Titus 1:1-9 - Series on the Epistls of Paul (128)

After Paul's three missionary trips, he went to Jerusalem, and then he was falsely accused and ended up in prison in Rome. That was his first imprisonment in about the year 6162 AD. I'm going to give a number of dates as we go along. They might not be exactly correct, but it is to the best of our understanding an approximate time, and it helps us to have a bit of a timeline.

After he left prison from Rome, again after his first imprisonment, he then began what we call the fourth missionary trip. Now, that fourth trip is not actually recorded in the book of Acts, so we've got to dig around a bit to actually get the details. But during this time of a fourth trip, he commissioned Timothy to Ephesus and Titus to Crete.

Paul then moved to Philippi in the northern Greece area of Macedonia today, or then at that time, should I say, and where he wrote first Timothy and Titus to our understanding. Some basic details of his trip and dates to the best of our estimates are he journeyed from Rome after he left prison to Asia Minor, as he wanted to go there, and he visited Philippi and Colosso. And he may also have then at that time visited Crete.

This was when he left, run about 62 AD. Then run about 62-63, he journeyed to Spain, and possibly passing through Dalmatia and Gaul, and we read a little bit about that in 2 Timothy 4 verse 10. Then he lost his Eastward journey. He then, on his journey, he left Timothy in charge in Ephesus, and he visited Macedonia. We get that from 1 Timothy 1 verse 3. He wrote first Timothy from Macedonia around about the year 63-65 AD.

Then he visited Crete, and then he left Titus in charge and returned to Asia. We get that from 1 Timothy 3, 14, and 4.13. And then he wrote Titus around about 65 or 66 AD. Then he visited Crete, and he probably wrote Titus 65-66 AD. Then he passed through Miletus, 2 Timothy 4.20.

He passed through Troas, 2 Timothy 4.13, and Corinth, 2 Timothy 4.20. Then he was arrested the second time, around about the year 66-67 AD, and he probably never reached Nicopolis, as he intended to, as we see in Titus 3 verse 12. Once in jail, now for the second time in Rome, he then wrote 2 Timothy, around about 66-67, during the summer or autumn of either 66 or 67, as we can conclude from 2 Timothy 4.21.

So, 2 Timothy was maybe his last book written, or possibly the book of Hebrews. He was then executed in 67-68 AD in Rome by Nero. And Nero then committed suicide, just to give you a little bit of breakdown on the rest of the dates, in June 68 AD, and the temple was destroyed in 70 AD. So that's kind of a brief resume of those dates there. Now, these pastoral epistles, that's 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, are letters which are addressed to specific leaders, obviously Timothy and Titus, rather than to specific congregations, like Ephesians, Colossians, Corinthians, etc.

Titus, as a person, as an individual, is not actually mentioned in the book of Acts by name, but his name appears 13 times in the New Testament. But we know that he went to Jerusalem over the question of circumcision in Acts 15, but we know he was not circumcised. Now, this is because everyone knew he was a Gentile, so there was no need to be circumcised.

As opposed to Timothy, his mother was a Jewess, as well as his grandmother, so he needed to be circumcised. So, Titus also was converted in Syria, that is Antioch of Syria, and possibly he was Luke's brother, and maybe therefore the reason why his name is not mentioned in the book of Acts, because, as we know, Acts was written by Luke.

If we look at 2 Corinthians 8, verse 6-7, we see that so we urge Titus that as he had begun, so he would also complete this race with you as well. But as you are bound in everything, in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all the diligence, and in all that for us, we see that you are bound in this grace also. It is possible that Titus, being referred here, implies that he was the bearer of this letter, and we can see that he also was sent to organize the collection to the saints.

This possibly implies that he was a good organizer. When we look at chapter 12 of 2 Corinthians verse 18, 2 Corinthians chapter 12 says, truly the signs of an apostle. Sorry, 2 Corinthians, but he had chapter 12 verse 18. Great. I urged Titus and sent our brother with him. And did Titus take advantage of you?

Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps? And so he was known as a man of unquestionably, unquestionable integrity, and he could be trusted with the collection, the money, and all the goods. So there's no question about him. So he could have been the bearer of the letter to Corinthians. He could, not say he was, but at least one of the people that went there. And therefore, he was a man of unquestionable integrity, as far as that.

Paul also had been in Crete, as we mentioned before, and left Titus there to ordain elders. We see that in Titus chapter 1 verse 10 and 11. And he says he also was there to set things in order. So there were certain things to be addressed. And so Titus went there. We can see he was sent to appoint elders.

We read that in verse 5, first Titus chapter 1 verse 5. So also in Titus chapter 3 verse 12, chapter 3 verse 12, he says, When I send Artemis to you or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. So Paul had asked him, Titus, to join in in Nicopolis. But as I mentioned, it is possible that Paul never reached Nicopolis because he could have been imprisoned before he got there. So Titus was also sent to Dalmatia.

We read that from 2 Timothy 4 verse 10, which is known today as Bosnia-Erskineovia in the Balkans. The tradition is that he was with Paul at the very end of his life and died at an advanced age. Titus died at an advanced age in Crete without being martyred. So he is one of the few that was not martyred. Titus was a young evangelist who Paul had personally taught and trained, and he sent Titus on various assignments to establish churches or to deal with problems and things of that kind. So in some ways, the Book of Titus has a repeat of some of the information or some of the instruction that Paul left with Timothy in the Epistles to Timothy.

The theme of this Epistle to Titus is basically to outline postural duties. We can see the word, it's a faithful saying, appears both in Titus and in Timothy, which are basically essential principles expounded and applied to practical problems. So are important key faithful signs. And also, we see the importance of defending sound doctrine. In fact, the word sound, the specific word, is used three times in Titus and seven times in total in all postural Epistles.

It's not always tied to sound doctrine. At times it's tied to sound faith, but it is used, the word sound is used three times in Titus. So let's with that as a background, a very brief and quick background to Titus. Let's now start with verse 1 of Titus. Paul, a bondservant of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God, select, and the acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness.

And so we have here Paul, and he first says, a bondservant of God. So one of the key factors in first place is humility. Is humility because he's a bondservant of God, but it's also that he has the authority from Jesus Christ, from God, because he is under that authority, a bondservant of God. And then he says an apostle of Jesus Christ.

The word apostle implies a messenger, an envoy, an ambassador, one that he sent. And so we have an apostle of Jesus Christ that means he was personally chosen by Jesus Christ, personally chosen by God and by Jesus Christ. And then he says, according to the faith of God's elect, according to the faith, it clearly relates to God's elect, and in other words, of those that God chooses. In Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3 to 6, Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3 to 6, we read, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him.

It's God that chooses. And so God chose us in him before the foundation of the world, then we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Blessed, in other words, having therefore predestined us to adoption or sonship as sons by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his womb, to the praise of the glory of his grace by which he made us accepted in the beloved. And so according to the faith, as we read in Titus chapter 1 verse 1, relates to God's elect and we are chosen.

He chose us and God's elect means those that God chooses. So the elect, as we can see, are to be holy and without blame. That's what it says there in verse 4, Ephesians 1 verse 4 says that we, as the elect, should be holy and without blame. And so we, in other words, are predestined as a big a part to adoption, to sonship, as sons by Jesus Christ. So we are the first few to form the spiritual body of Christ. We are the first fruits according to the good pleasure of his will.

According implies to promote his will. And so as we go back to Titus chapter 1 verse 1, it also says, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth. According, in other words, it's implying to promote that faith. In other words, the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth. In other words, and to increase our knowledge in the truth.

So Paul, as a mission, has been appointed as a bondservant of God and an apostle of Christ sent by Christ with the very purpose to build the faith of God's elect and to help in the growing of the knowledge of the truth. In other words, the purpose of Paul's service as bondservant and apostle is to help build our faith and to increase our knowledge in the truth or of the truth. And so we have here two fundamental characteristics of the Christian life.

That is, faith and the knowledge of the truth. In Matthew 13 verse 11, Matthew 13 verse 11, Matthew 13 verse 11, we read, He answered and said to them, Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

We have been given the blessing of understanding the mysteries of God, of God's kingdom. And in other words, that is one of the fundamental characteristics of our Christian life is to understand, to know this knowledge of the truth which the world does not have. Look at also in 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 4. 1 Corinthians chapter 4. Verse 1, Let a man so consider us as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. There are certain understandings or mysteries of God which are knowledge of the truth. In other words, who is God and what is God and what's the purpose of God and who is man and what is man and what is the purpose for mankind.

And also who is Israel, what is the church and what is the kingdom of God. The people in the world don't fully understand these mysteries of God and this is knowledge of the truth. And truth comes from God. Truth comes from God. John 17 verse 17. John 17 verse 17. John 17, 17. And it says, Sanctify them by your truth and your word is truth. And so truth is what we need to be sanctified by, to be cleansed, to be separated from the world from truth. And what is the truth? Is these mysteries of God that the world does not understand. And truth comes from God, sets us apart from the world and God's word is truth.

Also in John chapter 8, John chapter 8 verse 31 and 32. John chapter 8 verse 31 and 32. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed him, if you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. And so God's truth is something special that makes us free. We are sanctified by the truth and God's word is truth. And the mission of the Apostle Paul was to help us to understand the truth and to grow in faith.

Faith in the trust of God and the trust of Jesus Christ. And then continuing now in Titus, now in verse 2. In the hope, in hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lie, promised before time began. This is our hope, brethren. This is our hope. What is our hope? The hope of eternal life. That is having faith and truth. And this faith and truth, as we saw at the end of verse 1, leads to godly behavior, godliness. And this is our hope. Why? Because this hope of eternal life gives us a goal, gives us an aim to say, hey, I want to be godly. I want to exemplify godliness in my life. And so that is, in a sense, a third tenet of Christianity is faith, is the truth, the knowledge of the truth, and the hope of eternal life.

These are very, very important that this hope, this hope helps us. And the truth, which is godly love, and godliness and kindness, and how we treat one another, and faith. No wonder we read in 1 Corinthians 13, there are three, which is love, faith, and hope.

But the greatest is love, is how we put it, to practice how we are behaving in godliness. Now he says, this hope of eternal life, this promise of eternal life, was promised before time began. Now when did time begin? Well, time began when we started having quote-unquote a heavenly clock that counts days, years, and things like that, because that's how we measure time. So that's when the universe was created. But the promise of eternal life for human beings was done before the universe was created.

So to whom did God promise? Before time began? Well, apparently it's talking about the promise when God talked with the Word, who became Christ. They decided they would carry out this plan and no power, no power in the universe can undo it. It will happen. The resurrection will take place. We will then, upon the resurrection, the mystery of God will be revealed as the sons of God become members, spiritual members of the family of God.

That is the promise that God made before time began.

So will the resurrection happen? Of course. The question is not the event. The question is whether you and I will be there. That is the question. And that's why there is this preaching, this mission that God gave to Paul for us to have the faith, to grow in faith, to grow in this knowledge of the truth, knowledge of the Son of God, knowledge of the truth, and how to apply it in grace in the hope of eternal life. That is what we look forward to, and that gives us that motivation to keep working at it.

Verse 3, But it has in due time manifested his word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior. And so at the appointed time, in 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 8, 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 8, Paul, when writing to Timothy, says as well, 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 8 says, Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings of the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with the holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. Here's the same expression. But has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed preacher, a preacher, an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.

And so God did not announce the promise of eternal life publicly until Christ came. And this is done. This truth, this mystery to the world, this truth is proclaimed through preaching, through the preaching.

So in Romans chapter 10, Romans chapter 10, yeah, we have a very, very interesting structure. In Romans chapter 10 verse 14, Romans 10 verse 14, we read, How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him in whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

And how shall they preach unless they are sent, as it's written, how the beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things?

This is the method God chose, preaching. And so, yes, there's Bible study, but it is compounded, it's added, it's multiplied, it's enhanced by the preaching of God's ministers. And Paul was given this responsibility, because at that time, that the knowledge of eternal life and of God's plan and of these mysteries was not written. Why? Because all they had at that time was the Old Testament. And so the preaching was the way of publicly preaching this promise of eternal life, which was revealed publicly when Christ came. And this is the method God chose. Now, obviously, now we have the New Testament, it's written, but at that time, it was purely by preaching. And also in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 21, we read, the message was preached, the foolishness of the message preached. So the method God chose to announce the promise of eternal life publicly was through the preaching of the apostles in the New Testament.

Therefore, we have here in verse 3 of Titus chapter 1, it says, Who has in time, in due time, manifested this word through preaching. And so through this time, through preaching, it was the time to raise up God's church, to give the Holy Spirit, and therefore to inspire through the preaching to begin reaching out to the world. So in Acts 26, we see how Paul described here in Acts 26, verse 15 through 18. And he says, and so I said, Who are you, Lord?

And he said, I am Jesus whom you're persecuting. You see, when Paul is here describing when he was converted, and he had this light and it says, Christ said to Paul at that time, soul, soul, why are you persecuting me? So Paul said, Who are you, Lord? And Christ said, I'm Jesus whom you're persecuting. But rise, Paul, and stand up on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you, Paul, a minister and a witness both of the things which you've seen and are the things which I will yet reveal to you.

I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you. And he says, to open their eyes. What do you mean to open their eyes? To give them the knowledge of the truth, to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. Set apart, sanctified by faith in Christ. Again, two main purposes for Paul's ministry was to open their eyes to help them understand the truth, the knowledge of the truth, and to increase their faith.

And so when we go back to Titus chapter 1 verse 1, he talks about according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgement of the truth. In summary, Paul's mission that God gave him was to strengthen their faith in Christ, of the elect, to help us to understand better the knowledge of the truth, with what purpose, to lead us to godliness, and it was to instill in us God's elect the hope of eternal life. That was Paul's mission, the mission that God gave to him.

And that's what we have here written for us, to increase the faith in Christ and understanding these mysteries of godliness and of the truth, and for us to better comprehend the hope of eternal life. So Paul did achieve that. And then now in verse 4, now starting from verse 4, now Paul addresses Titus. And he says to Titus, a true son in our common faith. He says, grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Grace. In other words, is God's favor and forgiveness, God's kindness, God's just gentleness and goodness and favor towards us.

That's his grace. And then he says peace. Peace is a primary indicator of the Christian life. And in Paul's epistles to all the congregations, he addresses them with grace and peace. But in the pastoral epistles, namely 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, he adds in the middle between grace and peace, he adds mercy. Because we as elders in God's church, we need God's mercy. We all need God's mercy, but particularly we as elders. And so he says, Paul at the rest of Titus says to him, grace, mercy, and peace.

And therefore, we can see that God's grace leads to, helps us to understand God's mercy and ultimately brings us peace. Peace of mind. And so these are the, let's call it the introduction style of Paul in his letters. In all his letters, he basically has this type of style, grace and peace. But as I mentioned, in these pastoral epistles, he includes mercy as well. And so in 10 of his Adderi epistles, he has grace and peace. And in these 3, he has grace, mercy, and peace. So now we have 13 of his epistles that he has the style of introduction, except on the 14th, which we believe Paul wrote, which is the book of Hebrews, that he does not have this introduction.

Tradition, by the way, as attributed Hebrews to Paul. And we in the church believe that, but we don't make it a very strong statement. But it is what we believe, because there are a number of modern scholars that overwhelmingly reject that. Because in the book of Hebrews, there's a different style and vocabulary that he uses. But again, he's addressing a different origin. So we'll leave that to when we get to the book of Hebrews. Now verse 5. For this reason, Paul says, I left you in Crete. And so, as I mentioned, he must have gone to Crete. And so we went through these journeys, his fourth missionary journey. And then he says, for this reason, I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. And so Yahweh see is authority. Number one is giving Titus the authority. Number one, to correct problems. He says, it was to set in order the things that are lacking. In order to address specific problems.

And then he says, and appoint elders in every city as I promised you. Appoint local elders, overseers, to maintain the stability and order in the congregations.

Elders implies those ordained into the ministry should therefore have spiritual maturity and therefore it's only sound and wise that good leadership is essential.

And then he says, in every city. Now, there were over 100 cities in Crete, and it does not mean that every town would have an elder. But the implication here is that in every city where there was a congregation, that there should be someone left with the congregation, with responsibility over that congregation, as I commanded you.

In other words, again, he shows his authority. Verse 6. Now, from verse 6, he begins to enumerate the qualifications for elders. In other words, how to recognize those that make good elders. So, the standard, in other words, that a man must measure up in order to be an elder.

As I have covered these characteristics in great detail in 1st Timothy chapter 3, in the Bible study that was during 1st Timothy chapter 3, I'm not going to go into great detail at this moment on these points.

So, in verse 6 says, if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

These points, as I mentioned, I've addressed before, Yah as an interesting point is having faithful children.

Could it mean that he's given instruction, Yah only considered those that have believing children to be elders? That could be. But let's now look how he continues here in verse 7 and 8, because now he's looking or addressing points about the elder's personal life.

In verse 7 is things that the elder must not do.

And in verse 8 is things that the elder must do.

So, in verse 7 says, for a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God. Well, okay, let's just look at interesting because in verse 5 he used the word appoint elders.

And in verse 7 he's using the word a bishop. So now he's using a different word.

The Greek word for elders in verse 5 is prosbitros, which implies seniority and long experience. Therefore, the word in English like elder.

In verse 7, when he uses the word bishop in English, the Greek word is episkopos, which means an overseer or somebody with oversight or, in other words, a supervisor.

And so, yeah, he says because a bishop, a supervisor, one that has oversight and responsibility, he says, yeah, must be blameless as a steward of God.

A steward of God's mysteries. We went through that in 1 Corinthians 4 verse 1. That person is held accountable to make sure that he looks after God's mysteries.

What does that mean? It means that he must be responsible to ensure that people don't go off the track, don't come out with new ideas, new truth, quote-unquote.

It's the truth. It's the mystery that has been revealed to us. That is it. There's no new truth.

So, yeah, he addresses in verse 7 things that he must not do. In other words, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money.

And then in verse 8, characteristics for the steward that he must do. He must be hospitable. He must be a lover of what is good.

He must be sober-minded. He must be just. He must be holy. He must be self-controlled.

So these are things that he must not do or that he must do, verse 7 and 8, respectively.

Then in verse 9, says, Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

Elder must teach as he has been taught. That's what he says. Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught.

This is emphasized again, yeah, in Titus.

In other words, an elder is not somebody that's coming out with their own ideas, with his own philosophy.

Because a elder has a responsibility to pass on sound teaching, sound doctrine.

Holding fast to the faithful word, that he may be able by sound doctrine, a sound teaching.

So it's not the so-called new truth or let's call it heretical innovation that takes people off the track, off the rail.

Now, obviously, it does not mean we don't understand greater depth and have greater understanding, but it's always confirming and conforming to the faithful word, to the word of faith.

That's why he says, holding fast to the faithful word, always conforming to godliness, not foolish ideas.

And what is the outcome or the purpose? The remake by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict.

In other words, those who contradict, those who oppose it. You see, the shepherd has to drive away the wolves.

Those who, not necessarily that they kind of sometimes doing it deliberately, sometimes they may be, but I don't want to accuse that, but they tend to lead in ways that they oppose the truth. In other words, they are destroying the church. That is the outcome. And we as leaders and elders in the church, we must exhort and convict. In other words, we must encourage and we must try our best in humility to convict those who contradict.

I know I've come across with some people, particularly for instance, just the other day I was with somebody in Brazil that he just kept going on with some weird idea. He's not a member, but he was counseling and I said, no, and no, and no, this is the way, this is the way.

He got to a point and says, okay, I'm not going to be counseling with you anymore. I'm going to go my way. Okay, fine. But you cannot allow these people to bring in these ideas which are not sound and come into the church. As a shepherd, you got to protect the sheep from the wolves. And so what happens is what Paul was saying, yeah, is that and he was giving the instruction to Titus. He's saying, you, Titus, you're going to appoint elders in these cities, but you've got to be confident. You have to be well aware that when these people are left alone because Paul would leave and go to another city or Titus would leave and go to another city, that you need to have the confidence, the assurance that this person would be faithful in sound teaching, in teaching the doctrine, would be faithful in his way of life, in the way that he lives, and he would be a good, godly example to the church. There is a big responsibility for all of us as elders. And so he was saying, make sure that those people you appoint adhere to these things that they are holding fast to the faithful word has been taught. So look at example, in our history, you can read that and in Mustam's Strong's autobiography, that at the beginning of his ministry, he would, God through him, would raise up churches in the northwest and then he would move on to another area. And he would appoint somebody, but those people in that leadership, not much longer after you turn his back and go into another area, that congregation would dissolve or somebody would take the brethren often, after themselves with their own ideas. And so, a person that appeared to be strong or a strong member, and Mustam's Strong would ask them to be in charge, but they would, this is described in Mustam's Strong's autobiography, they would kind of lead things the wrong way, as if they were getting a following after themselves. And so, this was the genesis, as some of you may know, you read the autobiography, was the genesis why Mustam's Strong then established Ambassador College with the intent of training and developing a trained ministry. People that were thoroughly educated and trained and had been taught and that knew the doctrine and the teachings. People that could be trusted and thereby he then could leave them in charge. Next week then, we'll continue then with verse 10, but that's where we stop today.