Last night, I filled in to teach for a Bible Study that had been meeting for a while together, while the deacon who usually led the study was out of town. I gave the “early Birds” the option of Teaching through Titus or continuing on their lesson in Romans, and so I began with Titus 1, and taught through the first half of Titus 2. It’s really an amazing chapter. It addresses the problem of the Church in Crete: Cretans (a name we still use, sometimes, to describe a despicable person), were liars, fornicators, adulterers, thieves, and, in war, contract breakers (they were known for being mercenaries). Paul saw the strategic opportunity on this island of misfits as a vehicle for the Gospel, a place, if the Gospel could take hold, that could spread God’s word throughout the Mediterranean sea. But he needed to address the main problem.
He begins instructing Titus to establish Elders of integrity who are one woman men (meaning they honor marriage as God intended it, and do not run around on their wives, or have multiple wives), who raise their children in the fear and discipline of the Lord, and are men of integrity in public as well as private. He then instructs women to walk in the fear and discipline of the Lord, and instruct younger women in how to do so as well. Why?
Paul saw something that we’re losing in our society. It’s not laws that make people good. Laws and rules can’t save anyone (Paul, who was zealous for the law so much that he killed for it, would know more than most!). He knew that if the world was to change, it began in a well ordered church, which began in a well ordered home. His instruction to the elders was expected to be emulate in every home of the church, where men led their families with integrity, and husbands loved their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, and women, not in subservience but in godly submissiveness, looked to the leadership of their husbands, and both working together to raise up God-fearing children.
If we are to fix our nation, we need to fix our states. To fix our states, we need to fix our counties. To fix our counties, we need better churches, to fix our churches, we need God fearing elders who will help men and women to lead their homes to fear the Lord. Better God-fearing homes means better God fearing churches means God’s Church will be active and seek to bring others to Jesus, and so our communities will collectively seek God together. I hope you see the domino effect this could cause!
Titus 1 and 2
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
To Titus, my true child in a common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Qualifications for Elders
This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 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. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Chapter 2
But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 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.
Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.
