August 31, 2025
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In our last session, we studied the term “moral excellence” referred to in 2nd Peter 1:5-7. In that passage, the apostle urges us to apply diligence in our faith, which in turn supplies us with moral excellence, which leads us into knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. We drew a distinction between Godly morality and cultural or individual morality. Because the world’s morality is founded on unsound doctrine, which is influenced by mankind’s own desires, the Bible teaches us not to be conformed to the world, but instead to be transformed by the renewing of our minds to that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
In our search for moral excellence last week, we studied:
- Proverbs 6:16-19: the seven things that God considers an abomination: haughty eyes (pride and arrogance), hands that shed innocent blood, hearts that devise wicked plans, feet that run to evil, false witnesses who lie, and those who spread strife among brothers.
- 1st Corinthians 6: 9-11: the types of unrighteous people that, unless they repent, will not inherit the Kingdom of God: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers.
- Exodus 20:3-17: the Ten Commandments.
We acknowledged last week the challenge of avoiding the unrighteousness that would compromise our behavior morally, and we praised Father God for Jesus who sends us the Holy Spirit to help us crucify the flesh and to guide us toward the moral excellence that we need in our spiritual supply chain.
Today, I want to continue our focus on moral excellence by studying passages from Paul’s Epistle to Titus, a young pastor charged with setting in order the church at Crete. You may recall that Crete is a small island in the Great Sea that came into play on Paul’s fourth missionary journey. That journey set sail for Italy but was plagued with a bad storm such that they paused at a harbor of Crete. Despite Paul’s advice not to put out to sea, the pilot and captain of the ship decided to set sail. Then, when the storm came, everyone thought they were doomed to death until Paul got a word from the Lord that he was going to stand before Caesar, and therefore Paul encouraged the men that they would survive because of God’s promise. The Epistle to Titus was written upon Paul’s release from Roman captivity and addressed resuming the church plant at Crete and setting things in order.
Chapter 1 is devoted to the characteristic of the elders he should appoint for the church. We will begin in Chapter 2, which addresses the moral excellence that Titus should encourage in the congregation, both men and women, young and old.
Paul begins Chapter 2 by invoking the need for sound doctrine in our speech as we pursue the qualities of moral excellence. Remember we said the world’s morality is based on unsound doctrine because it is doctrine established according to mankind’s desires.
Morally Excellent Older Men
Titus 2:
1 ¶ But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.
2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. (NASB)
So, let’s stop here and zero in on what Titus is to instruct older men. The King James Version states verse 2 as follows:
Titus 2:
2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
Note the word “sober” in the KJV. Paul used the same word with Timothy (2nd Timothy 4:5) when he advised him on how to deal with those who would seek teachers of unsound doctrine in accordance with their own desires. We said last time that “sober” means to not come under the influence of that unsound doctrine. So, Paul is telling Titus that the older men in the church should not be under the influence of unsound doctrine based in their fleshly desires. Instead, they should discern between unsound doctrine and the sound doctrine which complies with the word of God.
The Greek word for “grave” means honorable, honest, and venerable, i.e., respected due to age and high character. The Greek word for temperate in the KJV means sound in mind, self-controlled, moderate as to opinion or passion, discreet, and sober. Temperance also implies not being a drunkard, but self-controlled, and moderate in all things.
Note verse 2 also requires men to be sound in faith, love, and perseverance. Recall that these characteristics were also cited in 2nd Peter 1:5-7 in what we called our spiritual supply chain: diligence applied to faith, which supplies moral excellence, which in turn supplies knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. So, the scriptures are very consistent in describing the Godly moral excellence that should drive our behavior.
Morally Excellent Women
Paul goes on to advise Titus on how to instruct women in their pursuit of moral excellence.
Titus 2:
3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,
4 that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 [to be] sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored.
I love that the older women should encourage the younger women to love their husband and children. I was fortunate to have a mother-in-law that encouraged Nancy to love her husband and children.
Next, Paul discusses young men and suggests that young Pastor Titus show himself to be an example of moral excellence.
Morally Excellent Young Men
Titus 2:
6 Likewise urge the young men to be sensible;
7 in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, [with] purity in doctrine, dignified,
8 sound [in] speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
Again, the Greek word for “sensible” in verse 6 encompasses the idea of a sound mind, sane, moderate, and sober minded. Verse 7 requires purity in doctrine, i.e., doctrine that complies with the word of God, not man’s desires.
Next, Paul prescribes morally excellent character expected of employees.
Morally Excellent Employees
Titus 2:
9 [Urge] bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative,
10 not pilfering, but showing all good faith that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.
What supervisor would despise well-pleasing, non-argumentative employees? You might just garner favor with your employer if you had those morally excellent traits.
Note verse 10 mentions “not pilfering.” Pilfering is embezzlement that involves stealing often in small amounts. We talked about swindlers last week in 1st Corinthians 6 and we defined it as those who obtain money or property by fraud or deceit. Once again, we see consistency in the scriptures relative to moral excellence. An employee working from home but not working a full day is pilfering his / her employer. As a consultant, I usually bill my clients based on hours worked on the honor system. They trust that I worked the hours I invoiced them. Moral excellence requires that I not pilfer my clients. Integrity and moral excellence require doing the right thing when no one would know if you did the wrong thing.
Paul closes Chapter 2 with the reason we should pursue moral excellence.
Reasons for Moral Excellence
Titus 2:
11 ¶ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus;
14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
15 ¶ These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
(NASB)
I love verses 11-12. It is the grace of God that instructs us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age. The grace of God extended to us by Jesus is worthy of our moral excellence. We should deny ungodliness and worldly desires and instead seek righteousness in appreciation of that grace.
Note that Verse 13 references the blessed hope of the Rapture and the appearing of the glory of Jesus, who gave Himself for our redemption from every lawless deed. He gave Himself to purify us as a people for His own possession, as a people zealous for good deeds, i.e., moral excellence.
In Chapter 3, Paul begins with instructions for us as citizens.
Morally Excellent Citizens
Titus 3:
1 ¶ Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed,
2 to malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.
Paul is telling us that moral excellence includes being a good citizen, obedient to laws, and ready to do every good deed. Some of us do a good deed and think we are done, but Paul is saying we should have an attitude that looks for a chance to do every good deed.
Further, he tells us to “malign no one, to be uncontentious, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.” The word “malign” means to speak evil of, defame, rail on, and revile. Remember that revilers are verbal abusers and are listed in 1st Corinthians 6 among those who will not inherit the Kingdom of God. There is so much maligning and reviling going on in our world today, but Paul is urging Titus to teach the people to refrain from it, in pursuit of moral excellence. Moral excellence requires us to be uncontentious, gentle, and considerate, which are fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Paul goes on in Titus 3 to explain again why we should pursue moral excellence.
More Reasons for Moral Excellence
Titus 3:
3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.
4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and [His] love for mankind appeared,
5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,
6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to [the] hope of eternal life.
In this contentious world, we should live in pursuit of moral excellence because we once were foolish and disobedient ourselves until our Lord Jesus saved us by grace and renewed us by the Holy Spirit.
Closing
In closing then, in studying Titus 2 and 3, we see the Apostle Paul helping to “set in order” a church at the small island of Crete. Paul’s advice to young Pastor Titus gives us great insight into what moral excellence is, and how the grace of God instructs us to live that way. The Apostle encourages us to pursue moral excellence as we await the Rapture with hope, and in appreciation of our salvation from the wrath to come.
Let us pray.
Father God, thank You for Your word which guides us into moral excellence. Help us to discern unsound doctrine and lead us to be temperate and self-controlled in all things. Lead us to be sound in faith, love, and perseverance. Teach us to be morally excellent employees and citizens, so that we might find favor with God and man. Help us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, as we live sensibly and righteously for You. Thank You for the blessed hope we have that Jesus is coming back to receive us as a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. And thank You for saving us from our foolish disobedience, not based on our deeds, but by Your mercy and love. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
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