Upright, Holy and Disciplined
Text Titus 1:8b Time 02/06/10 Place Childs Hill Baptist Church
We are looking at Titus 1:6-9. Titus you remember has been left in Crete to “straighten out” certain things, as Paul puts it, following the planting of churches on the island. Especially, there was a need to appoint elders in every town, as Paul had previously directed. This leads Paul to list the qualifications of elders in verses 6-9. It is one of two such lists in the New Testament. The other is in 1 Timothy 3. The list in Titus is really in three or four parts.
We are looking at Titus 1:6-9. Titus you remember has been left in Crete to “straighten out” certain things, as Paul puts it, following the planting of churches on the island. Especially, there was a need to appoint elders in every town, as Paul had previously directed. This leads Paul to list the qualifications of elders in verses 6-9. It is one of two such lists in the New Testament. The other is in 1 Timothy 3. The list in Titus is really in three or four parts.
1. (6) An elder must be blameless and a good family man - the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.
2. Then (7) Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless – followed by some five negatives and six positives. He must not be overbearing, quick- tempered, given to drunkenness, violent or one who pursues dishonest gain.
3. Rather (8) he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
4. Finally, he says (9) that He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, the reason being so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
As we have said, there are two obvious ways to use such verses
1. If you are an elder or would like to be one then here is the standard - quite forbidding in some ways but impossible given the grace of God. Elders should regularly look at such a passage – as painful as it is. It also serves as a guide to praying for present elders – that they will be as described here and for future elders - that they will attain to what is set down here.
2. Further, we can use these verses to examine ourselves, elders or not. Am I in my family setting all I ought to be? Am I seeking to be blameless – not overbearing, quick- tempered, given to drunkenness, violent or pursuing dishonest gain. Do I seek to be hospitable, a lover of what is good, ... self-controlled, upright, holy ... disciplined? And may be there are other applications too.
We have already asked at least 3 questions
1. What is the situation at home? There are two things. The elder must be
1 The husband of but one wife. This suggests a strong marriage and precludes an immoral man.
2 A man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. If he has children they must not be obvious rebels who break out in obvious ways.
2. How are you doing in these five areas? An elder is not only like a father over his family but also like a steward or manager over a household.
1 Using authority - Not overbearing – not self-willed, not self-pleasing or arrogant.
2 Not quick-tempered. An elder must not be the sort of person who easily gets angry.
3 Next we have not given to drunkenness. We must be hospitable but that can bring is the temptation to over indulgence. Take care.
4 The call not to be violent or not to be a striker may seem a little obvious. Why is it there? Perhaps because of the opposition that inevitably comes to most elders. Violence and intimidation are out of court for any who engage in Christian ministry.
5 The call to avoid pursuing dishonest gain.
3. How are you doing in these three areas?
In contrast to the five negatives Paul lists some six positives. We looked at these three last time
1. What about hospitality? Rather he must be hospitable. Hospitality is something that is spoken of very positively throughout the Bible and is something that all Christians are expected to give themselves too, not just elders.
2.What about loving what is good? one who loves what is good. This is very generalised. The actual word Paul uses is only found here but the idea is everywhere in the Bible.
3. What about self-control? who is self-controlled. The primary meaning of the word used here to be sane or in one's right mind. It means to have your faculties under control. It then came to be used for being temperate, sober-minded, having control of one's desires and impulses. Sensible in an ethical sense.
Tonight I want us to consider the other three points in verse 8. So
1. What about being upright?
Upright. The word used for upright or righteous or innocent is one found in many, many places throughout the Bible. To be righteous is to be as one ought to be. It is to be just, to be correct. Now in the fullest sense only Jesus Christ is righteous. He is the Righteous One. To be righteous before God it is necessary for us to trust in Christ and so be justified.
However, Paul is using the word here in a secondary sense – in the sense of being just and fair and honest towards all men. Obviously you cannot really have the one without the other. If you are not upright in the way you live – fair in judging yourself – then you will not be fair or just towards others.
Are you upright? Do yo lead a moral life, a good life? Are you obedient to God's Word? How are you in dealing with others? Are you fair? Are you just? Or are you biased – showing favouritism to one and being prejudiced against another? The people God uses are fair, upright, honest, true. They can be trusted to weigh up matters judiciously and to do the right thing.
2. What about being holy?
The word Paul uses for holy is not the more familiar one that points to being separate or distinct. This word means pure, unsullied, unspotted, free of pollution, untainted by sin. Those who serve God are to be pure and pious people who have been set free from what is wicked and seek to do what is morally pure. Again, we have to say that ultimately it is only Christ who reaches such a high standard. He is the Holy one. However, it is the duty of every true believer to seek to emulate that holiness in his daily life.
Think of how Paul writes, for example, in Ephesians 4:22-24 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:10 Paul wrote You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. What he himself practised he expected all elders to seek to live out.
Again we have to ask ourselves how well the word describes us? Are you holy or pious? Could you speak in the way that Paul does writing to the Thessalonians? Are you constantly seeking to put off the deceitful desires of your old self? Are you seeking to be made new in your attitudes, putting on the self and so seeking to be like God in true righteousness and holiness? Holiness is absolutely vital if we are ever to be of any use to God.
3. What about being disciplined?
The word used here evokes similar ideas to those of being self-controlled. Literally it means one in control of strength. It is used for being strong in a thing - masterful. Masterful is a word that the sports journalists like to use. So earlier this year one wrote about Andy Murray in the Australian Open
“The 22 year-old Scot gave a masterful display in dismantling giant American John Isner 7-6 6-3 6-2 to make the last eight at Melbourne Park, where he was awaiting the winner of Rafael Nadal's match against another member of the giant brigade, Ivo Karlovic.”
In other words, Andy Murray has honed his tennis skills to such a degree that beating the American was still difficult but not that difficult – it was something he could do without too much apparent trouble. The strength in mind here is that which is able to resist carnal desires and appetites so that they do not lead to sin. Such self-discipline or self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is one of the things that Peter (2 Peter 1) urges believers to add to their faith - make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;and to knowledge, self-control .... Remember again Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
“The 22 year-old Scot gave a masterful display in dismantling giant American John Isner 7-6 6-3 6-2 to make the last eight at Melbourne Park, where he was awaiting the winner of Rafael Nadal's match against another member of the giant brigade, Ivo Karlovic.”
In other words, Andy Murray has honed his tennis skills to such a degree that beating the American was still difficult but not that difficult – it was something he could do without too much apparent trouble. The strength in mind here is that which is able to resist carnal desires and appetites so that they do not lead to sin. Such self-discipline or self-control is part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is one of the things that Peter (2 Peter 1) urges believers to add to their faith - make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;and to knowledge, self-control .... Remember again Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
What are you doing to take control of your body? How disciplines are you in your daily living? Do you sleep when you ought to sleep and wake when you ought to wake? Do you work when you should work and relax when you should relax? Have you built into your life time for the Lord on the Lord's day and then on the other days of the week – time for prayer, time for the Word? Are there times for the various things you have committed yourself to week by week? Are you using your time well? Are you making the most of every opportunity? Are you punctual and regular in your habits? The people God uses exhibit such characteristics.
Conclusion
I trust then that you have some idea of the graces Paul is speaking of here. Now how should we respond to this? What should we do? How should we react? In conclusion I want to say four things
1 First, we need to look again at our priorities and particularly our understanding of what makes a person useful to God. What sort of elders does a church need? What sort of deacons and Sunday School teachers, etc? Perhaps we think that what we need is people who are dynamic, men and women with vitality and enthusiasm – good speakers with fine personalities. Sometimes we are tempted to just look for anyone willing.
We need to look at ourselves too. What sort of people are we? What sort of people are we aiming to be? We can all have ambitions but what sort of people are we aiming to be? What qualities are we seeking to develop in ourselves? God is not interested so much in personality and great talents. What God's Word stresses is being upright and holy and disciplined. These are the things that count.
2. Second, clearly there is the need to confess our failure. We are guilty of quite wrong attitudes so often and in particular tonight we should be ashamed of our lack of uprightness, holiness and discipline.
3. Confession should lead to repentance. Merely to confess and not to repent is no good at all. We must change. We must turn away from our lack of uprightness and holiness and our ill discipline.
4. Above all we need to get a renewed vision of Jesus and what he has done. Think of his uprightness, his holiness, his discipline – seen every step of the way while he was here on earth. We need to focus on our Saviour and on his greatness. That is the only thing that will do us any good in the end.
It is only the grace of God that will enable us to say no to wickedness and impiety and ill-discipline. It is those who await the blessed hope – the return of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ – who will learn to be upright, godly and disciplined. Why did Christ die? To redeem for himself a people to be his very own. All who trust in him are part of that great company. They are being won back from wickedness and sin and being purified and disciplined to serve him.
It is only the grace of God that will enable us to say no to wickedness and impiety and ill-discipline. It is those who await the blessed hope – the return of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ – who will learn to be upright, godly and disciplined. Why did Christ die? To redeem for himself a people to be his very own. All who trust in him are part of that great company. They are being won back from wickedness and sin and being purified and disciplined to serve him.
Are you in that number? Have you put your faith in Christ? That is the only way to be upright and holy and disciplined. That is the only way to salvation. Only Christ can make you upright, holy and disciplined. No-one else can do it. Trust in him and in his power to enable you to say no.
