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Tit 2:1 is an emphatic command that introduces nine verses of relational teaching. Sound doctrine is concerned with sound relationships.
The first area of relationships concern the church family and is based on age and gender: first, older men and women; then, younger women and men (3:2-8). Notice how Paul establishes a structural symmetry—older to younger, with men on the outside framing the women. This structure of balance, harmony, and interdependence mirrors perfectly what Paul wants their relationships in the church to be.
Temperate refers first to moderation in the use of alcohol and second to a paced, measured character. There is a consistent interrelationship between the different groups as illustrated by likewise (v.3), then (v.4), and similarly (v.6). The picture is one where older and younger are vitally involved with one another, and especially where older women are involved in training younger women. In discussing younger men (v.6), Paul expands the section to include remarks directed to Titus (vv.7-8) that parallel 1Ti 4:12. Titus is to encourage the young men by living an exemplary life. As he does this, he fulfills one criterion of an elder (1:9).
Paul wants no one to malign [Gk. blasphēmēo] the word of God (v.5), or to be able to say anything bad about us (v.8). The use of us includes Paul and means that the lifestyle witness of one Christian has a direct effect on the way other Christians are viewed. By being obedient and pleasing, not argumentative nor stealing, slaves show that they can be fully trusted. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior more attractive (Gk., cosmosis; Eng. cosmetic) (2:10). We make the Gospel more appealing by our lifestyle, a central tenent of the Wesleyan doctrine of holiness.