Unpacking the Concept of a Sound Church in Titus

What Is A Sound church? Titus 2:1-8

What Is A Sound church? We can oftentimes be guilty of changing the meaning of things by changing terminology or the definition of the terms that describe or represent whatever is under discussion The office of Pastor

What Is A Sound church? We are often guilty of changing the meaning of things by changing terminology or the definition of the terms that describe or represent whatever is under discussion The correct and Biblical use of term Pastor Is it just a matter of semantics or a respect for Bible authority? (Eph 3:9-11) (1 Pet 4:11) (Eph 4:29)

What Is A Sound church? What about the term sound What does it mean Biblically? The word sound is used two ways Biblically To refer to the voice or noise of something or someone (Romans 10:18; 1 Corinthians 14:7; 1 Corinthians 15:52) To refer to the state or condition of something

Sound ~ means to be healthy, have sound health, or to be whole Liddell & Scott

What Is A Sound church? What about the term sound Doctrine But speak thou the things which become sounddoctrine: (Titus 2:1 KJV) (2 Tim. 4:3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; Words Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. (Titus 2:8 KJV)

What Is A Sound church? What about the term sound Mind For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a soundmind. (2 Tim 1:7 KJV) 2Tim. 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline. (2Tim. 1:7 NASB) Satus That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. (Titus 2:2 KJV) Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 2).

What Is A Sound church? What about the term sound Redefining terms can take place by broadening the definition of a term or narrowing the definition of a term. What is a sound church? How can we know if a church is sound or not? By church I am referring to the local church This is important because local churches are composed of individual Christians. Any local church is as sound as the soundness of it s local members.

What Is A Sound church? What about the term sound Paul s epistles to Timothy and Titus speak more of soundness than any New Testament epistle or book. Of the 12 times the word sound [ hugiaino ] is used, 8 of those instances are in Paul s epistles to Timothy and Titus. Timothy is commanded to hold fast the pattern if sound words (2 Tim 1:13) Dealing with false teachers (1:1-20) Worship (2:1-15) Qualifications for elders (3:1-13) Contending against false teachers (4:1-16) Instructions to and for groups of individuals (5:1-6:2) Older, younger, widows, elders, slaves, etc Further instruction regarding covetousness and contentment (6:3-19) Remember Paul s warning to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:15-31)

What Is A Sound church? What about the term sound Paul s epistles to Timothy and Titus speak more of soundness than any New Testament epistle or book. Of the 12 times the word sound [ hugiaino ] is used, 8 of those instances are in Paul s epistles written to Timothy and Titus. Titus is commanded to speak sound words to those in Crete (Ti 2:1) Qualifications for elders (1:6-9) Dealing with false teachers (1:10-16) Instruction to individual groups Older men & women (2:1-3) Younger men & women (2:4-8) Slaves (2:9-10) Living godly (2:11-14) Charge to Titus (*2:15) Further instructions regarding living godly (3:1-11)

What Is A Sound church? The Collective & Individual Nature Of Being Sound There is both and individual and collective nature of these commands and instructions to Timothy and Titus The Corinthians and Sardinians could also be used as examples of this point (1 Cor 1-5; 6-10; 11-16; Rev 3:1) to show the distinction and connection between the individual Christian and the local church. Collective faithfulness and individual faithfulness. Although not solely reliant upon one another (Revelation 3:4), they are most certainly relative to one another, (Revelation 3:1-3). Have we redefined soundness by limiting the definition only to the collective work of the local church? This should be a determining factor, but the more important question is, should it be the sole or main determining factor?

What Is A Sound church? Many non-institutional churches don t use the Lords money regarding benevolence in an unauthorized way, but use it to pay false teachers to speak Many non-institutional churches don't collectively use the Lord s money to utilize and support human institutions to carry out their collective work, but have individual members who believe and support those institutions that do the work of local churchesin other places Many non-institutional churches say they are sound but have those who dress immodestly and neither the elders, evangelists, husbands, fathers, wives, mothers, men nor women, do or say anything about it (1 Timothy 2:9-10)

What Is A Sound church? Many non-institutional churches say they are sound but allow false teachers to remain, exist, and teach among them, and are afraid to stand up against them and their teachings (2 Timothy 2:15-18) Many non-institutional churches say they are sound but would not, have had men like Timothy or Paul as an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:1-5 Cf 2 Corinthians 10:10) Many non-institutional churches say they are sound but allow disrespectful and irreverent behavior by it s young people with no consequences (1 Timothy 5:1-2) Many non-institutional churches say they are sound but have an inactive or non-responsive generation of older people (Titus 2:1-5); as well as unfaithful generation of young people with no admonition given (Titus 2:6-10)

What Is A Sound church?

What Is A Sound church? A sound church is a local group of Christians, who strive to be faithful in every command of God, regarding every aspect of their lives. From the pulpit to the pews, from the home, to the work place, to ball park, even in the parking lot. They are sound individually as well as collectively. This is a sound church! Their soundness is not measured solely on the basis of being non-institutional