Today the word “obedience” is removed out of almost all the marriage vows.  But the Scripture says a wife is to be obedient to her husband that the Word of God be not blasphemed.  Isn’t that what it says?  That’s sound doctrine.  Can you look around at people that are calling themselves Christians today and how much of this doctrine is bearing fruit in their lives?  Or has secularization, the lust for pleasure, being lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, entered into the professed church.  We don’t realize—we think that’s just kind of a bad choice that they made and an expression of their carnality—but it’s false doctrine!  To step outside these roles and responsibilities are not momentary lapses in our character or our righteousness, it is false doctrine, and we need to begin to see this for what it is.

He says, as he goes down in that particular passage in Titus 2:7, “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech”, and he moves into all of these different things that exhibit practical Christianity, a people that are living and adhering to sound doctrine.  They’re not just quoting Bible verses.  They’re not catechisms.  They’re not sitting down and memorizing certain theological statements.  They’re not just reading the Apostles’ Creed.  So, when we begin to see sound doctrine for what it really is that we would preach the Word, 2 Timothy 4:2 says, and exhort them in longsuffering to exhibit Christlikeness, the heart and mind of God, or sound doctrine.

Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we just ask that You would help us to see that we are epistles read of men.  We are the salt and the light that illuminates this Earth with Your great love for us and the full work of redemption in Jesus Christ.  That we are a people helpless under the power of sin.  Thank You for the light of the glorious gospel.  It’s the power of God unto salvation.  We believe and receive that revelation that You, Jesus, were made sin with our sin; on that cross You took my sin and gave me Your righteousness that I would be accepted of a holy, awesome, almighty God.  We have hope in nothing else.  There’s no other name that can be named but the name of Jesus whereby we can be saved.  So. Father, we accept that great gift of salvation, and we will go on and be examples of the believer in Word, in deed, and in all manner of our living, and for that, Father, we give You the praise in Jesus’ name, amen.