Greetings! Welcome
back to Daily Bread as we open a letter today from Paul to Titus. Titus was
chosen by Paul to organize the church in the island of Crete. If you
remember the shipwreck that Paul experienced on his way to Rome, that was
just after he left Crete, because those he was traveling with didn’t want to
stay in Fair Havens for the winter, but wanted to sail to a different haven
of Crete (against Paul’s advice of danger) and they got caught up in a
tempest that took them across the Adria (part of the Mediterranean) where
they shipwrecked.
In this letter,
Paul gives Titus advice of how to set things in order. He begins his letter,
in his usual way of identifying himself.
From Paul, a
servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to (in harmony
with) the Faith of God’s chosen, and the acknowledging of the TRUTH which is
after godliness; in hope of eternal life,
, promised before the world
began, but has in His chosen times revealed His Word through preaching,
which is committed (assigned) to me, according to the commandment of God our
Savior;
To Titus, my own
son (adopted) in the common Faith. Grace, mercy and peace, from God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Let’s try
something a little bit different here. Let’s say that Paul wrote this letter
to you. You learned all about Jesus and salvation and the hope of the world
to come, and you’ve grown close to Paul. He’s like a dad to you, and you’re
like a son to him. Paul sees great potential in your Faith, and he decides
that you should be assigned the island of Crete to spread the Gospel to the
Gentiles there. Wow! That’s quite an honor. And quite a challenge. You’d
better tear that letter open and see if Paul has any pointers on how to go
about this. When you open the letter, this is what you read.
This is the reason
I left you in Crete. So that you would set things in order that are needed
for the Church, and appoint elders in each city, just as I appointed you.
Choose those who are blameless (above reproach, or free of faults), the
husband of one wife, with faithful (obedient) children not accused of being
disorderly or unruly.
A bishop (an
overseer) must be blameless, as a steward of God; not self-willed, not
easily angered, not given to (ruled by) wine, no fighter, not given to
(ruled by) filthy lucre (dishonest gain); but a lover of hospitality, a
lover of what is good, sober, just, holy, temperate (self-controlled);
standing up for the faithful Word as he has been taught, so that he may be
able, by sound doctrine, both to motivate and to convince the gainsayers
(those who contradict).
There are many
undisciplined and vain talkers and deceivers, whose mouths must be stopped.
They corrupt whole houses, teaching things that they shouldn’t, for evil
profits. One of them, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are
always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies (idle gluttons). What I’m telling
you is true, so rebuke them sharply, so they’ll be sound in the Faith; not
listening to fables, and commandments of men, that turn away from the TRUTH.
To the pure, all
things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is
pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they
know God; but in their actions they deny him, being abominable (evil), and
disobedient, and to every good work reprobate.
Well, if you think
Titus had a challenge ahead of him, what do you think it would be like in
today’s world to accomplish such a task? Actually, bringing the lost sheep
back to God is a task that He wants us all to undertake. Paul has
just told Titus (you) what kind of people would be needed to be leaders of
the Faith in the Church. In other words, Paul was telling him to assign a
certain type of man as deacons and bishops.
Next time, we’ll
continue and see what else Paul says is required. Is it a challenge that you
welcome with open arms? Aren’t there deceivers today, just as Paul
described? I bet you can’t wait to see what Paul says next, but you’re gonna
have to come back again next time to find out, right here at Daily Bread.
