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Jesus of Nazareth taught that true religion is not one that is

accomplished through various holy acts “to be seen of men” to garner

personal religious praise (Matt. 6.1, 2, 5, 16); nevertheless, disciples of

Jesus are called to live a life that is demonstrative of “subjection” (Gr.

hypotasso) to the Lord’s desires and will (1 Pet. 2.13, 19; 3.1, 5, 7; 5.5). 

A life lived in submission to God is a powerful demonstration of faith

in a world of onlookers. Everett F. Harrison, in this connection, writes:

At a time when the New Testament canon was incomplete, much

less collected, when the doctrines of the faith had been preached in

few places with such publicity and thoroughness as to give thepopulace an understanding of Christianity as a system of truth, it

was imperative that every believer should preach with his life so as

to adorn the doctrine and commend it to others. (459)

This observation of Christians in the first century is enlightening. The

New Testament clearly teaches the importance of a Christian example.

Likewise is this seen in Paul’s letter to the evangelist Titus; in which,

our study continues on the importance of genuine Christian living. Living

a life where Christ is seen in a person does not materialize out of thin air;

it is derived from the teaching of “sound doctrine”. 

Sound Doctrine

Hypocrisy is condemned because of its fraudulent nature (Tit. 1.16), it

claims an allegiance to God but is void of any demonstration in the

person’s life. Consequently, from the Divine point of view, such are so

atrocious that they are regarded as “detestable”, “rebellious”, and “unfit”

for spiritual service (Tit. 1.12).

In order to develop genuine followers of Jesus of Nazareth, Paul

required Titus to “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (2.1). Thosewho share the gospel are required to lay out the elements of Christ’s

teaching. One cannot represent themselves as a disciple of Jesus without

knowing his instruction. Teacher and student take note.

The teaching Titus provides is to be “what accords with sound

doctrine”. The teaching is “distinguished” (Vine 2.55) from other kinds of

learning by the health related metaphor “sound” (Grk. hugiaino). To be

“sound” means, in a literal sense, “to be healthy, sound in health” (Vine

2.589). It emphasizes a strong hygienic constitution.

The word is found twelve times in the New Testament. Hugiano is

Somebody is Watching Me (2)| Jovan Payes

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  used four times in its literal sense (Luke 5.31, 7.10, 15.27; 3 John 2). The

remaining eight instances are metaphorical. In Titus 1.13, being sound in

faith reflects a robust Christian life. It is hoped that they be “healthy like

a horse” when it comes to their Christian living. In other words,

Christians are to live “correctly” in balance to the truth of the gospel. 

In seven other passages, Paul associates this idea of healthiness as ametaphor for “true and incorrupt” teaching (Thayer 634; 1 Tim. 1.10, 6.3

2 Tim. 1.13, 4.3; Tit. 1.9, 2.1-2). To be healthy is to be free of any agents

that corrupt one’s hygienic profile; metaphorically, then, our teaching is

to be distinguished by the fact that is it free from any corrupting agents.

The Range of Christian Living 

By teaching “what accords with sound doctrine” (Tit. 2.1), Titus is to

set forth the principles of pure Christian living. These principles are

evident in the guidance Paul gives him in 2.1-10. This passage may be

outlined in the following way (Jackson 334-44): (a) Instruction for the

Aged (2.2-5), (b) Instruction for the Younger Men (2.6-8), and (c) Servan

and Masters (2.9-10).

Paul concludes every section with an appeal to consistency of

believers so that God’s word may not be reviled (2.5), that onlookers wi

have nothing evil to say about Christians (2.8), because Christians must

adorn themselves with the apostolic teaching (2.10). The Christian is to

live a life that is beyond reproach. Read below and reflect:

Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, soundin faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to breverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They areto teach what is good, and so train the young women to love theirhusbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at homekind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of Godmay not be reviled.

Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself

in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching  show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be

condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Slaves are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; theyare to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showin

all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine ofGod our Savior. (Titus 2.2-10 ESV, emphasis added)

Sources

Harrison, Everett F. 1941. “Exegetical Studies in 1 Peter Part 7.” Bibliotheca Sacra 98.392 (October): 459-68.

Jackson, Wayne. 2007. Before I Die: Paul’s Letters to Timothy and Titus. Stockton, Calif.: Courier Publications.

Thayer, Joseph H. 1889. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. Repr. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1962.

Vine, William E., Merrill F. Unger, William White, Jr. 1984. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words .

Nashville, Tenn.: Nelson.

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Somebody is Watching Me (continued)