Putting The Beauty Of The Gospel On Display

As for you, Titus, promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching. Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience. Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers. Instead, they should teach others what is good. Titus 2:1-3

PAUL WAS LEAVING Titus behind on the island of Crete with a charge to bring order to the new churches that had been established. And this was no easy place for ministry. The people of Crete were known to be “liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons” (1:12). But now the Spirit was at work in those who had put their faith in Christ, and their lives were to display the beauty of Christ to the unbelieving world around them. This meant that men and women of every age and station in the church were to live self-controlled lives of simplicity, integrity, submission, soberness, wisdom, and faith. In this way they would stand out from the crowd and make the gospel attractive to all who observed their transformed lives.

What Paul instructed Timothy to teach to the generations of believers on the island of Crete, we must learn as well. Each instruction leads to self-examination. For dads: Do I exercise self-control or self-indulgence? Do I interact with my family and the world around me in a way that is worthy of the respect I so want from my wife and kids? Am I filled with love and patience, or do I have a very short fuse around the house? For moms: Am I careful to honor God with my life and to honor other people in my conversations? Am I sober-minded or a slave to too much wine? Am I continuing to learn so that I’m prepared to teach and train others? Am I appropriately submissive or stubbornly assertive?

Lord, we never want to bring shame on the Word of God by our lack of self-control, our foolish actions, our enslavement to alcohol, or our lack of love for each other. Help us to be open to radical change so that we might put the hope of the gospel on display to the world around us.