ββ¦speak thou the things which become sound doctrineβ (Titus 2:1).
The word βbecomeβ here meansΒ fittingΒ orΒ appropriate. Even if you never served in the military, you have probably heard that if an officer misbehaves he can be charged with βconduct unbecoming an officer.β That serious charge is levied against an officer who has not been conducting himself in a manner that is fitting or appropriate for his rank and position.
And the wordΒ becomeΒ is used that way in Scripture as well. Paul told the Romans,
βI commend unto you Phebeβ¦a servant of the church which is at Cenchreaβ¦receive her in the Lord,Β as becometh saints,Β andβ¦assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of youβ¦β (Rom. 16:1,2).
The reason Paul had toΒ tellΒ the Romans to receive a sister in Christ was that women in those days were not always well received in Roman society. That is, they werenβt always as welcomed as a man would be. But Paul says toΒ notΒ receive a sister like Phebe would constitute conduct unbecoming a saint of God.
By the way, this is one of many examples in Scripture that show how those who say that Christianity puts women down are wrong. ChristianityΒ lifts women up, as you can see from Paulβs words here, and from the words found in many other places in Scripture as well. If you want a religion that puts women down, and teaches that it is okay to mistreat them, look to Islam, not Christianity.
Of course, having said that, there are Christian men who mistreat women as well, and Paul says that behavior like that isnβt very becoming to men who claim to be saints of God.
The word βbecomingβΒ alsoΒ meansΒ to make someone look good.Β A husband might say to his wife, βThat dress is very becoming on you.β At least thatβs what he says if he knows whatβs good for him, right ladies? But what he means when he says that is that the dress makes his wife look good.
And the Bible uses the word that way as well. Paul told the Philippians,
ββ¦let your conversation beΒ as it becometh the gospelβ (Phil. 1:27).
Two of the Philippian women were feuding like the Hatfields and the McCoys (Phil. 4:2), and Paulβs admonition for the church to be βof one accordβ (Phil. 2:2) suggests that some in the church were siding with Eudoias and some with Syntyche. As far as God is concerned, thatβs conduct that is unbecoming to the gospel! They were making the gospel look bad in the eyes of the lost sinners in Philippi, not good.
So when Paul tells Titus to speak the things which become sound doctrine, he was telling him to speak to believers and tell them how to act in a way that was fitting for someone who embraces the sound doctrine found in Paulβs epistles. He then went on to tell βaged menβ how to do that (Titus 2:2), βaged womenβ (2:3), βyoung womenβ (2:4), as well as βyoung menβ (2:6), and even βservantsβ (2:9).
Beloved, no matter what your age, gender, or position in life, itβs not enough just toΒ believeΒ sound doctrine, and itβs not enough just toΒ teachΒ it. God wants us to live sound doctrineβlive it in such a way thatΒ makes sound doctrine look good.Β If thatβs the burden of your heart, why not make it the prayer of your heart?
Youβll be eternally glad you did. source
