You have heard it said, “We are but one generation away from a being a pagan people.” This is so true. I praise God for my godly parents for the way they raised me. If it were not for them I believe I could have very well been swept up and out with the ways of the world. I know for many parents, it may seem that we have lost our children to the current culture and to the allures of the world. We cling to the promises of Scripture:
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
In today’s world, it is so important to instill proper values in our children because they will not learn it from the world around them. In fact the most important Christian education a child can receive is at home. What we teach to children here at church is nothing if it is not lived out in the home. This is nothing new. The Bible teaches about how we are to raise our children:
Deuteronomy 6:6–7 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
These things of the faith must always be before us. And we need to realize, our children are never to big to instruct them on these things. In fact for many of our children, even though they are grown and gone a with families of their own, we still need to keep the teaching of the Word of God ever before them.
The world we in which we live in today, it is so much harder to be what God is calling us to be than ever before. Who will instruct the next generation? Today we are looking at the instruction that Paul is giving Titus, a pastor on the island of Crete. The people of Crete were not known for their virtuous living. Paul was instructing Titus what to teach these people in how they should live. This passage today is directed at the older women in the church on Crete. Look around us today, this includes a good number of the women here today. As I know you are well aware, the work of a mother is never done.
Titus 2:3–5
I am so grateful for my mother. She passed on her love for the Lord to her children and she spent much time teaching her daughters how to be godly mothers. And she also spent much time mentoring the young women of the church, as well. My mother, unapologetically was a big advocate of “drug therapy” when she was raising me and my siblings. She “drugged” us to church every Sunday morning, she “drugged” us to church every Sunday evening, and she “drugged” us to church every Wednesday. More than that, she lived out her faith every day.
Titus ministered in a pagan environment among Christians who had a background in such violence, dishonesty, and immorality for which the Cretans were legendary.
Titus had his work cut out for him. The church in Crete had much of the ills of society imbedded in the church. Rather than the church being an influence of the culture, the culture was an influence on the church
Titus 1:10–11 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, 11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.
Paul exhorts Titus to set them straight.
Titus 1:13b–14 … For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
Like in many places today, there were those who taught the going trends in the culture. The culture says one thing, but often the Word of God says something else. Then Paul tells Titus a timeless truth:
Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
Purity is from the inside, not the outside. Nothing on the outside will be corrupted by a person internally pure; However, one who is defiled – the impurity on the inside will corrupts everything he/she touches. As a result Paul adds:
Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.
Paul says in his letter to Timothy:
1 Timothy 1:3–4 As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, 4 nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith.
Paul equates theological error with moral deficiency. How can we spot them? Didn’t Jesus say
Matthew 7:20 So then, you will know them by their fruits.
That was Titus’ task, to correct the situation. It is in light of these false teachers that Paul moves on and says, “As for you …”
Titus 2:1 But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.
To teach sound doctrine from the scripture, we must know the Scriptures. So Paul tell Titus and he starts off with the older men. Why those who are older? They set the example for the rest to follow.
Titus 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.
Then Paul moves on to the older women.
Titus 2:3–4a Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women …
Likewise – Like the older men, the older women , are to be (from verse 2:2) temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, and in perseverance. But let’s look at these other related traits:
“Reverent in their behavior” – Reverent can mean many different things, and certainly if means reverent towards God, but in the Greek culture was understood in the conduct of pagan priestess. The Greek Christians would have understood Paul to be saying that a mature Christian woman should demonstrate the holiness of a heart that is near to God. This will reflect in all other behaviors.
“Not malicious gossips” or slanderers. What is interesting here, is the Greek word here is diabolos which in another context is translated “devil” which means the slanderer. Think on this for a moment. Slandering and gossiping are very closely related terms. When a bunch of old ladies gather together and gossip – they are being devilish. Men are included in this. Often time we spiritualize gossiping and we call it discussing prayer needs. We must be careful about discussing the prayer needs of people who are not present with us.
“Nor enslaved to much wine.” Like today, alcohol abuse was common and abuse of wine showed a lack of self-control. Today we can certainly add drug use to this list.
“Teaching what is good.” The older ones need to teach, and by their good and reverent conduct, they are able to teach and to teach good things. Teaching here is most likely on the level of personal advice and encouragement given by word and by example.
Why is all these things important? Herein is the theme of this message: “so that they may encourage the young women.” The concept of spiritual mentoring is quite evident in this passage.
One very important thing, I need to bring up here. Paul did not tell Titus to instruct the younger women, for many reasons, for one, that would be the improper thing to do.It was not the responsibility of the Titus to instruct the younger women, but that was to charge the older woman to do so. Older women in the church should be playing an essential role in the lives of the younger women. They are to give spiritual and practical mentoring. This of course presupposes the young women are teachable.
Do we want Godly mothers? Older godly mothers, must be mentoring young mothers to be godly, by example, and by words, based on your experiences. Younger women needs the experience of older women, from the grandmothers and great-grandmothers, otherwise they will have to learn by trial and error, and often, and we see this too much today, the younger one will be led off in ungodly direction. And here is what the older women need to teach younger women:
Titus 2:4–5 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.
“To love their husbands” Notice that this is place before loving the children. The best gift a mother and father can give their children is a love for one another. Interesting enough is the word "love" here is not from the Greek word agapé rather is a form of the word philo which we often say brotherly love, or a companion love. It is an affectionate love, full of kindness, companionship and friendship.
“To love their children” the same root word here. The godly mother affectionately loves her family and hold the family together. But who needs to teach a woman to love her children? We live in an age in which slaughter of the unborn through abortion is internationally rampant, we should not find it hard to imagine a situation in which mothers need to be called back to the protection and promotion of their children.
“To be sensible” This word can be translated, sober minded or be self-control, or to be discreet. Do not be extravagant, do not do things on a whim or in the excitement of the moment. Think things through. This is combination with being:
“Pure” morally pure in thought, word, and deed. Fidelity in marriage. Extra marital affairs among women today occur about as often as with men. Godly mothers are to faithful and pure in the marriages.
“Workers at home” The implication is that women are effective managers of their house whole. This does not mean they are to barefoot and pregnant. In Paul’s day and time the home was the domain of the woman, and was not oppressive in that culture. The Proverbs 31 woman speaks of this:
Proverbs 31:16 She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard.
Proverbs 31:24 She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen.
The godly woman and mother help provide for the home.
“Kind” The Greek word here directly translated means “good” and in context, we can easily say “virtuous.” They need to be about being good and kind, or virtuous to all they come in contact with.
“Being subject to their own husbands.” “To love, honor and obey”, used to be in the traditional wedding vows. In today’s culture we often drop out “obey”. Paul is not a chauvinist. When he uses the term “Own Husband” it is used in the same way when speaking of the husband’s “own wife.” Not inferior to the man, rather submission is on of function within the intimate circle of the home.
Ephesians 5:24 But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.
Now just because wives are to be submissive does not mean the husband is to lord it over them. Husbands, we have to look at the following verse:
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.
Husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loves the church and the husband must be ready to even die for his wife. This is a picture of the church to Christ. “Submission to” in the NT is used as function of roles. We are subject to Christ. We are subject Civil Authorities (government). We are as employees subject to employers (slaves to masters). Yet we are all equal before Christ.
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
We are all equal before Christ, but despite what this “woke” culture tells us, we have God given roles based on our (God given) sex (we do not get to choose our sex). Why all of these things? “So that the word of God will not be dishonored." (“Blaspheme in the NKJV) Living a godly life is not easy, but living the life God has called his children to live will result in people praising God and not dishonoring him.
You older moms have a job to do, mentoring younger women. If not in the church, in your neighborhood, and obviously with your daughters and granddaughters. The next generation of Godly Mother desperately needs the mentoring the older mothers who have gone before. The implication is also there, young men needs the mentoring of the older Godly men as well.
Honor God today—by honoring your mother, whether she is with you today or not, respect her, for she is a gift from God to you;
Honor God today—by honoring your mother, by being the best son or daughter you can possibly be;
Honor God today—by honoring your mother, by learning from her, listening to her, and applying her teachings to your life.
And how do we do this? By keeping our eyes on Jesus. It is all about honoring Him and by doing so we will honor our mothers. Remember that is commandment number 4, to honor our fathers and mothers.
