¹ But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. ² Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. ³ Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, ⁴ and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. ⁶ Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 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. 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. – Titus 2:1-10 ESV

They say the best defense is a good offense. So, to help Titus in his battle against false, heretical teaching, Paul told the young pastor to surround himself with qualified men who could help him lead the church. But Paul didn’t stop there; he also told Titus to rebuke his flock for their laziness and gluttony, so that they might be “sound in their faith” (Titus 1:14 ESV).

Now Paul gets specific. He gives Titus detailed and practical descriptions of how various groups within the body of Christ were to conduct their lives. First of all, as their shepherd, Titus was to teach what “accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1 ESV). Sound doctrine was essential to Paul because it was the glue that held the body of Christ together. That is why he spent so much time writing to the churches he had helped establish. He knew that the most difficult days for any believing congregation were those that followed their initial salvation experience. Salvation was to be followed by sanctification, and that would require sound doctrine and teaching in accord with the words of Jesus and the Old Testament Scriptures.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul reminded him that the law “is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine” (1 Timothy 1:9-10 ESV).

He went on to tell Timothy, “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing” (1 Timothy 6:3-4 ESV). In his second letter to Timothy, he warned that people would prove fickle and drawn to falsehood, desiring to hear teaching that condoned their behavior and excused their love of the world.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 NLT

But Paul isn’t only telling Titus to teach solid, reliable doctrine; he is encouraging him to get specific and show how that doctrine should apply to everyday life. The New Living Translation puts verse one this way: “promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching” (Titus 2:1 NLT).

Good doctrine should produce good behavior. The teachings of Jesus, expounded and expanded upon by the apostles, were to have a dramatic impact on the lives of those who placed their faith in Him as their Savior. Christ’s followers were to be Christ-like.

So, Paul begins by emphasizing the older men in the church. He tells Titus that they are to be characterized by sober-mindedness, an ability to think clearly, unhampered by alcohol or anything else that would confuse their capacity to judge wisely. They are to be dignified, worthy of respect, and are never to behave childishly or immaturely. Their lives are to be marked by self-control, the ability to manage their natural desires and passions. They are to have a healthy faith that shows up in how they live their lives, exhibiting a love for others, even those who are difficult to love.

Paul focuses on older women in the church. Their lives were to be marked by behavior that reflected their holiness. In other words, their godliness was to show up in tangible and visible ways. They were not to be addicted to gossip and slander or, for that matter, wine. And they were to teach the younger women by modeling what godliness looked like in the life of a believing woman. While Paul provides a list of good behaviors that the older women were to teach to the younger women in the church, I don’t think he had a class in mind. They were to teach by example, not by lecture. Their lives were to be the lesson younger women studied and from which they learned God’s expectations for holiness.

As for the younger women, they were to love their husbands and children well. While this may sound like a simplistic and unnecessary command, we know how difficult it be. Marriage is not always a walk in the park, and raising children can be extremely challenging. That is why Paul wanted older women to model what loving your husband and children looks like over the long haul. Their lives were to be a tangible example of self-controlled, selfless living.

Along with loving their families well, the younger women were to prioritize purity and wholesomeness, and to be diligent workers who ordered their homes well. This passage should not be construed to mean that wives should work outside of the home. But in Paul’s day, that was a rare option for women. He was simply calling for an attitude of diligence and order in their responsibilities, that would apply in every area of their lives, either at home or work.

Again, these older women were to model what submission to their husbands looked like. It was not a matter of worth or value, power or weakness. It had to do with willingly submitting to God’s intended order for leadership within the family. Paul is not suggesting that husbands are better, smarter, or more deserving of the leadership role in the home. He is simply saying that God prescribed an order of responsibility for the family, placed the man as the head of the home, and expected him to lead well. It is an all-too-proven fact that many men don’t lead their families well. But their failure to lead does not release them from their God-ordained responsibility. God intended for the wife to be an asset to her husband, encouraging and assisting him in his God-given role. They were to see themselves as partners in this sometimes difficult and bumpy adventure called marriage. In fact, Jesus would say that a husband and wife are not really partners, but a single unit joined together by God through the marriage covenant. The two of them are to act as one, in loving unison, as they raise their family and conduct their lives on this earth.

The younger men, which includes younger fathers and husbands, as well as single men, were also to be self-controlled. They were not to be driven by their passions or controlled by their lusts. Titus, as a young man himself, was to be a model of godly behavior, using his own life as a teaching tool that revealed integrity, dignity, and godly speech. Young men were not to use their youth as an excuse to act foolishly or shirk their responsibilities as Christ-followers. They were to take their faith seriously and behave consistently so that the outside world could not accuse them of hypocrisy.

Paul closes his list by addressing bondservants or slaves. In that day, there were many who found themselves operating as household slaves or servants because of unpaid debts. There were others who were outright slaves, taken captive as a result of war, and sold into slavery. But many of these individuals had come to faith in Christ and had become members of the local churches on Crete. So, Paul didn’t want to leave them out.

It’s interesting to note that Paul doesn’t address the institution of slavery, and neither condemns nor condones it. He wasn’t out to change the unjust, man-made institutions that took advantage of the weak or helpless; he was out to change hearts. This is why he tells Titus that slaves were to remain submissive to their masters in everything. He didn’t attempt to emancipate them or suggest they rebel or run away. In fact, he told them to use their enslavement as a platform from which to exhibit their faith in Christ. They were to obey and not argue. They were to refrain from stealing and show themselves to be trustworthy and reliable. In short, their overall behavior, even as slaves, was to bring glory and honor to God.

Good doctrine should result in good conduct. Belief that doesn’t affect behavior should be questioned. When an individual claims to know and follow Christ but shows no qualifying characteristics, it should raise concerns. Paul suggests they should be rebuked because behavior is one of the greatest testimonies to the gospel’s life-transforming power. Our actions are practical proof of the Holy Spirit’s presence and power within us. But it is important to remember that all these characteristics and behaviors Paul lists are Spirit-produced, not man-made. They are produced as we rely upon the Spirit and adhere to the good, solid teaching of sound doctrine.

Father, You designed Your church to be a melting pot of people from all walks of life, cultures, economic backgrounds, and belief systems. This was the mystery Paul talked about. While the early church was compiled mainly of Jews who had placed their faith in Jesus as their Messiah, it didn’t take long for the message to spread to the Gentile world. Your Son ensured that would happen when He commissioned His disciples to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And He kickstarted the process when He transformed Paul from being persecutor of the church to becoming His primary messenger of the gospel to the Gentiles. The result was that the body of Christ became an eclective, sometimes messy blend of different people with disparate backgrounds. But Your goal for them was unity, community, mutual love, and a shared passion for reaching the world with the message of Your gracious gift of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. Paul reminds us that the church is anything but perfect because it is comprised of imperfect people who must rely on the power of the Spirit and the truth of Your Word to live together in unity. But when we obey, good things happen. The church grows, marriages thrive, families prosper, and the transformative power of the gospel is demonstrated to the world.  Amen. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.