Tit 1:3 | KingComments | STEP | . 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 ( ). 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 ( ). That stands against the character of the Cretans who apparently cannot do other than lie ( ), and against the deceitful nature that each human has ( ). 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 ( ). No, God promised Him eternal life to give it to His chosen ones ( ). 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? . 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 ( ). And how does God do that? Through “His word, in the proclamation”. This proclamation was entrusted by Him to the apostle Paul (cf. ; ). That Word we have now in the Scripture ( ). In that way the revelation also reaches you ( ). Paul has not taken this ministry himself or fulfilled it in his own way ( ). 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. ; ). 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. . 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. ; ; ). 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. ). They both belong to the church in which is no Jew or Greek ( ; ). 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 ?

‏ Titus 1:3

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?