Lord; thus showing they can be fully trusted in their service. 

And to all the generations, God wanted everyone to live in such a manner to bring honor and glory to God and their lives would be a demonstration of the mighty working power of the Holy Spirit of God in their lives.

Application - We are all called to be servants to Jesus no matter our generation or status in life. He has given us His Holy Spirit who lives in us and our bodies are his temple. We are not to abuse the temple or decorate it with the worldly ways that the world applauses and demonstrates. We all are to be submitted to the Father through the Son and yield to the Holy Spirit who is the power of God in us. We are to be sober-minded, wise in our actions and attitudes. For our thoughts and words are all heard and measured by our Lord, so let them be seasoned with grace and mercy, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” “For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”(1 Cor:3:11; Matt. 12:37)

Again, God has given us His Word and His Holy Spirit to guide and counsel us in the teaching and understanding of His words to us as individuals, to one another, and to proclaim the Truth to all who will hear. Many times our actions speak louder than our actions, so in everything we do let us do it all for the glory of God. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17)

In closing, I would like to ask everyone to pray for wisdom, understanding, discernment, and instruction from God in standing fast in the Truth of God Word and in the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in us. 

I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He desires to reveal himself to you, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. He hears your prayers, and all authority in heaven and earth have been given to him. He will answer you if you will truly believe. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis

I have revised my webpage on Spiritual warfare. Please give it a look. I’m adding answers each week to questions that pertain to our time today. Thank you http://uss-warfare3.web node.com