Mature Apostle Paul Counsels Young Timothy and Titus
Paul saw Timothy and Titus as his sons in the faith (1 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4). Throughout the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus), Paul counsels these two young, male biblical teachers-shepherds-soul physicians-counselors. Paul, the mature soul physician, counsels the youthful soul physicians, Timothy and Titus.
Paul specifically counsels Timothy that if Timothy does not want people to look down on him because of his youth, he should, “Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:11). “Example” (typos) means a moral model. To “look down on” (kataphroneō) is to slight, to scorn, to disregard. In Titus 2:15, Paul similarly counsels Titus how to avoid people disregarding (periphroneō) him and his counsel.
The fastest way for a young, male biblical counselor to be disregarded is by disregarding their own character—their own progressive sanctification.
Paul specifically counsels Titus that if Titus wants other young men to heed his counsel, then, “In everything set them an example by doing what is good” (Titus 2:7). Here Paul uses the same word he used with Timothy: example/typos—a moral model. “Good” (kalos) is beautiful character—honorable, virtuous, propriety, respectability, decorum, decency.
The richest, deepest, most impactful way for a young, male, biblical counselor to be respected when speaking about progressive sanctification is by focusing on their own progressive sanctification/Christlikeness.
It is instructive to outline the progressive sanctification themes that Paul repeatedly counsels both Timothy and Titus to emphasize. As you read Paul’s biblical counsel, notice his emphasis on Christlike character traits like:
- Meekness
- Mildness
- Gentleness
- Kindness
- Humility/Humble
- Love
- Patience
- Forbearance
- Peacemaking
- Calm/Calmness
- Dignified/Dignity
- Encouragement: Speak wholesome, healthy, health-giving, respectful words
- Self-Controlled: Watch your words, control your tongue
It is also enlightening to notice the fleshly character traits that Paul consistently warns against and nouthetically confronts Timothy and Titus to eschew:
- Don’t Be a Moron (mōros): Abstain from dull, foolish, and senseless thinking
- Don’t Be Macho (machomai): Disdain from fighting, quarrelling, and disputing
- Don’t Be Pugnacious: Eschew contentiousness, strife, and altercations
- Don’t Be a Brawler: Avoid being divisive, discordant, and stirring up controversy
- Don’t be Conflict-Addicted: Put off being conflict-ridden and debate-loving
- Don’t Be Argumentative: Shun disputations, debates, and foolish arguments
How Then Should Young, Male Biblical Counselors Live?
So, without much commentary, and simply allowing God’s all-sufficient Word to speak for itself, here are biblical counseling life principles for young, male biblical counselors.
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #1: “Set an example (typos) (moral model) for the believers in speech, in conduct (anastrophe) (mode of life, deportment), in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Timothy 4:11).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #2: “Watch (epechō) (attend to, take heed to, observe) your life and doctrine closely” (1 Timothy 4:16).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #3: “Do not rebuke (epiplēssō) (chide, to inflict blows upon, reprove) an older man, but encourage (parakaleo) him as if he were your father” (1 Timothy 5:1).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #4: “Treat younger men as brothers” (1 Timothy 5:1).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #5: Treat “older women as mothers” (1 Timothy 5:2).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #6: Treat “younger women as sisters, with absolute purity” (1 Timothy 5:3).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #7: “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness (πραϋπάθεια) (meekness, gentleness, kindness)” (1 Timothy 6:11).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #8: “Turn away from godless chatter (kenophōnia) (vain, empty babbling, vain disputation, fruitless discussion) and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge” (1 Timothy 6:20).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #9: “Avoid godless chatter (kenophōnia) (vain, empty babbling, vain disputation, fruitless discussion), because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly” (2 Timothy 2:16).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #10: “Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #11: “Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments (zētēsis) (dispute, debate, discussion, controversy), because you know they produce quarrels (machē) (fight, battle, conflict, contention, dispute, strife, controversy)” (2 Timothy 2:23).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #12: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome (machomai) (fight, quarrel, contend, dispute) but must be kind (ēpios) (mild, gentle, kind) to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (2 Timothy 2:24).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #13: “Opponents must be gently (prautēs) (meekness, mildness, forbearance, gentleness, kindness) instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:25).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #14: “But you, keep your head (nēphō) (sober-minded, circumspect, prudent, judicious, not mentally intoxicated) in all situations, endure hardship” (2 Timothy 4:5).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #15: “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled (sōphroneō)” (to be of a sound mind, be in one’s right mind, be sane, to be calm, to be sober-minded, sedate, to be of a modest, humble mind) (Titus 2:6).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #16: “In everything set them an example by doing what is good (kalos) (beautiful, honorable, virtuous, propriety, respectability, decorum, decency)” (Titus 2:7).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #17: “In your teaching show integrity (aphthoria) (purity, genuineness), seriousness (semnotēs) (dignified, dignity, gravity)” (Titus 2:7).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #18: “…and soundness (hygiēs) (wholesome and healthy words) of speech that cannot be condemned (akatagnōstos) (beyond reproach), so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:8).
Biblical Counsel for Young, Male Biblical Counselors, #19: “But avoid foolish (mōros) controversies (zētēsis) and genealogies and arguments (eris) (strife, altercations, contentiousness) and quarrels (machē) (conflict, battlers) about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless” (Titus 3:9).
Join the Conversation
- If you are a young, male biblical counselor, which of these words of biblical counsel from the Bible do you need to address?
- If you are a young, female biblical counselor, where would you look in Scripture to find words of biblical counsel for your life and ministry?
- If you are an older, male biblical counselor, where would you look in Scripture to find words of biblical counsel for your life and ministry?
- If you are an older, female biblical counselor, where would you look in Scripture to find words of biblical counsel for your life and ministry?
- How could all of us as biblical counselors apply these words of biblical counsel to our lives and ministries?
- If we all progressively applied these words of biblical counsel to our lives and to our discussions with fellow biblical counselors, how might that impact the current “biblical counseling disputes”?
