Younger Men and Self Control

“Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled”

—Titus 2:6

In contrast to the instructions given for older men, Paul gives only one instruction to young men. No doubt, this is not because they need less instruction, but because they need to heed this instruction all the more. If you’ve ever given directions to young men, you probably know it does little good to give them more than one direction at a time.

This is the emphatic admonition for young men—“be self-controlled.” Indeed, some have said this is the emphatic admonition of this letter. One pastor writes, “It would not be far off to call Titus the epistle of self-control.” Elders are to be self-controlled (1:8) Older men are to be self-controlled (v 2). Older women are not to be slaves to much wine (v. 3). Younger women are to be self-controlled (v. 5).

While little girls are singing, “Let it go,” men are chanting “Nothing’s gonna hold me back!” We are all being told to be ourselves and express ourselves. But the Bible teaches that all of us, young men especially, are to say “No!” to ourselves. So when Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3–5), you understand that we all need that word, but who especially needs it? Young men! Not because they are more sinful, but because this command gets at their sin more.

This virtue, for young men, is as a key to all the other virtues. “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). Young men, if this virtue fails, all fail.

Even godly young men are often as Paul describes Israel. “They have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” (Romans 10:2). Such young men are like Simeon and Levi, zealous for righteousness but reckless in pursuing it. A young man with godly zeal, but without self-control, is like a fire in the house without a fireplace.