_THE MEANING AND VALUE OF SOBERMINDEDNESS.--THE USE AND ABUSE OF
RELIGIOUS EMOTION._
"But speak thou the things which befit the sound doctrine: that aged
men be temperate, grave, soberminded, sound in faith, in love, in
patience, that aged women likewise be reverent in demeanour, not
slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is
good; that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to
love their children, to be soberminded, chaste, workers at home,
kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word of
God be not blasphemed: the younger men likewise exhort to be
soberminded."--TITUS ii. 1-6.
In marked contrast to the seducing teachers who are described in the
concluding verses of the first chapter, Titus is charged to teach that
which is right. "But speak _thou_ the things which befit the sound
doctrine." What _they_ taught was to the last degree unwholesome, full
of senseless frivolities and baseless distinctions respecting meats and
drinks, times and seasons. Such things were fatal alike to sound and
robust faith and to all moral earnestness. Belief was frittered away in
a credulous attention to "Jewish fables," and character was depraved by
a weak punctiliousness about fanciful details. As in the Pharisees, whom
Jesus Christ denounced, scrupulosity about trifles led to neglect of
"the weightier matters of the law." But in these "vain talkers and
deceivers," whom Titus had to oppose, the trifles by which they
distracted their hearers from matters of the highest importance were not
even the minor duties enjoined by the Law or the Gospel: they were mere
"commandments of men." In opposition to calamitous teaching of this
kind, Titus is to insist upon what is healthy and sound.
All classes are to be attended to, and the exhortations specially needed
are to be given to each: to the older men and older women, the younger
women and the younger men, to whom Titus is to show himself an example:
and finally to slaves, for salvation is offered to all men, and is for
no privileged class.
It will be observed that the sound teaching which Titus is charged to
give to the different sections of his flock relates almost exclusively
to _conduct_. There is scarcely a hint in the whole of this chapter that
can be supposed to have reference to errors of _doctrine_. In quite a
general way the old men are to be exhorted to be "sound in _faith_" as
well as in love and patience: but otherwise all the instruction to be
given to old and young, male and female, bond and free, relates to
conduct in thought, word, and deed.[76]
Nor is there any hint that the "vain talkers and deceivers" contradicted
(otherwise than by an unholy life) the moral precepts which the Apostle
here tells his delegate to communicate abundantly to his flock. We are
not to suppose that these mischievous teachers taught people that there
was no harm in intemperance, or slander, or unchastity, or theft. The
mischief which they did consisted in their telling people to devote
their attention to things that were morally unprofitable, while no care
was taken to secure attention to those things, the observance of which
was vital. On the contrary, the emphasis laid upon silly superstitions
led people to suppose that, when these had been attended to, all duties
had been fulfilled; and a careless, godless life was the result. Thus
whole households were subverted by men who made religion a trade. This
disastrous state of things is to be remedied by pointing out and
insisting upon the observances which are of real importance for the
spiritual life. The fatal lowering of moral tone, which the morbid and
fanciful teaching of these seducers produced, is to be counteracted by
the bracing effects of wholesome moral teaching.
No one can read through the indications which the Apostle gives of what
he means by "wholesome teaching," without perceiving the key-note which
rings through it all;--_sobriety_ or _sobermindedness_. The aged men are
to be taught to be "temperate, grave, _soberminded_." The aged women to
be "reverent in demeanour," "that they may _school_ the young women ...
to be _soberminded_." The younger men are to be "exhorted to be
_soberminded_." And in giving the reason for all this he points out
God's purpose in His revelation to mankind; "to the intent that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live _soberly_."
Now, what is the precise meaning of this sobriety or sobermindedness, on
which St. Paul insists so strongly as a duty to be impressed upon men
and women both old and young?
The words used in the original Greek (=sôphrôn=, =sôphronizein=,
=sôphronein=) signify, according to their derivation,[77] "of _sound_
mind," "to make of sound mind," and "to be of sound mind;" and the
quality which they indicate is that _mens sana_ or healthiness of mental
constitution which shows itself in discreet and prudent conduct, and
especially in _self-control_. This latter meaning is specially
predominant in Attic writers.
Thus Plato defines it as "a kind of order and a controlling of certain
pleasures and desires, as is shown by the saying that a man is 'master
of himself' ... an expression which seems to mean that in the man's soul
there are two elements, a better and a worse, and when the better
controls the worse, then he is said to be master of himself" (_Rep._,
IV. p. 431). Similarly, Aristotle tells us that the lowest bodily
pleasures are the sphere in which this virtue of self-control is
specially displayed; that is, those bodily pleasures which the other
animals share with man, and which are consequently shown to be slavish
and bestial, viz., the pleasures of touch and taste (_Eth. N._, III. x.
4, 9; _Rhet._, I. ix. 9). And throughout the best Attic writers the
vices to which self-control is opposed are those which imply immoderate
indulgence in sensual pleasures. It is a virtue which has a very
prominent place in heathen moral philosophy. It is one of the most
obvious of virtues. It is manifest that in order to be a virtuous man at
all one must at least have control over one's lowest appetites. And to
a heathen it is one of the most impressive of virtues. All of us have
experience of the difficulty of regulating our passions; and to those
who know nothing of Christian teaching or of the grace of God the
difficulty is increased tenfold. Hence to the savage the ascetic seems
to be almost superhuman; and even in the cultivated pagan abstinence
from bodily pleasure and steadfast resistance of sensual temptation
excite wonder and admiration. The beautiful panegyric of Socrates put
into the mouth of Alcibiades in the _Symposium_ of Plato illustrates
this feeling: and Euripides styles such virtue as the "noblest gift of
the gods."
But when this virtue becomes illuminated by the Gospel its meaning is
intensified. The "sobermindedness" or "sobriety" of the New Testament is
something more than the "self-control" or "temperance" of Plato and
Aristotle. Its sphere is not confined to the lowest sensual enjoyments.
Self-mastery with regard to such things is still included; but other
things are included also. It is that power over ourselves which keeps
under control, not only bodily impulses, but spiritual impulses also.
There is a spiritual frenzy analogous to physical madness, and there are
spiritual self-indulgences analogous to bodily intemperance. For these
things also self-mastery is needed.
St. Paul in writing to the Corinthians sums up his own life under the
two conditions of being out of his mind and in his right mind. His
opponents at Corinth, like Festus (Acts xxvi. 24), accused him of being
mad. He is quite ready to admit that at times he has been in a condition
which, if they like, they may call madness. But that is no affair of
theirs. Of his sanity and sobriety at other times there can be no
question; and his conduct during these times of sobriety is of
importance to them. "For whether we went out of our mind" (=exestêmen=),
"it was for God, or are in our right mind" (=sôphronoumen=, "are of
sober mind," R.V.), "it is for you" (2 Cor. v. 13). The Apostle "went
out of his mind," as his enemies chose to say, at his conversion on the
road to Damascus, when a special revelation of Jesus Christ was granted
to him: and to this phase of his existence belonged his visions (Acts
xvi. 9; xxvii. 23), ecstasies and revelations (2 Cor. xii. 1-7), and his
"speaking with tongues" (1 Cor. xiv. 18). And he was "in his right mind"
in all the great tact, and sagacity, and self-denial, which he exhibited
for the well-being of his converts.
It was absolutely necessary that the latter condition of mind should be
the predominant one, and should control the other; that the ecstasy
should be exceptional and the sobermindedness habitual, and that the
sobermindedness should not be turned into self-exaltation by the
remembrance of the ecstasy. There was so much danger of this evil in St.
Paul's case, owing to "the exceeding greatness of the revelations"
granted to him, that the special discipline of the "stake for the flesh"
was given to him to counteract the temptation; for it was in the flesh,
that is the sinful principle of his nature, that the tendency to pride
himself on his extraordinary spiritual experiences was found.
St. Paul's case was, no doubt, highly exceptional; but in degree, rather
than in kind. Very many of his converts had similar, although less
sublime, and perhaps less frequent, experiences. Spiritual gifts of a
supernatural kind had been bestowed in great abundance upon many of the
members of the Church of Corinth (1 Cor. xii. 7-10), and were the
occasion of some of the grievous disorders which were found there,
because they were not always accompanied by sobriety, but were allowed
to become incitements to licence and spiritual pride. Few things show
more plainly the necessity for self-control and sobermindedness, when
men are under the influence of strong religious emotion, than the state
of things existing among the Corinthian converts, as indicated in St.
Paul's two letters to them. They had been guilty of two errors. First,
they had formed an exaggerated estimate of some of the gifts bestowed
upon them, especially of the mysterious power of speaking with tongues.
And, secondly, they had supposed that persons so highly gifted as
themselves were above, not only ordinary precautions, but ordinary
principles. Instead of seeing that such special privileges required them
to be specially on their guard, they considered that they stood in no
need of vigilance, and might safely disregard custom, and common
decency, and even principles of morality. Previous to their conversion
they had been idolaters, and therefore had had no experience of
spiritual gifts and manifestations. Consequently, when the experience
came, they were thrown off their balance, and knew neither how to
estimate these gifts, nor how to prevent "what should have been to their
wealth, becoming to them an occasion of falling."
It might be thought that the conditions of the Christian life of St.
Paul and of his converts were too unlike our own to yield any clear
lesson in this respect. We have not been converted to Christianity from
either Judaism or paganism; and we have received no special revelations
or extraordinary spiritual gifts. But this is not so. Our religious
life, like theirs, has its two different phases; its times of
excitement, and its times of freedom from excitement. We no longer work
miracles, or speak with tongues; but we have our exceptional moments of
impassioned feelings, and high-strung aspirations, and sublime thoughts;
and we are just as liable as the Corinthians were to plume ourselves
upon them, to rest in them, and to think that, because we have them, all
must necessarily be well with us. We cannot too often remind ourselves
that such things are not religion, and are not even the material out of
which religion is made. They are the scaffolding and appliances, rather
than the formed edifice or the unformed stones and timber. They supply
helps and motive power. They are intended to carry us over difficulties
and drudgery; and hence are more common in the earlier stages of a
Christian's career than in the time of maturity, and at crises when the
career has been interrupted, than when it is progressing with steadfast
regularity. Conversion to Christianity in the case of a pagan, and the
realization of what Christianity really means in the case of a nominal
Christian, involve pain and depression: and the attempt to turn again
and repent after grievous sin involves pain and depression. Strong
religious emotion helps us to get the better of these, and may, if we
use it aright, give us an impetus in the right direction. But, from the
very nature of things, it cannot continue, and it is not desirable that
it should. It will soon run its course, and we shall be left to go on
our way with our ordinary resources. And our duty then is
twofold;--first, not to repine at its withdrawal; "the Lord gave, and
the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord": and,
secondly, to take care that it does not evaporate in empty
self-complacency, but is translated into action. Impassioned feeling,
that leads on to conduct, strengthens character; impassioned feeling,
that ends with itself, weakens it. If religious excitement is not to do
us more harm than good, by leaving us more insensible to spiritual
influences than we were before, it must be accompanied by the sobriety
which refuses to be exalted by such an experience, and which, in making
use of it, controls it. And, moreover, these warm feelings and
enthusiastic aspirations after what is good must lead on to calm and
steadfast performance of what is good. One act of real self-denial, one
genuine sacrifice of pleasure to duty, is worth hours of religious
emotion and thousands of pious thoughts.
But sobermindedness will not only keep us from being pleased with
ourselves for our impassioned feelings about spiritual things, and help
us to turn them to good account; it will also preserve us from what is
even worse than allowing them to pass away without result, viz., talking
about them. To feel warmly and to do nothing is to _waste_ motive power:
it leads to hardening of the heart against good influences in the
future. To feel warmly and talk about it is to _abuse_ motive power: it
leads to puffing up of the heart in spiritual pride and to blinding the
inward eye with self-complacency. And this is the fatal mistake which is
made by some religious teachers at the present day. Strong feelings are
excited in those whom they wish to lead from a life of sin to a life of
holiness. Sorrow for the past and a desire for better things are
aroused, and the sinner is thrown into a condition of violent distress
and expectation. And then, instead of being gently led on to work out
his salvation in fear and trembling, the penitent is encouraged to seek
excitement again and again, and to attempt to produce it in others, by
constant rehearsing of his own religious experiences. What should have
been a secret between himself and his Saviour, or at most shared only
with some wise adviser, is thrown out publicly to the whole world, to
the degradation both of what is told and of the character of him who
tells it.
The error of mistaking religious feeling for holiness, and good thoughts
for good conduct, is a very common one; and it is confined to neither
sex, and to no period of life. Men as well as women, and the old as well
as the young, need to be on their guard against it. And therefore the
Apostle urges Titus to exhort all alike to be soberminded. There are
times when to be agitated about religion, and have warm feelings either
of sorrow or joy, is natural and right. When one is first roused to
desire a life of holiness; when one is conscience-stricken at having
fallen into some grievous sin; when one is bowed down under the weight
of some great private or public calamity, or elated by the vivid
appreciation of some great private or public blessing. At all such
seasons it is reasonable and proper that we should experience strong
religious emotion. Not to do so would be a sign of insensibility and
deadness of heart. But do not let us suppose that the presence of such
feelings mark us out as specially religious or spiritually gifted
people. They do nothing of the kind. They merely prove that we are not
utterly dead to spiritual influences. Whether we are the better or the
worse for such feelings, depends upon the use that we make of them. And
do not let us expect that these emotions will be permanent, which will
certainly not be the case, or that they will frequently return, which
will probably not be the case. Above all, let us not be discouraged if
they become more and more rare, as time goes on. They _ought_ to become
more rare; for they are sure to become less frequent as we advance in
holiness. In the steady growth and natural development of the spiritual
life there is not much need of them or room for them. They have done
their work when they have carried us over the breakers, which troubled
our early efforts, into the less excited waters of consistent obedience.
And to be able to progress without them is a surer token of God's grace
than to have them. To continue steadfast in our obedience, without the
luxury of warm feelings and impassioned devotion, is more pleasing in
His sight than all the intense longings to be freed from sin, and all
the passionate supplications for increased holiness that we have ever
felt and offered. The test of fellowship with God is not warmth of
devotion but holiness of life. "Hereby know we that we know Him, if we
_keep His commandments_."
FOOTNOTES:
[76] This makes one again inclined to regret that the Revisers here and
elsewhere have left "doctrine" as the translation of =didaskalia=, while
they have in most cases substituted "teaching" for "doctrine" as the
translation of =didachê=. It would hardly be possible to confine either
English word to either Greek word as its invariable rendering: but where
both English words are admissible, it seems better to keep "teaching"
(which is close to "teacher") for =didaskalia= (which is close to
=didaskalos=) and reserve "doctrine" for =didachê= (see p. 47).
[77] From =sôs=, "safe and sound," and =phrên=, "mind." The associations
of the word are seen in Aristotle's erroneous derivation (_Eth. N._, VI.
v. 5); =Enthen kai tên sôphrosynên toutô prosagoreuomen tô onomati, hôs
sôzousan tên phronêsin=.