Titus

Titus 1:1-4

This was the normal way of opening a letter in those days.  A greeting on a letter might state who you were, what you are, and what your business is and the purpose of writing.  Paul, in keeping to this, stated he was a bondservant of God.  This is that word doulos, establishing him as a humble, menial servant of the master.  This is a very strong word and everyone in that time who read it would have seen it as a strong word.  It was the declaration of a life serving the master with no rights of your own.  His life was bonded to his master for the master's use and purpose.  And he was thankful for that regardless of the ugly things that he had lived through.

Paul then added that he was an apostle.  An apostle is ‘one sent with a message.’  It also is Paul's calling card stating his authority to write and give instruction, exhortation and even rebuke if needed.  He was sent to deliver a message but the message wasn't his.  It was the message of the master.

Paul stated his standing with the Lord, as a servant and his calling was that of an apostle.  The acknowledgement of truth and faith went hand in hand; this was in accordance with godliness.  The Cretans struggled in the godliness category.  This truth he wrote of is the gospel truth that accords with godliness.  It is the truth that God's elect will respond to, all of which is consistent with the faith that we receive from God.  There were no other versions of the truth.  There wasn’t ‘your truth’ or ‘my truth’ but only ‘the truth’.  Crete was apparently struggling with that.

The elect finds their hope of eternal life in God.  This hope isn't a verb.  It's not a handwringing hope or just hoping things turn out okay in eternity.  This hope is a noun.  It's a thing, its fixed and unchangeable.  This hope was promised from the beginning.  Now that unchanging hope is brought to people through preaching of the word.  This preaching is a word that means heralding.  When we think of preaching, we think of a pastor in a pulpit.  Instead this should be the picture of the town crier standing in the square delivering the message of the King.  Paul does this.  He heralds the message because it was committed to him and commanded to him by God the savior.

Paul the servant was called to be an apostle.  He carried a message to the world like a town crier.  That message is one of Hope for salvation to all men.  It is to be received by faith, by those who are the elect.  This gospel message was committed to Paul by Jesus and he was commanded to teach it.  That's just a no-nonsense declaration of facts.  It's not boastful in any way.  And it almost comes across from Paul with an urgency that he wanted Titus (and us) to understand.

This was a very standard greeting by Paul to believers.  It is also very sincere.  Paul considered Titus a true son, much like Timothy.  He felt like a spiritual father to Titus, leading him in their common faith.

Titus 1:5

You can see Titus is not just in one church but is overseeing several home churches.  He was to minister to these churches in Crete and set things in order that were lacking.  This 'setting things in order' was a medical term.  This same term would be used to describe setting a broken bone.  It was putting things in the right place, as they are meant to be, for health and growth.  And just like setting a broken bone, putting things in order in the church could inflict some pain.

Even though setting a bone causes pain, it's still the loving thing to do.  Otherwise things remain out of order and there are long term consequences.  Likewise, setting things in order at the church was the loving and right thing to do.  Whether setting a bone or setting things in order, there is a right way and a wrong way to do that work.  Paul was confident that Titus was the right guy for the job.  He would know the right way, the loving way of setting things right, being firm, truthful, but full of grace and mercy.

The first thing that was lacking in Crete was leadership.  Paul said Titus should appoint elders. The Greek word is ‘presbyteros’.   These are men who are called to church leadership - pastors or elders.  Titus was to identify these men and appoint them elders and teachers in every city.  This was an important task because you have to have the right leadership for the church to be healthy.  Part of getting the right men was to have a standard.  Paul gave Titus the qualifications.  This means, these men were already leaders and possessed those qualities.  Ttitus would just formalize what God had already done.

Titus 1:6-9

Paul sets the standard for which to qualify leaders against:

First the elder:

• Blameless:  This isn't a perfect man.  There are no perfect men.  This describes a man whose heart is inclined to the Lord.  The man of God who is a leader in the church lives a life that is free from things that would bring accusation or scandal in the public's eye.
• Husband of one wife:  There is no infidelity.  He isn't out fooling around nor is there any kind of appearance that he would or could.
• Faithful Children:  His family life is consistent with his spiritual life.  The children are raised with godly values and show respect and honor to their father and mother.

The bishop then is a leader of the fellowship, an elder that’s called as leader over the others.

• Blameless: ‘As a steward’ adds to the idea of being so in a position of leadership.
• Not self-willed: As a shepherd, you are looking out for others, guiding, teaching and praying for folks.  One can’t have their eyes on themselves.
• Not quick tempered:  All the good done can be undone by one outburst.  Humility and grace must keep a bar on that door.
• Not given to wine; This probably doesn’t need a lot of explaining.  He must be an example of self-control and discipline. 
• Not violent:  Again, discipline and self-control are paramount. 
• Not greedy:  Money has brought down quite a few otherwise good pastors.  This is one of those sneaky temptations that can make its way in and poison a ministry. 
• Hospitable:  Cordial, generous toward guests, even if they don’t agree.
• A lover of good:  Embracing the good things, showing folks the life of a follower of Christ is a great joy and blessing.
• Sober minded:  Possessing a seriousness about life but balanced, passions and moods in check. 
• Just:  Embracing morality and justice
• Holy:  Purity, set apart for God.  Not bothered by being different.
• Self-controlled:  This is probably more directed toward keeping in check those sensual desires that could lead to actions.
• Holding fast to the word:  This is an obvious and consistent devotion to God’s word. 

This is a man of sound doctrine which can teach, correct and encourage those he shepherds.  This man lives a Christ centered life.  He is serious about his walk with the Lord.  He pursues holiness and piety.  He is the same man at church as he is at work, home, in public and in private.  He is consistently Christ centered. 

The qualifications are important so that no one can bring an accusation saying that this leader wasn't living out what he preached.  The man that qualifies as a leader according to scripture reflects a life that has been changed by God.  When the leader believes it, he will live it and people will see it.  And that opens doors for him to teach or preach or exhort; to speak the word of God into someone else's life.

Titus was looking for mature spiritual leaders of the church.  That same search for qualified leadership goes on today.  I believe every church in America is starving for Godly leadership.  Where are the men of God?  Where are the men who will lead people?  As the young men in our culture look up to the older men, do they see Godly men of character?

Titus 1:10-11

The rebellious men were numerous and widespread.  This was all the more reason that Titus needed to appoint the right men as leaders in the church.  In fact, it added intensity and urgency to it.  There is a spiritual war going on every day in this world.  Many times it seems there are way more men leading people away from God than to Him.  Paul said those mouths must be stopped.  The destruction of households and entire families must be stopped.  These idle talkers and deceivers must not be allowed to operate in the church of God.  This is why strong and qualified leadership is necessary.

Paul said there are many insubordinates.  These insubordinates were men that wouldn’t submit.  They didn't submit to God.  They didn't submit to truth and they didn't submit to the word of God.  That is the majority position today.  Paul said these men are idle talkers and deceivers.  The main idea of being an idle talker and deceiver was that these men were moving their lips, attempting to play a part, when in reality what they said had no value of godliness.  The worst kind, in Paul's eyes, were the Jewish legalist.  That's who he was referring to as 'those of the circumcision' in verse ten.  They were in the church but they were insubordinate and false teachers.  None of these guys led anyone to Christ by their ways.

Serious matters of faith are sometimes difficult.  Paul saw these men shunning the truth with their false teaching.  They taught what they ought not teach.  They did it for dishonest gain.  Paul said you have to stop these guys.  They'll subvert everyone they're around because the idle talk breeds more idle talk.  Bad teachers create more bad teachers.  This call to stop these guys isn't a call for violence.  We're not going to send Guido the Calvary Chapel leg breaker over to visit a false teacher.  When Paul said they must be stopped he's saying they should be stopped by reason.

Can you imagine how confusing this must have been in the church?  One man taught one thing and another would step up and teach something else.  One man preached a gospel of grace and another espoused legalism.

Among the many men of Crete were those who should have been leaders.  So why weren't they stepping up?  Or maybe they had but they were just dabbling in leadership, not really leading with all their heart. 

The humble servant isn't the one up front saying let me teach, let me lead. It's the guy in the back that's working or teaching.  It's the guy living it out with all the pain and sorrow and tears and fears while holding onto that eternal faith.  He's always there, rock solid, never wavering.  He is anchored deep in the Lord.

Titus 1:12-14

Paul quoted Epimenides in verse twelve.  This guy was a Greek poet and philosopher from Crete, who had these mythical tails woven around his life.  He lived in 600BC.  His life was shrouded in myths and fanciful stories.  Supposedly, while tending his sheep he fell asleep in a cave that was one of Zeus's caves.  When he woke up he was a prophet.  He is the first to have discovered the paradoxical lie.  An example of a paradoxical lie is the statement, "I am lying."  The statement can only be true if it is false and it can only be false if it is true.  It's a paradox.

Epiminedes made a science and study of lying.  What a strange thing to spend your life at.  But this guy was highly esteemed among the Greeks.  And he characterized his own people as liars, evil and lazy.  This is what Paul meant when he said 'one of their own' in verse 12.  Epiminedes himself was a Cretan and said his people were liars, evil and gluttonous.  Paul said Epiminedes was right and Titus needed to rebuke them sharply.  He wasn't to let this continue on.  He wasn't doing them any favors by ignoring it.  They needed to be straightened out.

The Jewish fables and commandments they had embraced were the legalisms that harmed the gospel.  They weren't teaching salvation by grace.  They were teaching works righteousness.  They were saying you had to keep certain commandments to be a Christian.

Titus 1:15

Paul was still talking about the Jewish fables that were being promoted by some of these false teachers there in Crete.  They were teaching that you had to abstain from certain foods if you were a Christian.  That discussion had taken place long ago and the Lord answered these questions and confirmed them.  In Acts Peter had a vision of a sheet coming down from heaven with all kinds of animals in it.  With the vision he heard the words, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”  The restrictions on the diet were part of the law, just like so many other items.  But the law was fulfilled. 

To those purified in the Lord there is nothing unclean in this food.  To those who are unbelieving, they are impure regardless of their diet.  It is belief that brings purity.  The food simply wasn't the problem.  Their heart was the problem.  The mind and conscience were still defiled.  And that defilement was convicting them of sin and unrighteousness.  They needed to come to the knowledge that they couldn't please God by eating certain foods or performing any other works of law. 

Titus 1:16

These false teachers were in it for sordid gain.  They professed God with their mouth but their works looked like something entirely different.  Paul said they were abominable, which is to say they were polluted with idolatry.  They had created their own idea of who God was.  They made their own doctrine and theology to suit them.  I'm sure it felt right, sounded right, and looked very religious but, it wasn't Christianity.  The god was a fabricated, false, nonexistent god.

These men were also disobedient.  The mark of a someone who professes God is obedient.  This is not obedience just when it was convenient, but all the time.  Men of God, men of Character were the same whether they were being watched or not.  Character is when your actions are the same whether someone is watching or not; whether you will get credit or not.  D.L. Moody said, character is what you are in the dark.

These abominable and disobedient men had no character.  Paul said they were disqualified for every good work.  This word for disqualified was used to describe a counterfeit coin.  The word was adokimo .and it's translated reprobate in the King James.  The counterfeit coin was adokimos, disqualified.  It was close but it wasn't right, it wasn't the real thing.  This same word was used to describe a cowardly soldier who failed in battle.  He was found adokimos, not passing the test when put to the test.  That word was also used for a stone rejected by builders.  If a stone had a bad enough flaw, it was marked with a capital A for Adokimos.  It was unfit.  It was found reprobate and insufficient for use.

We see Paul not putting doctrine and theology to Titus.  He already knew those things.  He's putting out the call to real Christian leadership.  That same call goes out today, in churches, schools, homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, all over the world to men, to women, even to young men and young ladies.  We are all called to some level of leadership.

In Crete the false teachers and abominable leadership appeared as Christian.  They spoke like Christians but their actions revealed something else.  When put to the test they would fail.  They would be found counterfeit and reprobate, offering nothing of eternal value.  The deeds of a person will always reveal the heart.

© 2011, 2019, 2023 Doug Ford