Paul EXHORTS Titus with a "But --- thou" to
"speak ... the things which become SOUND DOCTRINE" (Titus 2:1)
Paul WARNS faithful pastors like Titus and Timothy that
"the time will come when they will not endure SOUND DOCTRINE" (II Timothy 4:3) for "evil men shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being
deceived" (II Timothy 3:13)
It will be at that time especially important for faithful
pastors to "take HEED ... unto the DOCTRINE ... for in doing this thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear
thee" (I Timothy 4:16)
In his FAREWELL ADDRESS to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17,25),
Paul WARNS them NEGATIVELY of FALSE TEACHERS even from their own ranks (Acts 20:29-30) and he EXHORTS them POSITIVELY to feed the Lord's blood-bought flock
with "the WORD of His GRACE" (Acts 20:28,32)
The things which become SOUND DOCTRINE are those things
which pertain to the GODLY EXAMPLE amidst persecution (II Timothy 3:10-12) to be set by the "aged men" (Titus 2:2) for the "young men" to follow
"likewise" (Titus 2:6)
To be "SOBER" (Titus 2:2), i.e. "VIGILANT" (I Timothy 3:2) - Paul EXHORTS all believers to especially be "WATCHING"
in PRAYER for one another's spiritual well-being (Ephesians 6:18)
To be "TEMPERATE" (Titus 2:2), i.e. "SELF-CONTROLLED" - for under GRACE "ALL things
are LAWFUL (ALLOWABLE), but ALL things are NOT EXPEDIENT (PROFITABLE)" (I Corinthians 6:12)
To be "SOUND in (the) FAITH" (Titus 2:2),
i.e. "holding the MYSTERY of the FAITH in a PURE CONSCIENCE" (I Timothy 3:9)
To be "SOUND in (the) LOVE" (Titus 2:2),
i.e. walking in the SAME SACRIFICIAL LOVE wherewith the Lord loved us (Ephesians 5:1-2)
To be "SOUND in (the) PATIENCE" (Titus 2:2),
i.e. the FRUIT which is borne out of "TRIBULATIONS" (Romans 5:3) - for these are the things God uses to prove to us that "we are
MORE THAN CONQUERORS through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:35-37)
The "aged women" are EXHORTED to BEHAVE "LIKEWISE"
as the "aged men" (Titus 2:3 cf.Titus 2:2)
LIKEWISE they are to BEHAVE as "becometh HOLINESS"
(Titus 2:3) "for God hath not called us to uncleanness, but unto HOLINESS"
(I Thessalonians 4:7), which is "PERFECTED" by the "FEAR OF GOD" (II Corinthians 7:1)
The "aged women" are NOT to be "FALSE ACCUSERS"
and "NOT (NOR) given to MUCH WINE" (Titus 2:3) for those who lead should beware of "STRONG DRINK" lest
there be a "FORGETTING of the Law (Truth)" and the "PERVERTING of judgment" (Proverbs 31:4-5)
The RESPONSIBILITY of RULING in the "church of God"
(I Timothy 3:4-5,12) is shared by a deacon with his wife and, thus, their ACCOUNTABILITY
is the SAME (I Timothy 3:8,11)
The "aged women" are EXHORTED to be "TEACHERS
OF GOOD THINGS" (Titus 2:3) to the "young women" (Titus 2:4)
They are to TEACH them to be "SOBER" (Titus 2:4),
i.e. to be "SOBER" ("SOUND") minded (Titus 2:6) - NOT engaged in "FOOLISH talking, nor JESTING ... BUT rather
giving of THANKS" (Ephesians 5:4)
They are to TEACH them to "LOVE their husbands"
by being "GOOD, OBEDIENT to their own husbands" (Titus 2:4-5), e.g. Sarah called her husband "my lord" (I Peter 3:5-6 cf.Genesis 18:12)
They are to TEACH them to "LOVE their children"
by being "DISCREET (SELF-CONTROLLED), CHASTE (PURE), KEEPERS (GUARDIANS) at home" (Titus 2:4-5),
so that "her children arise up, and call her BLESSED" (Proverbs 31:27-28)
The "aged women" are EXHORTED to BY THEIR BEHAVIOR
to have "the WORD OF GOD BE NOT
BLASPHEMED" (Titus 2:5) and by which Israel failed under the Law (Romans 2:23-24)
Two of Israel's most spiritual kings caused the Gentiles
to BLASPHEME Israel's GOD BY THEIR ACTIONS (Romans 2:22)
The "young men" are EXHORTED to be "SOBER"
MINDED like the "aged men" (Titus 2:2) as well as the "aged women" who are "likewise"
to SO TEACH the "younger women" (Titus 2:3-4)
The Greek word "sophroneo" translated as "SOBER"
is the SAME word translated "RIGHT" as in
meaning one who is of "SOUND" MIND (Mark 5:15;Luke 8:35)
God gives the believer today a "SOUND" MIND
that is capable of DISCERNMENT through His indwelling Spirit, which Israel did NOT have under the Law (II Timothy 1:7 cf.Romans 8:15) and, therefore, He had to spell out everything for her by commandment
as a "father" would do for a "child" (Galatians 4:1-2)
Under GRACE, God appeals to the believer's "RENEWED"
MIND to make the appropriate DISCERNMENT as to what His will is in any given situation (Romans 12:2 cf.Ephesians 4:23)
Titus is EXHORTED to be "in ALL things ... a PATTERN
(MODEL) of good works" - BOTH in "DOCTRINE" and BEHAVIOR (Titus 2:7)
A leader who is characterized by "UNCORRUPTNESS (PURITY)"
(Titus 2:7), i.e. "WITHOUT SPOT" as concerning one's "CONFESSION
(PROFESSION)" (I Timothy 6:12-14 cf.John 18:35-36)
Titus is EXHORTED to by "SOUND SPEECH", which
cannot be faulted, to CONVICT those who "are of the CONTRARY part" (Titus 2:8)
Believers are EXHORTED to "COMMUNICATE" that
which may "minister GRACE unto the hearers", i.e. "that which is GOOD to the use of EDIFYING"
(Ephesians 4:28)
A GOOD EXAMPLE in BOTH "WORD" and "CONVERSATION
(BEHAVIOR)" will ensure a young pastor that NONE will be able to "DESPISE thy youth" (I Timothy 4:12)
and have "NO EVIL THING TO SAY of you" (Titus 2:8)