“Adorning the Doctrine”


BIBLE READING: Titus 1-3
DISCUSSION                                                       
                In Titus 2, we find Paul giving some simple instruction about what it means to teach “sound doctrine”.  I understand that not all of us are called to be teachers; in fact, James warns us that teachers will be held to higher standard for what they teach (James 3.1).  However, we all have some responsibility in sharing the good news about Jesus.  Paul illustrates to us that we do so by our behavior.  Like the old saying goes “our actions speak louder than our words”.  In fact, Peter encourages wives to treat their unbelieving husbands in such a way that they are won over to Christ by their behavior and not the use of words.  In Titus, Paul encourages us to do the same thing by adorning the doctrine of God (Titus 2.10).  That word “adorn” means “to garnish, to decorate, or to trim”.  It comes from the word that they would have used to describe a necklace with an amulet on it.  That tells me that when people see me, they see me living in such a way that they can see the doctrine of God in my life.  It is almost as though that is what they see first.  This time of year, most of us are decorating our homes with Christmas decorations for the holiday season.  As most of us put up our Christmas trees, what is the difference between the tree that is within our house and the tree that in in our yard; it is the decorations and the ornaments.  As a matter of fact, that is what we see first! That is the way we as Christians must be, we must live in such a way that people see the “doctrine of God” within our lives.  If we do this, we could be winning people over to Jesus without even realizing it.  However, if we are not “adorning the doctrine of God” we could also deter people from obeying without realizing it.  Let’s make sure we are living the right way, so that people can see Jesus living through us!
Prayer Requests:___________________________________________________________________________________

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Colors of Christmas: Green

  Discussion:                                    Evergreen plants, like holly and mistletoe have been used for thousands of years to decorate and brighten up buildings during the long dark winter. They also reminded people that spring would come and winter wouldn't last forever! The Romans would exchange evergreen branches during January as a sign of good luck. The ancient Egyptians used to bring palm branches into their houses during the mid-winter festivals. In many parts of Europe during the Middle Ages, “paradise plays” were performed, often on Christmas Eve. They told Bible stories to people who couldn't read. “The Paradise Tree” in the Garden of Eden in the play was normally a pine tree with red apples tied to it. Today, think about the newness of life we have because we are in Christ. The old man could represent the dark winter and the barren trees. Then think of the bright Christmas trees that are so easily seen! … Help brighten someone’s life this week! Inform
Read more

“Blow-out in Boston”

BIBLE READING: Luke 14 DISCUSSION                                                                                       Boston Globe's account in June 1990 of a most unusual wedding banquet… Accompanied by her fiancé, a woman went to the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Boston and ordered the meal. The two of them poured over the menu, made selections of china and silver, and pointed to pictures of the flower arrangements they liked. They both had expensive taste, and the bill came to $13,000. After leaving a check for half that amount as down payment, the couple went home to flip through books of wedding announcements. The day the announcements were supposed to hit the mailbox, the groom got cold feet. "I'm just not sure," he said. "It's a big commitment. Let's think about this a little longer." When his angry fiancé returned to the Hyatt to cancel the banquet, the manager could not have been more understanding. However, concerning the refund, she h
Read more

“Prepare for Happiness”

  DISCUSSION:                                    Just recently we have seen the devastation that can result from hurricanes, earthquakes, and fire. According to the show on National Geographic channel “Doomsday Preppers” there are a lot of people over the country stocking up on supplies in the hope of being able to survive (months) a natural disaster or power grid failure. Many agree with this philosophy. Who could argue that it is a smart idea to be prepared? As a provider we should take reasonable measures to have our family prepared for hard times both mentally and physically. In this life, Christians have something more precious to protect than material things. Preparing our souls for eternity is much more important. We have been promised a gift that nothing can compare to, a home not made with hands (2Corinthians 5:1). So even if disasters come our way, we can be sure God will take care of His children. As a Christian we have a peace of mind from our faith in God’s word and beli
Read more