Free Bible Commentary
“Titus 2:6-10”
Categories: Titus“Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”
---End of Scripture verses---
Being “sensible” is the one attribute that Titus is encouraged to teach and “urge” both gender and age groups to embrace. Some of these characteristics overlap and can even be used interchangeably. Just looking at the NASB New Testament Greek Lexicon definitions for this word: “of a sound mind, sane, in one's senses…curbing one's desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate”. It seems like common sense was as much a rarity on the Island of Crete in the first century as it is in 21st century America. God wants us all to come to our senses, and keep the brains and bodies that He gave us under His control. I think we can all improve in the area of exercising good judgment in some if not all areas of our lives.
I have been thinking about verses 9 and 10 a lot here lately, and how this applies to me personally. People tend to dismiss the passages about slave and master relationships because they are uncomfortable to think about, and frankly dismissed as irrelevant in our culture. While the specifics may be different, good application can still be made to our employer-employee relations of today. I hear and see a lot of “argumentative” employees at the workplace that God has blessed me with. Honestly, I have been one myself in times past. Some people “bad-mouth” their bosses at every opportunity that they get. I have witnessed a whole lot of “pilfering” as well, and stealing is condemned outright in the Bible, over and over again, no matter how “entitled” we feel to the things that we are swiping.
God is not pleased with these expressions of disloyalty to our superiors. Christians do not “adorn” (beautify) “the doctrine of God our Savior” when we act ugly, hatefully and sinfully toward the people who write our checks. We actually bring reproach upon the word, the Lord and His church when we do that. Friends listen. If God demanded loyalty and respect from slaves toward their masters, even the ones who treated them cruelly (1 Peter 2:18), I can assure you that He expects the same kind of fidelity and esteem from His people for their employers. Please remember that when we are at work or on our own “free time,” we are never off the clock in our service to our Lord and Master in heaven above. We are always working for The Higher Power, so let’s serve Him and do our work with all our heart and all our might (Colossians 3:23).
Please read Titus 2:11-15 for tomorrow.
Have an sensible day!
- Louie Taylor
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