◄ What Does Titus 2:4 Mean? ►

Timothy was a young pastor to whom Paul passed on much valuable information about things which are fitting for sound teaching and wholesome doctrine. Not all doctrine covers issues of justification for the lost. Most of Paul's advice concerns righteous living for the saved and gives instruction on our interactions with fellow believers. Much of his teaching is linked with our progressive sanctification, maturing in the faith, and growing in grace.

Paul obviously recognised that the knowledge and wisdom of elders ought to be passed on for the benefit and training of the younger generation, and in this passage, we see him offering advice on valued interaction within a church congregation. Older men and mature women are schooled in behaviour that is appropriate for their station.

Men are encouraged to be sober, respectful, temperate, and sound in faith, love, and patience, while older women are urged to exhibit reverent behaviour, be circumspect in their demeanour, and be careful to curb their tongues. They are exhorted to speak wisely to younger and more inexperienced women... while giving them both encouragement and godly guidance.

God instituted marriage and the family unit... and in this verse, we find him instructing older women to avoid getting involved with malicious gossips or to become enslaved to much wine. Rather, they are exhorted to teach that which is good: "So that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible and pure, to be industrious at home and kindly to others - being subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of God will not be dishonoured."

There is a great and important responsibility for those that are advancing in years, to teach and train the younger generation in the things of God so that they may increase in knowledge and wisdom in their daily lives, and grow in the fear and nurture of the Lord themselves - so that they are also prepared to pass on godly graces and the benefits of virtuous living to their own children and their children's children.

Every Christian is a member of the Body of Christ, but too often the works of the flesh and the old sin nature allow ungodly thoughts, words, and deeds to expose a carnal attitude that is trying to disguise itself inside a spiritual coating.

The question is asked in Proverbs: "Who can find a virtuous woman?" And yet, if every believer were to follow the wise instructions that we find in Paul's directive to wives and women in his various epistles... the Body of Christ would be enriched with godly women who would teach younger ones to exhibit the qualities of the virtuous woman in the book of Proverbs... by encouraging them to: "Love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the Word of the Lord will not be dishonoured."

Heavenly Father, thank You for the mothers and women that have influenced those around them, in godly living and virtuous behaviour. I pray that in these increasingly difficult days, all of us, both women and men, would seek to live godly in Christ Jesus, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that Your Word would not be dishonoured in our lives and others would be attracted to the beauty of Christ, through our living testimony. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.