Doctrine that Guides our Life

 

Titus 2:1-2

What do I believe, and why do I believe it?  All of us have a doctrine that guides our life, and yet we may never refer to it in such a way.  When it comes to doctrine they are so numerous, we will not make a list.  The dictionary defines doctrine: a rule or principle that forms the basis of a belief, theory, or policy, or a body of ideas, particularly in religion, taught to people as truthful or correct.  Each of us has some kind of a moral compass, that was taught to us, wrong and right, but if your teachers were morally bankrupt or if they hated others because of their skin color, or believed that authority was for others but not for them, then you have a person with unsound doctrine, and a deprived pattern for living life on planet earth.  Do you realize that the members of these early churches had already formed patterns for living life when they came into Christ, and you can bet the farm they were not habits, patterns, or doctrine of living the Christian life?  Now, before you write me off, I understand that when they ask Jesus to come into their life, the old man died, but the (flesh) the learned patterns for getting their needs met did not change, they had to be trained in a new doctrine of living life.

This is what Paul is teaching Titus to do with the church at Crete, “But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine.”  I am so thankful that the Holy Spirit instructed Paul to give some guidelines on what was meant by “Sound Doctrine.”  In verse 2 we begin; “Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness.”  If you are one of us older men, how are you doing with this “sound doctrine”?  Sober-minded, could that be defined as being serious, sensible in your actions.  Then he instructs us to be “dignified” and I must say that does not come easy for a guy who was raised on 3738 Liberty drive in Corpus Christi, Texas.  I would define a dignified person as one who lives his life showing respect for others and for himself.  He lives in a respectable way.  Paul goes on to tell Titus that an older man should be self-controlled, and when that becomes so important, is in difficult situations.  The older man should be in control of their emotions at all times.  Sound in faith, my friend Carroll Ray, Jr. who is hanging out with Jesus taught me that faith is acting like Jesus tells the truth.  Yes, we must have faith that is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  And it must be build on love, an assurance that God loves you and that Christ who is your life will give you the desire and ability to love others.  And how should we do all of this with steadfastness, or you might say persistence. 

In order to be a model or mentor of value to the kingdom of God and to young men, it was necessary for these men first to apply these teachings to their own life and then to impart them to younger men.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice