Responsibilities//Titus 2:1-15

A quick note: I have been publishing what could best be described as my "scriptural journaling" lately, just titling each post based on the "Pondering _______ _:_-_"-model. For some reason, in my random nature, I feel like giving each a title from now on (and I may even go back and re-title old ones) to just preface a theme I see in the passage...

Titus 2
What Must Be Taught to Various Groups
1You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 2Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.
3Likewise, 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. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to 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.

6Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 7In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8and 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.

9Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 10and 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.

11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

15These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Words/phrases that stuck out:

*** All the "self-control" statements (various verses): I think so much of our problem with sin is that we too easily allow it to creep in. We say, "I just couldn't help it!" I believe the quest for true self-control is a journey that lasts our entire life (just see how even older folks are encouraged to have it in this passage), but how often is it something we don't even seek? We just go, "Oh well, I'm a sinner, I can't help it, I'm just going to do it again later sometime so what's the point in stopping?" What a cop out. And I cop out all the time... But, I hope that at least in my life, I realize the need and importance of self-control, and how many struggles flow out of our inability to have restraint.

*** ...sound doctrine.; verse 1: People argue day-and-night as to what doctrine is truly "sound", or is good, right, and essential for those who belong to Jesus. We humans just struggle with thinking we have it all figured out, and draw lots of lines in the sand. Are "lines" important, is sound doctrine/right theology important? With great humility, YES. Lots of slippery slopes, heresies, etc., have resulted from people seeking to figure out God and how he works (or the flip-side: letting it all be such a "free-for-all" that there is NO doctrine at all...), but I still think all followers of Christ need to seek some "essentials". One recommendation is to explore some of the historic creeds, like the Apostle's (http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/apostles_creed.html) or Nicene (http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/nicene.html). Basically, I think at the very least, the statements in credal documents like these are essential to Christian belief. Beyond that, however, we need to tread with care. Are there doctrines that even need to be explored further (and even some from these creeds that go deeper?)? Absolutely! But, we need to tread with humility, admitting that various -ologies and -isms, no matter how godly the writers, are still from human hands...and thus we have to be at peace with the mystery that ultimately is God...

*** ...worthy of respect...; verse 2: Talking specifically of the responsibilities older men have in being an example to younger generations, being one that is respected by others is huge. Many factors surely go into deciding if respect is truly "worthy" or not, and good lists of qualities can be found throughout the Bible. This is a trait I need to prayerfully seek, though, despite some of it's abstract-ness. We all know people from older generations that feel like they are "deserved" respect...but their lives and legacies certainly make giving respect difficult.

*** ...train...; verse 4: As in, "training others". We all need to look at our example, legacy, character, etc., from a training of younger generations standpoint. Sadly, many do not have this focus. As I walk among those younger than I (and I spend most of my time with teens and my son, a preschooler), I need to prayerfully consider my actions and attitudes in a proactive light, always asking, "How can who I am in action, attitude, etc., train others so they can be closer to their creator?"

*** ...soundness of speech that cannot be condemned...; verse 8: This one is tough. I know that too often I, "speak before thinking", and as comedian Brian Regan once said, my thoughts are sadly, "Oh no, words are coming out!" And you can't take words back. I am grateful that an answered prayer of mine has been an increased awareness of the words I say (and even the tone sometimes when the actual words may be "ok", but how I say them is not beneficial...), but I certainly have much to learn. Ask my wife, family, or friends (especially "old friends"), and they'll certainly tell you that one trait of mine that is often unfortunate is a history of speaking without thinking... Sometimes it has resulted in humorous stories (at my expense), but it has certainly hurt others as well. And speech like that is worthy of being condemned by others. I need to continually seek to let my words be thoughtful, encouraging, loving, and above all worthy of one calling himself a Christian...as the last thing I want is my words to play a role in someone not having faith...

*** ...in every way they will make the teaching about God our savior attractive.; verse 10: Our attitudes, actions, speech, etc., all boil down to this: Is who I am pointing others to Christ? That should both encourage me (and give me great purpose)...and at the same time, scare me to death...

*** Do not let anyone despise you.; verse 15: By now, I don't think I have much else to write about this. Essentially, if I can be a person that holistically "bleeds Christ" in all things I do, this should result in not being despised...now, I know that the Gospel can be offensive to some (aka the notion that we are sinners/not inherently "good"; that our actions mean squat when it comes to God's ultimate favor, that Jesus' death was an atonement for all that, and that unless we realize/accept that and thus commit ourselves to Him, we are lost...), but if I can still "be" someone that strives to be more like Jesus (as both a response of gratitude to him saving me, and as God continues the process known as sanctification in my life), loving people as they are, serving them, etc... hopefully being despised wouldn't occur.

Questions for me:

Am I seeking to have self-control? Am I making excuses for not having self-control?

Do I know what I believe, and what I need to believe? Am I allowing my life to flow from these beliefs? Are these beliefs rooted in sound doctrine?

Am I a person worthy of respect? Is who I am, how I act, how I talk, how I treat others, etc., drawing people toward Christ...or repelling them from him?