This sermon on Titus was given in a series at Kew Baptist Church, London.
In September 1939, Britain arrived at a fork in the road. Two very different paths and futures stretched out before them. For several years, our Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain had been trying to appease the ambitions of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party. They had been permitted to expand their military beyond the limits placed upon it at the end of the Frist World War. They had been allowed to spread into the neighbouring nations, taking back the territory once confiscated from them. Britain and its allies had even thrown parts of the small state of Czechoslovakia to these wolves, hoping that they would honour their promise to expand no further. But on 1 September 1939, that promise was broken. Hitler invaded Poland and Britain had a choice to make. Which of the two paths forward should they take? They could again turn a blind eye to Hitler’s expansion in the East, allowing a fascist power to grow stronger and stronger, knowing that someday his troops may march West to take their freedom as well. Or they could confront the threat of now and so try to secure their future freedom. Two paths stretched out before them: each leading to drastically different destinations.
Last week, we seen Paul lay out two very similar paths before Titus. Like Britain, the Cretan churches had also reached a fork in the road. On the one hand, they could allow the false teachers to spread their deceptive and distracting doctrine, upsetting the faith of Christians and threatening the future of the churches. Or they could confront the deceivers and correct the doctrine in order to strengthen the faith of Christians and secure the future of the churches. They could take the path of error, which would ‘lead people into more and more ungodliness’ (2 Timothy 2:16). Or they could take the path of truth. Titus could appoint elders to teach the truth, which would lead them into greater and greater godliness. Two destinations: more and more ungodliness or greater and greater godliness. Two ways to get there: error or truth. While looking over last week’s passage again, I noticed a further contrast between these two paths. In 1:16, Paul declared his verdict about these deceivers: ‘they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.’ The false doctrine they taught had defiled them to the point they werre unfit for any good work. What a contrast that is to what Paul tells Timothy about the effects of the word of God. In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.’ Sound, scriptural doctrine equips us for every good work. Deceptive, distracting doctrine makes us unfit for any good work. Such was the choice before these churches on Crete. Such is the choice before every church in every age.
This is not a choice that our author is ambivalent about, for Paul spends the rest of the letter pressing Titus towards the path of truth. Having spoken about the false teachers in 1:10-16, Paul pivots in the opening words of 2:1, ‘But as for you…’. It is as if he said, "Titus I have told you about what these false teachers do, now let me tell you what you are to do." What is the command Paul gives Titus in contrast to these false teachers? ‘…they are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.’ Paul’s point is clear: Titus is to take the path of truth. What Titus is to teach is what Paul spends the rest of the letter talking about. It is what he works out in chapter 2, for at the end in 2:15 he concludes ‘Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.’ He picks up the same topic in chapter 3, for again in 3:8 he says ‘I want you to insist on these things’. Paul uses the rest of his letter to send Titus down that path of truth, to teach the things that will lead the church into more and more godliness. The first ten verses of chapter 2 is the first block of what Titus is told to teach. The paragraph divides into the same sections as the first verse does: ‘teach what accords with sound doctrine’. You have what Titus is to teach and how that is connected with sound doctrine. We shall see that the same division runs through the whole paragraph. Time and time again Titus will be told what he is to teach and then how this is connected to sound doctrine. The Content of the Teaching (2:1a, 2-5a, 6-8a, 9-10a) and then the Connection with the Truth (2:1b, 5b, 8b, 10b).
1. THE CONTENT OF THE TEACHING (2:1a, 2-5a, 6-8a, 9-10a) – All of us are to be godly
Some plants only grow in certain environments. They need the right amount of light. Enough but not too much rainfall. A particular kind of climate. Sufficient shelter from the wind. A specific type of soil. It is only where these different circumstances happen to come together that such plants can be found. It takes a rather unique environment for them to develop. However, other plants are entirely the opposite. They seem to grow wherever you put them. Sun or cloud. Rain or dry. Humid or hot. Wind or calm. They can survive, and even thrive, nearly anywhere. Regardless of the environment, they manage to spring up. They are able to grow in almost universal circumstances. Some plants only develop in unique environments, others are almost universal. I believe these two grouping in the botanical world, provide a good illustration for what happens in the spiritual world as well. Last week we seen that some spiritual realities are universal. We thought a little about our sinfulness and said that sin was a problem for all of us. No matter or background or environment, sin is a weed that is found in every life, it can grow in every corner of our garden, it stains and defiles everything we do. However, we seen that sin not only has a universal existence, it also can have unique expressions. When the seed of sinfulness, found in all of us, was planted and left to develop in the cultural soil of Crete, it grew up into a particularly unique plant. The way that sinfulness had developed over the centuries on Crete had resulted in the creation of a particularly infamous character type. ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This unique expression of sin was so shocking, even the neighbouring nations, who were hardly models of virtue themselves, found it outrageous. In Titus 1, Paul tell us that while ungodliness exists universally, it developed and now expressed itself on Crete in a unique way. In 2:1-10 we see that what is true of ungodliness, is true of godliness: godliness is both universal and unique.
It is godliness that Titus is told to teach. That is the content of this teaching. Titus is to give practical instructions to different groups in the churches about how to live a godly life. We will think more about this later, but notice in 2:1 Titus is not simply told to teach sound doctrine (though we see that later in the chapter). He is told to teach ‘what accords with sound doctrine’. The things that accompany, are related, connected to it. Titus is told to do what Paul often does in his letters to churches. Paul spends the first three chapters of Ephesians explain sound doctrine, but in chapters 4-6 he gives the Ephesians practical instructions about how to live. In 4:1 he opens this section by explaining, ‘I therefore…urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called …’. From this, he will go on to give practical instructions for the whole church before focusing on wives and husbands, children and parents, slaves and masters. Again, in Colossians 3-4, having taught them sound doctrine, Paul turns to give particular instructions for wives and husbands, children and fathers, slaves and masters. If you go through Paul’s letters, you will see that they often weave together these two threads: sound doctrine and the sound living that accords with it. Teaching about truth and about godliness. Clearly Titus is to follow’s Paul example in this. He too is to teach what accords with sound doctrine. To teach about godliness. Here in Titus 2, Paul gives instructions for six groups: older men (2:2), older women (2:3), young women (2:4), younger men (2:6), Titus himself (2:7) and bondservants (i.e. slaves) (2:9). We will soon see that each group is given slightly different instructions. However, before we look at those differences, I want you to notice the great big similarity. No matter who they are, what group they belonged to, Paul expected all of them are to be godly. Their godliness may have unique expressions in their differing environments: whether they were old or young, male or female, a church leader like Titus or a slave. However, all of them were to be godly. Godliness was to be universal among them.
The same is true of every church, of all Christian. Regardless of our generation or gender, role or responsibilities, we are all called to strive for the same thing: godliness. All of us are to be godly. This is a challenge, but can you see how this is also a comfort? Paul believes not only that all of us ought to be godly, but all of us can be godly. It is not just that we all should aspire to it, but we all can achieve it. Paul tells them all to live godly lives, because they were all able to live godly lives. Godliness is like that plant that grows in every type of soil. It is a flower that can flourish despite the wind or the rain, the clouds or the climate. No matter your gender, generation or your job, you can live a godly life. You can see this from Titus 2, but you can see it just as easily by thinking through the various godly men and women in the past. Think of the different circumstances and challenges that God’s servants have been able to cultivate godliness in up to now. See how this plant has sprouted in almost every environment before: a young Esther and elderly Sarah, an aged Abraham and a youthful David, a wandering Moses and an enslaved Daniel. All of them lived very different lives, but all of them were godly. Old or young, male or female, free or slave, rich or poor, healthy or unwell, filled with joy or cast down in soul, ruling over nations, wandering in deserts, surrounded by the responsibilities of family, left alone without anyone to lean on. We see we never reach a stage of life, or face a situation in our life, where we cannot be godly. Every blessing we receive or suffering we face is another opportunity to grow in godliness. Godliness is to be universal among us. No one is exempt because of their age or afflictions, challenges or circumstances. All of us are to be godly. All of us can be godly.
Godliness is universal, and yet it is also unique. In different corners of the garden this plant will grow up in different ways. The environment will have an effect on how it expresses itself. That was true of ungodliness, in the circumstances on Crete, the human character was corrupted in a unique way. Paul tells us it is also true of godliness. A godly life looks slightly different for these various groups, because the lives of these various group is different. Many of these differences can be traced back to their environments. The circumstances and challenges of their particular stage of or situation in life. Think of older men: as they get less and less physically sound (that is healthy), Paul expects them to be getting more and more spiritually sound. They are to be ‘sound in faith, in love and in steadfastness.’ (2:2) Older women are to resist the urge to use their tongues to slander, instead using their experience and wisdom to teach the younger women who are coming along behind them. Those younger women, in the unique environment of their stage of life, with a husband and children, are to focus on loving both. The young men are given only one thing to focus on: in all their youthful energy and zeal, they are to develop self-control. Godliness for Titus, as a church leader, is particularly unique: because he is to be a leader to all, he is to be an example for all. His teaching responsibilities are an opportunity for him to show integrity, dignity and sound speech. Just as Titus’ role meant godliness developed in a certain way, the same was true of slaves. Their relationship to their master meant that they were to concentrate on being well-pleasing, not argumentative, not thieving but showing all good faith. All of these groups were to live godly lives, but because their lives were all different, their godliness was going to develop and be displayed in different ways. Christianity does not make us all clones. Just as a rainbow is more beautiful because there are seven colours, not the one. Godliness is more glorious because it grows up and bursts into different flowers, bears different fruits, in the different environments and circumstances of our lives.
This is perhaps most striking in the lives of the final group: slaves. Though elsewhere Paul lays the theological foundations that will eventually bring the institution of slavery to its knees, here he simply explains to these slaves how they can live godly lives in the midst of sinful circumstances, even as they suffer injustice. It is remarkable when you look back over God’s servants in the past, that some of the godliest men have been enslaved or in service. Joseph in Egypt, Daniel in Babylon, Nehemiah in Persia. You will struggle to find examples of these men sinning in the Bible. Even in the midst of their suffering and slavery, they were models of godliness. They all pleased their masters, you will find them submissive in everything that was not sinful, never arguing with those in charge. Joseph in particular showed all good faith, refusing to pilfer, take what belonged to his master, in the incident with Potiphar’s wife. Despite being betrayed by or forcibly taken from their families, surrounded by idolatry and made slaves in a foreign land, they all lived lives of holiness. We see so clearly that godliness can spring up even in the darkest and most difficult environments. Which of us can be excused from cultivating godliness in our lives, when slaves are instructed to do so in theirs? All of us are to be godly. All of us can be godly. Every stage of life, every situation in our life, is an opportunity for godliness to develop in a unique way.
2. THE CONNECTION WITH THE TRUTH (2:1b, 5b, 8b, 10b) – All of us are to bring glory
It is easy for us to look back and criticise the way Hitler was allowed to strengthen his military and expand his borders. It is clear to us now that a policy of appeasement was the wrong path for the allies to initially take. And yet, in the 1930s, there were few advocating for a more confrontational route. Only one voice was persistently heard protesting in Parliament against Britain’s appeasement of the Nazis. That was the voice of Winston Churchill. At the time, his warnings were considered to be the pessimistic, cynical speculations of a grumpy old man. If we were living in the 1930s, we would probably have laughed at him or rolled our eyes like all the rest. And yet, today he is considered to be the greatest Briton of all time. What prompted this change in perspective? Partly it was that his predictions came true. The events of the second world war validated and vindicated his views. It demonstrated beyond doubt that he was telling the truth all along.
In 2:1 we see that Titus is told to ‘teach what accords with sound doctrine.’ Having considered the content of this teaching (i.e. godliness), we turn now to consider it corresponds with sound doctrine. The phrase ‘accords with’ draws a connection between the two things: it says that they fit together, are suitable for each other. However, we might rightly ask: what does Paul mean by this? What kind of connection is this? In what way does older men being sober-minded, young women being kind, slaves being submissive accord with sound doctrine? What is the connection between truth and godliness?
In our study of the book of Titus, we have already thought about one way that truth and godliness are connected. In 1:1, Paul explained that ‘truth accords with godliness’. When we considered that connection in its context, we said that the NIV probably captured it well in its translation ‘truth leads to godliness’. This kind of connection is seen not only by how Paul starts his letter, but how he structures it. It is no coincidence that the first thing that Paul prioritises in the letter, and wants Titus to prioritise in the churches, is the appointment of elders, these teachers of the truth. It is from this foundation laid in chapter 1 that the godliness spoke of in chapter 2 and 3 can flow. However, even in chapters 2 and 3 we see evidence of this connection. We see that truth leads to godliness. Next week we shall see that the practical instructions found here in 2:1-10 are to flow from the sound doctrine found in 2:11-15. This sound living of older men and women, young men and women, church leaders and slaves is all produced by sound doctrine. It is only because the grace of God has appeared, as we are told in 2:11, that we can be godly. The same pattern occurs in chapter 3: the godliness of 3:1-2 is produced by the truth of 3:3-8. It is the gospel that leads to godliness. When we come to passages like this one, it is crucial that we remember this. When we read through a list of practical instructions of how to live godly live, we need to remember the only reason we can be godly, is because God makes us godly. The godliness commanded of Christians here is not possible without the grace found in the gospel, the power of the Holy Spirit working in our hearts and lives. We have just confessed this in the words of our last hymn together: ‘No list of sins I have not done, No list of virtues I pursue, No list of those I am not like, Can earn myself a place with You. O God, be merciful to me – I am a sinner through and through! My only hope of righteousness, Is not in me, but only You.’ If we are to be godly, God must make us godly. Next week we shall see that he does this by the truth of the gospel. Through faith in Christ, who died on our behalf and rose to newness of life, by work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we who are ungodly can be made godly. It is the gospel that makes us godly.
And yet, in these verses we also see another kind of connection between godliness and the gospel. We see godliness do for the gospel, what the second world war did for Winston Churchill. The events that transpired vindicated and validated his previous predictions and warnings. Paul tells us that the lives of Christians can do the very same for the gospel. We have already seen that the paragraph is filled outlining the conduct of different Christians in the church. However, did you notice that three times, Paul also explained the consequences of this? In 2:5, Paul explains that young women are to conduct themselves a certain way so ‘that the word of God may not be reviled.’ Again, in 2:8, he tells Titus to be sound in speech ‘so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.’ Finally, at the end of the paragraph in 2:10, Paul says that slaves are to be submissive to their masters in everything ‘so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.’ Here we see that the truth not only leads to godliness. But godliness defends the truth, disarms an opponent and displays our doctrine. The connection between truth and godliness is a two-way street.
In 2:5 we see that godliness defends the gospel. Paul tells Titus that young women can prevent the word of God being reviled, that is abused or insulted, by living godly lives. I am sure all of you have experienced the exact opposite – perhaps you were sharing the gospel, or maybe just telling somebody you were a Christian, and immediately you are confronted with the fact that they once knew a Christian who was angry, or arrogant, or committed some kind of scandalous sin. The world around us regularly reviles the word of God because of how those who claim to be Christians live. What is true of the false teachers in 1:16, can also be true of us. We can deny with our lives the doctrine we declare with our lips. The world judges what we say by how we live. J C Ryle writes, 'Sound Protestant and Evangelical doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless: it does positive harm.’ Friends, unless we are holy, we harm God’s witness in this world. Sometimes best way to defend the gospel in the world, is to live a godly life before the world.
In 2:8, Paul takes that one step further and explains that godliness not only defend the gospel, but disarms our opponents. Titus showing integrity, dignity and sound speech in his teaching is ‘so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.’ A godly life takes away any legitimate complaint that can be brought. They are disarmed, their weapons removed from their hands. They may still have much to say about us, but nothing evil. No real grievance they can bring. Here we see that Paul does not expect opponents to disappear if we live godly lives. If you look through the Bible and history you will find it is the godliest people who face the greatest persecution. If Christ lived a perfect life and end up crucified, can we expect the world to love us for living just like him? And yet, by opposing the godly, their opposition is seen for what it really is: rebellion. They oppose the godly because they oppose God. They set out to put Christ and Christians to shame, but actually end up bringing shame on themselves.
Finally, in 2:10, we see that godliness not only defend and disarms, but it also displays. Paul writes, ‘so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.’ Paul saves the most important effect for what was perceived to be the least important group. The contrast in 2:9-10 between the conduct and the consequence is mind blowing. These slaves were responsible for doing the lowest, least desirable, unhonourable, worthless jobs. They may have been poor and pathetic to look at, and yet, by godliness in their responsibilities to their master, they were able to ‘adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour.’ That word adorn is more than simply to display or present: elsewhere in Scripture it is used for how a bride dresses herself on her wedding day, or how the temple was decorated with precious stones. It means to make beautiful or attractive. These slaves were able to display the beauty of the gospel by their godliness. The world might initially look on them as worthless and meaningless, but through their godliness it was able to witness the glory of God in the gospel. These slaves displayed the ‘doctrine of God their Saviour’. That is, the doctrine of God their deliverer. O, they might be legally enslaved, perhaps even physically shackled and chained at times. And yet their godly conduct confessed in colours that caught everybody’s eye, that they belonged to a great deliverer. That they had been set free from slavery to sin and had freedom to serve the one who paid their ransom. That is the consequence of such conduct. The connection between godliness and the gospel. The gospel produces godliness. And godliness not only protects, but positively promotes the gospel. The ability to display the doctrine of God our Saviour isn’t limited to these slaves. We too can present and promote the gospel through the godliness of our lives. All of us can be godly. All of us can bring glory to God as a result. Whether it is older men being soberminded, older women refraining from slander, young women loving their husband and children, younger men being self-controlled, church leaders teaching with integrity or slaves being submissive. Each of us is able to declare the doctrine of God our Saviour both with our lips and our lives.
ALEXANDER ARRELL