Titus 2:4-8
~19 min read
SERMON OUTLINE
TRANSCRIPT
As we have been studying the book of Titus, we have come to Titus 2: 4–8. In this chapter, the Apostle Paul gave instructions on how the church ought to function in order to be an effective witness to the world. Last week, we dealt with the aged men and women. Today, verses 4 and 5 speak particularly to the young women, and verses 6 to 8 to the young men. The title of our message is "How Should Young People Live?"
I. The Young Women
Beginning with the young women, Paul used the term ‘young women’ to refer to those who were married. It is not God’s plan that all men and women will be married. Some believers are given the gift of singlehood; you can read about that in 1 Corinthians 7:8–9. Here, Paul was speaking first of all to the young women who were married and then to those who had children. In verse 3, the aged women would include those who were about 60 years old and above. Therefore, these young women would be those of marriageable age up to about 60 years old. There are seven characteristics listed here that these young women ought to exemplify in their lives.
Firstly, the young women must be sober. It means someone who is of a sound mind, sensible, and has a healthy mind in order to think. Why should the young women be sober? Because we are living in perilous times. If there’s anything in our modern culture that is being attacked more viciously than any other, it is the role of young women.
One of the most devastating movements of our time is the feminist movement. It is not only changing the world, but it is also changing the church. Church leaders, pastors, and preachers have given in to the pressure. But the saddest thing is that most people have no idea where it comes from. Most people think this is just a group of women who want some liberation or freedom, equal pay, equal jobs, equal opportunities, and the ability to express themselves. Well, that is only the outward component. The real feminist agenda is frightening because it is satanic.
Allow me to quote some examples of why I say it is satanic. Many years ago, Gloria Steinem, the editor of Ms. magazine and one of the most recognised leaders of the feminist movement, said, ‘By the year 2000, we will, I hope, raise our children to believe in human potential, not God.’ Another feminist leader, Sheila Cronan, stated: ‘Since marriage constitutes slavery for women, it is clear that the feminist movement must concentrate on attacking this institution. Freedom for women cannot be accomplished without the abolition of marriage.’ Later on, she said: ‘The simple fact is that every woman must be willing to be recognised as a lesbian to be fully feminine.’
In the declaration of the feminist movement in 1971, it stated: ‘The end of the institution of marriage is necessary for the liberation of women. Therefore, it is important for us to encourage women to leave their husbands and not live individually with men. We must go back to ancient female religions like witchcraft.’ Finally, in 1988, Annie Laurie Gaylor wrote about feminist salvation, stating: ‘Let’s forget about the mythical Jesus and look for encouragement, solace, and inspiration from real women. Two thousand years of patriarchal rule under the shadow of the Cross ought to be enough to turn women toward the feminist salvation of the world.’
These are just some quotes underlying the philosophies of the feminist movement. Fundamentally, this movement has attacked both the Holy Scriptures, which are the sole authority of our faith and practice, and the institution of marriage and the family. This is how Satan has always sought to tear apart God’s design for His people. He knows that by attacking marriage and the family, he will cause the greatest damage.
Some people think this is just some kind of a 20th-century phenomenon. It is not something new. In fact, it is very, very old. It already started in the Garden of Eden, when Eve was tempted by the devil to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. She became the first woman to step out from under Adam’s authority because she thought she could act independently. The rest is history. We know that was how the entire human race fell into sin. Ever since then, the battle was engaged. Women have been taught to find their place not in the home but in society. Today, some theologians from different denominations around the world have tried to redefine the Bible, changing the word ‘he’ to ‘she’ to make women feel better about themselves. Indeed, it is a satanic movement.
When we come to a passage like Titus 2:4–8, it becomes a very difficult text to preach because preachers can get into many controversies by standing up in this lost culture and saying, ‘According to the Bible, the young women ought to be sober, to love their husbands, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, to love their children, to be good, and to be obedient to their husbands.’ The world will not accept what we teach because the world teaches the opposite. Our children have been taught the exact opposite.
But God has laid out His standards. This is His Word, and it cannot be blasphemed or negotiated. If the church does not obey the Word of God, then all is lost. Living in these perilous times, how can our young women not be sober? They must have sound minds to discern between truth and error.
Secondly, the young women who were married must “love their own husbands” (vs. 4) and obey their own husbands in (vs. 5). Here, it is a command, so it is not simply a virtue but not obeying or loving your husband is a sin. When someone says, ‘I love my husband,’ it is not strange you wouldn’t say ‘I didn’t know you could do that, but rather you will say, ‘that is good, that is the right thing to do’. The moment someone says, ‘I do not love my husband anymore,’ you know something is terribly wrong. Wives are to love their husbands.
The Apostle Paul was not referring to romantic or sexual love, although that has an important and proper place in marriage. He was speaking of a committed love that godly wives ought to have for their husbands, just as husbands were commanded in Ephesians 5:25: “love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it.” How did Christ love the church? He loved the church when she was sinful. He loved us when we were unworthy of His love. He loved us so much that He was willing to die and shed His precious blood to save us. That is how husbands and wives ought to love one another.
Wives must obey their own husbands. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” In other words, when you do that, you are doing it unto the Lord. It does not mean that the husband is better than the wife or the wife is less than the husband, but God has chosen the man to be the leader. The wife submits to the husband because that is God’s design. That is God’s order. 1 Corinthians 11:8 says, “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”
Thirdly, the young women must love their children. There are some women who are blessed with the gift of singleness so that they can devote their whole life to Christ and not be encumbered by having to care for a life partner. Likewise, there are some women who are barren for the Lord’s kingdom, for His divine purpose, and that is a glorious and complete fulfilment for them. But the general rule is that women will get married and bear children, and in bearing children, they have the responsibility to love their children.
To love a child is not standing in one corner and just adoring how beautiful and cute the child is. Love comes with the responsibility to pour your life sacrificially into that little life so that the child grows up to know and love Christ. To raise godly children is the highest calling for young women. Sometimes we hear young mothers complaining of their children: ‘Oh, that kid is hopeless. I just cannot understand. I just don’t know what to do with him.’ But have they asked this question: how many hours, how much time, effort, and energy have you invested into the moral and spiritual training of your child?
But isn’t that the duty of the church? The duty of the Sunday School? No, it isn’t. It is your duty. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go." So, there is a way he should go—a path he should take. Train him so that when he is old, he will not depart from it. Dear friend, first of all, if your son or daughter is not even converted, it doesn't matter how many degrees he or she gets in this life—they need the gospel. Without the gospel, they will be eternally lost. They need to hear it, they need to believe in it, and they need to see that it is real because they have seen how you live out this gospel in your life.
Do you love your child enough to care for his or her eternal salvation? Many of our little ones are still outside the kingdom of God. God forbid that, a million upon a million years from now, we will never see them again.
Fourthly, the young women must be discreet in the way they live their lives. That means to be sensible, to know their priorities, to make sound judgments, and to apply wisdom. Today, many young women do not understand how to be discreet, how to make sound judgments, and how to apply wisdom—perhaps because they do not have godly examples to follow.
That is why they have to attend marriage seminars or read books to teach them how to manage their marriages and raise their children. Who knows how many of those speakers at the seminars or authors of those books are advocates of the feminist movement? How tragic. And then, with each passing generation, there will be greater challenges.
But when there are godly parents or when the church is able to provide older women to teach these younger women to know their priorities, to know that their place is in the home, it is a great blessing. As they grow up, they watch how their mothers have raised them, how their mothers have loved and obeyed their fathers. When they have the best examples of what a marriage commitment is all about, of what a family is all about, who needs to go to the marriage seminars? That is something built into the fabric of a home that will carry itself into the next generation. But once that is destroyed, you and I will have a major problem of trying to undo the bad example. Young women, you must be discreet.
Fifthly, the young women must be chaste, which means morally pure. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:3, ‘women are not to adorn themselves merely on the external.’ It is all right to do a little work on the outward appearance, but don't worry about braiding the hair, about the jewellery you wear, or putting on expensive clothes. But rather, worry about the hidden person of the heart—the humble and quiet spirit that is precious in the sight of God.
In other words, if you want to be pure and holy, work on the inside. 1 Timothy 2:9 says almost the same thing: "In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." The word ‘shamefacedness’ is very interesting. It means a sense of shame—a healthy blush.
The woman is not ashamed because she is a woman, but she is ashamed because she causes someone to look at her and lust. The woman who is pure does not want to draw attraction to herself, does not want to do anything to promote lust. She has that sense of shame, which is a good thing. She knows it is not how well you decorate the outward appearance, but it is the hidden person of the heart that matters.
The sixth characteristic is that the young women must be good. That means to be kind, gentle, considerate, amicable, and sympathetic, even to those who are undeserving and unkind to them. Our Lord Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 6:35, "love ye your enemies, and do good and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil."
Repeatedly, we read in the Bible that we ought to do that which is good. We ought to be kind, gentle, considerate, amicable, compassionate, and sympathetic. Sadly, today, many young women are good and kind—not to the family but outside the family. They are good and kind to their employers, bosses, and colleagues. They are willing to do everything to please them, so much so that their energies are all drained. When they get home, they are tired and vent their frustrations and anger on their husbands and children. May the Lord have mercy. The young women are to be good, first beginning with the people closest to her—the family, the husband, and the children.
Finally, the young women must be keepers at home. Perhaps this is the most difficult one and gets all the heat in our modern culture because women do not want to work at home. The question is, is it all right for a wife to work outside the home? There are some who say no because women are called to be keepers at home. There are others who say yes—when the children are grown up, it is all right if the wife wants to work outside the home. Then the question is, at what age will we consider a child grown up? And what are the scriptural bases where we derive these guidelines?
The list goes on and on. The question can only be answered if the young women are able to understand God's commandments and obey His commandments so that they would order their lives according to these priorities. The phrase ‘keepers at home’ does not mean the wife has to be at home 24 hours and she cannot leave the home. It simply means the home is her domain. The realm of a woman's life is the home. The home is the constant and ongoing priority in her life.
The safest way to deal with this question, dear friend, is to take your intention and motivation to work outside the home and measure it against the seven priorities of a godly wife: Are you sober? Do you know your priorities? Have you submitted yourself to the counsel of your husband? Will your decision and intention jeopardise the spiritual well-being of your children? Are you pure? Are you righteous in your intention?
Search your heart and ask yourself, is it because of money? Do I just want to make my life a little bit more comfortable? Or is it because of the priorities that God has set before me? Because there's a warning: the failure to live according to these seven priorities will cause the word of God to be blasphemed. But on the other hand, if you honour God and obey His word, then it will be a blessing.
The word ‘blaspheme’ means to speak of something profanely. The way we speak and the way we live our lives has everything to do with how God and His word are perceived by the world around us. It is our speech and our lives that give the world the occasion to either glorify our God or blaspheme Him. Here, it was stated in the negative sense—that you ought to live, speak, and serve in such a way that God's word be not blasphemed. That is why we often hear unbelievers say, ‘You Christians say you believe God and the Bible, but why do you live such a life? You say one thing and do another.’ By doing that, we bring discredit to the word of God. On one hand, we affirm the Scriptures; on the other hand, we live however we want. God forbids.
Our Lord Jesus said in John 14:15, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." So we say we love our Lord Jesus, but that could be just our words, a mere profession by mouth—it may mean nothing. We must obey His words: "Keep my commandments."
A final word of exhortation to all the young women: this is God's wonderful plan and design for you. Please do not think that His plan and design is to bring you down. It is not; it is to fulfil His created purpose for you. That is why He has brought you into this world, and He wants to bring fulfilment to your life. He wants your life to be a blessing to the family, to your husband, to your children, to the church, to the world, and ultimately to the glory of His precious name. It is not a burden; it is a blessing.
II. The Young Men
Next, to the young men: look at verse 6: "Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded." Perhaps this was most important to Titus because he was one of them. Titus could be a little younger than Timothy, who was probably in his late thirties. Firstly, the young man must be sober-minded. The word ‘exhort’ means to instruct, teach, counsel, or admonish. And the method of counselling was through the Word of God—it was to come alongside and instruct the people to be sober-minded. Again, to be sober-minded means to be in the right mind, to have discernment and judgment, to have self-control over your passions, appetites, and desires.
How could Titus do that? He himself must be an example. That was why Paul went on to say, "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works." The young men were potentially impulsive, passionate, ambitious, and inexperienced. They needed to master all these areas—everything had to be brought under control. This was not easy. So, Titus had to set himself as an example to confront this young man with the pattern of his life for them to follow.
You see, dear friend, without an example, any exhortation will lack impact and power. In fact, exhortation without example is hypocrisy, and we all know that hypocrisy will never teach people to do the right thing. It always teaches people to do the wrong thing. It is easy to tell people, ‘This is the way you should live your life. You must do this; you cannot do that.’ But when they watch the way we live our lives and then say to us, ‘You tell me not to do this. You tell me not to do that. Why then are you doing these things?’ It will be counterproductive.
The Apostle Paul himself did not just preach to the people; he put into application what he had taught them. He said to the elders at Ephesus in Acts 20:31, ‘Watch me and see how I have lived my life. You know how I have not stopped warning you for three years, day and night, with tears. I warned you. You know I have not coveted any silver or gold or apparel. You know I have worked with my own hands to support myself and even those around me.’ And after setting himself as an example, he went on to teach them, "Now I say to you, it is more blessed to give than to receive" (vs. 35).
Can you see how powerful it can be when you live as an example? Throughout the Bible, we have been exhorted to follow those who are faithful. Allow me to quote some examples. Philippians 3:17 says, "Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example." 1 Corinthians 4:16 says, "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." 1 Timothy 4:12 says, "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."
The word ‘pattern’ is very interesting. It actually means a blow, like what you do with a hammer. If you remember in John 20:25, this same word was used to describe the print of the nails in the hands of our Lord. When the hammer went in and drove the nails through, it left the print of the nail. That is the idea. It is a print, a model, or a pattern that others can trace. When you drive, I wonder whether you have ever seen bumper stickers on cars with the phrase ‘Follow me.’ We presume those must be Christians. But why must we follow you if you are not an example? I think the correct phrase should be, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ.’
That is why 1 Corinthians 11:1 says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." The Lord Jesus Christ is our ultimate example. If we pattern our lives after the way of our Lord Jesus, then we will be examples for others to follow. Whether it be church leaders, parents, Sunday school teachers, your life will be a pattern of good and righteous deeds that others can trace their lives on. It will be the print for others to copy.
In teaching the young men, Paul said, “in doctrine shewing uncorruptness,” which means without moral flaw. We are living in a world that is filled with corruption and immorality. Our young men must know the Word of God and then live according to the Word of God. That is exactly what the psalmist says in Psalm 119:9: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” How can a young man live a sanctified life—a righteous, pure, and holy life? The answer is: “by taking heed thereto according to thy Word.”
That is the point. If you want to be an example of the believers, if you want your children to follow you, if you want the believers to imitate the way you live, you must first know the Word of God, and then you must apply the Word of God to your life. Once you have lived this sanctified life, you become a pattern, a print, a model, an example that others may follow.
In teaching the young men, you must also show gravity and sincerity. The word ‘gravity’ or ‘grave’ means seriousness. Perhaps in our modern culture, entertainment has reached a level which dominates our lives. Our young men practically live for entertainment, and they lack the ability to think seriously. Life then becomes like a game of cards. But they must understand that life is serious, and they need to think seriously. They need to develop a mature understanding of serious matters like life, death, eternity, Heaven, and Hell.
Not only must they be serious, but they must also be sincere, not hypocritical. “Sound speech that cannot be condemned” (vs. 8)—speech is our conversation. It is that which comes out of our mouths. It must be sound; it must be healthy. Our day-to-day conversation must minister grace to the hearers. Therefore, we must measure our words very carefully. Are they edifying, encouraging, life-giving, and appropriate? Are these the right things to say? Are these honouring to God or dishonouring unto Him? When our words are carefully measured, with every word we speak, then they cannot be condemned.
“That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you” (vs. 8)-this could be a reference to the false teachers and unbelievers who criticise Christianity relentlessly. But they will feel ashamed if their false accusations are confronted by good testimonies. In other words, do not let them say that your faith is worthless. Do not let them say that your Christianity is of no value, that your gospel is not true. Do not give them the occasion to speak evil against you. You must silence them, and the way to silence them is through your good testimony. Live what you preach. Live what you believe in. Live it out.
Dear friend, we are living in a time where women are being taught to love whatever they want, to send their children to someone else, to not worry about being sensible, ‘just do whatever pleases you. Don’t worry about being pure; just do whatever you desire. Don’t worry about work at home; work outside the home. Don’t worry about being kind; just do whatever you want. Grab your moment. You have only one life to live. Take care of yourself, not others, and by all means, do not be subject to your husband.’ Young men are being taught to pursue the things of this world. It is all about what you have and what you have accomplished, and then you can eat, drink, and be merry. Don’t worry, just be happy.
When this mentality creeps into the church and into our lives, it will dishonour our God and His Word. One day, all of us will have to stand before the Almighty God, and God does not evaluate us as the world does. The world evaluates a man by what he has—his job, who he knows, what he has accomplished, what he owns. All that means nothing to God, who evaluates us by who we are according to His Word.
So, when we take this passage, Titus 2:4-8, and examine our lives in the light of this passage, will we stand the test? Will we pass the test—the only test that really matters, the only evaluation that really matters? When God says to us, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. You have lived your life according to My instructions. Come, enter into the joy of the Lord,’ how will we respond? How should young people live? This is how they should live—to the glory of God. Let us pray.
Our Father in Heaven, indeed Thou hast taught us this is how the church ought to function, to be an effective witness to the unbelieving world and even the unbelievers in our midst. Even as we learn about the qualities Thou hast listed for the aged men and aged women, the young women and young men, we want to apply these lessons to our lives. We want to take this test; we want to examine our lives in the light of the Scriptures. If we can pass the test—oh Lord, we know that we are always lacking—but through the working of Thy Spirit and through Thy precious Word, Thou wilt guide and lead us to live such a life.
This is how young people ought to live. This is how all of us ought to live, and we want to live for Thy glory, so that the day when we see Thee face to face, we may hear commendation from the mouth of our Lord Jesus: ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord.’ This is the greatest desire of our hearts. We give Thee thanks, and we pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
THE BOOK OF TITUSThe Commitment Of A Faithful ServantThe Commitment Of A Faithful ServantTitus 1:1
The Hope Of Eternal LifeThe Hope Of Eternal LifeTitus 1:2-4
Why Do We Need Godly Leaders?Why Do We Need Godly Leaders?Titus 1:5-9
How To Deal With Church Troublemakers?How To Deal With Church Troublemakers?Titus 1:10-14
The Product Of Who We AreThe Product Of Who We AreTitus 1:15-16
What Legacy Are You Leaving Behind?What Legacy Are You Leaving Behind?Titus 2:1-3
How Should Young People Live?How Should Young People Live?Titus 2:4-8
Message 6: To Fight the Good Fight of Faith is to Hold Fast the Faithful WordMessage 6: To Fight the Good Fight of Faith is to Hold Fast the Faithful WordTitus 1:9-11
