Tag: younger women
Teach sound doctrine!
Scripture reading for October 9th: Titus 2
Paul gave detailed instructions to Titus concerning his need to teach sound doctrine. Sound doctrine is not just a set of rules or laws on how to live, but it it a decision to obey the Word of God and imitate Jesus Christ, our great Teacher.
“Teach older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the Word of God.” (Titus 2:2-5) Sound doctrine included practical teaching on how to live productively for the Kingdom of God in the social contexts of the day and time. Older men and women were the role-models for the younger. Self-control is mentioned for both men and women. Bringing our bodies under control of our will by the power of the Holy Spirit is sound doctrine! We must not live out of our feeling or passions.
“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, . . .” (Titus 2:7) Our example is strong teaching of sound doctrine. If our lives as Christians don’t reflect Jesus Christ, we have failed. It is by God’s grace that we can live out His Word. This grace teaches us to say ‘no’ to ungodliness and live self-controlled, upright and lives while we wait for Jesus’ promised return! (Titus 2:11-14)
Pastoring the flock!
Scripture reading for October 20th: 1st Timothy 5:1-25
Pastoral ministry involves working with people. A young pastor has to be taught how to properly work with all the different age groups in the church as well as the maturity levels of the believers. When a preacher is young, older people have a tendency to look down on them. Proper manners were needed for order and godliness.
“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” (1st Timothy 5:1-2) A rebuke is a correction of behavior given verbally. Paul taught Timothy to treat the older men as if they were his father. He still was required to correct them, but the manner was important to unity. Younger men were to be treated as brothers, and this respect would bring about cooperative behavior. The same applied to the women with older ones being treated like a mother and younger like sisters. There must be absolute sexual purity, however. Paul understood the temptations that would come naturally to a young man and young women interacting together! This is needed today as well!
Widows were also to be cared for properly. The church has a responsibility to help these women, especially if they have been godly women and are left alone through the death of a husband. Family members were to be taught to take care of their widows in their own immediate family if possible. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” (1st Timothy 5:8, 16) Widows over sixty who had been faithful to their husbands and known for good deeds were to be cared for.
Elders who directed the affairs of the church were also to be financially compensated. Paul taught Timothy that he could expect to be compensated for preaching and teaching God’s word. (1st Timothy 5:17-18) But elders must also be held accountable for their actions. If they needed to be corrected, accusations must be brought by two or three witnesses. If true, the elder was to be rebuked publicly so all would be warned. (1st Timothy 5:19-20) Good pastors would keep these instructions without partiality! What a privilege to lead God’s people!