Commentary
by Walter and Dean Albritton
Set a Good
Example by Doing the Right Thing
Titus 2:1 – 3:11
Key Verse: In
everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show
integrity, seriousness. – Titus 2:7
Charles Barkley
is well known for declaring that he is not a role model. A former professional
basketball player, now TV sports commentator, he may make that choice. However,
a disciple of Jesus Christ cannot. God expects every Christian to set a good
example. Christians set good examples by doing good, by seeking in all
circumstances to do the right thing!
Daniel
Webster said, “If religious books are not widely circulated among the masses in
this country, I do not know what is going to become of us as a nation. If truth be not diffused, error will be. If
God and His Word are not known and received, the devil and his works will gain
the ascendancy. If the evangelical volume does not reach every hamlet, the
pages of a corrupt and licentious literature will. If the power of the Gospel is not felt
throughout the length and breadth of the land, anarchy and misrule, degradation
and misery, corruption and darkness will reign without mitigation or end.” The
Prophet Jeremiah (2:7-8) said essentially the same thing:
“I brought you
into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled
my land and made my inheritance detestable. The priests did not ask, ‘Where is
the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled
against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.”
In verse 11 he says, “Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not
gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their Glory for worthless
idols.” The KJV renders this “that
which doth not profit.”
To do the right
thing one must look to the Word of God for direction on how to think. Paul said, “Whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are
pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there
be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians
4:8). “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). Jesus spoke
plainly to the Pharisees: “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say
anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good
man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man
brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him” (Matthew 12:34-35). So what is inside a person determines what comes out. Actions and deeds spring
from what we have stored within us. In
order to be ready to serve the Lord, we must pay attention to our thoughts,
especially since Jesus said, “For by your words you will be acquitted, and by
your words you will be condemned” (Matthew
Everyone
desires what is profitable [valuable].
This does not always mean money.
If Jeremiah is right and we know that he is, when we have the glory of
God upon us, that is profitable to us and to all those who come in
contact with us. In Titus, we have two
of the most comprehensive statements of Christian truth to be found in the New
Testament.
The first is found in Titus 2:11-14: “For the
grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to
say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled,
upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope
– the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave
himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a
people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.”
The second can
be found in Titus 3: 4-7. It is a
powerful statement: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he
saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which
he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior; That being justified
by his Grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life.” Observe that Paul goes on to say “And I want you to stress these
things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote
themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable
for everyone” (3:8).
Do you get
tired of everyone talking at once on news broadcasts? Often I cannot understand anything that they
are saying, so I turn the news off. My
mother always said, “You can’t learn anything while you are talking.” We know a mother who always answers for her
children. If you ask the child a simple
question, the mother will answer. Sometimes for fun, we will keep on asking the
children questions just to see how far the mother will go with her answers. Our
lesson from Titus tells us to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every
courtesy to everyone. This we must do even with those who never stop talking!
There is a
story of a mother, father and their little son going into a restaurant. After they are seated, the cheerful server
comes over and asks what she can bring them.
The father gave her his order and then the mother told her what she
would like. The little boy said quickly,
“I’ll have a hotdog with mustard and a large coke.” The mother said, “No, bring him a vegetable plate
with milk to drink.”
The server without batting an eye said to
the little boy, “Do you want catsup on your hotdog?” He said. “Oh yes!” When the server left to go after the food
the little boy said, “Wow, she thinks I am a real person.” How many people around you are cut off from
expressing themselves? So many people
want to be real people but the rudeness of those around them keeps them silent.
The Holy Spirit works in an orderly way.
The church must operate in an orderly fashion. Paul says, “there are many unruly and vain
talkers.” Have you ever been in a
meeting and you find yourself with your mouth open to say something and you can
never find a time to say anything? The letter of Titus is so clear about how we
are to treat each other. We can learn
something from every person we meet if we will only give each person a chance
to speak.
We are to avoid two things. First, avoid stupid controversies. If you do not know what this means, just turn
on the news and listen to the controversies over war records. Paul’s advice is clear: “”But avoid foolish
controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because
these are unprofitable [worthless]
and useless.” Second, avoid anyone who causes
divisions with the church. “Warn a
divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing
to do with him.”
Paul’s concluding advice to Titus is good
advice for the church today: maintain
good works. Our church is to be “God’s
The
profit in doing good? We find our eternal “profit” in the words of
Jesus: “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet
forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son
of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will
reward each person according
to what he has done” (Matthew