Tit 1:1-3 | KingComments | STEP | Just like both previous letters which are addressed to a person (Timothy), this letter is also addressed to a person: Titus. Timothy and Titus are not random people. They belong to the fellow workers of Paul. You have learnt some things about Timothy from the book of Acts. If you want to learn about Titus in that book you will search in vain in it. He is not mentioned there. But you can learn about him from some letters of Paul, especially his second letter to the Corinthians. If you read there what Paul says about Titus you will notice that he very much appreciates him. The work of Titus in Corinth is an example of his dedicated service. From references to Titus in the mentioned letter we can conclude that he became a mature believer through spiritual growth and experience. Paul desired the support of Titus ( ); he experienced comfort through Titus ( ); he knew the joy of Titus and the refreshment of his spirit about the good that he saw in the believers ( ); he knew about the love that Titus had for the obedient believers ( ); he testified to the willingness of Titus of committing himself on behalf of poor believers ( ). He calls Titus his “partner and fellow worker” with the Corinthians ( ). Titus has the same goal like Paul, that’s why Paul appreciates Titus very much in the work for the Lord. He also sees the same unselfishness with Titus which characterizes himself ( ). In both the work and the motives Paul has an exceptional co-worker in Titus. Because Paul calls Titus his “true child” ( ) we may assume that Titus heard the gospel from Paul and came to conversion. It is not clear whether he went together with Paul immediately after that. The first time we find Titus together with Paul somewhere is in connection with the controversial question of whether believers from the Gentiles should be circumcised ( ; cf. ). In that way Titus is soon confronted with the legalistic pressure that the Jewish believers want to exert on the believers from the Gentiles. He experiences and learns how Paul deals with that. The great counterpart of the law is grace. Titus gets a great impression of that too. One and the other appear to be a good preparation for his task in Crete of which you learn from this letter. The last reference of Titus in the letters of Paul is in his second letter to Timothy ( ). Without any further explanation Paul writes to Timothy that Titus had traveled to Dalmatia. Most apparently Titus went there to serve the Lord. When Paul has been in Crete is not to be concluded from the Scripture. It has been assumed that he was accompanied by Titus in Crete after his first imprisonment in Rome. He left after churches came to existence there, but not without leaving his co-worker Titus there, out of his concern for the newly founded churches. The churches have been founded, but still need many instructions with a view to their daily practice. In this view Paul has not been able to finish his work. Titus had to do that. Paul already gave orally as an apostle the authority to Titus and now he does that in writing too. The assignment to Titus is twofold. He has to set in order what is lacking and he has to appoint elders in each city ( ). The letter therefore deals with the maintenance of order in the local churches of God. This order is not seen here so much in relation to the gatherings of the church; it is more about the daily believer-to-believer relationships and their conduct in the world. . Paul starts his letter with mentioning his own name. It is not that he wanted to put his own person in the foreground by that. The important thing for him is the service he was called for. For that reason he connects to his name two tasks, that of a bond-servant and that of an apostle. He starts with “a bond-servant of God”. By that he puts himself next to Titus and you. He is first a bond-servant of God, like you also are in the first place. If you take the humblest place you are most able to serve (cf. ). After he introduced himself as bond-servant he calls himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ”. As an apostle he took a position of authority. Therein he doesn’t stand next to Titus and you, but above him and you. It is a good thing to repeat that he calls himself first a bond-servant and then an apostle. Exercising authority according to the will of God can only happen in the mind of a bond-servant. If a person wants to be a good leader he ought to know first what it is to be a bond-servant or a servant. But he also calls himself an apostle. As an apostle he has a position and a task that grant him authority that demands obedience. Then he delivers the proof of his apostleship. Nowhere does he do that so comprehensively and strongly as here. It is remarkable how close he connects his apostleship with the believers. You will see that in . The particular way in which he presents the believers is also remarkable. His apostleship is above all “for the faith of those chosen of God” ( ; ). That rules out an apostleship according to the law or in connection with an earthly nation. The apostleship of Paul does not belong to the law but to faith. Law and faith exclude each other ( ). Paul doesn’t submit his apostleship to the judgment of the law, but to the judgment of faith. The important thing for him is not obedience to rules and laws, but obedience that comes from faith. This faith is present in “those chosen of God”. Because it is about the church here, it is clear that you may think of being chosen “before the foundation of the world” ( ). You believe, don’t you? And you are chosen by God, aren’t you? Then you will surely acknowledge Paul’s apostleship. Application: Today you can say that every spiritually minded leader considers the faith of hose who have been chosen and exerts his authority accordingly. He doesn’t impose a yoke on them but stirs them up to obedience of faith. Thereby he doesn’t focus in the first place on the outward of the believers but on their heart, their inward spiritual life. There is a second feature of Paul’s apostleship. It is also to (or: in accordance with) “the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness”. You can also put the apostleship of Paul to the test by verifying the way he presents the truth. He doesn’t present the truth about God and the Lord Jesus and the church etcetera, as a doctrine, as truths for you to learn by heart. With Paul you see that he connects all his teachings to a life in Godliness. That means that you see the true acknowledgment of the truth being implemented in a life that shows a deep reverence for God and everything He has said. Application: Today you will recognize a spiritual leader by the fact that he lives to the honor of God by practicing the knowledge of the truth in his own daily life. Such a leader doesn’t demand a submission to a theory, but presents the truth in his speech and his deeds. Today there are many who claim to be bond-servants of Christ, but who want to serve according to the latest so-called knowledge of science or the latest arguments of unbelief. But the faith and the knowledge that are meant here are not the faith and knowledge of the world, neither that of Christianity, but of ‘those chosen of God’. Now read Titus 1:1 again. Reflection: What criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in ?

‏ Titus 1:1-3

Introduction

Just like both previous letters which are addressed to a person (Timothy), this letter is also addressed to a person: Titus. Timothy and Titus are not random people. They belong to the fellow workers of Paul. You have learnt some things about Timothy from the book of Acts. If you want to learn about Titus in that book you will search in vain in it. He is not mentioned there. But you can learn about him from some letters of Paul, especially his second letter to the Corinthians. If you read there what Paul says about Titus you will notice that he very much appreciates him.

The work of Titus in Corinth is an example of his dedicated service. From references to Titus in the mentioned letter we can conclude that he became a mature believer through spiritual growth and experience. Paul desired the support of Titus (2Cor 2:12); he experienced comfort through Titus (2Cor 7:6); he knew the joy of Titus and the refreshment of his spirit about the good that he saw in the believers (2Cor 7:13); he knew about the love that Titus had for the obedient believers (2Cor 7:15); he testified to the willingness of Titus of committing himself on behalf of poor believers (2Cor 8:6 ; 16).

He calls Titus his “partner and fellow worker” with the Corinthians (2Cor 8:23). Titus has the same goal like Paul, that’s why Paul appreciates Titus very much in the work for the Lord. He also sees the same unselfishness with Titus which characterizes himself (2Cor 12:18). In both the work and the motives Paul has an exceptional co-worker in Titus.

Because Paul calls Titus his “true child” (Tit 1:4) we may assume that Titus heard the gospel from Paul and came to conversion. It is not clear whether he went together with Paul immediately after that.

The first time we find Titus together with Paul somewhere is in connection with the controversial question of whether believers from the Gentiles should be circumcised (Gal 2:1 ; 3; cf. Acts 15:1-2). In that way Titus is soon confronted with the legalistic pressure that the Jewish believers want to exert on the believers from the Gentiles. He experiences and learns how Paul deals with that. The great counterpart of the law is grace. Titus gets a great impression of that too. One and the other appear to be a good preparation for his task in Crete of which you learn from this letter.

The last reference of Titus in the letters of Paul is in his second letter to Timothy (2Tim 4:10). Without any further explanation Paul writes to Timothy that Titus had traveled to Dalmatia. Most apparently Titus went there to serve the Lord.

When Paul has been in Crete is not to be concluded from the Scripture. It has been assumed that he was accompanied by Titus in Crete after his first imprisonment in Rome. He left after churches came to existence there, but not without leaving his co-worker Titus there, out of his concern for the newly founded churches. The churches have been founded, but still need many instructions with a view to their daily practice. In this view Paul has not been able to finish his work. Titus had to do that. Paul already gave orally as an apostle the authority to Titus and now he does that in writing too.

The assignment to Titus is twofold. He has to set in order what is lacking and he has to appoint elders in each city (Tit 1:5). The letter therefore deals with the maintenance of order in the local churches of God. This order is not seen here so much in relation to the gatherings of the church; it is more about the daily believer-to-believer relationships and their conduct in the world.

Sender, Faith and Knowledge

Tit 1:1. Paul starts his letter with mentioning his own name. It is not that he wanted to put his own person in the foreground by that. The important thing for him is the service he was called for. For that reason he connects to his name two tasks, that of a bond-servant and that of an apostle. He starts with “a bond-servant of God”. By that he puts himself next to Titus and you. He is first a bond-servant of God, like you also are in the first place. If you take the humblest place you are most able to serve (cf. Lk 22:26).

After he introduced himself as bond-servant he calls himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ”. As an apostle he took a position of authority. Therein he doesn’t stand next to Titus and you, but above him and you. It is a good thing to repeat that he calls himself first a bond-servant and then an apostle. Exercising authority according to the will of God can only happen in the mind of a bond-servant. If a person wants to be a good leader he ought to know first what it is to be a bond-servant or a servant. But he also calls himself an apostle. As an apostle he has a position and a task that grant him authority that demands obedience.

Then he delivers the proof of his apostleship. Nowhere does he do that so comprehensively and strongly as here. It is remarkable how close he connects his apostleship with the believers. You will see that in Tit 1:1-3. The particular way in which he presents the believers is also remarkable.

His apostleship is above all “for the faith of those chosen of God” (Rom 8:33; Col 3:12). That rules out an apostleship according to the law or in connection with an earthly nation. The apostleship of Paul does not belong to the law but to faith. Law and faith exclude each other (Gal 3:12).

Paul doesn’t submit his apostleship to the judgment of the law, but to the judgment of faith. The important thing for him is not obedience to rules and laws, but obedience that comes from faith. This faith is present in “those chosen of God”. Because it is about the church here, it is clear that you may think of being chosen “before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4). You believe, don’t you? And you are chosen by God, aren’t you? Then you will surely acknowledge Paul’s apostleship.

Application: Today you can say that every spiritually minded leader considers the faith of hose who have been chosen and exerts his authority accordingly. He doesn’t impose a yoke on them but stirs them up to obedience of faith. Thereby he doesn’t focus in the first place on the outward of the believers but on their heart, their inward spiritual life.

There is a second feature of Paul’s apostleship. It is also to (or: in accordance with) “the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness”. You can also put the apostleship of Paul to the test by verifying the way he presents the truth. He doesn’t present the truth about God and the Lord Jesus and the church etcetera, as a doctrine, as truths for you to learn by heart. With Paul you see that he connects all his teachings to a life in Godliness. That means that you see the true acknowledgment of the truth being implemented in a life that shows a deep reverence for God and everything He has said.

Application: Today you will recognize a spiritual leader by the fact that he lives to the honor of God by practicing the knowledge of the truth in his own daily life. Such a leader doesn’t demand a submission to a theory, but presents the truth in his speech and his deeds. Today there are many who claim to be bond-servants of Christ, but who want to serve according to the latest so-called knowledge of science or the latest arguments of unbelief. But the faith and the knowledge that are meant here are not the faith and knowledge of the world, neither that of Christianity, but of ‘those chosen of God’.

Now read Titus 1:1 again.

Reflection: What criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in Tit 1:1?

The Promise of Eternal Life

Tit 1:2. A third test of Paul’s apostleship is that it belongs to “the hope of eternal life”. Here eternal life is presented as something you still are to receive. That seems to be in contradiction to what John writes about that. John speaks about eternal life as something you already have now (1Jn 5:11). Still, that is no contradiction because life is presented in two ways.

Briefly said: John speaks about the life through which we live, Paul about the life in which we live. The one is the life in you, the other life is about the life around you, your environment. In the first case you may compare it with living a healthy life and in the second case with an urban or rural life.

You have eternal life in you, but you still live in a world that lies in sin. When you are in heaven, then the whole environment and atmosphere wherein eternal life is being lived and enjoyed, will perfectly fit with the eternal life in you. Eternal life doesn’t indicate only the duration or length, but also the quality.

Application: Today you recognize the true spiritual leader by the fact that he encourages the hearts of those who are chosen by presenting to them the heavenly glory at the end of their journey.

You can be sure that you will enjoy eternal life in that life atmosphere, for it is promised by “the not-lying God” as it is literally said. God cannot lie, He is not able to, it is impossible for Him to lie (Heb 6:18). That stands against the character of the Cretans who apparently cannot do other than lie (Tit 1:12), and against the deceitful nature that each human has (Rom 3:4). God is perfectly faithful in His promise of eternal life.

I almost wrote: the eternal life is promised to you. That wouldn’t really be wrong either. After all you have been chosen before the foundation of the world. The promise is indeed for you, though it is not written like that. It is said that God has promised “long ages ago”, literally “before times eternal”. When I think of that I prefer the thought that God has promised this eternal life to the Lord Jesus, for only He was there then. Not that eternal life was promised to the Lord Jesus as something He didn’t possess, for the Lord Jesus is the eternal life (1Jn 5:20). No, God promised Him eternal life to give it to His chosen ones (Jn 17:2).

You wouldn’t have known anything about that promise if God had not revealed it. Isn’t it impressive that God makes you familiar with something that was a topic of conversation in eternity between the Father and the Son? Isn’t it mind blowing if you consider that your name was mentioned by the Father to the Lord Jesus for giving you eternal life?

Tit 1:3. To manifest this promise God waited “at the proper time”, that is His own time. First the heart of man toward God had to be revealed. That has become fully clear at the cross. There man let the Lord Jesus, God revealed in goodness and mercy, die the most horrific death.

That lowest point in the history of man is at the same time the moment that God fully exposes His heart and reveals what is the breadth and length and height and depth of His counsels (Eph 3:18).

And how does God do that? Through “His word, in the proclamation”. This proclamation was entrusted by Him to the apostle Paul (cf. Rom 10:14-17; 1Cor 2:7-10). That Word we have now in the Scripture (Rom 16:25-27). In that way the revelation also reaches you (1Cor 2:10-14).

Paul has not taken this ministry himself or fulfilled it in his own way (Gal 1:11-12). His apostleship and the ministry that is connected to it, is “according to the commandment of God our Savior”. This name of God shows Him as the One Who brings salvation – He is a Savior – to all men (cf. Tit 2:11; 1Tim 2:3-4). The preaching that was entrusted to Paul is therefore twofold. On the one hand he preaches the gospel to all people through which they receive salvation. On the other hand he unfolds the full truth to all who have received the gospel and have been saved.

Application: Also today something has been entrusted to each spiritual leader to pass on to believers. What they pass on must cause that believers learn to live with one another to the honor of God.

Tit 1:4. Paul addresses Titus whom he calls his “true child in a common faith”. The word ‘true’ means ‘legally begotten’. That doesn’t mean that Titus is physically his own son. The addition ‘in a common faith’ makes clear that it is about a spiritual conception (cf. 1Tim 1:2; 1Cor 4:15; Phlm 1:10). Titus came to faith and was born again through the ministry of Paul. The Gentile Titus and the Jew Paul confess the same faith (cf. 2Pet 1:1). They both belong to the church in which is no Jew or Greek (1Cor 12:13; Col 3:11).

Paul concludes his introduction with the usual blessing of “grace and peace”. ‘Grace’ is at the front. Titus can only do his work if he is aware that he needs God’s grace for his task. He will never be able to execute his task by his own strength. If he is aware to be dependent on the grace that God is giving him, he will be able to do his task with the ‘peace’ of God. He will not easily be discouraged if he continuously faces adversary or if there is no cooperation or if his work doesn’t seem to bear fruit.

Grace and peace are wished to him from “God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior”. That puts Titus in the relation of a child to his Father and to the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer. The one gives confidence and the other works commitment and efforts.

Application: A spiritual leader knows God as his Father and entrusts himself totally to Him. He also knows the Lord Jesus as his Redeemer Who has set him free that he may live for Him. The price the Redeemer paid and the awareness that in that way he has been redeemed is the greatest exhortation to serve Him.

Now read Titus 1:2-4 again.

Reflection: Which criteria for spiritual leadership do you discover in Tit 1:2-4?