Setting Things In Order (Titus)
This letter is another evangelist letter. It was given to Titus to "Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority," according to 2:15. Titus was sent to Crete, a small island in the Mediterranean sea, where Paul had established a few different churches. So, what does he need to declare, exhort, and rebuke? What does he need to preach and teach in those cities?
Appoint Elders (1:1-9)
After a brief introduction, Titus is told to appoint elders in every town as Paul had directed him. Then, he writes down a list of characteristics to look for in an elder. Apparently, in the first century, the evangelist was the one who appointed men to serve as elders. It wasn't a group vote like we have today, not that there is anything wrong with our process. But, in the early stages of congregational development, Paul wanted Titus to appoint men to serve as elders because there needs to be leadership. We need men who are setting an example for the congregation to follow. These men are described as above reproach. Everything about them should illustrate the self-controlled and disciplined life that the members strive for. They are also called "overseers" in this section. Like a shepherd, they oversee the flock's needs and look out for their spiritual wellbeing. This is especially important when we find out what's in the next paragraph.
Correct The Insubordinate (1:10-16)
In verses 10-16, we learn that there are insubordinate members who speak without knowing the truth. They deceive people into believing lies, and Titus must silence them along with the elders. He says they are members of the circumcision party. These men are like those we just studied in Galatians. They are secretly coming in to spy out their freedoms. As Jews, they look down on Gentile Christians. These were reported saying, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." This is a harsh and critical statement against Gentile Christians, but Paul says it is true. The Cretans need to stop lying and being lazy. So Paul tells Titus to rebuke them sharply. But he also says to warn them against the Jewish myths and commands of people who turn away from the truth.
Verse 15-16 is an interesting text to dwell on and think about.
Titus 1:15--16 (ESV) --- 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Whether Jewish or Gentile, they must strive for purity. They cannot give in to impure or defiled mindsets. If they know God, they should act like it to be ready for every good work. But also notice that he said, "To the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure." What does that mean? Men who do not believe the gospel think pure things are impure. They call things bad that aren't bad. To the pure, all things are pure is the same as what Paul said in 1 Timothy that men would require abstinence and prohibit certain foods.
1 Timothy 4:4 (ESV) --- 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
To the pure, all things are pure means that Christians are free in Christ from man-made regulations and restrictions. Only the defiled and unbelieving add rules that God has not added.
Teach Sound Doctrine (2:1-15)
This teaching that restricts and enslaves is compared to "sound doctrine." People often call restricting and enslaving doctrine sound, but sound doctrine is found in Chapters 2 and 3 of Titus. This is what sound doctrine looks like.
Titus 2:1--8 (ESV) --- 1 But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Notice that sound doctrine is not about many legal rules or legislation. We aren't reading a New Testament version of Leviticus. Sound doctrine teaches men and women to be godly and fulfill their roles in life. God has given us salvation to transform our hearts and make us into the best men and women we could be.
Here is why this sound doctrine is so important.
Titus 2:11--12 (ESV) --- 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
The grace of God is training us to be godly and self-controlled. It's not training us to create rules so that we can become righteous. It's training us to be righteous. We have a reason behind why we don't use musical instruments, why we come together on the first day of the week, why we sing and pray together, and why we have Bible class. We have legitimate reasons for all of that. We are trying to follow the New Testament examples and do the will of God. But that's not our list of rules we force people to follow. If you want a list of rules to follow, this is it. Be godly, self-controlled, and upright. But it doesn't end there.
Titus 2:13--14 (ESV) --- 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
The list continues with a definition and a call. God wants you to be godly because he wants you to belong to him. He gave Jesus to purify his own special group of people who see his grace and become zealous for good works. So the list would include good works. Fulfill your role as a husband, wife, mother, father, son, or daughter with godliness and use God's gift to serve others. Do good works while showing godliness.
This is sound doctrine. This is what Paul wants Titus to declare, exhort, and rebuke with all authority.
Remind Them To Submit (3:1-11)
But that's not all. He goes on in Chapter 3 to include the idea of submitting to the governing authorities. This is a lesson for the insubordinate. Godliness means that we act like Christ. We respect the elders among us, and we avoid quarreling with them. We render to Caesar what is caesar.
In verse 3, Paul explains why we must maintain a submissive attitude. The reason is that our rebellion is what God has saved us from. His grace, once again, trains us to be patient, kind, and loving. We should not have pride in our knowledge or our goodness. Without God, we wouldn't have any goodness or knowledge. Paul wants Titus to make this clear to the Cretans. He wants him to insist on these things and make sure that the Christians there are devoted to good works.
He ends this section with a warning against foolish controversies. He tells Titus not to get sucked into unprofitable and worthless quarrels about the law. He even tells Titus to avoid people who stir up division after warning them twice. He says, "Have nothing more to do with them, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
Conclusion (3:12-15)
He closes the letter by instructing Titus to come to him at a later time, and he summarizes the whole letter in verse 14.
Titus 3:14 (ESV) --- 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
Lessons
This book is a summary for an evangelist in a specific place, dealing with specific needs. But it teaches us much about preaching and teaching in general through some precious lessons.
Elders need to be appointed.
People who overly focus on laws to the point of being divisive are warped and sinful.
The Grace of God trains us to be godly and fulfill our roles
The Grace of God makes us zealous for good works
The Grace of God reminds us to be submissive and humble.
Application
If we are going to apply these lessons to our lives, we need to focus on the grace of God and let it transform us from the inside out. We pursue godliness and self-control because of what he has done for us. All of us need to become the best version of ourselves, and we get there (not through lawmaking) by focusing on God's grace and living to honor him for that love and grace.
How many of us believe the deceptions of the devil? How many of us are full of negative self-talk, claiming that we cannot become like Christ any more than we are right now. That's not true! The grace of God is training us. We are called to be more and more like him, and we can be more like him if we rely on his grace and submit to his calling for us.
What do people see when they look at you? Older men, are you sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and steadfastness? This is what God expects. He expects you to be trained by his grace to reach this level of faithfulness. Younger men have this steadfastness as their goal, but they need to be a model of good works right now.
Older women, are you reverent, pure in your speech and conduct? Do you train young women to love their husbands and children? Do you train them to fulfill their role in a godly way? Younger women need to see this as their goal.
We don't strive for this to be forgiven, but because God has forgiven us. We become zealous for good works, zealous to show others the transforming effect God has had on our lives, and zealous to show God we love him back.