...that the Word of God May Not Be Dishonored...

The final phrase of Titus 2:3-5 says, "...that the Word of God may not be dishonored." The Word of God has stood on its own for centuries. It has survived many attempts to erase it, discredit it, and change it. So the question is, how can we dishonor the Word of God?


When we do not obey what God's Word so clearly says, we dishonor it. Believe it or not, non-believers know the standard of conduct for believers better than believers do. Christians tend to take their "freedom in Christ" to a place that God never intended. Why? Because rather than living a life that honors God and His Word, some Christians would rather do what is convenient, pleasing to themselves, and socially acceptable. What is socially acceptable is not always acceptable to God.

Another problem is that so many people claim to be Christians, and may very well be, but have never completely given Christ the throne of their heart. They have taken out a fire insurance policy but have not made a total life commitment. Their claim and conduct do not match, and, therefore, leave many confused. Remember what Christ went through when He died to give us salvation. His death was cruel and inhumane. Are we taking what He did for granted so that we can have the freedom to do what ever we want? I saw The Passion of the Christ when it first came out on video. Actually, I managed to see a third of it. How many times have we seen a picture of Jesus on the cross? So many times that we forget the anguish and suffering He actually went through to save us. We make the pictures so cute and "safe" for our children, and give them a sanitized view of what Jesus did for them. I'm not saying that I would recommend The Passion of the Christ for small children (in fact, Addie will not be allowed to watch The Passion of the Christ until she is in her later teens), but when parents feel that their kids are old enough to watch senseless killings on TV and video games, then they are old enough to see what their Savior did for them.

What about Christians who were put to death for their strong stand for Christ? Did they die in vain also so that we can live as we please? What about the present day believers around the world who are tortured and killed for their faith? How many Christians do you know would be that committed to Christ? Is living for Christ easy? No. Even Jesus said that we must pick up our cross daily and follow him. The cross was heavy and full of splinters because it was unfinished wood. Will we stumble and fall? Yes. But the Bible also says though a righteous man falls 7 times yet will he rise up again. How we handle the getting up process will determine the honor or dishonor of God's Word. If we accept responsibility and have a repentant spirit and make restitution, we will honor God and His Word. Just as children and their behavior reflect their parents, our behavior as Christians reflects God. May we reflect well.

Well, my dear friends, we have reached the end of our Titus study. I have learned so much from these three verses and am constantly catching myself and reminding myself of how God wants me to respond in different situations. I pass some tests and I have some tests that I need to go back and study for, but God is helping me grow closer in my relationship with Him with every test and pop quiz He gives.