TITUS 2:11-15

PREFACE

*Paul's teaching in Titus 2 is about establishing the behavior of men and woman both the older and younger generations and understanding the Godly order of household roles.

*Paul states the older men are to be free from intoxication (everything that impairs them to live in a state of clearness); serious in their thought and dignified in conduct (honest, real and respectful); self-controlled; secure/stable not only in their belief in God and his doctrine (principles) but also be secure and stable in their love and patience as well. The older men's responsibility is also to teach the younger men to not only live as they have been taught but to also teach the younger men how to establish themselves as being men that continuously choose live in a way that produces good upon the earth and cannot be found faulty by the sinner that sinner may have an opportunity to speak negatively against.

*Paul then addresses the older women by stating they too should be holy in the way in which they conduct themselves; not liars; free from anything that has the ability to impair their physical and mental self so they can be teachers of that which is righteous and honorable to the younger generations of women. They are to teach the younger generations of women how to live as they live in holiness; love their husband and children as God has ordained them the responsibility of being the keepers of the house; to be modest (discreet, meaning what we hold sacred as a woman is not meant to be given to all men, but only to the one God created as our spirit mate, the man whose rib is a part of our spiritual makeup), pure and dutifully compliant to their husband's authority.

*Paul then addresses the workers to be loyal and faithful to their employers and dutifully compliant to their authority figures that their work may be pleasing to their employer.

Put a pin right here…

You see how God first addressed the man then the woman then the worker, this is with purpose. Here is a good place to stop and reference the book of Genesis when it comes to roles. In the book of Genesis God when creating the woman and the man clearly stated the roles of each. Man being created first was ordained to be the authoritative figure and the women the helpmeet (to meet him at the place where he needs her help) to man. Man’s responsibility was to honor the word of his father and do his will, while the woman was to honor the voice of her husband and do his will trusting that the man was following the God and moving in righteousness as he leads her.

Now to go a step further and reference 1 Corinthians 11:3 which states God is the head of all, Jesus is then the head of the man, man is the head of the woman, and the woman is the head of the children. This not only establishes the roles of the man and woman but also establishes the foundation in which they are to live out their roles, for if both the man and the woman are in accord with the Throne of Heaven then both the man and woman under the guide of holiness not only leads and submits righteously, but also conducts themselves and the running of their household in such a manner that harmony is achieved and perpetuated continuously. (Just a thought, if the husband and wife were to align themselves to the word of God and follow his order of the household could this be the key to eliminating divorce?)

Such is the same order of rule for the employer and their employee. Look at how God in the book of Genesis instructed Adam as his servant to tend to the garden, the outline was clear and the task was righteous. The employer is to be righteous towards their employee as God was to those he called, being fair, just and Godly in the way in which authority is asserted is righteous law. The employee is called to serve as if they are in service to God, believing that the place in which they work is a place where the righteousness of God can be worked through them. That both the employer and the employee may be pleasing unto the eye of God working out his will.

Back to the lesson at hand…

*Paul then states that all he has taught the man, the woman and the worker should be done the way he has instructed so that the word of God in which we know to be true is not made a mockery out of and disrespected, and clearly establishes the love one has for God by their obedience to his word.

SCRIPTURE FOCUS

11) For the grace (divine favor bestowed freely on people as in granting redemption from sin; unmerited favor and love of God) of God that brings salvation (deliverance from destruction, difficulty or evil) has appeared (made visible) to all men (humankind).

Key Point: Grace of God = Son of God, Jesus the Christ. Jesus is considered the grace because by him we received the true love of God which is redemption from sin and salvation into everlasting life.

Key Point: There is not one person alive that does not know about Jesus, thus not knowing about the Lord Jehovah, the life of Jesus is the presence of God made real. Jesus’s life story is the knowledge of God blessed upon all mankind. The notion of question is do you chose to believe or not?

12) Teaching us that denying (to reject) ungodliness (sin) and worldly (fleshly) lust (intense or immoral craving/desire for; self-indulgence) we should live soberly (free from anything that intoxicates), righteously (morally upright; virtuous) and Godly (having great love, respect and profound awe for God) in this present world.

Key Point: Lust of the world = temptations of satan. What causes people to sin is the intense desire of wanting more than what God has portioned for your life. Comparing self to others and through unsatisfaction desiring more.

Key Point: Where satan dwells immorality follows. Chasing after the world will have you compromising your virtue, doing those things that are shameful and unpleasing in the eyes of the Throne of Heaven.

Key Point: Look at how Paul uses the term this world, it is specific yet timeless, meaning it spans across generations in the present and the future, the ways of the world in which one lives in the present moment.

Thought to Ponder: Look at the world today and how vast the heightening of immoral living is. The things people are doing to obtain material riches and treasures. Look at how the people are breaking the commandments of God and Jesus just to dwell in the place where satan dwells. Women and men are forgoing virtue and righteousness just to obtain what society has taught them to believe is worthwhile and meaningful.

Thought to Ponder: What immoralities are you committing in the name of the come up, in the name of I have to survive, in the name of false justification. Could it be turning to God and not being afraid to follow his command is the key to living a Godly life.

Key Point: It is the sin of lust that is the root to ungodliness, the want for more, the desire to have, the gratifying pleasure of self-indulgence. The devil wants us to want more than what God has ordained for our life.

Thought to Ponder: Could it be that the very thing the devil is wanting you to desire is the very thing God knows is not conducive for a righteous living toward him and the purpose he created you to live on earth. Could it be that the very thing the devil is placing before you to desire very well may be the very thing that creates an obstacle or blocking of God’s blessing.

Thought to Ponder: We are to be ok with what God places in our lives, too much can be morally damning, to little can be morally tempting, however if we view our lives through the eyes of God and come to an understanding that what we have is sufficient for the life God has chosen us to live instead of looking toward the world and its treasures then we can come to a place of contentment.

Thought to Ponder: How would life be if we desired the righteousness of Heaven instead of worldly materials? Could the key to true happiness be in living a life that seeks after God first and actually choosing to be ok with that choice no matter what?

13) Looking for that blessed (holy) hope (expectation; anticipation), and the glorious (splendid; marvelous; wonderful) appearing (to become visible) of the great God and our Savior Jesus the Christ.

Key Point: Keeping our focus on Jesus the Christ helps us to better reject the temptations of satan, Jesus allows for no time to be placed on entertaining the devil when he approaches.

Thought to Ponder: If Jesus came back now what would he see you doing, and would God be pleased at your current behavior? We are to live our life as if Jesus could come at any moment.

Key Point: Jesus the Christ = hope in everlasting life, salvation, deliverance, love of God in spite of satan's presence in our life.

Key Point: When Jesus appears, means both the time of his return to earth and the right now. This is glorious because what will be made visible to all when Jesus the Christ comes is the Kingdom of Heaven, the presence of God and all that is righteous and true in him.

Key Point: Our hope is Jesus = our hope in believing and knowing the presence of God/the Kingdom of Heaven is real and is available to every person.

14) Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem (to recover or set free by offering compensation; atonement) us from all iniquity (immorality; sin), and purify (make holy; free from moral or spiritual defilement) unto himself a peculiar (not ordinary; strange; odd; specially unique) people, zealous (passionate; burning, spirited, fanatical) of good (morally upright) works (actions, deeds, labor).

Key Point: Gave himself = self sacrifice = purpose/good works

Key Point: What it cost God and Jesus to bring us salvation from burning in the fire of hell, death on the cross.

Thought to Ponder: Just as the life of Jesus was death for redemption, are you willing to bring death self-indulgence of the worldly treasures and pleasurable sins to be redeemed unto the Throne of Heaven?

Key Point: What keeps mankind bonded to hell and separated from the Kingdom of Heaven, unrighteousness/immoral living/sin. (God does not separate himself from us, we separate ourselves from God when we opted to live in sin rather than righteousness. However, God is always there should a person decide to repent and come back to him).

Key Point: By following the teachings and life of Jesus the Christ we are made holy by him to him and belonging to the Kingdom of Heaven will make us seem weird or strange to those living outside of the righteousness of the Kingdom of Heaven. Moving and living in the ways of God are incomprehensible to the worldly because righteousness requires following and practicing a set of standards that are based on selfless living in servitude to an Almighty authority opposite to pleasing the flesh.

Key Point: Peculiar in the sense of having authorities, abilities and comprehension unfathomable to those living outside the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven. The peculiar people of Jesus can be defined as the chosen of God distinctively having their own Heavenly remarkable, one of kind quality or characteristics.

Thought to Ponder: What are your unique characteristics in Christ that you should be living out loud in today’s world?

Key Point: The chosen people of the Throne of Heaven are passionate about doing the works of the Lord. Doing God’s will is what brings about a great joy in life. Righteous works is what brings about true and worthwhile living.

Thought to Ponder: Are you a peculiar person of the Lord?

Key Point: John 14:12 the good works we are to partake in are the works of Jesus the Christ which we know to be his commandments to love God and love our neighbor just as we love ourselves, to preach and teach the gospel, to baptize the people in the name of the Holy Trinity, and to follow the commandments of God. Good works = mimicking the work that Jesus spent his life doing. (Question, how can one love another person as they love themselves, if they don't know how to love themselves correctly. First love God, then ask God to help you love yourself as he loves you then ask him to help you love your neighbor.)

15) These things speak (convey information), and exhort (urge, persuade), and rebuke (express sharp disapproval; reject; condemn) with all authority (power, command). Let no man despise (regard with contempt; dislike intensely).

Key Point: Godliness is the whole point of our living in word, action and deed.

Key Point: Read 2 Timothy 4:2 as a reference to this verse. Be ready at all times to do the work of the Lord, preach the word of God and with patience and stable principles of belief partake in the acts of this verse.

Key Point: The Throne of Heaven is our key to having authority on earth to live out loud in the will of God without fault and in courage and strength.

Key Point: No person on earth should loathe/hate the righteousness of God in a person. Why? Because in a Godly person dwells the presence of God, Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven.

Sum it up…

God is a God of righteous structure and Godly order, if we want our lives to be harmonious on earth we must respect his supreme authority and incorporate in our daily living his divine system of organization which we know to be taught, preached and illustrated by his son Jesus the Christ in righteousness and truth that is designed to produce spiritual freedom from sin, disarray and disorder in every aspect of our earthly living.

To God Almighty be the glory for the reading, studying and edification of his word in the name of Jesus the Christ, Amen.