Titus 2:1 But [as for] you, teach what is fitting and becoming to sound (wholesome) doctrine [the character and right living that identify true Christians].
There is the ministry of evangelism to win the lost at any cost. But then there is the ministry of the Teacher, those who help disciples mature into the fullness of HIS glory that resides within each TRUE believer who submits to HIS LORDship. That is, they keep HIS commandments. Obedience that triumps over self will and lust, is our identity in HIM, as well as our love one for another.
2 Urge the older men to be temperate, venerable (serious), sensible, self-controlled, and sound in the faith, in the love, and in the steadfastness and patience [of Christ].
In my case, I have to urge the younger men since I am older than most. Never the less, we are all called to temperate (showing moderation or self-restraint). In other words, it is difficult to imagine a "disciple", who is not disciplined by his/her allegiance to the one who is the focus of their discipline. The two go hand in hand. Following CHRIST is the consumation of all our awakened hours.
For example, look at olympic athletes. The decision to become an olympic athelete is made at a very early age. And the would be athlete begins a vigorous discipline of training that takes up every spare moment from that point on. Everything and all energy is devoted to this discipline. And this continues until hopefully one day the starter will signal the beginning of the race, and a life time of effort explodes into action. How much more, we who follow HIM? Sad thing is, this kind of discipline (HOLY LIVING) is not taught in most churches. What a disgrace. It's like entering a couch potato in the 100m dash in the olympics. By the time they figure out what a "starting block is", the race is over. Absolutely no chance of running the race, much less finishing well. If you don't run, there is no finish. Where are the runners in the kingdom of YEHOVAH? Todays church is like the Olympics without athletes .No one even shows up for the race. They are all still in the box hearing about other athletes in days gone by. What a disgrace and dishonor to our LORD who calls us all to RUN. We enter the race of TIME. Time that for many will slip away, without ever knowing there was a race to enter, much less participating in such an event. Friend, watching the Olympics on TV is not the same as being an Olympic Athlete. No one is going to knock on your door, and give you a gold medal. Even if they did, the significance of the medal would be worthless, since there was no discipline in training, and no participation in the race. We are in a race against TIME. Time is running out for Training. If an Olympic Athlete begins early in life to train and discipline himself (following a very strict and focused protocol and lifestyle, how much more the new creation life? Sad thing is, most of the world has not even heart of the race for life. Eternal life. Even if they did, their time for peak fitness has come and gone. Their hope of ever winning a medal fades into wishful thinking and fades from view.
But wait, there is hope. There is ONE who has finished the race, and has offered to share HIS victory with us. I wonder if you know HIM today? Or have you just heard about HIM? Billions have yet to hear. Can you imagine? And pastors have the nerve to boast about "their church"? What a dismal failure. They sometimes send couch potatoes to compete in this race for life. Where oh where is the victory medal? Anything other than the CROSS if a fake.
People watch the Olympics and deep inside wish they were a medal winner. It's the same in churches the world over. They read books and watch videos of heroes of faith like George Muller and William Booth. They wish they could be like that. But have not a clue of how to ever reach such a lofty goal. They don't know how to begin. They don't know how to be "born again" in communion with HIS death, that in resurrection POWER they may live again, in the new creation life. Worse, some are telling them that if they speak a prayer of faith, and go to "church" every week, them somehow they are a winner. Oh my, we need a move of YEHOVAH in our midst.
Churches today claim to be making disciples, those disciplined in the way of the MESSIAH. What they offer is sawdust for Wheaties ( a boxed breakfast cereal that claims it is the breakfast of champions). And eventually the inevitable happens. The would be disciple falls over dead into the grave of HELL, from spiritual malnutrition. What a dismal failure. And the casualties liter the landscape as our young people are swept away into fads of sinful lusts, that do have pleasure for a moment, until the trap is sprung, and they fall headlong into ETERNAL TORMENT.
Parents, are you children disciplined by the GOSPEL, and trained for enlistment into HIS humble service? Or do you just let them do what they will as time and opportunity passes by and fades from view. Fast forward a couple hundred years. Imagine leaning near to the gates of HELL and listening to the screams of torment. What's that? Do you hear your children screaming there? Will you be right there with them?
REPENT or you will likewise PERISH! That's what HE said. Stop wasting what few precious moments of life you have yet to live. Enlist in HIS army, and fight the good fight of FAITH.
Everyone is a teacher. Question is, what do you teach? Not in words, but how you live? Is it "sound doctrine"? Or is it the riches and cares of this world in the cauldron of gluttony and lust?
