Titus 2:3-5 "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; 4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

Review

This is the sixteenth message in our verse-by-verse study of Titus. All the messages in this series are posted www.sermonaudio.com/fbcoc.

Today, I want to review our study of Titus 2. We have looked at the…

 Sober – He is a clear thinker. He is able to discern clearly which things are of the greatest importance and value.

 Grave – Grave means to be serious. The word points to seriousness of purpose and to self-respect in conduct.

 Temperate – Means to be self-controlled and to curb one’s desires and impulses.

 Sound In Faith – Men need to know what they believe and why they believe it.

 Sound In Charity – It is the love that a Christian should have for God, for Christ, and the love that Christians should have towards Christians.

 Sound In Patience – Means patient enduring, perseverance, steadfastness.

We have looked at the…

 They Are To Be Holy – That is, godly examples of holiness.

 They Are Not To Be False Accusers – Not to spread malicious gossip or rumors.

 They Are Not To Be Addicted To Much Wine – Not to be enslaved to alcohol

 They Are To Be Teachers of Good Things – To teach the younger women things that are solid and substantial, useful and improving, honest and honorable, chaste and pure.

We have looked at the…

 Sober -- Disciplined in mind and disciplined in life.

 Love their husbands – This means to be fond of, or affectionate to one’s husband. It indicates that there is to be a "close friendship" between them.

 Love their children – This means to be fond of, and affectionate to children.

 Discreet – Means to be prudent, especially in their thinking and in their dress.

 Chaste – Means to be chaste in body, in affection, words and actions, having their love pure and single to their own husbands.

Focus

In this message we will finish up the… Prescription for Younger Women – vs. 4-5

• Keepers At Home – 5

The phrase keepers at home is a translation of the Greek the word oikourov oikouros (oy-koo-ros’) which literally means caring for the home. Matthew Pool says, this is a reference to "house-wives, not spending their time in gadding abroad, but in looking to the affairs of their own families." It is not an easy job to be a wife and a mother. A married woman’s duties are to be a good wife, a good mother and overseer (manager) of the home.

Our families, in fact, our nation have been greatly hindered because too many men have not highly valued the work of stay-at-home moms! Being a stay-at-home mom is God’s design for the family. Families are coming apart at the seams because mom is completely out of the home and therefore exerts little influence on the children. Men, do all you can to see that your wife’s primary focus is the home. Also, realize that being a wife, mother and home manager is NOT an easy job.

A word to you young ladies who are not yet married: I urge you to look for a Christian man who understand the importance of your being a stay-at-home mom so you can rear the children!

Let’s move on to the next thing in the list…

• Good

Good is a translation of the Greek word agayav agathas (ag-ath-as’) and implies being pleasant of nature, upright, decent, and the whole spectrum of that which is proper. Vincent puts it this way – The mistress of the house is to add to her thrift, energy, strict discipline, and a gracious, heartily kind demeanor.

• Obedient To Their Own Husbands

Why should a woman be obedient to her husband? It is because that is the way God designed it! Turn in your Bibles to Ephesians 5:23 "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body."

Let’s look at the word that underlies our English word obedient. It is upotassomenav hupotassomenas (hoop-ot-asso-men-as). It is a very descriptive word in the Greek. In fact, it is a Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden". The idea is a woman putting herself under the authority of her own husband.

Now, nearly every time I teach this, I get the question after the service on this order – "How far does that apply?" There are two passages of Scripture I usually point them to. The first is Acts 5:29 "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men." Here is how that applies. If you husband asks you to sin…to do something that Bible forbids, or not do something the Bible commands, you must "obey God" rather than you husband. To be sure, don’t be snooty when you refuse. In fact, be meek in your approach and explanation of why you cannot do what he asks.

However, far too many women do not obey their husbands, not because their husbands are asking them to sin, but because they just don’t want to do what he asks. I would point you to a careful study of 1 Peter 3:1-6.

Wives, it is clear. You are commanded to obedient to your own husband.

Finally, in wrapping up the instructions to the younger women Paul writes that they are to do this "that the word of God be not blasphemed." The Christian women who rebels against these instructions and will not order their lives accordingly runs the risk of causing the unsaved reproach [rail at, revile, blaspheme] Christianity a being of no value.

John Wesley put it this way – "That the word of God be not blasphemed" means that the word of God is "evil spoken of; particularly by unbelieving husbands (or even backslidden husbands), who lay all the blame on the religion of their wives."

I have seen this happen all too often in my nearly 36 years of ministry. It is important that a wife be – sober, love her husband, love her children, be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good and obedient to her own husband, that the word of God be not blasphemed.