As a pastor, better yet, as a Christian, I am responsible for what I say and do and how it reflects on Christ.
It’s not about just living it for me, I must live properly in Christ for others.
Every Christian needs to!
This idea is reflected in Paul’s words to Titus.
But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience; the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things — that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Titus 2:1-5
After telling him in the previous chapter how to behave properly, Paul then continues to tell him why he needs to live properly in Christ.
First, so he can teach sound doctrine and teach others around him – the older men, the older women, wives, husbands, and children.
Much of what is said has already been studied in the previous weeks, however there are a few new things.
One note of interest is what Paul says to the young women – to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.
Though he seems to concentrate on the young wives, elsewhere in his writings he admonished the men on proper behavior in the marriage.
The very last few words – that the word of God may not be blasphemed, is an important statement. If each Christian lives in the way that Paul has described then there will be no cause for an unbeliever to blaspheme or call us hypocritical.
Since it is attached to the wife and the home surroundings it would seem that it all begins with the family!