These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.
Paul charges Titus to proclaim the preceding truths of saving grace, a sober righteous godly life, hope in Christ's appearing, His redeeming and purifying a people for Himself, and zeal for good works, urging them upon hearers and correcting error with full authority while refusing to be silenced or despised. Ministers, including young ministers, must heed that charge to live as patterns of good works and sound teaching, faithfully reproving sin with patience and instruction rather than shunning unpleasant correction or ignoring wrongs. That authority rests on thorough preparation and earnest labor, a life of faith and prayer, continual receiving of grace and power, and hearts and minds brought under God's control. The passage describes God redeeming and purifying a people wholly His own as His special possession and heirs with Christ in the last days, who must remain distinct from the unbelieving world rather than mingle with its practices until they differ only in name. They are therefore to take open, conscientious, courageous stand for Christ, leaving the world's fashions and pleasures and testifying against pride even when met with excuses, others' example, or contempt.
Context and Command
Titus 2:15 belongs to Paul's charge to Titus and continues the instruction to urge young men to be sober-minded, while Titus himself is to show himself a pattern of good works in uncorrupt doctrine, gravity, sincerity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that opponents are put to shame having no evil to say. The phrase these things points back to the preceding teachings on sound doctrine and godly conduct. Those teachings are God's saving grace, a sober, righteous and godly life, hope in Christ's appearing and return, Christ's redemption and purifying of a people for himself, and zeal for good works. They call those who follow Christ to live as he lived and to speak wisely, and they are to undergird earnest work for souls supported by firm prayer and a strong hold on those being served.
The verse commands that those teachings be spoken, urged upon people, and corrected with full authority. The teacher is not to let anyone dismiss the instruction or treat the teacher with contempt. He is not to be deterred or silenced by others' contempt, but is to teach, encourage, and correct without allowing others to despise him.
Faithful Ministry and Reproof
Paul's charge to Titus belongs to ministers to heed so that they work circumspectly. It charges them, including young ministers, to speak, urge, and correct with full authority and to allow no one to despise them. It is joined to living as an example of good works and sound teaching. Reproof is sometimes necessary to correct sin and help people become sound in the faith. It must be given with patience and instruction, yet wrongs among God's people must not be ignored.
Speaking, encouraging, and rebuking with full authority is part of the responsibility resting upon every faithful minister, and people's contempt must not deter him. Reproof and rebuke are duties that must not be shunned because they are unpleasant. A minister who neglects them has the blood of souls upon his garments. Charges brought against ministers who deal faithfully with a sinner's case do not come from wrongdoing by the ministers, but from spiritual blindness and wounded pride over humiliation before others.
Authority to teach is joined to earnest labor for souls, a life of faith, and a clear knowledge of God. Those who teach must keep receiving grace and power from God as they fulfill their calling, supported by firm prayer and a strong hold on those being served. Life and character must undergo a process of education with heart and mind brought under the control of God. That work includes educating and training young men and women to be channels of light to the world. The truths to be spoken, urged, and corrected with full authority are God's saving grace, a godly life, the blessed hope of Christ's appearing, and Christ's work of redeeming and purifying a people zealous for good works, and those who teach them are not to let anyone treat them with contempt.
The command to speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority bears upon how youth and the church spend holidays, money, and time. Youthful zeal and ardor are to be turned from games to glorifying God through real, good, well-organized efforts under instructors to be a blessing to others. All powers are to be trained and consecrated to service as in the school of the prophets. This is the education needed for the day of trial coming as a thief in the night.
Distinct People Taking Stand
Titus 2:13-15 describes God redeeming and purifying a people for himself as his own special possession, wholly his and marked as his own, heirs with Christ. That description applies to God's people in the last days as they look for Christ's appearing. They are to remain distinct from the unbelieving world rather than mingle with it and follow its practices, as ancient Israel did with the surrounding nations. They must not lose the marks of God's chosen people until they differ from the world only in name. Their holy calling and future inheritance are not recognized by the world.
That distinct standing requires moral courage to take an open, conscientious stand for Christ before unbelievers without being ashamed of him. It means following his humble, self-denying example and leaving the world's fashions and pleasures. Such a stand makes clear who is on the Lord's side and who is ashamed of him. Those awaiting Christ's appearing are to speak, encourage, and correct with full authority, and not let anyone despise the message or silence them by contempt.
This authoritative testimony is to be borne against pride and worldly fashions even when met with excuses and appeals to the example of others. Another person's example does not make wrong conduct right. Professed Christians whose failure to follow Christ's example harms others by influence place a stumbling block before the weak and must answer to God for it. The verse also calls believers to press together and calls sleepy churches to be aroused to understand the great work to be done.
Paul charges Titus to proclaim the preceding truths of saving grace, a sober righteous godly life, hope in Christ's appearing, His redeeming and purifying a people for Himself, and zeal for good works, urging them upon hearers and correcting error with full authority while refusing to be silenced or despised. Ministers, including young ministers, must heed that charge to live as patterns of good works and sound teaching, faithfully reproving sin with patience and instruction rather than shunning unpleasant correction or ignoring wrongs. That authority rests on thorough preparation and earnest labor, a life of faith and prayer, continual receiving of grace and power, and hearts and minds brought under God's control. The passage describes God redeeming and purifying a people wholly His own as His special possession and heirs with Christ in the last days, who must remain distinct from the unbelieving world rather than mingle with its practices until they differ only in name. They are therefore to take open, conscientious, courageous stand for Christ, leaving the world's fashions and pleasures and testifying against pride even when met with excuses, others' example, or contempt.
Context and Command
Titus 2:15 belongs to Paul's charge to Titus and continues the instruction to urge young men to be sober-minded, while Titus himself is to show himself a pattern of good works in uncorrupt doctrine, gravity, sincerity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that opponents are put to shame having no evil to say. The phrase these things points back to the preceding teachings on sound doctrine and godly conduct. Those teachings are God's saving grace, a sober, righteous and godly life, hope in Christ's appearing and return, Christ's redemption and purifying of a people for himself, and zeal for good works. They call those who follow Christ to live as he lived and to speak wisely, and they are to undergird earnest work for souls supported by firm prayer and a strong hold on those being served.
The verse commands that those teachings be spoken, urged upon people, and corrected with full authority. The teacher is not to let anyone dismiss the instruction or treat the teacher with contempt. He is not to be deterred or silenced by others' contempt, but is to teach, encourage, and correct without allowing others to despise him.
Faithful Ministry and Reproof
Paul's charge to Titus belongs to ministers to heed so that they work circumspectly. It charges them, including young ministers, to speak, urge, and correct with full authority and to allow no one to despise them. It is joined to living as an example of good works and sound teaching. Reproof is sometimes necessary to correct sin and help people become sound in the faith. It must be given with patience and instruction, yet wrongs among God's people must not be ignored.
Speaking, encouraging, and rebuking with full authority is part of the responsibility resting upon every faithful minister, and people's contempt must not deter him. Reproof and rebuke are duties that must not be shunned because they are unpleasant. A minister who neglects them has the blood of souls upon his garments. Charges brought against ministers who deal faithfully with a sinner's case do not come from wrongdoing by the ministers, but from spiritual blindness and wounded pride over humiliation before others.
Authority to teach is joined to earnest labor for souls, a life of faith, and a clear knowledge of God. Those who teach must keep receiving grace and power from God as they fulfill their calling, supported by firm prayer and a strong hold on those being served. Life and character must undergo a process of education with heart and mind brought under the control of God. That work includes educating and training young men and women to be channels of light to the world. The truths to be spoken, urged, and corrected with full authority are God's saving grace, a godly life, the blessed hope of Christ's appearing, and Christ's work of redeeming and purifying a people zealous for good works, and those who teach them are not to let anyone treat them with contempt.
The command to speak, exhort, and rebuke with all authority bears upon how youth and the church spend holidays, money, and time. Youthful zeal and ardor are to be turned from games to glorifying God through real, good, well-organized efforts under instructors to be a blessing to others. All powers are to be trained and consecrated to service as in the school of the prophets. This is the education needed for the day of trial coming as a thief in the night.
Distinct People Taking Stand
Titus 2:13-15 describes God redeeming and purifying a people for himself as his own special possession, wholly his and marked as his own, heirs with Christ. That description applies to God's people in the last days as they look for Christ's appearing. They are to remain distinct from the unbelieving world rather than mingle with it and follow its practices, as ancient Israel did with the surrounding nations. They must not lose the marks of God's chosen people until they differ from the world only in name. Their holy calling and future inheritance are not recognized by the world.
That distinct standing requires moral courage to take an open, conscientious stand for Christ before unbelievers without being ashamed of him. It means following his humble, self-denying example and leaving the world's fashions and pleasures. Such a stand makes clear who is on the Lord's side and who is ashamed of him. Those awaiting Christ's appearing are to speak, encourage, and correct with full authority, and not let anyone despise the message or silence them by contempt.
This authoritative testimony is to be borne against pride and worldly fashions even when met with excuses and appeals to the example of others. Another person's example does not make wrong conduct right. Professed Christians whose failure to follow Christ's example harms others by influence place a stumbling block before the weak and must answer to God for it. The verse also calls believers to press together and calls sleepy churches to be aroused to understand the great work to be done.