Teachings based on the grace of God

1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 

2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 

3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 

4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 

5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. 

6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 

7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 

8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 

9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 

10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 

12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 

13 while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 

14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. 

A. God’s grace as the grounds for the teachings (11-15)

1) The grace that brings salvation has appeared

11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 

2) The grace will be completed

12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 

13 while we wait for the blessed hope–the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 

14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 

15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. 

to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment–to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.  (Ephesians 1:10)

B. Concrete teachings for…

1) The older men (1, 2)

1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. 

2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. 

2) The older women (3-5)

3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 

4 Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 

5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to

3) The young men (6-8)

6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. 

7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 

8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. 

4) Slaves (9-10)

9 Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, 

10 and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. 

Summary

While the Bible is not a manual of ethic, from time to time we can find some lists of morals and virtues there like this. They are seemingly the reflections of the common sense of the society in those days. However, the Bible indicates not only do’s and don’ts but also the grounds for the teachings. And for us, the grounds are the grace of salvation that has been brought by Jesus and the hope in Jesus that he will complete the grace.

For Discussion

1) What is the grace of God that brings salvation to all people?

2) What do you learn from the teachings for slaves?