Have you ever had to fix a dense puzzle with missing pieces and no blueprint? It complicates the solving process, leading to frustration, lower interest, longer hours, and ultimately an incomplete puzzle board.
Just like a puzzle requires every piece to make it fully functional, the Body of Christ requires the efficiency of each member to produce a sound family.
- In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, the Church is described as one body or unit with many parts, with each part essential for the full functionality of the Body.
- We are members of one body, interconnected by the Spirit and called to serve together for the glory of God.
- In order to create a sound church, all units making up the church have a role to play, and the Bible serves as the blueprint to where each one fits at any given time.
Pieces of the Puzzle
Titus 2 provides us with what a sound church looks like by defining the roles and outlook of various groups in a church. By living right, the accuser will have nothing on the Body.
1. Church Leaders – Teach the Word
“You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine.” ~ Titus 2:1
In contrast to the people described in Titus 1 – who teach fables and are full of meaningless talk and deception – Titus was urged to teach the things that are proper for sound doctrine.
- Feeding the church with the pure word of God is what produces right living and right thinking. True transformation and maturing rely heavily on what the flock feeds on, and leaders must be true in teaching on how to live right (2 Tim 3:16-17).
- Jesus offered Grace and taught Truth (John 1:14) and this should be the hallmark of every believer of the gospel in order to produce a sound church.
- “… teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.” Matt 28:19-20. A church that does not teach is always a recipe for disaster.
2. Older Men – Toughen Up In the Right Areas
Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. ~ Titus 2:2
It’s interesting what the list of things Titus is commanded to teach the older men to do includes:
- Men should learn to be temperate or sober up from their egos. It is always easier for a woman to accept the Body than for a man, which explains why churches are populated with women. Men are usually hard-hearted and proud, and may find it even difficult to come under the authority of a younger preacher.
- As the head of the family, men must grasp the full benefit of the Body so they can, in turn, teach the family, knowing that being vulnerable in God’s presence and for God’s use does not make you a weak man.
- Instead, grow strong and toughen up in your faith, love, endurance, and most important in our world full of pressure for money and perversion, you must be full of self-control.
3. Older Women – Train to Nurture
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ~ Titus 2:3
- Women have the responsibility and the ability to nurture and groom children into responsible adults for the benefit of the Body. However, it is usually impossible to pass down instructions that you visibly violate to your follower.
- Women must train themselves to be reverent in every aspect of life, especially in speech and outward appearance.
- Women must desist from slander and unnecessary gossip that divides the church, and rather focus on their responsibility to nurture the younger women into reverence. Having this focus in mind serves as a natural check for right living, as you are required to walk the talk for impact.
4. Young Woman, Young Man – Follow Right
“Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 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.” ~ Titus 2:4-5
- It is always important to know that not every example you see in life is the right one to follow, even in the church. Women are social beings and naturally tend to pick up habits and traits as they interact and discuss life with fellow women.
- Ladies, always measure your decisions with the word of God, and it will produce right living in you for the edification of the Body.
- Love and be submissive to your husband: this is not a fashion which can go out of date, rather it is the very Word of God which has no end. It is important that young women learn from older women who have had marital success the Christlike way and mute the noise of the world.
- Ladies must develop to be discreet, chaste, and good homemakers, training their children in the way of the Lord knowing that a failed home affects the church.
Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.
Young men should follow men of good repute (Titus 2:6-8). Taking lessons from the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32, they must be sober-minded, behave carefully, take life seriously, and live a self-controlled life full of integrity.
Clues and Grace
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age… Titus 2:11-14
- A jig-saw may have clues to put it all together, but we have more than just clues.
- The Grace of God is available to help us navigate through all the instructions above.
- Receive God’s grace to play your role in building up the body of Christ.
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