Becoming Titus 2: Teaching What is Good

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Titus 2:3-5 NIV 

³Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Welcome to a brand new discussion on the topic of becoming a Titus 2 woman.  This is a fantastically rich journey, as we ponder the Word and its application.

Today, we are looking at the third portion of verse 3, "but to teach what is good," as we ask the question, "How do we teach what is good?"  I love the opportunity we have to ponder this question. There are dozens and dozens of ways we could answer this question.

First, however, we need to reach some mutual understanding of what “good” means. In our culture, where good is more of a feeling than something concrete, we can’t assume that the definition of good is universal. In my humble opinion, teaching what is good completely and utterly applies to the Scriptures. We are to know the Word, apply it in our lives, and teach the next generation the intricacies of Biblical living.

Ironically, however, this is where it all begins to breakdown, since each person’s interpretation of Scripture varies. Just look at how many denominations have formed over such differences. Some raise hands. Some kneel. Some cover heads. Some cover legs. Some wear only skirts. Some process for communion. Some receive in their pews. Even though there is one Bible, full of instruction on Godly living, there are hundreds of applications. So where do we begin in seeking to teach what is good?

It starts with Jesus. We begin by teaching salvation by faith alone as revealed in the Scriptures and made possible by God, who offered His Son Jesus to be our suffering servant. We remember His blood shed of our sins, His prophesied death on the cross, and ultimately His resurrection. We take the Bible -- Old Testament and New -- and share the stories about our God. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Our God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. 

It continues with humility. We admit that we don’t understand all of the Scriptures and apart from the indwelling Holy Spirit would know nothing at all about the Word and applying it to our lives.  In our own nature we are spiritually blind.  It is God who opens our eyes and gives us understanding. We humble ourselves before God, seeking His will for our lives and how to apply the truth. As the Lord teaches us, we in turn teach others.

It finishes with grace. Our words, actions, and thoughts must be full of God’s grace. As we teach, we must come from the place of realizing that what we understand to be true is only because the Lord has, in His extravagant grace, imparted it upon us. We also proceed in His grace, realizing that man is fallible and God is not. We might be wrong, plain and simple.  And, as women teaching “what is good,” we must also be teachable, as we submit to in authority over us through the guidance and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.


Ultimately, in order to teach what is good we need the Word, Jesus, humility, and grace. Then we can step out in faith, and teach the others the goodness of God in so many unique and perfectly ordained ways. We can teach formally, in a Sunday school classroom or girls club at church. We can teach informally, at home as we raise up our daughters and sons, impressing on their hearts the things of God. We can teach over a cup of tea with a teenage gal, through sharing stories of our own lives. We can teach at Bible study and luncheons, giving both testimony and instruction in the Word. We can teach as we set an example in our jobs, while running errands, serving behind the scenes, honoring our husbands.

The world is a classroom for every human soul. God will use us to teach another, simply by what we say and do.  As followers of Christ, that example needs -- that good thing -- ought to be God's thing.

My friend, are we teaching the good thing?

I pray you will join me in this open discussion and transparent time of reflection, that we would grow together in the Word as we become Titus 2 women.  Feel free to share your thoughts in a comment below or leave a link to a post at your blog.


By His Grace & Mighty Power,

Enjoy our previous discussions...

Jan ~ Beliefs about Titus 2 in Today's Culture
Feb ~ What does it mean to be reverent?
Mar ~ What does it mean to be slanderers and addicted (to too much wine)?

 

Join Us Again...

May ~ How do we train the younger women? Who are the younger women?
Jun ~ How do we train the younger women to love their husbands?
Jul ~ How do we train the younger women to love their children?
Aug ~ How do we learn to be self-controlled and pure?
Sep ~ What does it mean to be busy at home?
Oct ~ What does it mean to be kind?
Nov ~ What does it mean to be subject to our husband?
Dec ~ How does becoming a Titus 2 woman cause the Word of God to not be maligned?