Read Titus 2:1-15 (ESV) and notice the following:
Verse 1: But as for you, teach…
Verse 2: Older men are to be…
Verse 3: Older women are likewise to be…
Verse 4: Train younger women to love…
Verse 6: Likewise, urge the younger men to be…
Verse 9: Slaves are to be…
Paul commands Titus to teach men, older women, younger women, younger women and slaves to do or be this or that. What for? What’s the purpose?
Verse 10: SO that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
The word “Adorn” is the same Greek word as that of 1 Peter 3:3-5 where Peter instructs women not to let their adorning be external. As a bride adorns herself with braids and jewels to embellish her beauty, so we are to put on display the beauty and excellence of the doctrine of God our Savior.
What’s the motivation here? Why should anyone have listened to Titus’s teaching about godliness?
Verse 11-14: FOR the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us (why?) to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
So let’s work it in reverse: Our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, gave himself for us to purify us as his own possession. He has caused our hearts to be zealous for good works and is training us to renounce ungodliness. We then desire to display Christ’s beauty and excellence by adorning this doctrine through obedience in godliness. Now that you understand the why…the purpose of it all…let that motivate you to memorize the “what” we’re called to do and be of verses 1-9 and apply it to your lives.
