“But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.” Titus 2:1
The basis for a holy life
In Titus 2, Paul tells Titus not to be like the false teachers; instead, contrast their work. The word “sound” here in regards to doctrine is better translated as “healthy.” Paul only has two categories of doctrine: unhealthy and healthy (based on the gospel of Jesus).
Healthy doctrine is massively important because it’s the basis for a holy life. In Titus 1, Paul warns Titus that the problem in Crete was false teachers who were coming in and imposing rules and regulations on the Cretans. It may have been an early form of Gnosticism and possibly combined legalistic Judaism and weird, mystical beliefs. Paul’s whole point to Titus was it’s not going to help the Cretans because they’re lazy, gluttonous, evil beasts. Adding more rules and regulations won’t change them from the inside out to be people who live, think, speak, and act like Jesus. The Cretans need healthy doctrine.
When healthy doctrine ≠ holy lives
What happens, though, when healthy doctrine is being preached but holy lives aren’t forming? I liken it to what I saw when I was at the hospital when my children were born. There were babies there who were getting all the nutrients, but not growing properly. The doctors knew there was something not working internally that needed correcting, or the baby would die.
If we’re receiving good doctrine but somehow the outcome isn’t a holy life, something is broken inside. I would argue that many times it’s because we’re not approaching healthy doctrine in a good way.
Healthy doctrine should lead to repentance and faith
Some people have a digestion problem when it comes to healthy doctrine. I’ve met hateful, un-Christlike people who know doctrine backward and forward. It’s because they’re approaching doctrine as if it’s an argument to be won or data to be mastered, rather than something to be ingested that heals their soul. Doctrine doesn’t just need to be known intellectually, it needs to work its way into our hearts through repentance and faith so we can live, think, speak, and act more like Jesus.
Our response to healthy doctrine should always be to repent from sin and place our faith in Christ. The same way we’re justified is the same way we’re sanctified. When we look at healthy doctrine and see that our lives are misaligned with the gospel of Jesus, we should openly admit that. We shouldn’t hide it or try to fix it; we should turn from it and trust Jesus. His righteousness is enough, not only to forgive us from our sin, but also to free us moving forward, in the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we can become men and women who feel, think, speak, and act like Jesus.
This is Pastor Dave’s fifth post on Titus. Check out parts one, two, three, and four.
