Titus 2:15

SINCERITY OF LIFE

‘Let no man despise thee.’

Titus 2:15

The word for ‘despise’ which St. Paul uses here occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, and it suggests the possibility of a fault existing in Titus himself and giving occasion to his enemies to suspect his sincerity. It might be translated, ‘Let no man turn you over in his mind,’ ‘Let no man speculate about you.’ He warns Titus to live such a transparently sincere and straightforward life that no man should have any cause to wonder whether he really was all that he professed to be. His life was to echo that which his lips declared.

‘Let no man despise thee.’ Does not this message set some of us thinking very seriously and very solemnly to-day? Shall I remind you what men despise?

I. Men despise inconsistency and insincerity.—Do we bear the clear and unmistakable likeness of the King in our daily conduct? Or do men find a difficulty in tracing the royal lineaments upon us, and consequently view our profession of Christianity with suspicion? Remember that the only side of our religion which is patent and palpable to the world is our daily life. Our faith may be very firm and strong, but the world cannot see it. ‘Show me thy faith by thy works.’

II. Men despise faintheartedness and cowardice.—The man who has the courage of his opinions, and who speaks with all the earnestness of sincere conviction, is the man who will be respected even by those who differ from him. Are we ready to do this for the sake of the Lord Jesus? How often we deny our Master by our silence just as basely as Peter denied Him by his speech!

Illustration

‘I remember a remark once made to me by a professional man who was a confirmed sceptic. We had been discussing the evidences of Christianity, and he was honest enough to allow that his own arguments did not quite satisfy himself; they still left something to be desired. “But,” he added, “there is one thing I never can make out. I cannot understand how it is that Christians, believing such a splendid truth as they profess to believe, should be so much afraid of speaking about it. My neighbour is a good Christian man, and yet he has never broached the subject to me all the years I have known him; I very much doubt if he has ever spoken about Christ even to his own children. Why,” said my friend, “if I really believed what you Christians believe, I couldn’t keep it to myself. I should want to stand all day at a street corner and tell every one who passed by.” ’