Walking in Peace Ministries

The way we are raised, our core beliefs and traditions can often work against us when it comes to living out a testimony with a godly persona.  That seems to be the case as evident in the lives of the believers at Crete in this N.T. account.

Every Christian needs to grow in grace and humility, strength and knowledge, in order to represent Jesus Christ and walk a godly walk.  Paul left Titus in Crete (vs. 5) and he instructed Titus to teach and rebuke the believers in order for them to leave behind the lifestyle that had been part of their lives.  Crete and its inhabitants had the deplorable reputation of low morals and debauchery, possibly due to its great excess from it's agricultural and trading success.  If this first century church was going to grow in Christ it was going to have to turn its back on its traditions that were counter productive to the church at Crete.  The believers would have to repent and move forward with dignity and love and along with their profession of faith in Christ Jesus; they were to walk according to His truth.

Crete, the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean is 100 miles southeast of Greece.  Paul mentions the people to be dishonest, lazy and gluttonous in chapter 1:12 and in fact quotes the Cretan poet and prophet Epimenides (a 6^th century BC native of Knossos, Crete) who said that Cretans are always liars, evil brutes and lazy gluttons. (NIV)

Paul's instructions to Titus, indeed is directed toward the believers in the church there; for after all, you don't expect non believers to put on the image of Christ and as then; today in 2009 we also are instructed to put on the image or the new man as scripture puts it. Colossians 3:9 states  "seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds; and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him"  KJV (Additional verses: Romans 6:6; Ephesians 4:22)

In saying that, it is all the more disturbing that Paul is talking about believers at Crete when he in 2:12 mentions their troubling reputations.  I don't think I would like to have been in Titus' shoes when it came to tackling the condition of the church with messages to individual groups. 

As mentioned in The Role of the Christian Woman - Titus 2  Part 1 the attitudes and actions of the body are spelled out clearly with special mention to responsibilities. 

It is important that we understand Paul's mindset if we are to understand his thoughts about women and their spiritual walk and ministry. Paul recognized the sin in the camp and knew what grieved the Spirit of God would also delay growth and blessing to the church.

Let's look specifically at Titus's instruction for the women.

Titus 2:3 The women apparently had difficulty with their wagging tongues to the point of lying; drinking to excess and unbecoming behavior.  The aged or mature women were to be taught to do right and then they would be able to go on to encourage (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."  (NIV vs. 4, 5) 

As a 'mature' woman myself, I have looked carefully at the responsibility that has been passed on to me from Paul.  First, I must be taught by the word of God as to my role.

a)  I must be reverent in the way I live

b)  I must not use my tongue in any hurtful fashion (gossip, slander, vulgarity etc.)

c)  I must not be addicted to wine (or any harmful drug which dishonors God's vessel)

d)  I must teach what is good.

In order to be reverent or live a respectable and godly life I must comprehend what that entails.  Secondly, I must discipline myself and control my tongue which means I must control my thoughts.  The two go hand in hand when dealing with this smallest member of the physical body.  "the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, so is the tongue among our members" James 3:6   The NIV states "it corrupts the whole person" (James 3:6b)

Thirdly,  I have heard many excuses for drinking alcoholic beverages.  I have never understood the need for it even before I was saved, but the Word makes it clear that out of control drinking is against godliness.  So I stand on that.  I have enough growing to do in my own life; I have sin that I continually bring before the Lord to leave there so I am not in the position to judge anyone who drinks and yet- I ask 'why would anyone want something or someone to be in control of their thoughts and actions- other then themselves?'  Whether it be alcohol, drugs or food; when these things invade our lives to the point they control our lives, we cannot claim to be walking reverently.  Our testimony falls short of the love, strength and wisdom that God promises when instead we become weakened and constrained to the ways of this world.  Forgive me but I just don't get it.  I mean, we have enough temptations in our lives, burdens and fears that attempt to control us, why would we knowingly make a decision to turn our lives over to a substance?  It grieves the Spirit and hurts the heart of God. 

I know this because I have observed for a life time what happens to those who relinquish their rights over to controlling substances.   Some of the distinct personality changes that I have observed are those who become foolish, stubborn, vulgar, sleepy, risky, dangerous, mean, silly, risqué, dishonest, argumentative and hateful.  You may argue by saying that "my husband just gets mellow and sleepy and if he is going to drink, well, I would prefer that he goes to bed and sleeps it off."  That might be a good argument if there weren't so many deaths due to sleepy drunk drivers or work related accidents due to lack of alertness for those who have imbibed in a liquid lunch.  My point being, that none of these examples are God honoring or represent the holiness of the one we are to personate.  None of the afore mentioned traits imitate the attributes of Christ.

...and fourth, the 'good' we are to learn will parallel the Gospel.  If it is contrary to the word of God then it is not of Him. 

Then... when the mature woman has learned what is good she is to mentor and train the younger women. 

Looking around today, the family unit has crumbled.  Though controversial, the common belief is that 50% of Christian couples will end in divorce.  Woman who have fought for equality in the work force have also fought for it in their homes, the problem with this is they miss the blessings of being the woman of the house. They might as well hang "The Unisex Household" on the front door of their house.  The word 'submit' (Eph. 5:22) makes their skin crawl and they see themselves in a lower class role in the household.  When in reality when we submit-we are submitting to the will of God.  It is His desire.  If Jesus stood before you and asked anything of you, you would move mountains to please him, yet we vacillate at the direction in his word.

What a privilege it is to be chosen by God; to be used by Him for his purpose.  We are simply asked to mentor the women coming up behind us who have the same needs as we did including honest and positive direction with successful results.  If you are the younger woman in need of direction don?t hesitate to let someone know.  The art of mentoring is handed down through the scriptures. 

            New or baby Christians need to be discipled and new wives and moms need to be counseled.   "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?" (2:4-5 NIV).   WHY?  "so that no one will malign (blaspheme) the word of God."  (2:5b)

Our lifestyle, the decisions we make, the way we act and look, our attitudes should all be in line with the word of God.  The Christians life should match what the Christian says - our lives should spread the Gospel not hinder it.

When we are on the right track, doing as God bids us to do we find a genuine peace that comes from God himself.  Take time to analyze your daily walk.  Are you praying thoughtfully to God in the name of and trusting his Son?  Are you living a lie so that your hypocrisy is showing?  If you need to change then by all means DO IT.  You may not be able to do it alone, that's why God is always there.  He will never, never, never fail you if you line up to His will and dedicate your actions to him.