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Well, you can turn with me to 
the book of Titus as we continue our exposition of Paul's letter 
to Titus. We're in chapter 2, and our focus 
tonight is on verses 6 to 10, the instruction of the church, 
specifically here, young men, Titus himself, and then bondservants 
or slaves. We'll begin reading at Titus 
chapter 2 and verse 1. But as for you, speak the things 
which are proper for sound doctrine, that the older men be sober, 
reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience. 
The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, 
not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, 
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, 
to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, 
good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God may not 
be blasphemed. Likewise, exhort the young men 
to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern 
of good works, in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, 
sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may 
be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort bondservants 
to be obedient to their own masters, to be well-pleasing in all things, 
not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity, 
that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all things. For the grace of God that brings 
salvation has appeared to all men. teaching us that denying 
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, 
and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope 
and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 
who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every 
lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous 
for good works. Speak these things, exhort and 
rebuke with all authority. Let no one despise you. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father in 
heaven, again we thank you for the written word of the living 
and true God. We pray for the ministry of the Holy Spirit. 
We pray that you would take these things and make them effectual 
unto our own hearts, for certainly this list pretty much covers 
everybody in this church. And I pray that we would receive, 
with thankful hearts, instruction from the Lord God Most High, 
how we are to live as saved men and women. This is not a list 
of instructions on how to get to heaven. It's a list of virtues 
and descriptions of those who are on their way to heaven. And 
in this, we greatly rejoice. Again, forgive us for our sins. 
Forgive us for our transgression and iniquity. Cleanse us in that 
precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. 
Amen. Well, as we look at this particular 
section, we'll see the contrast between Titus' instruction to 
the church and Titus' ministry among the heretics. Remember 
that Titus, or in this list of qualifications for elders in 
chapter 1, verse 9, the character is all described in terms of 
the eldership, and then the gift. He must hold fast the faithful 
word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound doctrine 
to do two things. He needs to exhort and he needs 
to convict those who contradict. Verses 10 to 16, Paul describes 
the persons that Titus needs to contradict, the type of persons 
that Titus needs to rebuke. And then here in chapter 2, verse 
1, all the way to chapter 3, verse 8, is the positive exhortation 
of the people of God. And again, it's not a list of 
virtues that we need to embody in order to get to heaven. Our 
entitlement to heaven, our acceptance with God is grounded in verses 
11 to 14. It is the redemptive work of 
the Lord Christ. It is his blood. It is his forgiveness. It is his righteousness imputed 
to us and received by faith alone that enables us to enter into 
heaven. Along the way, we are supposed 
to manifest this type of character, this type of conduct, these kinds 
of virtues. So we've looked at the older 
men, we've looked at the older women, we've looked at the younger 
women, and as I said, now the young men, Titus, and bondservants 
in verses 6 to 10. So we'll look at, first of all, 
this exhortation to young men. If older men were 40s to 50s, 
the younger men were 20s to 30s. We're not dealing with with teenagers 
necessarily, but certainly teenagers need to pay attention. When he 
starts off verse 6 with likewise, that indicates that everything 
that has been stated is true for the young men as well. Things 
that obviously aren't gender specific. Young men aren't to 
be lovers of their husbands, obviously, but those other virtues 
or characteristics that Paul has stipulated are for each and 
every people group in the context of the local church. It's not 
the case that only the young men have to be sober-minded. 
In fact, this is a stipulation for the elders, this is a stipulation 
for the older men, this is a stipulation for the younger women as well. 
And certainly older women would need to be sober-minded in addition 
to that. But also it's not just what is 
manifest here in verse 6. He says, likewise, exhort the 
young men to be sober-minded. But then as well, setting forth 
the example of Titus, I believe that Paul wants the young man 
to follow the example of Titus. in the same way that older women 
function as examples to the younger women, so Titus is to function 
as an example to the younger man. That's why I think there 
is this close connection between the younger men and then Titus 
as an example in the context of the local church. Now, it 
is interesting that Paul directs attention to each of these people 
groups. I think that Older men, I think 
that older women, I think that younger women and younger men 
at times, I don't want to offend anybody, have the tendency to 
think that we know it all. We already know what's required. 
We don't need to be reminded. And yet, nevertheless, God, through 
the inspired apostles, remind us often on our particular duties. Now let's look specifically at 
the exhortation. There's a bit of a grammatical 
decision that needs to be made in verses 6 and 7. Does Paul 
say, exhort the young men to be sober-minded, and then say, 
to Titus, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good 
works, Or does he say, exhort the young men to be sober-minded 
in all things? I think the all in all things 
better attaches to the sober-mindedness of the young men. And I'll make 
that clear at least as to why I accept that particular decision 
as we move along. But that's the exhortation of 
the nature of it with reference to young men. Exhort the young 
men to be sober-minded in all things. Now remember, as I've 
said, sober-minded has already been directed at chapter 1, verse 
8, to the potential elders. It's already been discussed or 
given as a virtue with reference to older men in 2.2, and then 
younger women in verse 5. And the word simply means to 
be in control of oneself. Self-control lies at the very 
essence of this particular Greek word. It means to be prudent. 
It means to be thoughtful. It means to be, as I said, self-controlled. And when Paul says, in all things, 
Paul obviously means in all things. Whether you're a husband, whether 
you're a father, whether you're an employer, whether you're an 
employee, whether you're a churchman, whether you're a citizen in a 
civil society, wherever you find yourself, self-control ought 
to mark you as a young man in all things. You're not to be 
led astray by your passions, you're not to be governed by 
your lusts, you're not to be directed by whatever it is you 
want to do, but rather you must be disciplined, you must be in 
control of yourself. Matthew Poole says, the word 
signifieth to be temperate, sober, wise, discreet, to govern their 
passions, an exhortation more specially necessary for young 
men. whose natural heat inclineth 
them to passion and rashness." So Matthew Poole touches on something 
that I believe John the Apostle does in 1 John. Young men have 
a lot of passion. They have a lot of fire in their 
soul. They have a lot of zeal and a 
lot of earnestness, and that's a good thing. We ought to encourage 
that. given they control themselves 
in the exercise of that earnestness and of that fire. In other words, 
it's not supposed to be unregulated. It's not just to be vented out 
at will, but rather that kind of a zeal ought to be tempered 
and it ought to be regulated with those words that we see 
from the dictionary, that idea of prudence, thoughtfulness, 
that idea of sobriety and wisdom and discretion, that idea of 
governing one's passions. Young men need to do this, not 
just in some things, but in each and every thing that comes their 
way. And then, as I said, I think that the close connection between 
young men and then Titus indicates that young men ought to be looking 
at Titus. At least Paul says that, that 
Titus needs to function as an example so that others can see 
the Christian life for these virtues display. So let's look 
secondly now at the example of Titus. There is a need for example 
in the Christian life. I don't think anybody will doubt 
that. I don't think anybody will discount that. But with reference 
to Titus specifically, Paul says, showing yourself to be a pattern 
of good works. He was to function as an example, 
not only to the younger men, but also to the older men. He 
was to function as an example as well to older women and to 
younger women. Again, there's gender-specific things, obviously, 
but irrespective of those, when Christian virtue is displayed, 
we ought to see it and seek by God's grace to follow it. Now 
notice what Paul says, showing yourself to be a pattern of good 
works. He does not say showing off yourself 
as a pattern of good works. In other words, Titus, don't 
be the sort of person that puts himself on a pedestal and then 
displays his superior virtue to all those below him. Titus 
was to show himself a pattern of good works, not to show off 
his pattern of good works. That is a fundamental and necessary 
distinction that we need to make. We don't put pastors on pedestals. We don't make them like kings 
or royalty. Rather, they are to function 
as examples the way that Paul bids Titus in this particular 
instance. Now the fact that he says, showing 
yourself to be a pattern of good works, that's why I put the in 
all things with the sobriety enjoined upon the young man. 
If these are patterned in all good works, then that takes care 
of the all things. And so Titus is expressly enjoined 
to function in this particular manner. Now let's look at the 
necessity of examples. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 
11. Example in the Christian life is most important for the 
younger people among us, and for the older people among us. 
We all need to function in such a way that persons can say, wow, 
that's a virtue, that's a characteristic, that's a quality that Christ 
enjoins upon all of us. And boy, they display it, they 
exemplify it, and I want to do that as well. 1 Corinthians 11.1, 
imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. So Paul has no problem 
saying, imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. Now obviously 
when Paul sins, when Paul does something that's wrong, he doesn't 
want you to then imitate him and say, well, I'm just following 
your example, just as I also imitate Christ. Paul wrote Romans 
7. Paul wrote Galatians 5. Paul 
understood all too well remaining corruption. Paul knew his own 
limitations, but insofar as Paul followed Jesus, Paul says to 
others, follow me in a similar manner that I follow Jesus. Another 
important passage in this regard is Philippians chapter 3. Philippians 
chapter 3. Another statement concerning 
the necessity of example in the Christian life. Philippians 3, 
verse 17, he says, brethren, join in following my example. And then he says, and note those 
who so walk as you have us for a pattern. In other words, there 
is a responsibility on the part of one who wants to be tutored, 
who wants to be educated, who wants to see and follow a good 
example. He says, join in following my 
example and note those who so want. In other words, surround 
yourself with those kinds of people. If you are constantly 
with people that are bad company, it is going to affect you. It 
is going to drag you down. Your peer group, hopefully, is 
a group calculated to bring you up and not to put you down further. And so what Paul says here is 
absolutely crucial, and then he gives reasons for it as we 
follow in the context. Notice what he says. 4, verse 
18, there's a reason why Paul says, I want you to join in following 
my example and note those who so walk. Verse 18 begins with 
4, and this is the reason why we are to join in following Paul's 
example and note others who walk in that way. He says, for many 
walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even 
weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. You see 
what Paul is saying. There is no end to bad examples. There is no end to the many enemies 
of Jesus Christ. There is no sort of shortage 
when it comes to bad company. There is no shortage when it 
comes to persons that not only don't possess Christian virtue, 
but are actively opposed to it. That's Paul's rationale as to 
why you follow his example and why you surround yourself with 
people who do. You want your peer group to bring 
you up. You don't want them to keep you 
down. He describes these persons further in verse 19, whose end 
is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory 
is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things. And then 
another reason, for our citizenship is in heaven. from which we also 
eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will 
transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious 
body, according to the working by which he is able, even to 
subdue all things to himself. So there is no shortage of bad 
example, as well our citizenship is in heaven. As a result, the 
way we conduct ourselves on this earth is consistent with our 
citizenship. In other words, we are to manifest 
heavenly characteristic on this earth because God has called 
us to this. In order to that end, find good 
examples. In order to that end, find those 
who actually pay attention to preaching. Find those who actually 
read their Bible. Find those who, by the grace 
of God, are seeking to toe the line and be faithful relative 
to their profession of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. I mentioned 
this morning, the Thessalonian church. If you look at 1 Thessalonians 
1, verse 6. And you became followers of us 
and the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with 
joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in 
Macedonia and Achaia who believe. He says, for from you, the word 
of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, 
but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone 
out so that we do not need to say anything. It's a beautiful 
thing when a church as church functions as example to other 
churches in a geographic region. And then as well, we have the 
role of elders as examples, not only here in Titus chapter two, 
but look at 1 Timothy chapter four. 1 Timothy chapter four. Verse 12, Paul says to Timothy, 
let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers 
in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to 
reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that 
is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying 
on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things. Give 
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident 
to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue 
in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those 
who hear you." So Timothy was to function as an example to 
the people in his church. Again, the apostle understood 
that no man ever exemplifies Christ perfectly. But nevertheless, 
there are those who exemplify Christ to the degree that they 
are worthy examples and they are worthy of our imitation and 
our emulation. And that's Paul's point with 
reference to Titus in Titus chapter 2. So going back there, notice 
what he then goes on to say. Showing yourself to be a pattern 
of good works, there's another grammatical decision that needs 
to be made in the following clause. He says, in doctrine showing 
integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, 
that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil 
to say of you. Now some would suggest that he 
means in doctrine showing integrity. With reference to your doctrine, 
be a man of integrity. We'll tease that out in just 
a moment. But with reference to your virtue, 
your character, your conduct, there you show yourself with 
reverence and incorruptibility. Some would suggest that sound 
speech means his language as the whole. In other words, his 
everyday conversation. I don't think that's what Paul 
means with reference to Titus. I think that all of these things 
modify how Titus is to Taquid with reference to doctrine. Now, 
if you say, well, what about his personal qualifications? 
What about his personal qualities or his virtues? He has those. If he is been established by 
the apostle Paul on the island of Crete to set in order the 
things that are lacking and to appoint elders in every city, 
and then Paul rattles off this list of qualifications, Paul 
assumes that Titus already meets these qualifications. The emphasis 
or the accent in Titus chapter 2 isn't on his conduct, it's 
on his preaching and on his teaching. That is absolutely crucial, that 
is imperative, and that's Paul's point with reference to the exhortation. The view that only integrity 
modifies doctrine and then character virtues follow. I'm not going 
to suggest that if you take it that way, you're on your way 
to hell. Good men disagree at this particular point, but decisions 
need to be made. And the decision that I'm making 
is that in doctrine showing integrity, showing reverence, showing incorruptibility, 
and then a further statement, sound speech that cannot be condemned. 
So with reference to integrity, the idea being soundness. In other words, you are preaching 
the truth of God. You are not preaching your own 
heart, you're not preaching your own feelings, you're not preaching 
your own experience, but your task as a gospel minister is 
to preach the gospel that Christ wrought out. You are not to be 
innovative, you are not to be creative, you are not to add 
your little panache, but rather 16 ounces to the pound, exegetical 
prowess is absolutely crucial for Titus in his example, not 
only to the young man, but to all the various people groups 
involved. He goes on from there to mention reverence, the need 
for reverence. This word could also mean dignity 
or gravity, and refers to the manner in which Titus preaches 
and teaches the Word. Philip Towner comments, this 
quality is meant to provide Titus' teaching with the accent of respectability 
that will distance it from the opponent's rambling arguments. 
Chapter 1, verses 10 and 11, and then chapter 3, verse 9. 
And disarm any critics outside the church before they get started. So I think that's a great emphasis, 
not only in Titus' day, but also in our own day, in doctrine, 
showing integrity, but as well showing reverence, gravity, dignity. Now, I think I've shared with 
you before that a woman once approached Charles Spurgeon and 
said, Pastor Spurgeon, I find that you use way too much humor 
in your sermons. And Spurgeon says, my good madam, 
if you knew how much I kept back, you would be proud of me. I do 
not think that Paul is barring a judicious use of humor, especially 
in light of our Lord's ministry. When he said, or condemned the 
Pharisees as the sorts of persons that would strain out gnats and 
swallow camels, that, my brothers and sisters, was funny. When 
Elijah the prophet challenges, no, not challenges, mocks the 
prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, he suggests that Baal is relieving 
himself in the latrine. Again, that was funny. A subsequent Israelite reflecting 
on that interchange would have had a bit of a laugh concerning 
it. A judicious use of humor at certain 
points and times in a sermon helps the mind. It helps the 
brain. It helps us go from trying to 
process very serious data to lightening things up a bit, and 
at times you'll see that the The knowledge then seeps in in 
a way that it wouldn't have before. Illustration is good for that 
as well. Spurgeon described illustration as windows. You throw open the 
window and some light comes in and you're able to ascertain 
or determine a specific thing. But when Paul enjoins upon Titus 
this gravity or this dignity relative to the proclamation 
of the Word, there is peculiar application in our own day. Some of these celebrity preachers 
use coarse language, they use crass language, they like to 
put themselves on the cutting edge, and while doing so, they 
compromise this imperative that Titus was to manifest in his 
own preaching. If you have never seen Perry 
Noble, if you have never seen Mark Driscoll, they would be 
very excellent examples of what a lack of dignity and a lack 
of gravity means in the proclamation of God's Holy Word. Not everything 
they said to be sure, but there were some things that they themselves 
said were calculated for shock value. I don't deny that there 
are times, and I feel like I experienced some of that this morning, when 
certain things that preachers say have a certain degree of 
shock value to the hearers. But we don't try to tailor a 
sermon in such a way as to engage shock value. One of those particular 
men said that he chose the book of Song of Solomon, they would 
meet out in public, and they specifically would address things 
that were not supposed to be addressed under the guise of 
trying to get more people to come to their church. Brethren, 
that is precisely what Titus is not supposed to do. So he's 
supposed to show himself a pattern of all good works relative to 
his conduct. He is a man that fits and meets 
the qualifications for elder that he has set down, or Paul 
rather, has set down in verses 5 to 9. But when it comes to 
his doctrine, he needs to have integrity and he needs to have 
this reverence, this gravity, or this dignity when it comes 
to preaching the Word of God. And then notice incorruptibility. 
That word is a variant. You may not have it if you're 
using anything outside the King James tradition. The idea being 
here is the state of not being subject to decay, dissolution, 
interruption. Incorruptibility, immortality. It's quite the broad word to 
be sure. And one might wonder how in the world could Titus 
ever engage in that kind of a ministry? The idea is simply not subject 
to decay, not subject to corruption. In other words, the living and 
true God has given us an abiding word, and that word must be protected, 
that word must be propagated, and that word must be defended. 
You must guard it against all gainsayers. You must not allow 
them to perversely blaspheme our living and true God. And 
then the final statement that he makes relative to Titus' example. He says, sound speech that cannot 
be condemned. Again, some would suggest that 
Titus' general speech is in view. Not suggesting that a minister's 
general speech shouldn't be on mark. Not suggesting that a minister's 
speech shouldn't be careful, shouldn't be guarded when he's 
not in the pulpit. But with reference to this section, 
what is paramount is that as he preaches, as he teaches, as 
he declares the living and true God, he must do so as he received 
it. It is sound doctrine. That means 
it's whole doctrine. That means it's healthy doctrine. 
That means it's apostolic doctrine. In short, it's authorized doctrine. And that's what Titus is called 
upon by Paul. And then the young man not only 
have Titus' example in terms of conduct, he shows himself 
a pattern of good works. but they also have Titus's faithful 
ministry that instructs them on how they are to function as 
young men, as young husbands, as young fathers, as young men 
in the workplace and in society. It is a wonderfully crafted section 
and very well balanced, but the accent certainly falls upon Titus's 
preaching ministry in this instance. But then notice, he says, sound 
speech that cannot be condemned. And then there is a practical 
purpose, too, really, by which Titus is supposed to engage. 
Notice what he says at the end of verse 8, that one who is an 
opponent may be ashamed. Now, how do you think Paul would 
be received today in this shame culture? Oh, you can't shame 
anybody. Well, you shouldn't shame anybody 
willy-nilly. You don't shame somebody for 
something they can't change. But when somebody is attacking 
the Word of God, it is imperative of the gospel minister to put 
them to shame. not by mocking them or belittling 
them or making fun of them or hitting them or pushing them 
or doing anything untoward toward them, but rather by the proclamation 
of truth, by the faithful witness expressed in one's life, you 
may shame the opponents. Now it's literally a singular 
and one wonders or some wonder who the particular opponent was. 
I think it's any opponent that may ever come against the word 
of the living God. So Titus is told to put them 
to shame. John Gill says, that is, that 
he who is on the other side of the question, who opposes the 
truth of the gospel, and is an adversary to them, whether he 
be, and then he lists a whole bunch of different people that 
would be opponents to the truth of Christ. He says, whether he 
be an heathen philosopher, or a Jewish rabbi, or a Judaizing 
teacher, or an heretical man, under the Christian name, may 
be put to shame and confusion, partly on account of that uncorruptness 
in doctrine and conversation which he observes in the true 
and faithful ministers of the Word, and his wanting in himself, 
and so being convinced may be converted and brought to repentance 
and to the acknowledgement of the truth, and partly on the 
account of the false charges and accusations brought by him 
against such. In other words, when you compare 
what Paul tells Titus relative to his personal example and relative 
to his doctrinal example, it is the precise contrast with 
the heretical men that Paul has already described in verses 10 
to 16 in chapter 1. Titus is to be the opposite, 
and Titus being the opposite will hopefully put men like this 
to shame. And as Gil says, once they've 
been put to shame, perhaps they'll reflect upon their place before 
a holy God. Perhaps they'll reflect upon 
themselves in light of a holy church. Perhaps this is the means 
by which they'll be led to repentance. We see that in 2 Timothy 2. Remember 
Paul's instruction to Timothy there. Verse 24, and a servant 
of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to 
teach, patient, in humility, correcting those who are in opposition, 
if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may 
know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and 
escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by 
him to do his will. There's a remedial end. You're 
not shaming them so you can dance on their grave. You're not shaming 
them so you can blog about what fools they are. You're shaming 
them so hopefully conviction will be wrought in their hearts 
and they'll repent of their sin and come to the Savior. It's 
a beautiful and a wonderful thing. But it's not only that that Paul 
has in mind for Titus as he exemplifies this commitment to his doctrine. 
At the very end he says, having nothing evil to say of you. Now brethren, it is a reality 
that you and I cannot change the heart. but by virtue of our 
conduct, that is hopefully consistent with what we have found here, 
and by virtue of our maintenance of sound doctrine, we can shut 
the mouth. And that's what Paul is saying 
in this instance. The issue is not, they'll never 
say bad things. They'll never sort of, what's 
the old Puritan word, cavil against the truth of God, but it must 
not be able to stick. If your conduct is awry, if your 
doctrine is off, and then they say something, it will be able 
to stick. But if they say something, and 
your conduct is in order, and your doctrine is correct, it's 
not going to stick. You will silence them. An intriguing 
variant has popped up here as well. If you look at the end 
of verse 8, some texts read, having nothing evil to say of 
us. In other words, if there is one 
faulty minister that has gone awry, one faulty minister that 
has gone astray, when persons blaspheme, when persons slander, 
it affects the entirety of the church. That's why it's imperative 
that men who get into pulpits fill the qualifications that 
we have in 1, 5 to 9, and they follow the example of Titus that 
we have here in chapter 2, verses 7 and 8. We don't want there 
to be reproach upon the church of the Lord Jesus Christ because 
of a reckless and an unguarded and an undignified and an ungravity-minded 
man mishandling the truth of scripture. Now, if you think 
this is the unique thing in Scripture in terms of silencing the opposition, 
look at 1 Peter 2. Again, we will never be able 
to change the heart, but by God's grace, we should be able to shut 
the mouth. And I don't mean physically, 
I don't mean we lay hands on anybody. I simply mean that according 
to God's word, we exercise integrity, we exercise all of the things 
enjoined upon Titus, and we will silence the opposition. Notice 
in 1 Peter 2.13, Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance 
of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king of supreme or to 
governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment 
of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this 
is the will of God. You ever had anybody say, I wonder 
what the will of God is for my life? Usually what they mean 
is, I wonder where I'm going to go to college. I wonder the 
kind of man or woman that I'm going to marry. I wonder if I'm 
going to make a lot of money. What is God's will for my life? 
Well, do what God's will for your life is as it is revealed 
propositionally in his book and proceed in that way and God then 
will open doors and guide you along via providence. We're not 
supposed to try to discover the secret will of God for our lives 
when there is so much data in scripture concerning the will 
of God for our lives that we need to abide. Notice what Peter 
says, this is the will of God, that by doing good, you may put 
to silence the ignorance of foolish man. Again, by your conduct, 
though they may say things, though they may slander, though they 
may be led to condemn, you cannot allow it to stick by bad behavior. In other words, if you are faithful, 
if you show integrity, whatever they say is empty, it's vain, 
it is baseless, and it will never stick. That's Peter's point. 
That's Paul's point with reference to Titus, and that's a good model 
for each of us. Can't shut or can't open the 
hearts, but we can shut the mouth. Now let's look finally at the 
exhortations for bond servants. The word is literally slaves. 
Now, before we all get our sort of neck hair raised up, there's 
some things we ought to appreciate with reference to Roman Empire 
slavery in the first century. I'm basically borrowing from 
Douglas Moo's commentary on the Book of Colossians. Slavery was 
an integral part of the social and economic world of the first 
century. Perhaps, he suggests, one-third 
of the people in the city of Colossae were slaves. It was 
once proposed in the Senate that slaves wear uniforms, but then 
they concluded the slaves would realize how numerous they were 
and might mount up in rebellion against them. So let's not put 
uniforms on them. As well, it was Freedom and liberation 
was not always the obvious good in the first century that it 
is in the 21st century. Again, that seems so antithetical 
to everything we've been taught, but it wasn't shadow slavery. It wasn't the slavery that the 
United States practiced in the 1800s relative to Africa. That's 
not the kind of slavery that we're dealing with in this particular 
passage. As well, with reference to slavery 
in the first century, it was not racially based. Many voluntarily 
sold themselves into slavery. Now, the first century Christians 
were a small group living within an all-powerful authoritarian 
empire. They didn't have the category 
of social action or social justice that you and I have. Certainly 
they would not be down with the sorts of social injustices that 
they would witness. You know that abortion was rampant 
in the first century, as well as infanticide. It was often 
the case that if a family had a girl baby, they'd throw it 
on the trash heap. And the dogs in the city would 
come and take the child and eat it, or do whatever it is that 
dogs would do with a little bit of it, eat it. Or someone would 
come along and sell it, enslave it, or use it for prostitution. So there was abortion and infanticide 
that certainly the first century Christians would have opposed. 
An early Christian document dated around AD 110 called the Didache 
has a prohibition against abortion and against infanticide. We see 
references to sorcery in the New Testament. The Greek word 
behind that translation is pharmacy. Drugs were utilized to promote 
abortion. Drugs were utilized to promote 
ecstasy and ecstatic experiences in some other cults and whatnot. 
So all of the sorts of things affecting us were affecting them. 
Homosexuality was rampant. But again, a small minority in 
a massive authoritarian empire, they weren't the social justice 
warriors. that today's professing Christians 
are. And if they were, it was against 
legitimate abuses of God's law. I think I've said before, and 
I stand by it, a lot of the social justice warriorism of today promotes 
Marx and not Christ, and that is a huge problem. As well, the 
early Christians rejoiced in their identity as the people 
of God, no matter their specific station in life. So there were 
slaves in the churches. There were masters as well. And 
there are several places in the New Testament where Paul addresses 
that. We see slavery addressed in 1 Corinthians 7. You see it 
addressed in Ephesians 6, Colossians 3, 1 Timothy 6, 1 Peter 2, and 
by address, I don't mean that Paul is suggesting 
to them, make picket signs, stand outside Nero's mansion, and tell 
them, no more slavery. He addresses them and calls them 
to Christian fidelity in whatever station of life they find themselves 
in. Why? Because that adorns the 
doctrine of God our Savior. When a master sees a Christian 
slave, what he is witnessing is the adorning of the doctrine 
of God our Savior. That's what Paul says at the 
end of verse 10. Now that Titus, or rather Paul, 
does not address masters in this particular context may tip the 
scale into the position where there's probably, or it probably 
was the case, he's addressing Christian slaves who are under 
the employ of non-Christian masters. Because in Ephesians and in Colossians, 
he not only addresses the slaves, but he also addresses the masters. 
Here there's no address for the master. Some suggest that because 
it's a new church, a new setting, perhaps at this time there were 
no masters that had been converted and were occupying the church. 
Whatever the case, we see specifically what his call is with reference 
to them. Now, here there is an overarching 
concern, and then it's fleshed out with some particular details. 
Notice the overarching concern. Verse 9, exhort bond servants 
to be obedient to their own masters. That's the bottom line. That's 
what a slave is supposed to do. He's supposed to be obedient 
to his own master. This is the same word that's 
used relative to wives submitting themselves to their own husbands 
as unto the Lord. It's the same word used by Paul 
in Romans 13 for each and every one of us to let everyone be 
subject or submit to the governing authorities for there is no authority 
except from God. So we're all called to submit 
at least in one way or another. And so the bond servants, the 
slaves here, were told to submit to their own masters. Knight 
says the same verb is addressed to Christians in other situations 
as well. He gives the text. Therefore, 
what Paul asks is not unique to the slave situation, but is 
a response that those under authority can appropriately be asked to 
render as part of their duty and responsibility to the one 
in authority. In other words, the fifth commandment 
addresses the demands of God upon superiors and inferiors. Inferiors, at least with reference 
to the New Testament documents, need to be submissive. Now, you'll 
probably say, well, does that mean a wife is inferior to her 
husband? No, it doesn't mean that in terms of ontology or 
being. We have the same nest. We're 
made out of the same stuff. It doesn't mean any inferiority 
with reference to salvation. We are co-heirs according to 
Peter in 1 Peter 3. We share redemptive solidarity 
according to Paul in Galatians 3. But functionally, you don't 
have two leaders in a home. You have one leader and one that 
is called to submit. So relative to the family situation, 
that's the way it's supposed to function. And relative to 
the slave situation, that's the way it's supposed to function. 
Now we need to give a necessary qualification. Notice what verse 
9 says. Exhort bond servants to be obedient 
to their masters, to be well-pleasing in all things. We'll look at 
the well-pleasing in just a moment, but that all things obviously 
doesn't mean sin. If your master commands you to 
sin against the living and true God, that is the opportunity 
for you to invoke Acts 5, verse 29, we must obey God rather than 
men. If a master wanted his slave 
to rob banks and then bring the booty back to him, the slave 
could have legitimately said, no, I'm a Christian, God has 
forbidden me to do that, I cannot do that in good conscience. So 
all things doesn't mean sin, all things mean everything, Now 
notice everything that is not said. So that's the overarching 
concern. The bond servants are to be submissive. They are to obey their masters. And now he fleshes this out with 
two positives and two negatives. It's what's called a chiasm. 
It's an A-B-B-A situation. There's a positive, a negative, 
a negative, and then a positive. For those of you who care what 
a chiasm is, that's what it is. It's a pattern, a literary pattern, 
A, B, B, A. There's a positive, a negative, 
negative, and then a positive. That's how Paul fleshes out the 
details. Notice in the first place, he 
is to please his master. So when we hear of, obey your 
master or submit to him, it's not to be with this gritted determination. It's not to be with this sort 
of unhappy approach. It's not supposed to be, well, 
I'll do what you say, but I'm not going to like it. Certainly, 
that's not the way wives are to submit to their own husbands. 
That's not the way children are to submit to their own parents. 
That's not the way we're supposed to submit to other authority. 
Rather, it is to be pleasing in all things. In other words, 
you're happy to be in his employ. You're happy to do what he's 
called you to do. Now remember, these slaves were being paid. 
These slaves at times operated jobs in a city that were civil 
service. There were those sorts of things. 
Again, it wasn't shadow slavery, everybody with chains and everybody 
getting beaten. That's not the way that it was. So you need 
to obey or submit to your master and you need to please him in 
all things. There ought to be that evangelical orientation. When you go about your work, 
you ought to want to do it for the glory of God, but for the 
good of your master. And if it is the case that in 
this context, he's talking about non-Christian masters, that is 
an incredible statement. But as we look at Paul elsewhere, 
we see that this is in fact the gist. Notice in 1 Timothy 6, 
verse 1, Let as many bond-servants as are under the yoke, count 
their own masters worthy of all honor. count them worthy of all 
honor. So it's not this sort of determined, 
bare knuckles, I'm just gonna obey, but I'm gonna look miserable 
every step of the way. No, do it with joy, do it with 
happiness, do it with service that will please the master who 
has employed you or who is paying you or who is taking care of 
you. Peter says the same thing in 
1 Peter 2. Notice secondly, he is not to 
answer back. This is a good one, isn't it? 
There are some jobs that you are paid to think at. There are 
other jobs you're not. And if you're not, you're not 
supposed to answer back. You're supposed to do what you're 
told. I mean, it's that way even if you're paid to think. You're 
supposed to do what you're told. I know that sounds odd. I know 
that sounds bizarre. I know that sounds crazy today. 
But that's the way it is. When you take a job presently, 
and I think that Paul would make these same applications to the 
employer-employee relationship that obtains today, that's non-slave, 
non-bondservant in nature, answering back is a horrible trait. answering back, always whining, 
always grumbling, always complaining, always questioning. Again, you 
might have a better idea. Perhaps there's an avenue that 
you can pursue to express that better idea to those over you, 
rather than being the whining, grumbling, sniveler that always 
has to say something. Some of you are actually looking 
puzzled. Most of you will know what this means when it comes 
to raising children. Don't you just love it when they 
answer back? Don't you just love to be told 
there's 15 better ways to do this by your eight-year-old? 
That's really great, isn't it? Well, the same thing is true 
in a master-slave situation. Don't answer back. Do what you're 
told. Young people, if I could give 
you one piece of good information, do what you're told at work. 
I mean, the amount of people that don't do what they're told. 
And you know what's going to happen if you do what you're 
told? You'll probably end up owning businesses. Because most 
people out there today don't do what they're told. Most people 
today have greatly lowered the bar. So if you just show up on 
time, you continue to breathe, and you do what you're told, 
you'll probably ascend in any particular environment that you 
find yourself in. It ought to be the expression 
of employers that those Christians are the best employees. It is 
a horrific testimony on a person when an employer is upset or 
exasperated by a Christian employee. That shouldn't happen. And Paul 
says to Titus, exhort bond servants to be obedient to their own masters, 
to do the things that they're called to do, please them in 
all things, and don't answer back. There's another negative, 
and this is obvious. He's not to pilfer. He's not 
to steal. You could see why this would 
be a particular sort of application for a slave. I mean, after all, 
he's a slave. He's not going to own the Taj 
Mahal. He's not going to have a stable 
full of horses for his children. He's not going to have a bunch 
of cars. He's not going to have a summer home. But he might work 
for somebody that does. And he might conclude, hey, this 
guy won't miss it if I take a little bit. Brethren, if the guy misses 
it or not, God doesn't. And God calls Christian slaves 
to fidelity when it comes to leaving other people's property 
alone. And then the last is a positive, 
as mentioned, to show all good fidelity. Be faithful, be the 
kind of slave, be the kind of employee that a master, an employer, 
doesn't want to lose. I would love to have 10 of them. 
I would love to have 20 of them. That's a great testimony. I wish 
that all of my employees got something of whatever it is he's 
got because he's really doing a great job showing all good 
fidelity. That is the exhortation by Paul 
to the slaves in Crete. And then he ends it by giving 
the particular reason that we have seen over and over again 
attaching to Christian ethics, that they may adorn the doctrine 
of God our Savior in all things. We see that in Titus 2.5. Why 
are the young women supposed to love their husbands? Why are 
the young women supposed to love their children? Why are the young 
women supposed to be discreet and chaste? Why are the young 
women supposed to be busy at home? so that the word of God 
may not be blasphemed. There's theological rationale, 
there's theological reason, there's theological data given to promote 
holiness on the part of God's people. And with reference to 
slaves, this is huge. Some, what we might call insignificant 
slave in the first century, had the capacity to adorn the doctrine 
of God our Savior to a master in that context. It really is 
glorious. You see, at times people think, 
well, I want to do something for Jesus. I want to go to China 
and preach the gospel. Probably not right now, but there 
is this longing on the part of God's people to serve the Lord. 
And that's great. But it seems to never enter in 
that I can serve the Lord where he's planted me. I can serve 
the Lord in my business. I can serve the Lord in my employer's 
employ. I can serve the Lord in my family. We want the great, the big, and 
the majestic, and yet we overlook the mundane and the little. And 
yet it's attached to the conduct of slaves in the first century 
that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. In conclusion, 
we need young men, like this passage describes, in the same 
reason we need older men. As I said with reference to older 
men, the same holds with reference to younger men. The presence 
of faithful younger men in the church is immeasurable. When 
it comes to this particular situation of having to turn people away 
or asking people not to bring their kids to worship, that's 
horrible. Now, I realize that the persecution 
of Paul and Philippi and the persecution that we read of this 
morning, that's not what we're undergoing. That's not it. And 
I confess that, I readily admit that, and I see that. But brethren, 
it is no fun for us to exclude people from the Church of the 
Living God. If not persecution, certainly 
insult. If not persecution, certainly 
insult. Relegating us, the Church of 
the Living God, to the non-essential column? That is tough to deal 
with in this particular contest and to say, oh, we've hit 50. 
You need to go home. You need to go back to wherever 
it is you came from. No, it's not quite that severe. 
Our brother deacons aren't that epic when they send people away. 
It's usually with a bit of a, I'm sorry. It's too bad that 
it's this way. When it comes to the most insignificant 
among us, we can adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. When it comes 
to the various people groups in our churches, we need each 
one. We need old men. We need old 
women. We need young men. We need young women. They provide 
a stabilizing influence. I have heard in the past, when 
persons have come here, I like the fact that it's not all just 
young people. I like the fact that there are older people. 
Brethren, we should want that. The church on earth, or rather 
the church militant, should reflect the church triumphant. When we 
get to heaven, there will be men, women, boys, girls, from 
every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Certainly the church 
triumphant is in that blessed state. The church militant should 
reflect that. Every tribe, tongue, people, 
and nation, every age group, every people group coming together 
to worship their true and living God. So the presence of faithful 
younger men in the church is immeasurable. They are a stabilizing 
influence. They're supportive of the ministry 
of the church. and good examples for the younger believers in 
the church. If the age group in view here is 20 to 30, you 
20 to 30-year-olds ought to be exemplating what Paul says here 
for the teenagers and the young boys among us. They ought to 
be able to say, that's a godly man in the context of our local 
church. We have godly older men, we have 
godly younger men, so that I am instructed at every stage of 
my life. It is a blessed and wonderful 
provision of our great God in the context of our local churches. And then secondly, the exemplary 
function of gospel ministers. Exemplary function means the 
example that they set. We see the conduct, and I think 
1 Timothy 4.12 fleshes that out in more detail. Already read 
it? Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers 
in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 
Titus was to show himself to be a pattern of good works. Gospel 
ministers are to engage in that kind of an exemplary function. 
Again, they are not perfect. Again, you will see their sins. 
Again, you will see their foibles. You will see their ignorance. 
You will see their shortcomings. But the overarching trajectory 
ought to be one of faithfulness and plotting on, but as well 
the emphasis on doctrine. in doctrine showing integrity, 
reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned. Persons will try to condemn, 
persons will try to oppose, but you silence them by maintaining 
truth, by maintaining a good example, so that whatever it 
is they say, it cannot stick. And then a final observation 
relative to our text is the Bible and slavery. Again, a hot topic 
issue, a very difficult issue, and one that we think of specifically 
with reference to the southern states in the US in the 1800s. 
Again, shadow slavery is bad. That was man-stealing. That was 
kidnapping. That was taking someone from 
their home and transporting them in ungodly ways and then making 
them like property. That is a horrific example of 
slavery. Again, that's not what's in view 
in this particular instance. Understand, the Apostle Paul 
addressed slaves. I think it was the philosopher 
Aristotle who said that slaves were simply living tools. Your shovel's a tool, your hoe 
is a tool, your tractor's a tool, so is your slave. He just happens 
to be alive. The apostle addresses slaves. 
Talk about dignity. Talk about the image of God. 
Talk about the glory of God manifested in that what society would consider 
the most insignificant, the most marginalized, are nevertheless 
addressed by Paul under inspiration of the Holy Spirit to tell them 
how they are to conduct themselves. Secondly, the apostle does not 
necessarily endorse slavery. He doesn't say, this is a great 
thing. And you'll see that with the Bible. Sometimes there are 
certain things, especially in the Old Testament, that make 
us scratch our heads. We say, well, polygamy is there. Slavery is there. Divorce is 
there. There were things that obtained 
in a false or in a post-fall world that God regulated. In a pre-fall world, there would 
be no regulation concerning polygamy. There'd be no regulation concerning 
divorce, no regulation concerning slavery, because there wouldn't 
have been those things. We would have thought God's thoughts 
after Him. We would have always had, you 
know, good, sound syllogisms, and we would have treated each 
other with love, respect, and dignity. But after the fall, 
there was chaos introduced into the world. That's why there is 
regulation. There are laws regulating polygamy. Again, it's not God endorsing 
polygamy saying, go ahead and have a multitude of wives, go 
ahead and have a multitude of husbands. But in this post-fault 
account, there needs to be legislation to redress any sort of victimization 
that would occur as a result of man's choice and man's waywardness. The same with slavery. The Bible 
regulates it for the protection of slaves. Thirdly, the apostle 
recognizes the benefits of freedom. He certainly does. 1 Corinthians 
7.21. Were you called while a slave? 
Do not be concerned about it, but if you can be made free, 
rather use it. So the apostle recognizes that 
it's not the best possible condition. If freedom is sort of obtainable 
by you, then by all means pursue it. So those are some things 
with reference to Paul in terms of slavery. And then as I said 
earlier, I think he gave the same instructions to the employer-employee 
relationship that we see he does with reference to masters and 
slaves in the New Testament documents. So, as far as employees in the 
context of our church, this is a very practical lesson for each 
and every one of us so that we can function in a capacity that 
glorifies God and that adorns the gospel of God our Savior. And if we are not believers, 
we're not going to become believers by being sober-minded. We're 
not going to become believers if we're young women by being 
chaste. We're not going to become believers 
by being busy in the home. We're not going to become believers 
by being sober-minded young men. We're not going to become believers 
by being the kinds of slaves that function appropriately, 
as Paul calls us to. The only way to become a believer 
is by God's grace, and that is what is specified in verse 11. 
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all 
men, and that grace teaches us that denying ungodliness and 
worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly 
in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious 
appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. We'll look 
at this in detail, God willing, next Sunday night, but here's 
the bottom line. Verse 14, who gave himself for 
us? So the way of salvation tonight, 
if you are not saved, is not by obey these things. The way 
of salvation is to look unto Jesus Christ, to believe on him 
and you shall be saved. And when by grace you look and 
you live, then he will point you back to Titus chapter 2. 
If you're an older man, he has instruction. If you're an older 
woman, a woman, he has instruction. If you're a younger woman or 
a younger man, he has instruction. These are lessons for the saved. Salvation is wrought out by grace 
through faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Well, let us pray. 
Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for the clarity of 
this section of Holy Scripture and the emphasis on godly living 
for those who have been saved by grace. I thank you for this 
local church. I thank you for the older men, 
for the older women, for the younger men and women. I thank 
you, God, that there's a good mix of employers and employees 
and all of us find ourselves spoken to by God through Scripture. And I pray that we'd all have 
ears to hear and hearts that are receptive so that we may 
indeed adorn the doctrine of God our Savior. And we ask this 
in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.