Another Missing Vocabulary Word
Several months ago, I wrote about the word righteousness, noting that it is a word that is missing from the vocabulary of many people. In last week’s video about what I wish someone had told me, I mentioned what I believe is another missing vocabulary word.
It is one of those words that define something that God has declared to be essential but that the actions and attitudes of some people have tainted. They have tainted the word by including self-righteousness, self-will, and abuse along with it.
The missing vocabulary word is authority. It’s true that we hear the plural of that word sometimes, as in, “The authorities did this or that,” but the basic concept of authority is missing from the hearts of many. Too many have replaced the idea of authority with: “I’m going to do what I want to do and who are you to say otherwise?”
When Jesus came to earth, He knew that His hearers needed Him to speak with authority.
When Jesus had finished these words,
the crowds were amazed at His teaching;Â
for He was teaching them as one who had authority,
and not as their scribes.
Matthew 7:28
Children do not need self-righteous, self-willed, abusive parents. They do, however, need parents who speak with authority. They need parents who are confident that they are teaching truth, truth they have humbly learned from God’s Word.
The passage below is part of the message God gave the apostle Paul to teach the young preacher Titus. Paul wrote about the gifts and virtues of:
- grace and salvation,
- living sensibly, righteously, and godly,
- our blessed hope,
- the appearing of God and Jesus,
- God purifying us,
- our belonging to God, and
- our being eager for good deeds.
Paul also wrote against:
- ungodliness,
- worldly desires, and
- lawless deeds.
Titus was to teach his listeners about the gifts and virtues God offered and also about what they were to stay away from. Read the passage from Titus and think about how you want your children to live for all of their years. Like Titus’ listeners, your children deserve for you to teach these things “with all authority.” It is the only truly loving way to teach. Praise God that He has not left us wondering how to live or what to teach our children. He has told us in His Word.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people,
instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires
and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age,Â
looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory
of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed,
and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession,
eager for good deeds.
These things speak and exhort, and rebuke
with all authority.
No one is to disregard you.
Titus 2:11-15