STUDIES IN TITUS

 

INTRODUCTION: Next to Timothy, Titus was probably one of the Apostle Paul’s closest friends.  “To Titus, mine own son after the common faith” (1:4).  Paul mentioned this young Christian servant in Second Corinthians 8:16-23 and in Galatians 2:3.  Titus was converted under the ministry of Paul, afterwards becoming a very close associate of the great apostle.  Paul sent Titus to Corinth to deliver First Corinthians.  Then Titus met Paul in Macedonia and reported on the progress of the work in Corinth.  As a result of what Titus shared with him, Paul then wrote the book of Second Corinthians.  Titus was not Jewish by birth, but was a Greek.

 

Paul sent Titus to the island of Crete to establish order in the churches there.  We do not know how these churches began, but most likely were the direct result of the Day of Pentecost.  (Acts 2:11 tells us that there were Cretes who heard the message on that day.)  New converts from that day may well have established Christian churches in Crete.  When Judaizers (false teachers) began teaching the Cretians that law-keeping is necessary for salvation, the churches became confused and disorganized.  (That is what false doctrine will do to a church.)  Paul’s letter to Titus gave instruction on how to “set in order the things that  are wanting (lacking)”  (1:5).  Titus was to do whatever was necessary to see that the churches were functioning doctrinally correct.  This was very important to the work of God.

 

CHAPTER ONE

SPIRITUAL ORDER IN THE HOUSE OF GOD

 

“Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ....” (1:1a).  Paul describes himself two ways as he addresses Titus:  “....a servant of God....”  Paul used a very common Greek word meaning “slave.”  Paul had been bought with a price.  “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Corinthians 6:20).  Paul described himself as God’s slave.  By his first birth, Paul was born a slave of sin.  He was born with a nature that drew back from God, which resisted God, that rebelled  against God.  When he was reborn into God’s family, he was again born into slavery. This time a bond-slave, one who serves his master not of obligation, but rather of love (Exodus 21:5-6).   “....An apostle of Jesus Christ....”  Paul gives the authority by which he spoke.  An apostle was a “sent one, someone who has the command and the authority to act on behalf of another.”  Paul said, “I am representing Jesus Christ.  I am sent forth as his personal emissary to the world.”  In verse 3, Paul tells Titus that God “hath in due times manifested his Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”    There was no question who had called and sent Paul.  Now he wants Titus to know that he, through Paul, was receiving the same commission.  The churches on the Island of Crete were in trouble and needed help.  It was the God directed responsibility of Titus to “set in order the things that are lacking.”

 

“....According to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness” (1b).  According to this verse, we have a confidence in God that is revealed in two areas.  First,  Paul declared his calling to be consistent with the truth of the Word of God, and second, the faith that operates in the lives of God’s people.  Paul is simply saying that if we believe the Word of God we should not be ignorant.  That is why we study.  That’s why we preach and teach the Word of God.  That is our confidence we receive from the Word.  “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).  God’s answer to doubt, despair, discouragement, and depression is confidence, confidence through the knowledge of the Word of God.  Paul is telling us that “My apostleship, my servitude, is consistent with the full knowledge God has given me.”

 

“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (1:2).  We have a hope, a confident expectation, that in Christ Jesus we have eternal life.  What do we base this on?  “God, that cannot lie.”  Our God is without a falsehood.  He always tells the truth.  Our salvation is not based on our emotions or feelings, but upon the fact that God, who cannot lie, has promised in His Word to save those who come in repentance and faith to Him.  I can tell you without question that I am saved, because I know there was a time in my life when I turned from my sin and turned to God.  When I received Him, He saved me.  I know it.  I do not have to be torn by doubt because my salvation does not depend on my integrity; it depends on God’s eternal Word and the fact that He does not lie.

 

“But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour” (1:3).  One writer summed up this verse like this, “and now in his own good time he has revealed this Good News and permits me to tell it to everyone.”  The words “in due times” simply mean that at a time of God’s choosing, He revealed His gospel through preaching.  We need to be reminded that every aspect of our relationship to God is based upon God’s initiative.  We would have no desire to be saved and we would have no desire to serve God if the Holy Spirit did not deal with us in our hearts.  After Adam fell in the garden, he did not begin to seek God.  Instead, God had to seek him out.  This has always been the same since that time.  In due time, God’s Good News was revealed.  Eternal truth was revealed in God’s time “through preaching.”  Preaching reveals God; preaching reveals God’s will; preaching gives God’s direction; only through preaching can God’s church be “set in order” so as to leave nothing wanting or lacking.

 

“For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee”  (1:5).  What is God’s desire for the church? “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints......Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Corinthians 14:33 & 40).  Paul sent Titus to Crete that he might “set in order” all the problems and conflicts that existed there.  The phrase “set in order” comes from a medical term which means to correct something that has been broken, such as a bone.  Evidently all scriptural order had been broken down there, and church order was in chaos.  God was sending Titus to bring proper perspective to the churches.  His job was to go to the island of Crete and organize the churches, to dispel any disorder or confusion.  He was to ordain elders (Pastors) in the churches.  God does not want the church confused or disorganized.  He does not want contention in the church.  False doctrine, confusion, and error is displeasing to Him.  His desire is for the church to display godliness and true spirituality which unites people.  The key to success in every church is to have the right men of God in places of leadership.  When men are out of place, the result will be disorder and confusion.  God very clearly has an order and, when that is followed, there will be harmony and edification.

 

“....Ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.”  The word “ordain” means to appoint.  In this instance, it was the responsibility of Titus to do so as he was directed by the Holy Spirit.   There are four different titles given in the scripture that may be applied to the same leader in the church.  (A) ELDER - an adjective; is used of a mature man, either of age, such as the elder person or the elder brother; or rank or position of responsibility. There were elders in all the local New Testament churches (Acts 14:23).  (B) BISHOP - an overseer, to look or watch after.  The terms elder and bishop are used interchangeably in the scriptures according to context.  In verse five, Titus is told to ordain elders, then in verse seven, speaking of the same person, he is called a bishop.  The term “elder” indicates the mature spiritual experience and understanding of those so described.  The term “bishop” (an overseer) indicates the character of the work undertaken.  (C)  STEWARD - primarily denotes the manager of a household or estate.  (The things of God in this world have been placed in the care of man.  As His servants we are stewards of God.)  One of the qualifications of the pastor, according to I Timothy 3:5, is to take care of the house of God.   (D) PASTOR - one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts to the church for maturing the believers and for the work of the ministry is the pastor/teacher according to Ephesians 4:11.  The titles of elder, bishop, and steward are summed up in the pastor.  Note Acts 20:17-32, where Paul calls for the elders in verse 17; refers to them as overseers in verse 28; then instructs them to feed (be their pastor) the church of God, also in verse 28.

 

The church is a divine institution, and God planned that men of God would lead the church.  This does not mean that the people in the church have no voice, but the church is not a pure democracy.  It is a theocracy, a government under God.  The people are led by the men of God whom God has placed over them.  The pastor has a responsibility under God that must not be disregarded.  “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation (manner of life)” (Hebrews 13:7).  “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give an account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Hebrews 13:17).  Are ordained men to be dictatorial?  Not at all!  However, they have a responsibility under God to lead.  Without someone to lead in making decisions, we would spend all our time discussing, and not doing.  There has to be some authority placed by God in the church.  The pastorate is a sacred trust which carries a huge responsibility.

 

There are Bible given qualifications that must be met to be a man of God and hold the office of pastor.  “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly” (1:6).  The life of a spiritual leader is described fully, first from a negative point; things that cannot be in the life of such a person.  He must be BLAMELESS, implying not merely acquittal, but the absence of even a charge or accusation.  This blamelessness expresses itself in three areas.  First of all, it involves his family.  He is to be the HUSBAND OF ONE WIFE.  This literally means a “one woman man.”  The pastor cannot have more than one wife and this does not mean “one at a time.”  Second, he must have FAITHFUL CHILDREN NOT ACCUSED OF RIOT OR UNRULY (children out of control).  If a man cannot lead his own family to Christ, how can he lead other families to him?  In this matter, Paul instructed Timothy, “One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” (I Timothy 3:4-5).

 

The pastor is also to be blameless in his personal life.  “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God;  not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre” (1:7).  A steward is one who manages the affairs of another.  In overseeing the affairs of the house of God, the pastor must be blameless.  He cannot act in any way that would cause his conduct of church or personal business to be questioned.  As a steward, he must not be SELF-WILLED or proud.  He cannot afford to have an overgrown ego.  He should not be SOON ANGRY,  simply meaning that he cannot be hotheaded, always losing his temper.  Further, he is NOT GIVEN TO WINE.  He is not one who uses strong drink (alcoholic beverages) at all.  NO STRIKER is a word meaning that he does not allow his anger to move to violence.  He is under self control.  NOT GIVEN TO FILTHY LUCRE means that he does not make money and material possessions his chief pursuit of life.  The man of God must follow Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”   

 

On the positive side,   “But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate”  (1:8).  A LOVER OF HOSPITALITY means one who is “a lover of strangers.”  It is easy to love your own or those who are close to you, but what about those who are outcast and downtrodden?  This world is full of hurting people who need someone to be open and love them, not just in words, but in deeds and action.  A LOVER OF GOOD MEN is one who has great affection for men of good report; a lover of the brethren.  He is SOBER, that is of sound mind, self-controlled, a well ordered life.  He is JUST, simply fair and righteous with all.  HOLY, pure from evil conduct and observant of God’s will.  TEMPERATE, exercises self control in all areas of his life.

 

Not only is the pastor to be blameless in his family and personal life, he is to be blameless in what he believes.  “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (1:9).  “Holding fast” means to hold on to correct doctrine that Titus had been taught.  The pastor’s responsibility is to hold fast to the “faithful Word,” the scriptures that have been given to exhort and convince men of the truth.  To “exhort” means “to plead so as to comfort and encourage.”  The Word of God does not tear down, but rather builds up those who hear.  To “convince” is to “bring under conviction” the gainsayers (those who oppose the truth).  When we hold the proper truth and are the kind of person God wants us to be, we will be able to exhort people in such a way that they will be convicted and will turn to Him.  PASTORS ARE TO BE SPIRITUAL LEADERS, THE ONES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIRECTION THAT THE CHURCH TAKES!!!

 

“For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake” (1:10-11).  Here we begin to see a picture of the problem that Titus faced on the island of Crete.  Many false teachers were troubling the people in the churches.  The main problem came from the Jews who tried to persuade the Cretian converts that the simple message of the gospel of Christ was not enough.  Their message was that grace was not enough, but that to be really good, they needed to follow all the rules and regulations about food and washings which was the main message of Judaism.  Another thing they stressed as being necessary was their fables and long genealogies taught by the Rabbis.  These false teachers were seeking to persuade men that they needed more than Christ and more than grace to be saved.

 

The characteristics of false teachers are clearly seen in these verses.  UNRULY - The idea in this word is that they were undisciplined and out of control.  The word can be used of disloyal soldiers who refuse to obey the word of command.  False teachers refuse to accept correct doctrine. They refused to submit to authority, especially the authority of the Scriptures.  There are certain things which a man must believe to be a Christian, the greatest of which is the all-sufficiency of Christ.  VAIN TALKERS - This means empty and profitless with no value.  The main idea was a religion which produced no goodness of life.  The false teachers in Crete could make great speeches, but all their talk was ineffective in making anyone a better person.  They talked a lot, but achieved no useful purpose.  Teaching that ends in nothing except doubts and questions is not good.  All the teaching in the world is worthless unless it produces a changed life.  DECEIVERS - Instead of leading men to the truth, they lead them away from it.  These people are described in II Timothy as “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

 

False teaching has a far reaching effect.  In Crete it was “subvert(ing) whole houses, teaching things which they ought not.”  Entire families were suffering as a result of false teachers spreading their lies.  What was their motive?  “For filthy lucre’s sake.”  Their teaching was designed for their own gain.  They were more concerned with what they could get out of the people they were teaching than with what they could put into them.  We see this same error today in so many places.  Those under the pretense of teaching the Word of God who do so for their own gain should be shunned and avoided.  Paul says, “Whose mouths must be stopped.”  His idea is not that of physically doing so, but rather to offset false teaching with “truth.”  The best way to combat false doctrine is to offer “true teaching.”  This teaching will not only be based upon the Word of God, but it will also be backed by a life that lives the “truth.”  The Cretian people were notorious liars.  Paul says, “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.  This witness is true”  (1:12-13a).  The word “liar” refers to deliberate deception.  It very well may have been that the Cretians were proud of their bad influence and bad reputation.  This gives some insight into the depth of their depravity.  These men were “evil beasts.”  This means that they were “rude, cruel, brutal,” making them inconsiderate, arrogant people who lorded over others.  Paul described them as living only to satisfy their stomachs; “slow bellies.”  This no doubt refers to them as gluttons who had no self control or self-restraint. 

 

Those who teach false doctrine while living without restraint must be dealt with.  “Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth” (1:13b-14).  When it comes to false teachers spreading their lies, there must be strong response.  There must be an emphatic “that is not the truth.”  Again, the only way to stop false teaching is through dogmatically expounding the truth.  Strong correction is the only way to turn such people to sound doctrine.  “Jewish fables” were stories made up by false teachers and not the truth of the Word of God.  “Commandments of men” were the long  lists of “do’s and do nots” with no scriptural basis.  Satan used men of this sort to turn people from the truth.  “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” (1:15).   The man whose mind is pure finds all things pure.  But the man with a dirty mind makes all things dirty.  This sort of man has both his mind and conscience defiled.  Such a man can make no good decisions at all.

 

Verse sixteen sums up the problem with false teachers, “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”   When a man gets into this state of impurity, he may know God intellectually, but his very life is a denial of that knowledge.  Paul uses strong words to describe such a person’s true nature. “Abominable” is the word from which we get the word abomination.  There is something repulsive about a man with an obscene mind.  “Disobedient” has to do with a total disregard for truth.  His conscience is darkened and he has made himself such as cannot hear the Word of God.  “Every good work reprobate” is the idea of useless, empty and vain.  Such a person has become useless to God and to his fellow-men.  One writer tells us that the Greek word for useless, as used here, speaks of a “stone which has been rejected by the builders.”  If a stone had a flaw in it, it was marked with a capital A and left aside, as being unfit to have any place in the building.  Such is the case of false teachers who refuse to hear the truth; they must be marked and put aside, because they have no place in the Church of the living God.

CHAPTER TWO

SPIRITUAL ORDER FOR THE HOME OF MAN

 

“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine.....In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity” (2:1, 7).  Sound doctrine is at the heart of the New Testament church.  Doctrine is not popular today.  Many ask, “Does it really matter what we believe as long as we love one another?”  This bears out further what we studied in chapter one, verse sixteen.  There Paul says “they” and here he says “thou.”  The false teachers deny sound doctrine, but you are not like that.  They profess to know God, yet their lives and beliefs are completely opposite.  “Speak the things which become sound doctrine.”  The word “become” has to do with adorning or making attractive the truth of God’s Word.  When the Gospel is preached to its fullest extent, it then becomes attractive to those who hear.  Our final authority is “Thus saith the Lord.” 

 

If Titus’ teaching is to be effective, it must be backed by the witness of his own life.  He is to be the demonstration of all that he teaches.  Such is the case with all those who have the responsibility of teaching the Word of God.  Titus is to show himself “a pattern of good works” which reveals living doctrine.  The word “pattern” describes an impression made upon an object by the pounding of a hammer upon a seal. It means an exact reproduction.  If the teaching of Titus is to be effective, it must be backed with a life that corresponds.  The spiritual leader in the church must base his  message upon the written Word of God while setting an example by a Godly life that matches;  “....in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity.”  His preaching is to be spotless, “uncorrupt,” free from any taint of error.  It is to be serious, “gravity,” proving that he has no false motives.  “Sincerity,” is an unusual word describing the character of the man of God.  It comes from two Greek words which mean “sunlight” and “to judge.”  Together they mean to “judge by sunlight.”  The words have also come to mean “without wax.”  That may sound strange until you learn the background of the word.  It was used in years past by people who bought and sold clay pottery.  Some clay pots, while in the oven, would develop cracks if the temperature was not right.  A dishonest pot maker would fill these cracks with wax which would then be painted over to cover the crack.  To the natural eye, it was not possible to see the deficiency, so the experienced pot buyer would ask, “Is this pot sincere.”  The best way to determine if the pot was “sincere” or “without wax” was to hold it up to the sunlight, to judge it by sunlight.  The pots in which wax was used were not what they appeared to be.  They were hypocrites.  Paul is telling young Titus, “You are to be sincere.”  You must have an internal character which is pure and true, a life that will prove out “in light of God’s Word.”  His whole manner of life must endorse all that he says.  He is to live as it becomes a true servant of God.

 

“Sound speech, that cannot be condemned” (2:8a).  Paul now moves from “sound doctrine to sound speech.”  What is the difference?  Sound speech has to do with how and why we say things.  Truth can be presented with a hateful spirit.  There is the story of a little boy listening to the preacher and asking his mother, “Who is the preacher mad at?”  Paul said in Philippians 1:15, “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely (there is that word sincere again), supposing to add affliction to my bonds.”   There are others whose terminology is not appropriate.  It is never right to use “bad or ugly” words in presenting the truth of the Gospel.   “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man”  (Colossians 4:6).  To be effective, our message must be in love with the design to help all we come into contact with.  It was said of Peter, “Thy speech bewrayeth thee” (Matthew 26:73).  The way he talked revealed much about who he was.  The way a preacher or teacher talks, the terminology they use, reveals volumes about who and what they are.  We cannot be effective and use speech which opens us up to accusation.  The reason is very clear.   “....That he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you” (2:8b).  If anyone criticizes what we say, he should be embarrassed because it is obvious that we have said the right thing.  He will have nothing to say to us to condemn us.  Let’s be sure we don’t speak the truth in anger or bitterness, but in love and concern.  Let’s not say the right things with the wrong spirit.

 

Paul now turns from the preacher to the layman.  He is giving Titus instructions for the entire church, beginning with the older men.  “That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience” (2:2).  Paul is not talking here about spiritual age, but physical maturity; men with many years of experience behind them.  “The hoary head (grey hair) is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of the righteousness” (Proverbs 16:31).  “Sober” means they are temperate in all things.  They are to be men who are careful about the whole of their conduct.  They should be moderate in all of their habits.  “Grave” means he is careful about his whole demeanor.  He carries himself in a dignified manner and is respected as a Christian gentleman.  “Temperate” means he maintains self control.  When dealing with conflict and confusion, he does not lose control and do something that will hurt his testimony.  “Sound in faith” shows that he is settled on the fundamental truths of the Scriptures.  He is not “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).  “....In charity” is a man whose life is filled with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), especially overflowing with love.  This is a love that is manifested in action toward others.  “....In patience” is one of the greatest graces an older person can manifest.  Literally it means “abiding under.”  Standing still when all the pressure says “move.”  It has been said to be “power under control.”  The best illustration I have seen is that of a wild animal that has been domesticated.  This type of leadership is greatly needed in the church today.

 

Turning from the men, Paul now gives a word to the aged women.  He tells the older women how their behavior is to express itself.  Their duty is spelled out in a great measure of detail so that there will be no misunderstanding as to what is involved in their conduct and service.  “The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things” (2:3).  Their life has the purpose of making holiness attractive for all the world to see.  Paul’s instruction to Timothy for ladies was, “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided (plaited) hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works (I Timothy 2:9-10).  This is a manner of life to be daily observed.  One of the greatest needs in the church today is that of “Godly women.”  “....Not false accusers” means they must watch any tendency toward slander, making no false accusations, not being guilty of gossiping.  Older age sometimes gives more idle time which can lead to too much talk and speculation.  The old saying, “An idle mind becomes the Devil’s workshop” can be true if the life is not dedicated to “behavior becoming holiness.”  “....Not given to much wine” indicates the women should not be slaves to strong drink.  The Word of God recognizes that there are some legitimate uses of alcohol.  Paul told Timothy, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (I Timothy 5:23).  Many of our medicines have alcoholic content, but the Bible also recognizes the dangers of abusing alcohol which is the warning here.  “....Teachers of good things” means that from their experience of years, they are to be helpful by teaching others, especially the young women.  There are some things that Paul does not expect Titus to teach, in particular to the young women.  There are some issues that it is needful for a godly older woman to deal with in regard to the younger women.  This is the main reason that older, mature women, sound in the faith, are so needed in our churches today.  It is sad to say, they are becoming fewer and fewer.

 

We find what these older women are to teach the younger in 2:4-5.  “That they may teach the young women to be sober.”   The idea is to be disciplined and under self control, to have a sound mind in their thought life.  “....To love their husbands.”  Why would a young mother have to be admonished to love her husband and children?  Looking at the historical setting will help us to better understand.  Before Jesus Christ came, women were considered to be no more than pieces of property.  They had no real place in society.  They had no status, but were considered slaves, bound to their husbands.  The gospel message lifted women up and put them in partnership with their husbands.  In Christian marriage, two became one flesh so that they could move as one, breathe as one, live as one.  That is God’s ideal.  In Crete, some of the Christian women were taking advantage of their newfound freedom.  They had begun to put themselves above their husbands and to neglect their particular responsibilities, even to the point of being unfaithful.  Thus, they were admonished to love their husbands.  We are seeing the same type thing happen in marriages today.   “....To love their children.”  Again, in Crete, the younger women had given themselves to pleasure and activities outside the home.  Social standing and fleshly desires had taken their interest away from their children, so they were to be reminded to love their children.  Our society today is reflecting much of the same attitudes.  Social standing, making more money, satisfying fleshly desires is more important to many than expressing a genuine love to their children.  “To be discreet.”  This means to be very cautious about how one conducts herself, especially in relation to the opposite sex.  Paul’s instruction to the young women was, “Act like a lady in all situations.”  “....Caste” has to do with purity.  Because of the  looseness of morals in the churches in Crete, many young women were unfaithful to their husbands and saw nothing wrong with their immorality.  It was acceptable in their society, but not with a holy God.  They were to be admonished to live pure lives as children of God.  In some societies, the role is reversed where it is the men who live in immoral situations with more than one woman.  This is a great sin because God expects the men to be as pure as the women.  There needs to be a revival of purity among God’s people.  “....Keepers at home.”  The main responsibility of the young wife is to take care of the home and children.  She is to be the queen of the home (she should be respected as such by the husband; if the husband wants to be treated like a king, he needs to treat his wife like a queen) and take care of her obligations accordingly.  The curse of western civilization today is the working woman trying to upset God’s order by taking the place of the man.  “....Good” means the young women are to be taught to be kind and gracious in all their ways.  “....Obedient to their own husbands.”  This has nothing to do with servitude and bowing down before the man.  It is recognizing God’s order and committing one’s self to be obedient to God.  Again in Crete, because of the lack of order in the churches, the women were disassociating themselves from their husbands.  A wife had been joined by God to her husband.  Thus, she is to cling to him, submit to him and walk in harmony with him.  There must be a unity and oneness demonstrated by an obedient life together in the Lord.  Further, Titus 2:6 affirms, “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.”   “Likewise” means much the same for the young men as the young women.  Christian young men are to be “sober minded,” which has to do with being clear headed, considerate, not rash in their speech or actions.  They should be submissive, easy to advise, not willful and headstrong, not hasty and proud.  

 

Why is this strong instruction necessary?  “....That the word of God be not blasphemed.”  The church leadership, the aged men, the aged women, the young women and especially the home must be fulfilling our individual responsibilities that the Word of God be not depreciated.  If the pastor fails, the world laughs.  If the older men in the church become bitter and hateful, the world laughs.  If the older women fail, they become nothing more than tale bearers and trouble makers, while the younger women have no direction and the home becomes a laughingstock.  If the young men are rash and inconsiderate, people look at the church and say, “What kind of gospel is that?  Your lives and homes are no different than ours.”  The greatest threat from within Christianity today is hypocrisy, insincerity in our faith.  Those who say, “I am a Christian, I belong to Christ,” yet live an empty and shallow life, are an affront to the cause of Christ.  When we fail to live in accordance with the Scriptures, then the Word of God is blasphemed.

 

Now we come to a passage which most would say is out of date and does not apply today.  “Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to please them in all things; not answering again; Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things” (2:9-10).  On the surface, this appears to apply only to people who lived in an age of slavery.  What could it mean in a land of freedom where the shackles have been removed?  Paul was not endorsing slavery.  Rather, he was telling slaves to be the best slaves possible, because that was the only way they would win their masters to Christ.  Christianity was never intended to change society, but to change people.  When people change, society changes.  Today there are those who find themselves in binding circumstances, enslaved by their surroundings.  It may be that God has placed you where you are to be a Christian witness where otherwise there would be no light shining in a dark place.  The Word of God teaches us how to behave and think in every situation.

 

“....To be obedient to their own masters.”  The word “obedient” was used here to describe a company of soldiers as they stand at attention and salute their commander.  They are declaring, as they stand at attention in front of him, that they are ready to take his orders.  The way to change their circumstances was to be the kind of slaves they should be and this included obeying their masters.  In addition, they were “to please them well in all things.”  The slave was to do everything he was told to do, unless it contradicted the Word of God.  For example, if their masters told them to be immoral, then they were to refuse since God forbids immorality.  Paul further admonished them that they were not to talk back;  “....not answering again.”  This literally means “not to talk back or argue.”  When being mistreated, it is easy to grumble and complain, “That is not fair.”  That is what is expected of unsaved people.  “Not purloining” means “not taking what belongs to another.”  Slaves were not to steal from their masters.  It is never right to take what belongs to someone else.  “....But shewing all good fidelity.”  This has to do with being faithful in everything they did.  Their masters did not always appreciate them or take good care of them.  It was difficult for a slave to be faithful to a man who mistreated him.

 

What is the lesson here?  Paul is speaking to oppressed and mistreated people of all ages.  Whenever people find themselves in unjust circumstances, they are to demonstrate the grace of God and the love of Christ.  By so living, they display the truth of God in such a way that people will want to possess it.  Paul is saying throughout the entire book of Titus, if we really belong to God, our lives will show it.  People will be able to see it.  They will look at our lives and notice something that is appealing and attractive.  “....That they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”  Thus we will adorn the doctrine of God, we will display it and arrange it so that people will say, “What a beautiful life.”    Now we begin to see what Paul is talking about.  If slaves would be the kind of Christians that he is challenging them to be, they will have an effect on all of society.  They would adorn the doctrine of God among all people.  People may not be surprised if a well-to-do man stands and says, “I have given my life to God and he is in my heart.”  Someone may observe, “Well, if I had what he has, I could do that too.”  But when someone demonstrates their love for God from a position of oppression and servitude, it will be a marvel for all people.  There must be something to what such a person says.

 

There are two great principles to be gathered from this passage.  First, real freedom is not dependent upon circumstances.  As an example, some of the freest people on earth are in prison.  God has set them free while they are behind prison bars.  Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).  Paul was speaking to Christians being ruled by the Roman Empire.  They were oppressed and in bondage, but were free.  When Jesus Christ comes into our lives, we have a spiritual freedom that does not depend upon our circumstances.  Whether we have much or little, we are liberated, happy and content.  Do you have circumstances that you do not desire?  Are you out of work?  Are you having difficult trials?  God can change those circumstances; but even more important, he can change you in the midst of them and make you free.  There is a  second principle.  If a slave on the island of Crete was instructed to be faithful to his earthly master, how much more should you and I, as slaves of Christ, be faithful to our master!  Over and over again, the Apostle Paul said, “I am a slave, a servant of Jesus Christ.”  This is the same word used here.  When a person is saved, he is a slave to Jesus Christ; yet he has never been more free.  As a servant and slave, I am to be obedient to my Master.  Whatever God says, I am to do.  I am to be perfectly content as His servant.  I am standing before Him as a soldier, ready to respond.  I am His to command.  I am to please my Lord in all things, in every way, at all times.  He is my Lord.  I will not contradict Him.  I will not answer back again.  Do I find myself in circumstances that test my faith?  He is my master, I am His slave.  He is under no obligation to do anything for me that does not please Him, but whatever pleases Him is best for me.  I must simply obey.  If I faithfully keep what God has committed to me, I will adorn the doctrine of God; I will display it for all the world to see.   They will love our Lord and commit their lives to Him.  When we determine we are servants (slaves) of Jesus Christ and give ourselves to Him, people all over the earth will be drawn to Him.

 

We now come to the motivating power for all Christian living.  “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men”  (2:11).  Up to this point, instruction has been given on “how” believers are to live and conduct themselves.  Now, Paul tells Titus the source of power to live such a life.  It is the “grace of God” that makes men what they ought to be.  Paul had said earlier, “But by the grace of God I am what I am” (I Corinthians 15:10).  Grace is the power and love of God revealed in Christ and shown on the Cross.  It is the power that saves and makes Saints out of sinners.  The word “appeared” is associated with “beaming light.”  The very radiance of grace has sent its shining light over a needy earth.  This grace is sufficient not only to save, but also to keep.  “....For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (II Timothy 1:12b).  Grace came by way of the incarnation of Christ to provide salvation to “all men.”  After a person is saved, grace becomes our teacher.  “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (2:12).  The grace of God is a teaching grace.  There is more to God’s plan for our lives than being saved.  Peter admonishes us to “....grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).  Much of the unhappiness among professing Christians is because of half-hearted, undisciplined Christian living.  We are to “deny ungodliness.”  This means to turn away from, to reject, to turn loose of all that is unlike God.  “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (I Thessalonians 5:22).  Next, we are admonished to deny “worldly lust.”  This refers to strong, passionate desires.  It represents the idea of involving us in the system of evil that is presently operating in the world.  Too often the world is allowed to set standards for God’s people.  This ought not to be.  God’s people are to live “soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”  The word “soberly” has to do with being under control.  Jesus Christ lives in us and wants to be Lord of our lives.  The believer is in control only when they have bowed before Him and yielded their lives as a living sacrifice.  “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).  We are to live “righteously” which has to do with how we conduct ourselves.  Live in a way that is above reproach.  “Godly” has to do with being like Christ.  Years ago in a revival meeting, the Evangelist asked the Pastor who was a certain person he had noticed in the congregation.  The Pastor replied by asking if he thought he knew the man.  “No”, the Evangelist said, “when I look at him, he reminds me of Christ.”  When others look at us, what do they see?  “This present world” needs to see Christ in our lives.  We need to be living epistles, “known and read of all men” (II Corinthians 3:2b).

 

We are to be “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (2:13).  We are to be looking for His return.  “Looking” means “to give attention to something.”  We must not be asleep or caught off guard.  We are to live in anticipation of the coming of Christ.  We are to be ready for His return.  To be “looking for” means to have a personal expectation, to be ready with a welcome for the person expected to come. What a tragedy that so many people who are saved give little or no thought to His return!  Jesus said that we need to be watching for His coming, for when we do not expect it, He will come again.  “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come”  (Matthew 24:42)  He is coming as a thief in the night.  “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (I Thessalonians 5:2).  We must be vigilant, alert, expecting His return.  When a person has their eyes set on heaven looking for the Saviour to come again, they will have no problem living a life that will be pleasing to the Lord.  “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (I John 3:2-3). 

God’s purpose is very clear.  “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (2:14).  It is God’s grace, the giving of His son,  that sets a man free from the bondage of sin.  We have been redeemed from “all iniquity.”  The word “iniquity” has to do with lawlessness, being out of control.  Jesus has redeemed us from the power of lawlessness, that power which makes us sin.  He has made us “a peculiar people.”  The word used here is very interesting.  It means “of one’s own possession.”  This is simply that we who are saved belong in entirety to the Lord and only to Him do we belong.  An illustration of this is a dot inside a circle.  That dot, in its entirety, belongs to that circle.  It is the same with God’s people.  Herein is both privilege and protection.  “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (I Corinthians 6:20).  Finally, as an indication of our belonging to Christ, we are to be “zealous of good works.”   Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

 

In closing this chapter, Paul directly emphasizes to Titus, “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.  Let no man despise thee” (2:15).  These are apostolic instructions to this young preacher.  Paul lays before Titus the threefold task of the preacher, teacher and leader.  He is to “speak.” There is a message to be proclaimed.  There are some things about which argument is not possible and on which discussion is not needed.  There are times when he must say, “Thus saith the Lord.”  He is to “exhort,” to admonish, to urge one to pursue a proper course of conduct especially to adhere to the instructions to live righteously and godly in this present world.  “....Rebuke with all authority.”  Titus was on a mission for God and nothing was to be held back.  These people needed reproof because of their error and false teaching.  False doctrine in particular must be met head on with no compromise.  Those in spiritual leadership have great responsibility to see that the church stays on track.  Satan has many allurements that he uses to confuse and mislead people.  In love and with compassion, such must be corrected.  “Let no man despise thee.”  In context, this seems to refer to not being hypocritical in teaching one thing and then living another.  While Titus was to strongly admonish the church, he was also to live what he taught and preached.  Let it always be that the spiritual leaders in the church not only proclaim the truth, but live that same truth day by day.  The spirituality of a church cannot rise above that of its leadership.

CHAPTER THREE

SPIRITUAL ORDER IN A HELPLESS WORLD

 

“Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work” (3:1).  Paul now begins to deal with the public duty of the Christian.  The Cretians were said to be notoriously turbulent and quarrelsome and impatient with all authority.  They were not considered to be very law abiding, being constantly involved in insurrections and murders.  Titus was to remind the believers that they were different and as a result were to respond in a correct manner to those in authority.  “Put them in mind” means “to call it to their attention, to cause them to remember it.”  On the island of Crete, the Christians were largely misunderstood and often mistreated.  Yet these who were mistreated and oppressed were still told to be in subjection to those in authority.  “....Be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates.”  (Note Romans 13:1-4.)  God has ordained government and confirms what the Lord Jesus taught, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Mark 12:17).  Our loyalty to Jesus Christ should not lessen our loyalty to those who have authority over us.    “....Ready to every good work.”  We must be Christ-like in all our dealings with the world, lest our testimony for Christ become ineffective. 

 

“To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men” (3:2).  Paul now specifies the conduct the Christian is to follow.  “To speak evil of no man” means we must slander no one.  A Christian is not to spread bad news about other people.  He is not to say things that are not in the best interest of those involved.  The first question we should always ask is, “Is it true and what will be benefitted if it is told?”  Some things may be true, but also hurtful.  The true test of whether or not something should be said is, “Is it helpful”?   Further, the Christian must not be a gossip.  He must not deliberately say things that are not true.  We must be very careful what we say. “....To be no brawlers” means “abstaining from fighting and contentiousness.”  Not only is the Christian to stay out of physical violence, but arguing, debating, and divisiveness as well.  We should not go about looking for an argument.   A Christian should be “gentle,” to be kind and gracious. “.... Shewing all meekness unto all men”  literally means that we allow people who are outside the faith to mistreat us without retaliating, because we know God is still in control.  This goes against the flesh and can be practiced only by those who are totally committed to God and His will for their lives.  We are to be meek toward those who might take advantage of us or those who might say false things about us.  We are to take it humbly and graciously because we recognize the hand of God in purifying and maturing our own faith.

 

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (3:3). We need to remember what we used to be.  Most of us have forgotten what it was like to be lost.  This passage reminds us.  The reason we can be kind toward the unbeliever, and be gentle and meek, is because we ourselves were at one time rebels against God, wandering in darkness because we believed Satan’s lies.  “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish.”  The word “foolish” means “without intelligence or understanding.”  Because there is no real knowledge apart from God, before we came to God, we were lacking in understanding and suffered the consequence.  This is the reason so many have no real direction and satisfaction in life. We were “disobedient,” a word referring to one who refuses to be persuaded.  We deliberately refused to believe the truth.  We did not want to be children of God.  We wanted to do our own thing.  We refused to respond to God.  We were “deceived.” The Spirit of God was unable to bring spiritual truth to our lives because we were blinded by Satan (I Corinthians 2:12-14).  Satan kept us from things that were real, the things that were true.  Our hearts and minds were closed to God and deceived.  “....Serving divers lusts and pleasures.”  We were slaves to our passions, to our own appetites.  We could not control our lust, our greed, our ambition.  We were slaves of our flesh which was in control.  Further, we were “living in malice and envy.”  Malice involves wrong attitudes toward others.  We had a spiteful, hurtful, destructive attitude towards others.  We were envious of everyone who had more than we did.  “....Hateful, and hating one another.”  We hated ourselves and everybody else.  This is the way we used to be.

 

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared” (3:4).  It was after all our foolishness and rebellion against God that His kindness and love toward us appeared.  God’s love for us appeared in the person of Jesus Christ.  If we desire to know what God’s attitude toward us is, we have but to look to Jesus.  Everything Jesus Christ endured, every pain, every moment of hatred, every sacrifice was because of God’s great desire to help us.  This is that wonderful grace of God that chapter two, verse eleven speaks of.  Oh, how we need to remember where God has brought us from and how that He did it!  “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour” (3:5-6).  No person is more insistent than Paul that our salvation is not through anything we can do.  If we have received the priceless gift of salvation, it is not because we deserved it, nor worked for it in any way.  It became ours simply by His “love and kindness.”  It is because of God that we are saved.  Mercy opened the door into heaven and let us in.  Mercy is God not giving us something we deserve.  God is a God of abundant mercy which is the basis of our salvation.  “....By the washing of regeneration” does not refer to baptism as some think.  However, these verses are speaking of salvation from God’s viewpoint.  God does the washing.  “The washing of regeneration” refers to our sins being washed away.  Look at some biblical examples.  David declared, “Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”  Obviously David was not speaking about water baptism.  He was describing an experience of cleansing by God’s Holy Spirit.  In Ephesians 5, when Paul was telling us how husbands ought to love their wives, he told them to love their wives even “as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.”  That is the same washing that Paul was talking about in Titus.  In Revelation, we read of those who “came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 7:14b).  In the Word of God, washing and cleansing come through the blood of Christ.  When we give our hearts to Christ, he takes our sins and plunges them under his blood, and so unites us with himself.  That is the washing of regeneration. 

“....And renewing of the Holy Ghost.”  Renewing, comes from two words meaning “new” and “again,” which is an obvious reference to the new birth.  We are born again when the Holy Spirit of God comes into our lives.   These statements set forth, in the plainest terms, the means of man’s salvation.  In these words, Paul declares how the change took place.  It was not by anything that they had done, but by the ministry of the Word and the work of the Holy Spirit.  The heart and conscience is made clean by the washing of the Word.  As the Word of God is declared and received by the sinner, the Spirit works a regenerating exercise in the life, and the man becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus.  Any kind of works that a man tries to do to obtain merit before God, thus obtaining salvation, is nothing but an insult to God’s deity.  “Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.”  God does not give us just enough to get saved.  Salvation is more than an escape from hell.  God has given us the Holy Spirit abundantly, richly, fully.  With Christ coming into our hearts, we partake of all the wealth of Heaven.  We also share in the full and rich supply of the Holy Spirit.  All of this is to meet our deficiencies and cause us to be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37b). 

 

“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”  (3:7).  Paul keeps returning to the vital matter of how a man is made right with God.  He is forever trying to slay the thought of any man thinking he can obtain salvation by works of any kind.  Man is a poor lost sinner, totally bankrupt of any kind of possession that merits Divine favor.  His sin has separated him from God.  But God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as an act of grace to die in the sinner’s stead.  Accepting Christ’s death on his behalf, God now justifies the sinner.  One of the benefits is that of becoming “heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”  An heir is one who shares in the inheritance.  “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”  (Romans 8:17).  For this reason, the believer looks for “that blessed hope.”  Paul has earlier described in 2:13  when Christ will come again and receive us to Himself.  For the child of God, his treasure is not in this life;  it is reserved in heaven.

 

“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.  These things are good and profitable unto men”  (3:8).  Paul is declaring that the word we have heard, the gospel we have received, is worthy of our trust and commitment.  We can believe these things.  As a result, we are to affirm certain things.  Constantly does not mean continually, but consistently, with the same zest, same enthusiasm, in the same basic manner.  We should explode with the truth of the gospel.  We are to express God’s truth with all of our energy and all of our heart wherever we are.  We are to consistently affirm that which we have been taught.  We must let the truth roll from hearts and mouths and let it be seen in our lives.  Why is consistent affirmation so important?  So that Christians will “be careful to maintain good works.”  Here again, the emphasis is on living what we say and believe.  Being “careful” means to give consideration to, to study, to give serious thought to, to give great diligence to.  The best explanation of this phrase is that we are to live our lives in such a way that we are useful and helpful to other people.  “These things are good and profitable unto men” means that we Christians need to affirm the gospel so positively and so completely with all our hearts that we demonstrate a useful and helpful life that is good and encouraging to others.  How wonderful it would be if we would do that for each other, if we would lift each other’s spirits, care for each other, be useful and helpful to one another.  That is the kind of lives we should live.

 

“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain” (3:9).  Paul warns against useless, empty discussions.  The Greek philosophers spent their time debating worthless topics which did not benefit.  The Jewish Rabbis spent their time building up imaginary genealogies for the characters of the Old Testament which had no significance.  The Jewish scribes spent endless hours arguing about what they thought could or could not be done on the Sabbath, and what was and was not unclean.   None of these things had any significance.  All their talk would not help one person who was in need.  Paul’s admonition was to stay away from unprofitable and empty (vain) talk.  It only leads to conflict and disagreements. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6).  “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, and one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27)  We are admonished to have no part in such talk.