Titus 2:7-10

⁷In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸and 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. ⁹Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, ¹⁰and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.

Paul elaborates on his words from yesterday in v7-8. Titus is to set them (older men, older women, young men, and young women) an example in everything, “by doing what is good.” So Titus teaches sound doctrine and applies it specifically to their lives; but that’s not all. He has to do what is good. His life has to reflect the truth he teaches. Calvin points out, “In the original Greek the style is here involved and obscure, and this creates ambiguity.” The jist of Paul’s language is that doctrine leads naturally into right behavior, and right behavior rightly reflects the soundness of the doctrine.

Furthermore, in his teaching, Titus must “show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned.” There are two views taken of these instructions. One view suggests that Paul is instructing Titus to live with integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech in his general character and personality, outside his vocation of preaching and teaching. That seems to fit with the context. However, the second view, that these instructions apply more to his specific role of teaching, seems worthy as well. It is precisely this:

Three elements of one’s teaching make it fruitful – integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech. Integrity refers to truth and honesty. You’re not making things up, but you can back up what you say with Scripture taken rightly in context. You don’t steal other people’s words, claiming them as your own, but you cite your sources. If you don’t know, find out. Lay out all the options, the historical stances, for understanding a given passage. That’s teaching with integrity. Teaching with seriousness does not mean you can’t make people laugh in your lesson. Rather, you need to bring to light a particular truth that matters in one’s life. Don’t finish your lesson and leave people wondering about the importance of the message. Finally, soundness of speech in teaching does not necessarily mean eloquence or elegance in word choice. It means clarity. Speak clearly, so that everyone can understand. Using a big word here and there is fine, but the overall message must be clearly understood; otherwise it was spoken in vain.

Look at the motive for Paul wanting Christians to exercise good behavior. It’s so that God’s word is honored (not maligned, v5), so that those who oppose Titus’ gospel message of application will be ashamed (v8), and so that no one can say anything bad about Paul’s instruction to Titus (v8). It is supposed that the motivation of v5, according to Calvin, “relates specifically to women who were married to unbelieving husbands, who might judge of the gospel from the wicked conduct of their wives (1 Peter 3:1).” By following Titus’ instructions in their behavior, these women could win over their unbelieving husbands without words.

Paul instructs Titus to teach slaves as well (v9-10). Slaves have a grand opportunity, with their submission and trustworthiness, to actually make “sound doctrine” attractive. Literally, Paul says that their behavior towards their masters, their superiors, is to be a behavior that will “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” What does that mean?

All of our response to God’s word, our efforts to apply God’s truth to our lives where we are, ought to be for the specific purpose of glorifying the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect. In other words, the way we live will either beautify or desecrate the truth of God’s word in the eyes of the watching world. Our lives will either make sound doctrine compelling and sweet (attractive), contributing to the reality of its perceived truth, or our lives will detract and take away from the perceived truth of God’s word. Sadly, needless to say, Christianity as a whole, in our culture of divorce and hypocrisy, desecrates the beauty of God’s truth. But that ought not deter us, especially as young families, from striving to beautify “the teaching about God our Savior” (sound doctrine) by living in a submissive and trustworthy manner – as slaves, bondservants, of our Master, Jesus Christ.

Finally, to summarize, Paul is telling Titus to teach every congregation that they are to embrace sound doctrine, so that each one of them in every walk of life would be encouraged, having the truth applied to his or her specific situation, to the end of beautifying the truth of God. We ought to want the watching world to see our lives and glorify God, saying, “There goes a people in whom God is at work, and you can see that He is at work by the way that they live towards Him, towards one another, in their character, and in their vocation” (1 Peter 2:12).