Live Well-Pleasing in the World~A Study in Titus 2

Do you remember when you were younger and you were getting ready to go out with your family maybe to dinner at a friends house or to a play…and  your parents would say to you, “now ___________ insert your name. I want you to be on your best behavior.” I have said that many times to my own children.

We expect our children to honor and respect  those whom they come into contact with. It is no different with our Christian walk. When we go out into the world there is a specific behavior that we are called to. We are to be well-pleasing to God first and then to those whom we come into contact with.

Reading through Titus chapter 2 and the first 2 verses of chapter 3 we observe quite a few verses that call us to live a “well-pleasing” behavior before God and those we come into contact with in the world. Paul has already related to us the godly behavior that is to be ours in the church and in our homes. Now he is going to walk us out the front door of our churches and our homes and show us a great big world awaiting us.

This is where Christianity hits the road. How are we going to respond to our unsaved bosses, our unsaved government officials, and anyone else we may meet while we are out there? We cannot hold up in our homes or church buildings hoping that the world will just  go away. The world is our mission field. Your mission field may be your workplace. Your mission field may be your neighborhood… it could even be your hair salon or the grocery store.  Where ever it is we are called to go…

Matthew 29:19-20, ” Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the earth.”

 Ok, Lord, I Am Going:

So, how am I to act while I am in the world? We are Christ’s ambassadors. We are His representatives to the world. Praise God He has sent men and women out! If He had not where would you and I be?

Before we step out of  our doors I think it would be good to remember who we were and what our actions were prior to conversion. I love God’s reminders! They keep me humble. I need reminded often.

Titus 3:3 says, ” We were once foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.”

Look at this list!

• Foolish
• disobedient
• deceived
• enslaved to various lusts and pleasures
• hateful…

Ouch! And those words were referring to me.

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us..”

Those of us who Christ has saved, have been changed, we are no longer described as the adjectives above, nor are we guilty. Christ has redeemed us.

Now.. it is our responsibility and our privilege to go and show Jesus to a lost and dying world.

• Paul’s first stop is in the workplace.

“Urge the bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith.”

We know that he is speaking to Christian slaves and giving them instruction as to how to act towards their masters.  We do not live in a time wHere we have slaves but we do have bosses that we work for. Scripture is applicable in all ages, so these verses  apply to those who are out in the workplace.

In Everything Be Well-Pleasing

• Be subject to your own master:To be under the control of another.
• Do not be argumentative:Do not talk back, refusing or disobeying.
• Do not pilfer: Do not steal.

Do your job. By your words and your work prove to be someone who can be trusted. Be faithful in everything, show yourself loyal.

•  Our Next stop: Rulers and authorities. Paul Instructs Titus to remind them,

“Be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,”

Those  whom God has placed in authority.The president, Governors, Kings, the Court System, Police Officers. We are to place ourselves under their authority.

In Everything be Well-pleasing:

• Be obedient: be obedient to laws that have been placed over us
• Be ready for every good deed

These behaviors reflect our attitudes towards those God has put into authority.

• Next Stop: All men: Not just our bosses, our governing authorities  but all men. Paul tells Titus again remind them,

“To malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle. showing every consideration to all men.”

In Everything be well-pleasing

• Do not malign anyone: do not slander or speak harm of anyone
• Be placable:Do not quarrel, nor fight
• Show all consideration for all men.Be patient in the midst of difficult circumstances. Do not be overly impressed with your self-importance. Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought.
• Be gentle

Paul has given separate lists for each different place we find ourselves. But, they all apply in all circumstances. When the word says all men I believe it to means all men. In the workplace,those in governing authority and everyone else.

Why do we have to act this way towards men? Titus 2:10 gives us the answer.

” So that we will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”

Look at the way other translations interpret this verse. Sometimes it is easier to understand something written a little bit differently. These translations to not twist or distort what Paul is saying.

so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive (NIV)

Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way (NLT)

so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior (NRSV)

Then, in everything they do they will make the teaching of God our Savior attractive (ICB)

Then they will show the beauty of the teachings about God our Savior in everything they do (GWT)

in all things doing credit to the teaching of God our Saviour (BBE)

In this way they will make people want to believe in our Savior and God (TLB)

Are our actions leading a lost and dying world to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?

What are some things you do to show Christ in your mission field?

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