But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:
Titus is charged to speak only what fits sound doctrine, which is Bible truth and standard truth for the present time to be kept before the people to increase piety and devotion and confirm them in the most holy faith. That speaking is to be sanctified, clear and pure speech without oddities or fanatical excitement, brought into actual contact with souls to save them and arouse them for the great work to be done. The form of sound words is to be prized above every earthly thing, yet it has no value unless it is obeyed in plain duties and carried out in pure principles that produce sound practice. It sets the church in order by shaping godly conduct in every age and group, so aged men are sober, grave and sound in faith, love and patience, older women live holily and teach what is good, younger women love husband and children and care for the home, and young men are self-controlled, that God's word not be dishonored. The teacher is to set the pattern with dignified, uncorrupt teaching and sound speech that cannot be condemned, sober-minded and free from levity and impurity, and a wife and mother fulfills it first by faithful care of home, husband and children, since any leading to neglect home duties for other work is contrary to sound doctrine.
Meaning of Sound Doctrine
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine is Jesus Christ's inspired charge through Paul to Titus to speak what fits sound doctrine. That charge embraces the instruction that follows for aged men to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, charity and patience, for aged women to behave as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, and for young women to be taught to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. In that charge a wife and mother's work in her own home, true to her position as wife and mother, is a sacred and binding duty that no other can do, and the Spirit of God agrees with this Word and never calls or qualifies anyone for public or religious work that contradicts it or leads to neglect of home duties.
Sound doctrine is Bible truth, standard truth for the time in which we live, truth always to be kept before the people, truth adapted and fitted to promote increased piety and devotion, confirming God's people in the most holy faith. It means much to the receiver and means much also to the teacher, the minister of righteousness, because wherever the gospel is preached every laborer in whatever line of service proves true or untrue to responsibility as the Lord's messenger and evangelist. To those misled by divers and strange doctrines the word of the Lord is to speak only the things which belong to sound doctrine. This stands in contrast to being spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men and the rudiments of the world, for sound doctrine establishes the heart with grace and leads to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, following after the things which make for peace and by which one may edify another.
Speaking what becomes sound doctrine requires sanctified speech that presents the truth clearly and purely, with every tongue sanctified to teach Bible truth. It allows no oddities or eccentricities, no fanatical excitement or eccentric conduct, but calls for sober, temperate, faithful, loving, patient, good and holy conduct, with teachers modeling good works and using sincere, wholesome, uncorrupt, grave, sincere, dignified speech that cannot be condemned. Such presentation refines and elevates people so their conduct gives opponents no grounds for accusation and no just cause for reproach, leaving him that is of the contrary part ashamed, having no evil thing to say, and it benefits both those who preach and those who hear. It must be spoken so as to come into actual contact with souls, bringing sound doctrine into actual contact with men's souls so that it saves souls. This speaking presses believers together to understand the great work to be done and arouses sleepy churches.
The form of sound words is to be prized above every earthly thing, yet unless those words are carried out in pure principles and obeyed in plain duties they have no value. Our work is to bring sound doctrine into actual contact with men's souls so that it produces sound practice and shapes a person's life. This is done by not losing faith in God while every man is tested and tried, bearing a clean-cut testimony in the spirit of the great Teacher, seeking the Lord and cultivating faith, laying hold upon power mighty to save to the uttermost against satanic agencies, working and watching and praying, and meeting coming battles and the hastening time of trouble without being disheartened, afraid, or ashamed.
Life Befitting Sound Doctrine
Sound doctrine is to order the life of the whole church, young and old, shaping conduct in every age and group. Aged men are to be sober, dignified, grave, temperate and self-controlled, sound in faith and love and patience. Aged women are to live in a holy manner becoming holiness, avoiding slander and false accusation and excessive wine, and teaching what is good. Young women are to be taught self-control, discretion, purity, goodness, care for the home, love for husbands and children, and obedience to their own husbands, so that the word of God is not dishonored or blasphemed. Young men are to be self-controlled and sober-minded, so that opponents are ashamed having no evil to say.
The call to sobriety is not for young men only but for people of mature age as well. It is seen in the sobriety, dignity, self-control and soundness in faith, love and patience required of aged men. The teacher himself is to set a pattern of good works with uncorrupt, grave, sincere and dignified teaching and with sound speech that cannot be condemned. Such speech leaves opponents with no valid accusation and no evil thing to say, refines and elevates those who hear, and benefits both those who preach and those who hear.
Sober thinking is the duty of a Christian, for when Christ is enthroned in the heart the thoughts do not run riot. Thoughtlessness is no excuse for moral wrong. Love-sick sentimentalism and flirting by married men with young girls, married women or widows are forbidden, and so are all levity, licentiousness, lightness, trifling, jesting and joking under the guise of Christianity, because lightness and impurity misrepresent Christ and reproach Him.
A wife and mother's first, sacred and binding duty is care of her own home, husband and children, which no other can do for her. She is to do thorough work there by precept and example, learning right methods and tact and improving her powers, training her children to keep the way of the Lord as a faithful, lovable, patient, kind yet firm wife and mother. God never calls or qualifies her to neglect home for other work, nor contradicts His own Word by giving her a work contrary to it. Any teaching, influence or idea of a greater and holier work leading to even slight neglect of home duties is contrary to sound doctrine and is deception rather than the Spirit's leading. Leaving home duties badly neglected to attend meetings, work for others, give Bible readings or carry messages goes directly contrary to sound doctrine, for true religion never leads a wife and mother to leave home duties neglected.
Sound doctrine bears good fruit, for genuine faith in Christ produces righteous words and works. Receiving and following heavenly truth brings the mind under Christ's guidance and reveals spiritual health. Every tongue is to be sanctified to teach Bible truth so as to form godly character and conduct in people of every age. Bringing it into practice means bringing it into actual contact with souls in order to save souls so that it produces sound practice, prizing the form of sound words above every earthly thing yet knowing it has no value unless carried out in pure principles and obeyed in plain duties. This is done by not losing faith in God while tested and tried, bearing a clear testimony in the Teacher's spirit, seeking the Lord and cultivating faith, laying hold on power mighty to save against satanic agencies, and working, watching and praying to meet coming battles and the hastening time of trouble without being disheartened, afraid or ashamed.
Titus is charged to speak only what fits sound doctrine, which is Bible truth and standard truth for the present time to be kept before the people to increase piety and devotion and confirm them in the most holy faith. That speaking is to be sanctified, clear and pure speech without oddities or fanatical excitement, brought into actual contact with souls to save them and arouse them for the great work to be done. The form of sound words is to be prized above every earthly thing, yet it has no value unless it is obeyed in plain duties and carried out in pure principles that produce sound practice. It sets the church in order by shaping godly conduct in every age and group, so aged men are sober, grave and sound in faith, love and patience, older women live holily and teach what is good, younger women love husband and children and care for the home, and young men are self-controlled, that God's word not be dishonored. The teacher is to set the pattern with dignified, uncorrupt teaching and sound speech that cannot be condemned, sober-minded and free from levity and impurity, and a wife and mother fulfills it first by faithful care of home, husband and children, since any leading to neglect home duties for other work is contrary to sound doctrine.
Meaning of Sound Doctrine
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine is Jesus Christ's inspired charge through Paul to Titus to speak what fits sound doctrine. That charge embraces the instruction that follows for aged men to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, charity and patience, for aged women to behave as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, and for young women to be taught to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. In that charge a wife and mother's work in her own home, true to her position as wife and mother, is a sacred and binding duty that no other can do, and the Spirit of God agrees with this Word and never calls or qualifies anyone for public or religious work that contradicts it or leads to neglect of home duties.
Sound doctrine is Bible truth, standard truth for the time in which we live, truth always to be kept before the people, truth adapted and fitted to promote increased piety and devotion, confirming God's people in the most holy faith. It means much to the receiver and means much also to the teacher, the minister of righteousness, because wherever the gospel is preached every laborer in whatever line of service proves true or untrue to responsibility as the Lord's messenger and evangelist. To those misled by divers and strange doctrines the word of the Lord is to speak only the things which belong to sound doctrine. This stands in contrast to being spoiled through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men and the rudiments of the world, for sound doctrine establishes the heart with grace and leads to righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost, following after the things which make for peace and by which one may edify another.
Speaking what becomes sound doctrine requires sanctified speech that presents the truth clearly and purely, with every tongue sanctified to teach Bible truth. It allows no oddities or eccentricities, no fanatical excitement or eccentric conduct, but calls for sober, temperate, faithful, loving, patient, good and holy conduct, with teachers modeling good works and using sincere, wholesome, uncorrupt, grave, sincere, dignified speech that cannot be condemned. Such presentation refines and elevates people so their conduct gives opponents no grounds for accusation and no just cause for reproach, leaving him that is of the contrary part ashamed, having no evil thing to say, and it benefits both those who preach and those who hear. It must be spoken so as to come into actual contact with souls, bringing sound doctrine into actual contact with men's souls so that it saves souls. This speaking presses believers together to understand the great work to be done and arouses sleepy churches.
The form of sound words is to be prized above every earthly thing, yet unless those words are carried out in pure principles and obeyed in plain duties they have no value. Our work is to bring sound doctrine into actual contact with men's souls so that it produces sound practice and shapes a person's life. This is done by not losing faith in God while every man is tested and tried, bearing a clean-cut testimony in the spirit of the great Teacher, seeking the Lord and cultivating faith, laying hold upon power mighty to save to the uttermost against satanic agencies, working and watching and praying, and meeting coming battles and the hastening time of trouble without being disheartened, afraid, or ashamed.
Life Befitting Sound Doctrine
Sound doctrine is to order the life of the whole church, young and old, shaping conduct in every age and group. Aged men are to be sober, dignified, grave, temperate and self-controlled, sound in faith and love and patience. Aged women are to live in a holy manner becoming holiness, avoiding slander and false accusation and excessive wine, and teaching what is good. Young women are to be taught self-control, discretion, purity, goodness, care for the home, love for husbands and children, and obedience to their own husbands, so that the word of God is not dishonored or blasphemed. Young men are to be self-controlled and sober-minded, so that opponents are ashamed having no evil to say.
The call to sobriety is not for young men only but for people of mature age as well. It is seen in the sobriety, dignity, self-control and soundness in faith, love and patience required of aged men. The teacher himself is to set a pattern of good works with uncorrupt, grave, sincere and dignified teaching and with sound speech that cannot be condemned. Such speech leaves opponents with no valid accusation and no evil thing to say, refines and elevates those who hear, and benefits both those who preach and those who hear.
Sober thinking is the duty of a Christian, for when Christ is enthroned in the heart the thoughts do not run riot. Thoughtlessness is no excuse for moral wrong. Love-sick sentimentalism and flirting by married men with young girls, married women or widows are forbidden, and so are all levity, licentiousness, lightness, trifling, jesting and joking under the guise of Christianity, because lightness and impurity misrepresent Christ and reproach Him.
A wife and mother's first, sacred and binding duty is care of her own home, husband and children, which no other can do for her. She is to do thorough work there by precept and example, learning right methods and tact and improving her powers, training her children to keep the way of the Lord as a faithful, lovable, patient, kind yet firm wife and mother. God never calls or qualifies her to neglect home for other work, nor contradicts His own Word by giving her a work contrary to it. Any teaching, influence or idea of a greater and holier work leading to even slight neglect of home duties is contrary to sound doctrine and is deception rather than the Spirit's leading. Leaving home duties badly neglected to attend meetings, work for others, give Bible readings or carry messages goes directly contrary to sound doctrine, for true religion never leads a wife and mother to leave home duties neglected.
Sound doctrine bears good fruit, for genuine faith in Christ produces righteous words and works. Receiving and following heavenly truth brings the mind under Christ's guidance and reveals spiritual health. Every tongue is to be sanctified to teach Bible truth so as to form godly character and conduct in people of every age. Bringing it into practice means bringing it into actual contact with souls in order to save souls so that it produces sound practice, prizing the form of sound words above every earthly thing yet knowing it has no value unless carried out in pure principles and obeyed in plain duties. This is done by not losing faith in God while tested and tried, bearing a clear testimony in the Teacher's spirit, seeking the Lord and cultivating faith, laying hold on power mighty to save against satanic agencies, and working, watching and praying to meet coming battles and the hastening time of trouble without being disheartened, afraid or ashamed.