Holiness In A Healthy Church (2)

“Speak sound doctrine that the aged men be sober” – sober-minded, balanced and temperate, not intoxicated with chemical substance or unrealistic ideas. The sober aged man is free from being intoxicated with pride or self-deception and he lives wisely, using his energy, resources and time carefully and selectively, knowing he does not have much time to waste. He keeps eternity in view and orders his priorities. He learns to be “grave” and weighty, not frivolous or careless. He keeps his “faith” sound, strong and steadfast, knowing that as his physical energy decreases, his faith will compensate for the lack. The older he gets, the more he realises that “charity” or love for others is what gives life value. He also needs to learn being “sound in patience,” as things may not happen the way or the time he expects them. Let the aged keep on listening, learning, loving, labouring, leading, longing and loosening; our redemption, our reward is nearer than when we first believed.

“The aged women” were to learn who they would be and what they should do. That church is really blessed that is adorned with the presence of spiritual older women in the Lord. The “behaviour” of the aged women is first addressed before their blessedness or teaching, influence and impact in the fellowship and family of God. In behaviour, they are to be holy – obeying the Lord’s commandments gracefully from the heart. The holiness will not be a virtue that is put on and put off like the dresses we wear, but an outflow from Christ, Who is resident within the heart. They are “not false accusers” or slanderers; these are mothers who love all their children in the Lord, brothers and sisters in the church and have no desire to hurt anyone with malicious gossip. They refuse to listen to, much less propagate hurting words about others. They love the young women and the young men, as they love their real children and will protect them from any hurt or harm. In all ways and in all things, they are “teachers of good things.”

These “aged women” are respectable, dignified Christian women, who “teach the young women to be” (1) sober, living by the standard of God’s word; (2) to “love their children”, teaching and training them, giving time and attention to them; (3) “to be discreet”, applying godly discernment and wise judgment in all relationship with other men and even women; (4) to be “chaste”, pure, modest with all passions subdued and kept under control; (5) “keepers at home”, being a good homemaker; (6) “good”, having more than natural goodness, but the higher goodness, which is a fruit of the Spirit abiding within her; (7) “obedient to their own husbands”, cultivating the same mind with the husband so that obedience really becomes what she wants to do from the heart, giving her real joy and delight. “The aged women” are to “teach the young women” and influence them with (1) godly example, (2) guided exhortation, (3) gracious expression, (4) gradual exposure, (5) growing edification, (6) gospel experiences, and (7) great encouragement.

Titus was to exhort, urge, teach, challenge and charge the young men to be sober-minded. Paul referred to Timothy as a “youth” or “young man” and he exhorted him to maintain “a pure heart and a good conscience”, to “war a good warfare, holding the faith, and a good conscience”, to “behave” and act reverently “in the church of the living God”, to be “nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine”, to “take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine”, to “continue in them”, to “meditate upon these things”, to “give thyself wholly to them”, to “do nothing by partiality”, to “follow after righteousness”, to “hold fast that good thing which was committed unto” him. In the same way and after the same manner, Titus was to exhort the young men. And so are we to exhort young men in the church to be sober-minded, to live for God and not for self, putting their passions and desires under control, rendering sacrificial service to God, to Christ’s body and to humanity, God’s creation.

In the New Testament, the age of young men range between 15 and 60. This period is very important and would be very useful to God and humanity, if the young men are well-guided. They are to be exhorted, entreated and encouraged to be prudent, discreet and serious in their passions, appetites and propensities. Everyone should be taught to live and act as if he were in the immediate presence of his Maker, King and Judge.

Further Reading (King James Version): Titus 2:1-6; 1 Timothy 4:6,15,16; Psalm 92:12-14; Hebrews 5:14; Romans 13:11-14; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Timothy 3:8-11; 1 Corinthians 9:25-27; Romans 4:20,21; Colossians 3:12-14; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; Luke 21:17-19; 1 Timothy 3:11; 2:9-15; 1 Peter 3:4-6; Luke 1:5,6,38-56; Proverbs 31:10-31; 1 Thessalonians 2:7-10; 1 Timothy 5:5,10; 2 Timothy 1:5; 1 Timothy 5:9-14; Ephesians 5:22-33; Proverbs 22:6; Psalm 119:9-11; Proverbs 1:4,5; 1 John 2:13-17; Philippians 2:2-5; Colossians 1:28,29; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:6-24.