Titus

Titus

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​WHEN THE CHURCH NEEDS ORDER

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The gospel has reached Crete. Believers are multiplying. Churches are forming. But it's chaos.

 

No structure. No qualified leaders. No clear teaching. False teachers are spreading lies. Believers are confused about how to live. Some claim to know God but their actions deny Him. Others are idle, rebellious, full of empty talk.

 

Titus, Paul's co worker, is on the island trying to bring order to the chaos. It's overwhelming. Where does he even start?

 

Paul writes to help. This letter is similar to 1 Timothy but shorter, more focused. It's a pastoral manual condensed to three chapters. Paul tells Titus how to establish order: appoint qualified elders, silence false teachers, and teach sound doctrine that produces godly living.

 

The letter emphasises the connection between belief and behaviour. Sound doctrine produces good works. What you believe determines how you live. Grace doesn't just save you. It trains you to live godly lives.

 

Titus is about establishing gospel order in chaotic churches. It's practical, direct, urgent. Paul gives clear instructions for what kind of leaders to appoint, what kind of teaching to give, and what kind of living to model.

 

If you're planting churches, if you're trying to bring order to chaos, if you're wondering how doctrine connects to daily living, read Titus. Paul will show you how sound teaching produces godly behaviour.

 

A note before we begin:

Titus is only three chapters, but it's packed with practical wisdom for establishing church order and the connection between doctrine and living. This summary covers the major themes, but Paul's concise instructions deserve careful study. After this overview, open your Bible and read all three chapters of Titus yourself. Let Paul's wisdom shape how you think about church leadership and godly living.

 

Appointing Elders

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness, in the hope of eternal life, which God, who doesn't lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at His appointed season He's brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour, writes to Titus, my true son in our common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Saviour.

 

The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

 

Paul left Titus in Crete to finish what was left undone and appoint elders in every town.

 

An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and aren't open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God's household, he must be blameless, not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it's been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

 

Qualifications for elders: blameless, faithful to his wife, children who believe and aren't wild or disobedient. Not overbearing, quick tempered, drunk, violent, or pursuing dishonest gain. Hospitable, loves good, self controlled, upright, holy, disciplined. Holds firmly to sound doctrine so he can encourage and refute.

 

Rebuking False Teachers

For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they're disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach, and that for the sake of dishonest gain.

 

Many are rebellious, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially the circumcision group. They must be silenced. They're disrupting households, teaching for dishonest gain.

 

One of Crete's own prophets has said it: Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons. This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they'll be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the merely human commands of those who reject the truth.

 

Even one of their own prophets said Cretans are liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons. This is true. Rebuke them sharply so they'll be sound in the faith. Don't pay attention to Jewish myths or human commands.

 

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and don't believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They're detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

 

To the pure, all things are pure. But to the corrupted and unbelieving, nothing is pure. Their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God but their actions deny Him. They're detestable, disobedient, unfit for good.

 

What Must Be Taught

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

 

Titus must teach sound doctrine. Older men should be temperate, worthy of respect, self controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance.

 

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

 

Older women should be reverent, not slanderers, not addicted to wine. Teach what is good. Urge younger women to love husbands and children, be self controlled, pure, busy at home, kind, subject to husbands. So no one maligns God's word.

 

Similarly, encourage the young men to be self controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

 

Encourage young men to be self controlled. Set an example by doing good. Show integrity, seriousness, sound speech that cannot be condemned. So opponents are ashamed.

 

Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they'll make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive.

 

Slaves should be subject to masters, try to please them, not talk back, not steal, show they're trustworthy. Make the teaching attractive.

 

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, whilst we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.

 

The grace of God has appeared, offering salvation to all. Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. To live self controlled, upright, godly lives. Whilst we wait for Jesus' appearing. He gave Himself to redeem us from wickedness and purify a people eager to do good.

 

These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Don't let anyone despise you.

 

Doing What Is Good

Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle towards everyone.

 

Be subject to rulers and authorities. Obedient. Ready to do good. Don't slander. Be peaceable, considerate, gentle towards everyone.

 

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we'd done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

 

We were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by passions and pleasures. Living in malice and envy. But when God's kindness and love appeared, He saved us. Not because of righteous things we did, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. We've been justified by His grace. We're heirs with the hope of eternal life.

 

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who've trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

 

Stress these things. So those who trust in God devote themselves to doing good. These things are excellent and profitable.

 

But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they're self condemned.

 

Avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments, quarrels about the law. They're unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, then twice. Then have nothing to do with them. They're warped, sinful, self condemned.

 

Final Remarks

As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I've decided to winter there. Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.

 

Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith.

 

Grace be with you all.

 

What This Means for You

Titus is about establishing gospel order in chaotic churches. Paul instructs Titus to appoint qualified elders, silence false teachers, and teach sound doctrine that produces godly living. The key theme is the connection between belief and behaviour. Grace doesn't just save. It trains us to live godly lives.

 

Here's what Titus teaches you:

Churches need qualified elders. Blameless, faithful to their wife, children who believe, hospitable, self controlled, upright, holy, disciplined, holding firmly to sound doctrine.

 

False teachers must be silenced. They disrupt households, teach for dishonest gain, claim to know God but their actions deny Him.

 

Sound doctrine produces godly living. Teach older men, older women, younger women, young men, slaves how to live. Each group has specific instructions.

 

Grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. To live self controlled, upright, godly lives. Whilst we wait for Jesus' appearing.

 

God saved us not because of righteous things we did, but because of His mercy. Through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

 

Those who trust in God should devote themselves to doing good. These things are excellent and profitable.

 

Avoid foolish controversies. They're unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person twice, then have nothing to do with them.

 

Your Next Steps

Titus challenges you to pursue sound doctrine that produces godly living.

 

Are you in church leadership? Are you appointing qualified elders? Or settling for anyone willing? The qualifications matter.

 

Are you silencing false teachers? Or letting them disrupt households? They must be confronted.

 

Is your doctrine sound? Does it produce godly living? Or just intellectual knowledge?

 

Are you devoted to doing good? Or living an unproductive life? Those who trust in God should be eager to do good.

 

Are you engaging in foolish controversies? Or focusing on what's profitable? Avoid meaningless arguments.

 

Are you living in light of grace? Grace teaches you to say no to ungodliness and yes to godly living.

 

Read It Yourself

This summary covers Titus's major themes, but Paul's concise instructions for church order deserve careful study. Titus is only three chapters. You can read it in ten minutes.

 

Don't just read about Titus. Read Titus. Open your Bible and read all three chapters. Let Paul's instructions shape how you think about church leadership, sound doctrine, and godly living.

 

Grace That Trains

That's the key insight in Titus. Grace doesn't just save you. It trains you.

 

Grace teaches you to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. To live self controlled, upright, godly lives. Whilst you wait for Jesus to appear.

 

You're saved by grace. Now let grace train you to live like it.

 

 

Scripture paraphrased and quoted from various translations for clarity.

© The Unknown Believer