Titus 1 vs 1 - 5

The book of Titus, or letter to Titus, was written by the apostle Paul

sometime between 60 – 70AD. Titus was a Greek follower of Jesus that

was very important to Paul. Paul, in this letter, calls him, “A true son in

faith,” which probably means that Paul was the one that led Titus to the

Lord.

Paul being close with Titus would already be a display of something new

and something interesting. Jews didn’t mix with Greeks well in those days.

The Jewish community considered anyone not Jewish to be unclean, a

gentile, and good only to fuel the fires of hell. So, for Paul and Titus to be

so close, folks would immediately see the love of God that surpasses

societal norms and community culture.

Titus ministered alongside of Paul as we learn this in this letter that Paul

left Titus in Crete after visiting there himself. Paul probably wasn’t the one

that started the first church there. We see in Acts 2:11 that when the Holy

Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost, Cretans were specifically

named as being there. Paul left Titus in Crete to speak boldly of true faith,

which Titus was known for. Paul mentions Titus in this capacity in 2

Corinthians, Galatians, and 2 Timothy.

We don’t know precisely where Paul was when he penned this letter but we

do know where Titus was. The island of Crete is south of Greece, an island

in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s actually a rather large island stretching for

160 miles east to west but also somewhat narrow varying in width from

about 7 miles at its most narrow point to about 37 miles at its widest.

This letter to Titus is considered to be a “pastoral epistle.” Paul wrote

three pastoral epistles, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus and these are called

pastoral epistles because they contain direction and instructions on pastoral

oversight, church leadership, and church organization. Also, unlike most of

Paul’s letters which are written to entire churches, these three are written to

specific associates of Paul who were serving as leaders in churches,

Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete.

In general, this letter of Paul to Titus focuses on appointing qualified elders

and leaders, dealing with difficult people, and living a life that reflects

sound doctrine. Crete was known to be the Tortuga of the times! In fact

there was a Greek word specifically that spoke to the nastiness of the

people of Crete and it was an insult! “Kretizo” in the Greek means to act

like a Cretan or literally translated, to lie or to cheat. Titus had his work cut

out for him!

Titus Chapter 1 Verse 1

 There’s humility and there’s dignity in how Paul introduces himself.

In all that Paul was, top-shelf Jew, a Pharisee of Pharisees and a

Hebrew of the Hebrews (he wrote in Philippians 3), student of the

most famous Gamaliel, church planter and Gospel preacher, orator to

emperors and defender of the faith, in all that Paul was, his identity

was that he was a bondservant of God.

 Here’s the dignity in that, the pride in that…, there’s no higher

possible position for any of us. To be a servant of the Most High

God, there’s nothing more any of us could ever be! That’s as high as

it gets!

 And in his service to God, he is an apostle of Jesus Christ! Sent out

by Jesus Christ Himself. You are always going to have people that

approve of you and people that don’t. Best to know who you serve

and who sent you!

 According to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the

truth! I love that statement because in it we have answers that settle

many theological disputes. Did God choose us or did we choose

Him? The answer is YES! Unless you throw out several scriptures,

you must conclude that God has chosen everyone that will receive

Him. And unless you throw out several scriptures, you must conclude

that everyone that will receive Him will have to choose to do so…

I’m not sure why this causes so much havoc in the Body of Christ.

 Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world,

that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him

should not perish but have everlasting life!” 2 Peter 3:9b, “The

Lord…is not willing that any should perish but that all should come

to repentance.” Revelation 3:5, “He who overcomes shall be clothed

in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of

Life.”

 That statement tells us two things. Names are in the Book of Life and

names can be blotted out. Revelation 20:15 says, “And anyone not

found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” So,

the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgement of the truth.

Together, complimentary and collaborative. In no way mutually

exclusive but rather scripturally, mutually inclusive! This is how and

why Paul has become a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus

Christ.

 At the foundation of the world (or before) every name to ever be,

every person created, formed, born and to live in the image of God,

every name was written in the Book of Life. To everyone life has

been given. And, we are saved by grace through faith, that it is our

choice, through the receiving of the promised Savior and Lord Jesus

Christ, it is the choice of every person whether their name remains or

is blotted out. Any other conclusion, you have to not accept all bible

verses on the subject but rather you have to leave some out…

 Paul, a servant of God and apostle of Jesus according to God’s

election AND Paul’s acknowledgment of the truth, check this out,

which accords with godliness. A loose and lesser translation in my

opinion as this could also be translated, which leads to godliness.

This is why THE truth is so important. Personal truth or flawed truth

or your truth on its own, leads to something else. It is only the truth

of God’s Word, God’s truth that leads to godliness. One of the

primary reasons Paul would write this letter to Titus and why Titus

was left in Crete!

Titus Chapter 1 Verses 2 – 3

 Eternal life doesn’t just speak of life forever but it also carries with it

the weight of quality, as in quality of life. You also hear the word

everlasting in connection with receiving the truth of Jesus Christ. John

3:16, “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting

life!”

 Here in Titus Chapter 1, the word in the Greek is “aionios” which

speaks of age abiding. Ages to come, yes, but also a quality of life

through come what may in this life. An abiding solid rock foundation.

An abiding poise. An abiding confidence. An abiding joy. An abiding

hope, age to age! I see and care about and handle many things VERY

differently in my 40s than I did in my 30s, and definitely different

from my 20s. Age abiding speaks of a high quality of life through the

ages and through MY ages!

 And Paul knows that it’s the heart of God and his calling and

assignment from God that he should preach the Word of God.

Romans 8:31, Paul wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

The answer is a lot of people. The reality is, it doesn’t and they don’t

matter.

Titus Chapter 1 Verse 4

 Titus was someone who was very dear to Paul. Paul calls him a true

son in the faith. It could be that Paul led Titus to the Lord. Actually,

there’s little doubt about that. But it was what happened after Paul led

Titus to the Lord that created this bond.

 How is a true son with a father? Respectful. Supportive.

Communicative. Reliable. Appreciative. Non-combative. A sense of

admiration and willful obedience that sends a message of importance

and quality. Paul led many to the Lord but these things created the

bond that Paul had with Titus and with Timothy.

 Grace, mercy and peace, the trifecta that we all need and Paul says

from the Father and from Jesus. Why is it that the Holy Spirit is

never named? It’s always from the Father and from Jesus Christ. It’s

because the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to point people not to

Himself, but to Jesus. John 15:26, “But when the Helper comes, whom

I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds

from the Father, He will testify of Me.”

 I’m always a tidge skeptical when a service or a church names the

Holy Spirit. Church of the Holy Spirit or we are going to have a

service centered on the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the Spirit. Just rings

an odd bell in my spiritual substance sensitivity sanctuary…,

Christian spidey sense, because as much as He, the Holy Spirit, is

God, His entire aim is to get folks focused not on Him but on Jesus…

Titus Chapter 1 Verse 5

 We’re not sure exactly why or when but at some point, some churches

began to elect pastors. The bible knows nothing of this practice.

Church elders, bishops, pastors (which are all synonymous according

to the scriptures) were appointed, or ordained which means the same

thing. I could go on and on about the problems with popular election,

but then again, someone else could go on and on about the problems

of appointment.

 Here’s the biblical concept. If you have a godly person, that is focused

on the mission of loving God, loving others and making disciples of

Jesus Christ, there is no one better to have appointing fellow

leadership. It won’t matter if the person will be best for church growth,

or to increase attendance, or because they are the most liked or most

talented. None of that will matter. Is he godly? All that matters. Is this

man someone that knows his calling, knows who has called him, and

is he going to put the Lord and the church before himself? That is

what matters!

 Paul had traveled to Crete with Titus and had asked him to stay to

oversee the church there. And anyone that truly cares about the work

that he is doing is going to look for and take all the help he can get!

 Paul gives the mission to Titus to “set in order the things that are

lacking.” That’s a medical term just like a doctor would use when

talking about setting a broken bone. These are the kinds of leaders we

need in churches and in the family of God. For that matter, in our

homes, workplaces and politics!

 If you have all the degrees and all the experience and all the talent and

all the biblical knowledge yet you aren’t bent towards helping

someone fix their lives through trusting more and more in Jesus

Christ, then you are no leader in the family of God. In fact, you are

a worthless shepherd!

 Zechariah 11:15-17, “The Lord said to me, “Next, take for yourself the

implements of a foolish shepherd. For indeed I will raise up a

shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor

seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still

stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in

pieces. Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock! A sword

shall be against his arm and against his right eye; His arm shall

completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded.”

 Someone who knows very little of formal ministry can be amazing at

leadership in the family of God! The single thing that qualifies a

person for godly leadership is godly character. Godly character?

Where’s that best captured? On the cross. In the field of the 5,000

hungry. At the open-air trial of the woman caught in the very act of

adultery. At the last supper, where Jesus washed the feet of Judas.

 Paul lays out for Titus what to look for in this chapter just as he laid

out for Timothy… Look for God in appointing godly leadership.