EXPECTATIONS For GODLY LIVING-V—Titus 2:1-15
Attention:
In order for God’s people to properly elevate & honor God thru Jesus Christ, there are ‘Expectations’ that will be met!
Need:
There is an ultimate ‘fulfillment & satisfaction’ that CAN come to your life!
BUT that ‘fulfillment & satisfaction’ can ONLY come to you thru YOUR participation in GOD’s Expectations for Godly Living!
Titus was exhorted by the apostle Paul, to expose God’s people to the expectations for godly living.
All God’s people are answerable to His expectations for godly living.
What are some expectations for godly living by God’s people?
What are some expectations for godly living?
The last time we looked at Titus 2, we found:
Some expectations for godly living are...
1—APPROPRIATE DIRECTION(:1, 15)God’s direction thru apostolic authority
2—APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)—
A.-OLDER Christian MEN & WOMEN(:2, 3-4)
•OLDER Christian MEN—because they are responsible as Christian ‘heads’ of their families & churches.
•OLDER Christian WOMEN—because they are responsible as Christian leaders, to be examples of God’s intended role for young Christian women.
B.-YOUNG Christian WOMEN & MEN(:4-5, :6-8)
•YOUNG Christian WOMEN—because their homes & families are directly effected by their godliness or the lack thereof.
•YOUNG Christian MEN—because they are the future ‘heads’ of their families & churches.
*Today we’ll continue to flesh-out the ‘Godly Expectation’ of APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)....
....As it relates to B(ii).-YOUNG Christian MEN(:6-8):
(CONT...)B(ii).-Titus is to exhort & exemplify before “young” Christian “men”...
2:8—“sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”
“in doctrine showing...”
“Sound speech”—
“Sound speech”is to further characterize Titus’ exhortation to young Christian men, & is descriptive of his Christian “doctrine”(:7).
Titus’ “doctrine”, & likewise, the “doctrine” of “young” Christian “men”, is to be of such quality as to render it ‘incapable’ of being faulty(“cannot be condemned”). The “speech” thru which the “doctrine” is borne, must itself be “sound.”
“Sound speech” is not laden with personal ‘landmines’ that would cause what a person says, to be questionable, or less than fitting(“sound”).
If what Titus shares in word is rendered or characterized as something that “cannot be condemned”, then it will also be of such persuasive power, that any & all who “oppose” it will be brought to “shame.”
•That “shame” will be due to:
1)The defective & flawed nature of the lost person’s belief; &
2)Their misguided/illusory boldness in standing against God’s truth in Christ!
Those “opponents” of the Gospel, will become “ashamed” by means of the truth of God’s word. So “opponents” of the Gospel will have absolutely no REAL basis for deeming the Christian faith as “evil” or ‘worthless.’....
•NOR will any “opponent” of God’s Good News, be able to ‘rightly’ characterize any SPEAKER of “sound speech” regarding God, as being “evil.”
Js. 3:1-2—“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.”
1Pet. 2:11-12—“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Argumentation:
1Cor. 2:1-8—“And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ & Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, & in much trembling. And my speech & my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit & of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
1Cor. 3:1-3—“And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk & not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, & even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, & divisions among you, are you not carnal & behaving like mere men?”
1Cor. 14:18-20—“I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.”
Heb. 5:9-14—“And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” of whom we have much to say, & hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; & you have come to need milk & not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good & evil.”
Eph. 4:11-16—“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, & some pastors & teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith & of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to & fro & carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- from whom the whole body, joined & knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Col. 1:28—“Him we preach, warning every man & teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”
If you are ‘all that God wants you to be’—a spiritually mature Christian—, then you will not suppose that you are better than someone else.
Likewise, If you suppose that you are better than someone else, then you are NOT ‘all that God wants you to be’—& you are NOT a spiritually mature Christian!
Illustration:
*Long leaf pine seedlings. Somewhere between 1yr.--5+yrs. of age, they do not look like trees at all, but look like a clump of grass(‘grass-stage’) or pine-needles attached to the ground. During the ‘grass-stage’, if a fire occurs, the needles might burn but the tip of the bud remains protected. The trees are developing an extensive root system during the ‘grass-stage.’ Then suddenly, the center of the clump will grow upwards of 5 ft. in one season!—With no branches, it’s called the ‘bottlebrush’ stage.’ Then after a couple ‘bottlebrush’ years, the trees will begin to produce branches & grow upward at a bout 3ft./yr.! After it reaches 8ft. in height & 2 in. in diameter, it can only rarely be killed by grass fires, which long-leaf pines face naturally & thru controlled burning. A tree does not to produce fertile seeds until it is around 30 yrs. old! APPROPRIATE MATURITY
That describes maturity in years only! Spiritual maturity should begin immediately & consistently from a person’s birth into the Kingdom of God, & continue until a person’s death!
John 16:12-14—Jesus said to His disciples,—“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; & He will tell you things to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you.”
Lumber—weathering/drying whether done mechanically or naturally—eventually reaches a point where it is ready for market–comes to it’s own—where it won’t return to it’s pre-weathered condition nor will it continue to warp, bend, or crack. The moisture level must be within certain parameters for framing, outside use, & interior use. It is ‘mature’ & is trusted to remain uniform. APPROPRIATE MATURITY
Application:
?Is YOUR MATURITY APPROPRIATE for ‘godly’ living?
?Are YOU meeting God’s expectations for honoring Him thru YOUR life??
!Don’t ever be satisfied with simply, NOT going to hell!....
!Continuously be NURTURING & GROWING your relationship & your work in Christ, so that you won’t be embarrassed by arriving in heaven only by the ‘skin-of-your-teeth’!
In the parable of the sower of the seeds, Jesus said:
Mat. 13:23—“But he who received seed[of God’s word] on the good ground is he who hears the word & understands it, who indeed bears fruit & produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
Lk. 8:15—“But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble & good heart, keep it & bear fruit with patience.”
***************
*NOT ONLY are there expectations for godly living thru APPROPRIATE...
1— DIRECTION(:1, 15)
2— MATURITY(:2-8)
BUT:
3—Another expectation for godly living is...
APPROPRIATE BOND-SERVICE/Employment(:9-10)
Explanation:(:9-10)Employees/Slaves
2:9—“Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,”
2:10—“not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”
A Christian who may be a physical slave, is simultaneously a ‘willing & intentional’ “bondservant” of Christ Jesus.(Cf.-1Cor. 7:22-below)
2:9—“Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters,...”
Enslavement was very prevalent in Titus’ day, in the Roman Empire. Titus is to encourage slaves to remain “obedient to their masters.”
Why?...because if you were to become a slave, even as consequence of indebtedness, God has made us to be free.
It would be ‘tempting’ to disdain or look down on, being ‘owned’ by another faulty human.
A child of God who has become a bondslave of man is still saved by grace & bought by Christ’s blood. So your work as a Christian employee/slave must be, to an even greater degree, acceptable or fully agreeable in the sight of those you work for(your master/boss/people/company).
See also Eph. 6:5-9; Col. 3:22-25; 1Tim. 6:1; 1Pet. 2:18-24.
“Exhort/Urge”—An inference carried from :6—“Exhort the young men...”
“Bondservants”—doulov—Noun Masc.—1) A slave, bondman, man of servile condition—1a) A slave, 1b) metaphorically--One who gives himself up to another's will. Those whose service is used by Christ in extending & advancing his cause among men, 1c) Devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests; 2) A servant, attendant. Doulov is the usual word for slave, one who is permanently in servitude, in subjection to a master. Strong—A slave(literal or figurative, involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency).
•1Cor. 7:20-23—“Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”
“Obedient”(See :5)—upotassw— Strong—To subordinate; reflexively, to obey:-- Be under obedience(obedient), put under, subdue unto, (be, make)subject(to, unto), be(put) in subjection (to, under), submit self unto. A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, & carrying a burden.”
•1Pet. 2:18—“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good & gentle, but also to the harsh.”
2:9—“To be well pleasing in all things, not answering back,”
*No matter a person’s ‘station’ in life—whether slave-“bondservant”-employee-owner-master, or otherwise—a Christian should NEVER exhibit the characteristics of worldliness!
A slave/‘employee’ who ‘speaks against’ or ‘contradicts’ or “answers back” their master, is NOT fulfilling the call of Christ to live rightly in whatever circumstances one is saved!
•Instead, such slaves/employees are being DISOBEDIENT to God, whereas OBEDIENCE is what will actually honor God.
“Bondservants” are to be “well-pleasing in all things” to God alone. And if a person is “well-pleasing” to God, then he/she will be an example of Christ Jesus to others!
“Well pleasing”—euarestov—Adj. Accusative Plural Masc.—1)Well pleasing, acceptable. Strong—Fully agreeable. Used 9X.?From—eu—neuter of a primary euv(good); adverbially--Well—&—arestov—Agreeable; by implication--Fit.
“Answering back/Answering Again/Argumentative/Contradicting”—antilegw—Present Active Participle - Accusative Plural Masculine—1) To speak against, gainsay, contradict; 2) To oppose one's self to one, decline to obey him, declare one's self against him, refuse to have anything to do with him. Strong—To dispute, refuse. Used 10X.?From—anti—Opposite, i.e. instead or because of (rarely in addition to); a primary particle.—&—legw—properly--To "lay" forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate(in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas epw & fhmi generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while rew is properly, to break silence merely, & lalew means an extended or random harangue]); by implication--To mean; a primary verb.
2:10—“Not pilfering,...”
Because of their master’s trust, a “bondslave” or ‘employee’ becomes familiar & intimate with the handling of another’s or a company’s workings, life, & belongings.
•Because of the practical nature of a ‘master-employee-“bondslave”’ relationship—Employees/“bondservants” might be ‘tempted’ to take things from the master, or the company, for their own use(“pilfering”).
*To “pilfer”, is ‘stealing’, no matter what your personal opinion of the working conditions might be. And in Christ, ‘stealing’ is wrong & is sinful!
*Employees, You must consider the slave’s application as your own.
*?Have you personally, as an employee, ever disdained or disrespected the boss’s management or ownership of the business you work for?....
*?Have you turned that disrespect over to Christ, & have you honored Jesus in your response?
?Have you put forth the effort to find a Christ-honoring means of voicing your discontent?
“Pilfering/Purloining/Steal”—nosfizomai—Present Middle Participle Accusative Plural Masc.—1) To set apart, separate, divide; 2) To set apart or separate for one's self; 3) To purloin, embezzle, withdraw covertly & appropriate to one's own use. Strong—To sequestrate for oneself, i.e. Embezzle. Used 3X--Titus 2:10.?Middle voice from—nosfi—Apart or clandestinely.
2:10—“But showing all good fidelity,”...
*A “bondservant” of Christ is to act in “good” faith or “fidelity”—toward those to whom they have committed themselves!
“Fidelity/Faith/Trusted”(See :2)—pistiv—Noun Accusative Sing. Fem.—1) Conviction of the truth of anything, belief; in the NT of a conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God & divine things, generally with the included idea of trust & holy fervor born of faith & joined with it; 2) Fidelity, faithfulness. Strong—Persuasion, i.e. Credence; moral conviction(of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially--Reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly--Constancy in such profession; by extension--The system of religious(Gospel) truth itself.
?Why are enslaved people ‘expected’ to behave in such a manner?....
2:10—“That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things.”
(Cf.-:5—“THAT the word of God may not be blasphemed.” ; Cf.-:8—“THAT one who is an opponent may be ashamed”)
•Every “bondservant” of God is equipped by God, to honor & glorify “God our Savior” everything(“in all things”)!
*By showing “all good fidelity”, “bondservants” “adorn the doctrine of God”...
•That is, they draw due attention to the Good News of Jesus Christ!
“Adorn”—kosmew—Present Active Subjunctive 3rd Plural—1) To put in order, arrange, make ready, prepare; 2) To ornament, adore; 3) metaph.--To embellish with honor, gain honor. Strong—To put in proper order, i.e. Decorate(literally or figuratively); specially--To snuff(a wick). Used 10X.?From—kosmov—1) An apt & harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government; 2) Ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. The arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens. Strong—Orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication--The world. RWP—“The whole cosmos of men, including Gentiles, the whole human race.”?English -=-‘Cosmetic’.
Argumentation:
Eph. 6:5-9—“Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear & trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, & not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, & there is no partiality with Him.”
Col. 3:22-24—“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord & not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
1Cor. 7:20-24—“Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”
1Tim. 6:1-2—Paul to Timothy—“Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God & His doctrine may not be blasphemed. And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers & beloved. Teach & exhort these things.””
1Pet. 2:18-24—“Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good & gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good & suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.”
Illustration:
Some years ago, I had a short stint as a driver of a flatbed 18-wheeler. I was saved & had pastored, but was between churches, when I drove. Though I was called to full-time pastoral ministry, & was waiting on a church to serve, so I committed myself to full-time truck driving.
•I had to commit myself to the Over-the-Road delivery business as a Christian! I had to honor Christ in all the decisions that I made on the road & in the businesses that I picked-up from & delivered to. I determined to honor Christ Jesus in my approach to the places the company sent me. APPROPRIATE BOND-SERVICE
?Why do you do what you do for a living?
*Every Christian employee is exactly that: a CHRISTIAN employee!
Application:
?Is YOUR BOND-SERVICE / Employment APPROPRIATE for ‘godly’ living?
?Are YOU meeting God’s expectations for honoring Him thru YOUR life??
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
God has ‘Expectations’ of those who commit themselves to Him thru Jesus Christ!
Action:
Some expectations for godly living are...
2. APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)—
B.-YOUNG MEN(ii)(:8)
3. APPROPRIATE BOND-SERVICE/Employment(:9-10)
1—APPROPRIATE DIRECTION(:1, 15)
2—APPROPRIATE MATURITY(:2-8)—
A.-OLDER MEN(i) & WOMEN(ii)(:2, :3-4)
B.-YOUNG WOMEN(i) & MEN(ii)(:4-5, :6-8)
Installment #5—Pt# 2Bii-3 presented 03/12/2023am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
