Encouraging the Roles of Laypeople
As for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. Titus 2:1
The Apostle Paul writes these words to Titus after laying out the qualifications of the public ministry. He tells his student and coworker Titus to speak the things that are proper for sound doctrine. These things are the entire word of God without adding to or subtracting from it. The apostle speaks of Titus presenting the sound doctrine of teaching from the word of God. This week we will examine what Titus is instructed to speak to the laypeople of the congregation that he is serving. Through this examination, we will consider encouragement for the laypeople in his congregation. Therefore, as laypeople, you can apply these words of the apostle to your lives.
Many like to make a distinction between laypeople and the clergy, namely pastors and teachers. The main difference between the two groups is that the clergy has a call from God to serve in a public way. The apostle Paul writes to the Ephesians, “[God] Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-12) The pastors and teachers have a call to instruct the members in the work of spreading the word of God. This work of the equipping of the saints can be observed in Bible classes, private instruction, and many other activities of the public ministry. This work of the clergy prepares the rest of the congregation for the work of the Church’s mission to spread the gospel. This week, we will consider Titus’ instruction to different groups of laypeople.
The servants Thou hast called
And to Thy Church art giving
Preserve in doctrine pure
And holiness of living.
Thy Spirit fill their hearts,
Endue their tongues with power;
What they should boldly speak,
Oh, give them in that hour!
The Lutheran Hymnal 485:5