Make The Teaching About God Our Savior Attractive (Titus 2:1-10)

Titus 2:1-10; Key Verse: 2:10b

"...in every way...make the teaching about God our Savior attractive."

Does the way you live your Christian life make the teaching about God our Savior attractive? That's a tough question! What's the deal about beauty and attractiveness anyway?

All human beings without exception are wired to be attracted to something that is beautiful (and repulsed by something that is ugly). That is why if anyone finds pornography attractive, they are often unable, by an act of the will, to simply resist looking at it. If someone feels attracted to someone else, they can't stop thinking about that person. Or if we see an attractive person, it may be hard not to do a double take, and to think of delightful ways of engaging that person. God has wired us to be attracted to beauty. On the other hand, if we see an unattractive person, we might do our best not to end up in a conversation or interaction with them. That, sadly and truly, is how we (fallen) humans are.

God, though, is different. God's inclination toward us humans is not based on how beautiful or ugly we are (how good or bad, how righteous or unrighteous). Why? It is because God is our Creator and Father. God regards all people as his children. As parents love their kids, good or bad, beautiful or ugly, God loves people, regardless (Mt 5:45). The attribute of God's love that does not show favoritism (Rom 2:11) is extremely attractive. How do we Christians make our teaching about God our Savior attractive? Let's briefly review what Titus is about, and next consider how and why we should make our teaching about God our Savior attractive.

What is Titus about?

* Living rightly--the B,C,D of being a Christian (no inconsistency or hypocrisy in our):

• Belief and Behavior
• Creed and Conduct
• Doctrine and Deeds/Duty (with Devotion).

* Paul's instructions on how to build a healthy church:

• appoint godly "blameless" elders (Tit 1:5-9),
  
• deal with false teachers (Tit 1:10-16),
  
• express the grace of Jesus in our families/personal relationships (Tit 2:1-15), and
  
• live as a Christian in society (Tit 3:1-15).

In Tit 2:1-15, think about how and why we are to make the teaching about God our Savior attractive:

• How to make the teaching about God our Savior attractive?
• Why we should make the teaching about God our Savior attractive?

I. How To Make the Teaching about God our Savior Attractive? (Tit 2:1-10)

Paul begins by saying, "You, however..." (Tit 2:1). The conjunction "de" can be translated "however" or "but" or "moreover." This is to contrast with the false Bible teachers whose character, hypocrisy and anthropocentrity distracts from sound/healthy Bible teaching (Tit 1:10-16). How should Christians be different from false teachers/teachings? Paul gives specific instructions to 5-6 groups of people in the church to show what sound doctrine would look like, and how their lives would make Jesus attractive.

1. Older men (Tit 2:2). They should show dignity and maturity.

• Dignity: "temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled." Older men might demand or expect respect like bosses and rulers (Mt 20:25; Mk 10:42). But they need to be taught to be worthy of respect. This makes Jesus attractive.
  
• Maturity: "sound in faith, in love and in endurance." Older men could easily become impatient and expect certain perks for their age and seniority. They need to desperately show their spiritual maturity in how much they need Jesus, just like anyone else. As older men, they need to exemplify more than all others in the church the 3 cardinal Christian virtues of faith, love, and hope (1 Cor 13:13), expressed through patient endurance. A life of faith, love, and hope makes Jesus attractive.
  

2. Older women (Tit 2:3-4a).  Like older men, older women could expect to be treated like a queen. They need to be taught how "to be reverent in the way they live." Older women likely know more about everyone else--both good and bad--in the church. They have to be instructed "not to be slanderers," not to gossip. They may want to relax and take life easy. They should not be "addicted to much wine." They can become demanding. They need to "teach what is good." Their influence on younger women in the church cannot be overstated (Tit 2:4a). What is the good they should teach?

3. Younger women (Tit 2:4b-5). The image of young women in society tends to be physical, sexual and sensual. Society makes them out to primarily be playmates for men. They are told that they are to be enjoyed, but not taught how to love or serve. Or radical feminist influences (prevalent since the days of Babylon and Assyria) propel them to seek their own careers and ambitions predominantly, and that men/husbands in their life should submit to their expectations and wants. By making Jesus attractive, the older women "...can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God" (Tit 2:4-5). The phrase "subject to their husbands" sounds very offensive to many. But this never ever means inferiority, or unquestioning obedience, or that they have less value or significance. This is always in the context of equality and love, similar to how Jesus was always subject and in submission to the will of His loving Father in heaven. A godly Christian woman will compel others to not "malign the word of God" (Tit 2:5).

4. Young men (Tit 2:6). Among these groups of people, instructions to young men are the shortest: "Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled" (Tit 2:6). They are urged to develop only 1 quality, that of self-mastery. Their expectation is simple, yet comprehensive. What should they have under control? The most obvious are 3 Ls: laziness, licentiousness (lust), and a lack of ambition. David's encouragement to his son Solomon is, "Be strong, and show yourself a man" (1 Ki 2:2). If a young man is weak, he will be unable to overcome laziness, licentiousness and a lack of noble ambition. A self-controlled makes the teaching about Jesus attractive.

5. Leaders (Tit 2:7-8). Titus himself, as the lead pastor, should set an example to all in everything through his life example and teaching (Tit 2:7-8).

• Life. Titus, the leader, must do what is good. His life must make Jesus attractive. Jesus said, "Follow me." Paul said, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Cor 11:1; cf. 4:16; Phil 3:17; 2 Th 3:7,9). The greatest influence in the church is from the leader. The greatest attribute of Christ is humility (Phil 2:5-8), which is the loveliest of human attributes along with unconditional love. Surely, the leader must model humility and love in his life, relationships and interaction with others.
  
• Teaching. Bible teaching must "show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us" (Tit 2:7b-8). The KJV says to show "uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech." Clearly, Bible teaching is not for the sake of joking and laughter. It must have gravity and seriousness, for it concerns our eternity. This does not mean that Bible study must be boring, heavy and burdensome. When the Bible is taught with gravity and seriousness, God brings joy and enlightenment to the soul.
  

6. Slaves (Tit 2:9-10). Interestingly, as wrong as slavery is, the Bible does not call for its immediate and total abolition. This requires a separate discussion. Also, it is interesting that Paul concludes his sound doctrine to the various groups with slaves and with the reasoning "that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (Tit 2:10b). Both the ESV and KJV says, "they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior" in everything. To make Jesus attractive in everything, Paul instructs Titus, "Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted" (Tit 2:9-10a). Before their masters, slaves should be submissive, willing to obey them, respectful and honest. Joseph was such a slave, so much so that his master entrusted everything to his care (Gen 39:6).

When we live according to sound doctrine (Tit 2:1-10), we make the gospel attractive. The ESV, KJV, HCSB translates Tit 2:10 as "adorn" the doctrine of God our Savior in everything. It is as though we Christians are wearing (adorning) the most beautiful garment of the gospel that is visible for everyone to see. Paul's concern is the Christian's witness to the non-Christian world. He expressed this 3 times (Tit 2:5,8,10). What then is the teaching about God our Savior that it is attractive? It is the grace of God.

II Why We Make the Teaching about God our Savior Attractive (Tit 2:11-15)

Tit 2:11-14 is the heart of the letter, which we will conclude next Sun.

"...in every way...make the teaching about God our Savior attractive." We Christians can make the teachings of the Bible attractive when we live in accordance with sound doctrine from our heart. Beauty is irresistible to all people. Jesus and the gospel is irresistible when we live in accordance to what we say we believe.

Questions:

1. In contrast to the false teachers (Tit 1:10-16), what should Titus teach (Tit 2:1,15)?

2. What should Titus teach:

• older men (Tit 2:2)?
• older women (Tit 2:3-4)? Why?
  
• younger women (Tit 2:4-5)? Why?
• young men (Tit 2:6)? Why?
  
• slaves (Tit 2:9-10)? Why?
  

3. What should Titus show himself to be in all things (Tit 2:7-8)? Why?

4. How can Christians make the teaching about God our Savior attractive (Tit 2:10)?

5. What does the conjunction "for" in Tit 2:11 teach us? What is the fundamental basis for Paul's ethical appeal in Tit 2:1-10?

6. Think about how God's grace:

• Transforms/Enables/Motivates (Tit 2:11)
  
• Teaches (Tit 2:12)
  
• Waits/Looks (Tit 2:13)
  
• Works (Tit 2:14).
• Will not be despised (Tit 2:15).
  

References:

1. The Message of 1 Timothy and Titus: Guard the Truth. (Bible Speaks Today.) John Stott. 2001.
2. Adorning the Doctrine of God Our Savior in Every Respect (Tit 2:1-10), Ligon Duncan, 1/9/05.
3. ESV Study Bible. 2008.
4. The MacArthur Study Bible. NASB. 2006.