The Witness of a Doctrined Life
purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works."
The transformative agent is not human willpower. It is "the grace of God"—the doctrinal reality of the incarnation, atonement, and return of Christ. The doctrine of grace "trains" us. The Greek word paideuo was used for the instruction and discipline of a child. Gospel doctrine is our tutor. It teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness and "yes" to holiness. The reason a believer can live a self-controlled life is because he knows the doctrine that Christ "gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness."
The reason we can wait with hope is the doctrine of "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." Conduct is not the root of our salvation, but it is the necessary fruit. And the soil from which that fruit grows is sound doctrine.
The Witness of a Doctrined Life Paul gives a missional reason for this connection between doctrine and conduct. He tells Titus to instruct younger women in godly behavior "so that the word of God may not be reviled" (Titus 2:5). He tells bondservants to be submissive and faithful "so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior" (Titus 2:10). The world is watching. The credibility of our message is either confirmed or undermined by our manner