Bible Study for Young Men from Titus 2:6-8

We are doing a Bible Study that will take us through the book of Titus. Most recently we have studied Biblical instructions to younger and older women and also to older men. I would encourage you to read these study posts as well. Here are the links: Bible Teaching for Younger and Older Women 

Bible Teaching for Older Men

But today the focus of our study is young men. At first thought you might think that it will be a teaching on how to treat a young woman or girlfriend or on remaining sexually pure. These are very important issues and you may be surprised to find a variety of instructions to young men in three short verses. So let's begin and see what these verses from Titus 2:6-8 will teach us. We will go through each verse in the study.

A Teaching to Young men - ( picture shutterstock.com )

Titus 2: 6-8

6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

 Verse 6 - Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

Here again we see the word sober minded. We have seen similar words of exhortation to women and to older men in previous studies. Young men are encouraged to live with a sober mind. This means to live intentionally and to make right choices with purpose. Sometimes a young man does not take the time to think through the choices he is making and he seems surprised when he must face the consequences of his actions. Here in Titus young men are strongly encouraged to be careful to be of sober mind.  Living sober mindedly first of all includes submitting your life to the Lord Jesus Christ in complete surrender. To do this is the most important thing you can ever do and then as you make Jesus Lord of your life and your first love, everything else in life will fall into place. With Jesus as your Savior, the Holy Spirit then indwells you and living according to Biblical teaching becomes clearer every day. So secondly, living sobermindedly would include living a life of integrity, being careful of the friends you choose, careful in entertainment choices and abstaining from alcohol, abstaining from drugs and smoking, and other addictions. Viewing and participating in pornography has no place in the Christian life. It is very dangerous to view and participate in pornography and lustful living and will have lifelong consequences in friendhips and it makes it almost impossible to have a good marriage. So please, please young men do not set yourself up for failure by viewing and participating in pornography, it is a terrible addiction. The Bible has very harsh words for anyone who is living in immorality. Please do not take this lightly. ( For a more complete look at what the Bible says about pornography/immorality, please read my blog post on this topic - link here Sexual Immorality ) 

Ephesians 5: 1-7

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

Verse 7- In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

Here in verse 7, a young man is encouraged to be an good example to those he come in contact with. Let your peers, friends, family and fellow employees see you doing good. A Christian should be the most loving, kind and helpful person anyone meets. When you feel that  prompting from the Holy Spirit, urging you to help someone and to show kindness, then do not hesitate to follow the Lord. 

Make it your habit to read and study your Bible every day. Set aside a time of day and a place where you meet with the Lord, and pray about everything - and just thank the Lord for things, what He has done for you, for His presence in your life and how He is guiding you, He has your best in mind and He will not disappoint you when you give your whole mind, soul, and body to the Lord Jesus.

The Lord would have men to be leaders, so be willing to follow the Lord in this. Study the Bible and be ready to teach others the pure Word of Scriptures.

Let everything you do be done with integrity, serving the Lord with intentionality.

Verse 8- 

Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you

Here in verse 8, young men are encouraged be be careful in speech. As quoted in the earlier passage from Ephesians, in verse 4 we read these strong words, as to what is not to be a part of our speech - so  Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks

So we see that foolish talking, or dirty jokes, are not to be a part of our conversations. Another translation reads -  Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.

 It is important to always be a man of truth. Satan is the father of lies and every lie you or I tell is pleasing to satan but entirely a sin and an offense to the Lord Jesus. 

Be encouraged young men - live your life with integrity, intentionality, truth, decency, purity, and love the Lord Jesus with all your heart. Put Him first in your every thought and decision and may the Lord richly bless you as you seek Him!!

THE HOLY BIBLE AND THE TV GUIDE

THE HOLY BIBLE AND THE TV GUIDE

They lie on the table 
side by side, 
The Holy Bible 
and the TV guide. 

One is well worn 
and cherished with pride, 
Not the Bible 
... but the TV guide. 

One is used daily 
to help folks decide, 
No, not the Bible 
... but the TV guide. 

As the pages are turned, 
what shall they see, 
Oh, what does it matter, 
turn on the TV. 

Then confusion reigns, 
they can't all agree, 
On what they should watch 
on the old TV. 

So they open the book 
in which they confide, 
No, not the Bible 
... but the TV guide. 

The Word of God 
is seldom read, 
Maybe a verse 
as they fall into bed. 

Exhausted and sleepy 
and tired as can be, 
Not from reading the Bible 
... from watching TV. 

So then back to the table 
side by side, 
Lie the Holy Bible 
and the TV guide. 

No time for prayer, 
no time for the Word, 
The plan of Salvation 
is seldom heard. 

But forgiveness of sin, 
so full and free, 
Is found in the Bible 
... not on TV. 

-- Author Unknown 

(from seekfind.net)

Bible teaching on - The Way a Woman Dresses

Proverbs 11: 22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion

There is a great need in our Christian church and community today to actually believe the Word of God - I mean believing it to the point of living accordingly. Of what benefit is it if we say we belong to Christ Jesus but do not obey the teaching of the Bible? The way a woman dresses is an area that the church refuses to address and yet it is very clear in the Bible what God requires. 

1Timothy Chapter 2. Verses 9 and 10 reads :  In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;  But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works

  As I read this Scripture I wonder why Christian women do not take this chapter to heart. To all the men and husbands out there - may I encourage you to speak up and tell your wife what the Bible says here, tell your sisters, and other women in your life and also speak up in your churches - if the Pastor won't speak to this issue, then may I encourage you to speak up about this anyway! To all the Christian women out there who are careful to be modest in how you dress - may the Lord richly bless you in many ways. To the Christian women who wear revealing and tight clothing may the Lord have mercy on you, you do not want to continue living like this and I urge you to pray earnestly to the Lord in repentance and I pray that you will decide today to honor God in all areas of your life including your dress.

 Verse 9 clearly says that women are to dress in modest clothing - women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;
 1 Peter says women are to be chaste - as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior
I looked up the word chaste in my dictionary and it says - virtuous, pure,simple and restrained in style or taste. Then I looked up modest and it says not showy, but pure and chaste.

Christian women all across our nations are dressing provocatively, so as to lure men to lustful thinking. They are most likely sitting in the pew in front of you on any given Sunday morning. This is not right. God hasn't just written these things in the Bible for the sake of filling up the pages - No He expects that we do what the Scriptures say. He has written it for our good and we would be wise to obey Him.  Do we as  women want to stand before God on the day of judgment and give account for our behavior which has destroyed many a man and many a marriage. God will hold women accountable for wearing the provocative, skimpy, sensual clothing because His Word clearly states that we are to be modest, pure and chaste. Beauty is in one's character, not in sensuality or in showing off your sexy or  flirting. 

I challenge every Christian woman to put off the sensual way of dressing and clothe yourself as a daughter of the King of Heaven! We are waiting to hear the words of our Saviour say "well done, good and faithful servant!" So we must obey the Word of God and be a light for the Lord in this dark and evil world!

 Remember the verses from Proverbs: As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion

Proverbs 31:30  - Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

This really boils down to an issue of pride verses the fear of the Lord - are we as women going to live in obedience to the Lord or are we going to spit in the face of the Lord ( so to speak )? It is prideful for a woman to think that it is acceptable to wear the short skirts and shorts, the low cut tops, the bare back and shoulders etc, - there will be a time of reckoning and it will be here sooner than we expect.

Proverbs 16: 17-18  The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Psalm 19:9-10 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

If Jesus gave His all for us - why would we continue to play around with sin??

Please take time to study all of the 1Timothy 2:9-15 passage :

 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.

 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

The Call to Holy Living

 1 Peter 2 : 11-12  Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

As we read and study our Bibles, we will find that the life of the Christian is very different from the life of a non-believer. This is largely due to the fact that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit residing within us. The Holy Spirit nudges us to live pure and holy lives. Lives that will please the Lord Jesus Christ who has washed away our sin with His own blood which He shed on the cross. We understand that it is not our own righteous ways that make us holy but only the blood of Jesus Christ can do that work within us. But after having believed and receivied Christ's gift of salvation into our lives, we then make every effort to please the Lord in our conduct in our daily lives. Therefore the Lord calls us to conduct ourselves with our hearts filled with grace, mercy, love and purity as we go about our daily routines - the love and fear of the Lord as a background in everything we do.
The word "holy" implies sacredness, being set apart to God, and belonging to Him. To be holy is to be set free from anything that offends God who is completely and perfectly holy.  The Bible teaches that we are called to holiness in 1 Peter 1: 14-16 where it says - as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.” By the power of the Holy Spirit within us we receive power to say "no" to the evil that we used to serve before we came to Christ. It is a decision to yield oneself to God entirely - to actually give Him the authority in one's life. Through study of the Bible, we come to understand what it is that pleases Christ and then it becomes a matter of doing what the Bible teaches. God has set the standard as to what is qualifies as sin and so as a Christian we yield to His standards even when we do not fully understand His ways. As we yield to the Lords's ways, and consistantly resist the devil and the temptations that he throws at us, we find that God is our strength, our hope and joy and our constant companion and friend.
Holy living is important because God commands it but also because God is glorified when we allow Him to work in us. In this way we become a testimony to the power of God. When our friends and family see that we have only one real desire - a desire to please Christ - we become a witness to them. The Holy Spirit will use our witness to draw them to also desire to live a holy life pleasing to the Lord.
The Bible teaches and we believe that every human who has ever lived will stand at the judgement seat of Christ one day and give account of the life lived here. We are all looking for the day when we hear the words from the mouth of the Lord Jesus in that day - welcoming us home.....saying -
 Matthew 25: 21 Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.