Titus 1:1-5 - TITAN TASK FOR TITUS

NOTE: If a word has a superscript number, that is a reference to the numbering system in The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. If you do not own a copy, you may access Strong’s Concordance online at http://www.biblehub.com/strongs.htm

Titus 1:1-5

TITAN TASK FOR TITUS

Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant¹⁴⁰¹ of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Susie: The word used for servant or in some translations bondservant is the Greek word commonly used for the lowest slave. Paul gave it the Hebrew sense of someone who chose to be a slave to a beloved master. Either way, it indicates subservience to the Lord who is worthy of not only our love but our obedience. This is why I choose to identify myself as a SOCK (Slave of Christ the King).

Susan: My favorite analogy of being a servant is the picture of my choice to be devoted and committed at all costs to my Savior and using my voice for the advancement of Christ’s Gospel, principles, and teachings. The Christian should be a living demonstration of God’s presence and love.

Susie: Paul was an apostle not only in the sense of being a messenger of God, but as one who was personally appointed by Jesus Christ to the office of apostle, one of the leaders of the early church whose words had authority from God.

Susan: Paul was chosen by God for the specific role of apostle as were the eleven closest companions of Jesus and Matthias who was chosen by casting lots to replace Judas Iscariot the betrayer of Jesus who committed suicide (Acts 1:26).

Susie: Paul affirmed that he was a servant based on the truth of the Gospel message of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ for all whom God has chosen (the elect). For more on the elect or chosen see: Mark 13:20, John 15:16, John 15:19, Ephesians 11:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13.

Susan: As soon as one trusts in Jesus for salvation, he or she is seen as righteous because of Jesus’s finished work on the cross. However, becoming more and more like Jesus is a daily process. Godliness or sanctification is the expression of the truth of the Gospel in one’s life.

Susie: The truth, embodied in the person of Jesus, is what sets us free from sin and enables us to live godly lives.

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie⁸⁹³, promised before the world began;

Susie: Out of curiosity I looked up “cannot” and found that in the Greek, “that cannot lie” is one word. Strong’s also used the word “veracious” in its translation. Now there’s a word you don’t hear every day, so I looked it up in Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language:

VERA'CIOUS, adjective [Latin verax, from verus, true.] - Observant of truth; habitually disposed to speak truth.

Susie: Jesus not only cannot lie; He is the embodiment of truth.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Susan: God planned for eternal life before the beginning of time even knowing that Adam and Eve were going to fall. Therefore, He also planned that Jesus would be the only sacrifice that would satisfy His holiness. God wanted us to be His family and was willing to die in the person of Jesus to make the reality of salvation come to pass.

Titus 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Susie: God, in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4), sent His Son to pay the price for our sin. Then, at His appointed hour, he sent forth the Apostle Paul to preach about this salvation to both Jews and Gentiles.

Susan: Jesus sent His apostles to all the known world to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). God makes His word known to all people even though not all people will accept it.

Titus 1:4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Susan: The common faith would be Christianity, trust in Jesus. By calling Titus his son in the faith, Paul meant that Titus was his beloved student, his disciple. Titus learned about faith and how to live and apply it in his life from the example of the Apostle Paul who taught Titus like a father teaches a son.

Susie: Paul hoped that Titus would experience the grace, mercy, and peace of God more and more.

Susan: Titus had to defend the Gospel and godly precepts against false teachers and even opposition with the churches. He would need the grace of God to accomplish the task of finding godly leadership for the church.

Susie: Amid the unrest surrounding him, Titus needed to be reminded that his peace, his wholeness, came not from other people but from the Lord Jesus.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Susan: Paul had left Titus in Crete to select and put in place godly leadership that had been sorely lacking in the fledgling churches.

Susie: Most of us have not had the experience of beginning a brand-new church. Imagine an entire city of church plants in need of organization. Titus was tasked with bringing order into the local bodies of believers in each city on the Island of Crete.

Susan: Titus had an overwhelming operation in front of him. Only by the power of God’s grace and peace, could he complete it.

QUESTIONS

1.       Do you view yourself as God’s servant, His child, His friend, or all of the above? Explain.

2.       Why is it significant that God “cannot lie?” Does this truth change your perspective on His promises?

3.       What kind of relationship did Paul and Titus enjoy?

4.       Why did Paul leave Titus in Crete?

5.  By whose power would Titus accomplish the job Paul had given him?