September 4 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

In September we read Paul's letter to Titus and his very last letter, called 2 Timothy. Paul's concern is that the true gospel be preserved and proclaimed by a faithful church.

Bible Reading:

TItus 2:1–5

Bible Text:

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine (TItus 2:1).

Devotional:

The word doctrine has a negative sound in the ears of many Christians. But the word should be rescued. Doctrine simply means "teaching." It stands for a body of Christian principles taught by the apostles and advocated by the Christian church.

The apostles were, first of all, witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. They proclaimed God's victory through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And they also passed on a body of instruction—doctrine.

"Sound doctrine" means healthy teaching, instruction that is not sick or divisive. Instruction is sound if it is in harmony with the gospel of grace.

Sound instruction pertains directly to the moral behavior of believers. Its purpose is "that the word of God may not be discredited" by the actions of God's people (v. 5, RSV). "Teach the older men to be temperate, ... teach the older women ... to teach what is good" (vv. 2–3).

Some Christian teachers are appalled by legalism—rules that say "do this, don't do that." And rightly so. But some go to the other extreme, talking only about what Christ did and never about what people ought to do. That also leads to folly.

Nobody may rob the church of its freedom in Christ. But sound doctrine can survive only if it is supported by good living. Otherwise the message lacks integrity.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.