Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. . . . Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:2, 6–8)

If you have watched any television shows from the last thirty years, you would have noticed that Hollywood is obsessed with portraying husbands and fathers as incompetent buffoons. They may be able to make a few wisecracks and get a laugh from their audience, but they are incapable of effectively leading their families. Unfortunately, this concept goes beyond the screen to the lives of many families in the church today. Dignified, sensible, and respectable men are nowhere to be found, and in their place are what can only be called clowns. Although the Bible requires elders to be respectable and sensible (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8), churches are full of men, including many of the leaders, whose chief aim in life is apparently to amuse those around them—and there appears to be no limit to how low they will stoop to do so.

In opposition to this, the Bible expects men to be mature—it expects men to be men and not boys. A mature man’s life elicits the respect of those who know him. He is the kind of person that young men and boys can look up to as a model of sober-minded godliness. He has grown up to demonstrate the characteristics of a full-orbed Christian man.

The marks of such maturity are given by Paul in Titus 2 as he addresses different groups in the church according to age and sex. The older women were to teach the younger women concerning certain virtues in word and example, and the older men were to do the same for the younger men. It is important to note how central the idea of maturity is in this section.

Maturity in the Aged

Paul begins the chapter by giving instructions for the older men in the congregation, probably referring to those of about sixty years of age or above. These older men “are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance” (Titus 2:2).

Men who have walked with Christ for a long time have accumulated a wealth of spiritual experience, enabling them to be examples to the young. There’s no value in being old if you’re not godly, however, so the apostle Paul lays down six specific characteristics that ought to be manifest in the older men.

First, they are to be temperate. This characteristic is the same one Paul used in reference to elders in 1 Timothy 3:2. While the word literally means “unmixed with wine,” metaphorically it means “moderate” or “not indulgent.” Godly older men are not given to excess. They have learned the high cost that accompanies a self-indulgent lifestyle. When most men reach this age in life, they know what has real value. Such a wise assessment of priorities needs to be passed down to the next generation.

Second, men are to be dignified. Older godly men hold a serious attitude toward life. That doesn’t mean they’re gloomy, but neither are they frivolous or flippant. They’ve experienced too much to be trivial. In most cases they’ve buried their parents and witnessed the death of siblings. Some have lost their life partner or even some of their children through rebellion or death. Such experiences have caused them to see life the way it really is and to respond appropriately to their circumstances. When they laugh, they laugh at what is truly humorous, not what is tragic. They enjoy what is truly enjoyable, not what is detrimental. They navigate life in a way that evokes the respect of others.

Third, men ought to be sensible. This is the resulting characteristic of someone who is temperate. They are self-disciplined, operating with discretion and discernment. They have learned how to control their instincts and passions. As Paul said in Romans 12:3, they “think so as to have sound judgment.”

Fourth, men must be sound in faith. The word “sound” here means “healthy.” They have a faith in God that is unwavering. Through the years they have realized God can be trusted, observing His ongoing faithfulness. As a result, they don’t doubt or question His good intention nor lose confidence in His plan. Neither do they doubt the truth of Scripture or question the power of the Holy Spirit. That kind of mature faith upholds the church because it gives us a faith to emulate.

Fifth, mature men are sound in love. A godly older man has a healthy love of not only God but others as well. Here is a man who loves by bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). He loves sacrificially. Through the years he has learned what to love and what not to love. He loves when his love is not returned, when it is rejected, and even when it isn’t deserved. His love is “patient . . . kind and is not jealous; [his] love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8). He loves with his will, not just his feelings.

Sixth, men are to be sound in perseverance. A godly older man is the model of patience because he has endured many trials. In spite of disappointment, unfulfilled aspirations, physical weakness, and growing loneliness, he never loses heart. The godly man becomes tempered like steel. His body is weaker but his spirit is stronger, enabling him to endure to the very end.

These six qualities of maturity replace the more unfortunate qualities of youth that are foolishly exalted by our culture today: recklessness, impetuosity, thoughtlessness, and instability.

The Threat of Immaturity

Paul concludes his instruction for the various members of the congregation with a general word for all the young men, and then with some specific encouragement for Titus: “Likewise, urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach” (Titus 2:6–8). Whereas Paul deals specifically with Titus in verses 7–8, I believe his instruction applies to all young men. As a young man himself, Titus had the unique opportunity to model these qualities for the other young men.

Paul probably includes in this group anyone ranging from about twenty to sixty—a time when men are basically virile, aggressive, and ambitious to one degree or another. While those are some of the greatest years in life, they can also be dangerous.

For one thing, young men are prone to laziness. A self-indulgent lifestyle, while innate in our depraved nature, is often programmed in men through the years. Laziness can be exacerbated when men are young. Parents who lack self-discipline themselves, for example, produce children who never learn to set goals and work to meet them.

Another thing young men raised in our decadent culture are unfortunately familiar with is vice, which produces attachment, not disgust. Willingly victimized by the allurements of evil, young men are ignorant of the gradual decline in their moral sensitivity.

Yet another danger is secular education, with its resulting attacks on Christianity. An educational system that either ignores God or defines Him in human terms has a powerful influence over the minds of young men, who often look to their professors as mentors.

Youth is a time of unwarranted confidence and imagined invincibility—a time when immaturity rules. That’s the time when temptation is at its strongest, when habits are formed that often bedevil men throughout their lifetimes. Yet the future of the church is dependent on young men growing up in such dangerous times. To combat these dangers, Paul instructs Titus and young men to cultivate certain godly qualities.

Maturity in the Young

Paul tells Titus to “urge the young men to be sensible; in all things” (vv. 6–7). Like older men, young men need to develop self-control and balance, discernment and judgment (cf. 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 5:5). The phrase “in all things” at the beginning of Titus 2:7 fits better at the end of verse 6, for it stretches this matter of mental balance and self-mastery in the Christian life to every dimension. Young men—so potentially volatile, impulsive, passionate, arrogant, and ambitious—need to become masters over every area in their lives.

Paul then turns from the young men in general to encourage Titus to “show [himself] to be an example of good deeds.” One of the most important qualities of a leader is the example he sets. Paul wanted Titus to be a model first of “good deeds.” That refers to his practical righteousness, nobility, and moral excellence. A godly young man is to model righteousness in everything he does. Young men, you’ll begin to control your life when you understand God wants you committed to producing righteous, holy deeds.

“With purity in doctrine” (v. 7) is how God wants those deeds accomplished. A better way to translate the Greek word for “purity” is “uncorruptness.” Titus and young men are to live in perfect accord with sound doctrine. Young men must know the Word of God and live according to it. Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.” Living in obedience to God’s Word will keep you in line.

At the end of Titus 2:7, Paul adds that Titus and young men are to be “dignified”—a characteristic that should also be true of older men as well. That means young men are to be serious. Youth tends to be somewhat frivolous, particularly in our culture where entertainment has become an all-consuming passion. While that doesn’t mean young men can’t enjoy life, they should have a mature understanding of life, death, time, and eternity.

Finally, Paul encourages Titus to be “sound in speech which is beyond reproach.” As we’ve seen, “sound” means “healthy” or “wholesome.” In reference to one’s words, Paul wrote, “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person” (Colossians 4:6). Young men, let what you say be worth saying. Make sure it edifies your hearers to the point that it is “beyond reproach”—that the only accusations which can be brought against it are themselves shameful in the light of reason.

Sadly, these characteristics are so foreign to our definitions of manliness today. A serious, dignified man is mocked as stiff and curmudgeonly. A man who is stable in love, faith, and doctrine is uninteresting. A man who speaks carefully is stale. A man who is not impulsive and quick-witted is unappealing. A man who is not young and charismatic is not considered a leader. The culture is after zest and spice—they want entertainment and inspiration. But Scripture wants men to be respectable examples of godliness. God wants mature men. There are too many children masquerading as men within the church’s walls.

The Lord has fixed the standard of maturity for believing men. Do you meet the standard?

(Adapted from Divine Design.)