Chronological Bible Study – Dec 20

Key Themes (Titus)

The book of Titus, written by the Apostle Paul, is a pastoral letter addressed to Titus, a young leader whom Paul left in Crete to organize and oversee the churches there. The letter provides guidance on establishing church leadership, promoting sound doctrine, and encouraging good works among believers. It emphasizes the importance of living out the Christian faith in practical ways. The key themes include:

1. The Importance of Sound Doctrine: A central theme in Titus is the need for sound doctrine within the church. Paul instructs Titus to teach what is in accord with sound doctrine and to appoint elders who can refute false teachings. This theme emphasizes the necessity of maintaining the integrity of the Gospel message and ensuring that the church’s teaching is based on the truth of God’s Word.
2. Qualifications for Church Leaders: Paul outlines specific qualifications for elders, emphasizing the importance of godly character and the ability to teach sound doctrine. Leaders are to be blameless, self-controlled, hospitable, and able to encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. This theme underscores the critical role of leadership in the church and the need for leaders to be exemplary in both their conduct and their teaching.
3. Godly Living and Good Works: Paul emphasizes that sound doctrine should lead to godly living. Believers are called to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel. Paul encourages Titus to stress the importance of good works as evidence of genuine faith. This theme highlights the connection between belief and behavior, teaching that true faith should result in a life of good deeds and moral integrity.
4. The Role of Grace in Salvation and Sanctification: Paul reminds Titus that salvation is a result of God’s grace, not human effort. He describes how God’s grace has appeared, bringing salvation to all people and teaching believers to live godly lives while they wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of Jesus Christ. This theme emphasizes that grace is not only the foundation of salvation but also the driving force behind the believer’s ongoing sanctification and commitment to good works.
5. The Importance of Teaching and Mentoring: Paul encourages Titus to teach sound doctrine to different groups within the church, including older men, older women, young men, and slaves. He also instructs older women to mentor younger women in godly living. This theme underscores the importance of teaching, mentoring, and passing on the faith within the Christian community to ensure that each generation grows in spiritual maturity.
6. Dealing with False Teachers: Paul warns Titus about the presence of false teachers in Crete who are disrupting the church with their empty talk and deception. He instructs Titus to rebuke them sharply so that they may be sound in the faith. This theme highlights the need for vigilance in protecting the church from false teachings that can lead believers astray.
7. The Church’s Witness in the World: Paul instructs believers to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, and to be ready for every good work. He emphasizes that Christians should avoid quarreling, be gentle, and show perfect courtesy to all people. This theme stresses the importance of the church’s witness in the world, teaching that believers should live in a way that reflects the love and grace of God, thereby attracting others to the faith.

The book of Titus is a practical guide for church leaders and members, emphasizing the importance of sound doctrine, godly living, and good works. Through its themes of leadership qualifications, the role of grace in salvation and sanctification, and the need for teaching and mentoring, Titus provides valuable insights into how the church should function and how believers should live out their faith in everyday life. The letter calls for a vibrant, authentic Christian witness that is grounded in truth and expressed through a life of integrity and service.

What I Noticed Today (Titus)

Titus 1

In verses 1-4, Paul opens the letter in the usual three-part fashion: he introduces himself, indicates his intended audience (Titus), and extends a greeting. Somewhat different in his letter to Titus is Paul’s introduction of himself: he describes his purpose as to build up the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness in the hope of eternal life.

In verses 5-9, Paul stresses the need for elders and their qualifications:

• Paul had left Titus in Crete to finish work left undone from their previous visit. The most important need was to appoint elders to lead the Christian church.
• Paul listed the qualifications for elders:
  • Blameless,
  • Husband of one wife,
  • Faithfull children who are not rebellious,
  • Not overbearing,
  • Not quick-tempered,
  • Not given to much wine,
  • Not violent,
  • Not pursuing dishonest gain,
  • Hospitable,
  • One who loves what is good,
  • Self-controlled,
  • Upright,
  • Holy,
  • Disciplined
  • Hold firmly to the message as it has been taught,
  • Encourage others by teaching the message, and
  • Refute those who contradict the message.

In verses 10-16, Paul goes on to warn Titus about false teachers and specifically about the Judaizers:

• There are rebellious people full of empty talk and deception.
• Silence them because they damage the faith of believers for dishonest gain.
• One of their own prophets (a Cretan) called the Cretans liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons.

• Paul instructs Titus to rebuke them, so they will be sound in the faith (and not like the stereotype).
• That way, they will reject the false teachings of Jewish myths.
• To the pure, everything is pure.
• To the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure. They profess to know God but deny Him by their actions. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.

Titus 2

In verses 1-10, Paul instructs Titus on how various groups should demonstrate Godly lives:

• Older men are to be level headed, worthy of respect, sensible, sound in faith, love, and endurance.
• Older women are to be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to much wine, and teach what is good.
• Older women are to encourage young women to love their husbands and children, be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, kind, and submissive to their husbands. All so, God’s word will not be slandered.
• Young men should be self-controlled.
• Titus specifically (because he was a young man) must be an example of good works, integrity, seriousness, and soundness in his teaching. Your message is to be beyond reproach, so opponents will have nothing bad to say about Christians.
• Slaves must be submissive to their masters, and well-pleasing, not talking back or stealing, but demonstrating faithfulness so that they too are examples of the godly Christian life.

In verses 11-15, Paul gives Titus the theological reason for living a Godly life that he describes in verses 11-10:

• The grace of God made salvation available to all men.

• God’s grace should lead us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts in favor of leading a sensible, righteous, and godly life while we wait for the return of the Lord.
• Jesus gave himself for us to redeem us for Himself, His possession eager to do good works.
• Paul emphatically directs Titus to teach these things; to encourage and rebuke with all authority and let no one disregard you.

Titus 3

In verses 1-11h, Paul tells Titus to remind the Cretan believers how they were expected to live:

• Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to slander no one, to avoid fighting, to be kind, and always to show gentleness to everyone.

• Paul humbly reminded Titus of the condition he was first in when he became a believer. He was foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and detested one another.
• But all that changed when the goodness of God for mankind appeared (Jesus), who saved us not by works of righteousness but by His mercy, through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. He poured out His Spirit on us through Jesus Christ so that having been justified by grace, we became heirs with the hope of eternal life.
• Paul tells Titus to insist on these things so that those have believed in God might be careful to do good works.
• But avoid foolish debates, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes of the Law for they are unprofitable and worthless.
• Reject a divisive person after two warnings knowing that such a person is perverted and self-condemned (similar to 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15).

In verses 12-14h, Paul issues his final instructions and greetings to Titus:

• Make every effort to come to me in Nicopolis because I have decided to winter there.
• Diligently help Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos on their journey so they will lack nothing.
• Our people (believers) must be ready to devote themselves to good works for cases of urgent need, so they will not be unfruitful.
• All those with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.

Tomorrow: 1 Peter