Titus

Part Three – Chapter Three

The Responsibilities of Believers to the World

 

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

In the third and final chapter of Titus Paul continues with his instructions to Titus concerning the need for leadership and direction in the churches in Crete. This chapter deals with the responsibilities that Christians have towards the world. Christians should not be so heavenly minded that they are of no earthly good and Paul will address in this chapter how to apply the truth of scripture to the social responsibilities of Believers.

 

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good,”

 

This chapter starts with godly advice about how Christians should submit to those in the government who rule over them. He instructs Titus to remind Christians to be subject to their rulers and the governing authorities. The Christians of Crete were living under the authority of a non-Christian secular government, but despite this fact, Paul is telling them that they are to be obedient to their rulers and to always be ready to obey the law they lived under. This does not mean that if their rulers required them to do things against the instruction in God’s Word they should obey, but that as long as the laws and requirements of the rulers were not in conflict with Scripture, they should honor the wishes of those in authority. We should take this same instruction to heart and obey the laws of the land when it comes to obeying the authorities over us in the United States whether it is federal, state and local government or law enforcement.

 

“to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”

 

In verse 2 Paul instructs Titus and the Christians in Crete to avoid spreading false information about others. Apparently this was such a common practice amongst the people in Crete that Christians were being drawn into such gossip. Scripture addresses this behavior as sin. When we spread lies about others we are attempting to selfishly elevate ourselves and demean the reputation of those we know. Even if some of the information is true, it should not be shared with just anyone. Gossip is damaging and even if information is valid there are some ears that should never hear it. Truthful statements can take perverted twists and turns as they are spread down the line of conversations. 

 

Paul also instructs Titus that Christians should be peaceable, considerate and polite. This will reflect a humble attitude towards others, even those who might be unfriendly and disagreeable at times. It is easy to treat some people with respect and consideration, but Christians are called to treat everyone with the same degree of Christian compassion and honor.

 

“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.

 

Paul reminds the Christians in Crete from where they had come. He states that before they were Christians they were foolish in many ways and often disobedient. This was because they were deceived by their sinful flesh and its desire for the passions and pleasures of the world. This selfishness caused them to live in hatred and envy of each other. They were hated by others and in turn they hated back. But when their eyes were opened through the grace and love of God they believed in Christ because of His sacrifice on the cross and the mercy shown by God.

 

Thought we should not dwell on how we lived in the past without Christ as our Savior, sometimes it is good for us to remember how we thought and acted before we became a disciple of Christ. This gives us an appreciation for how God has changed us from the inside out with His forgiveness for our sins, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the influence of God’s Holy Word. This can enable us to avoid returning to that old person we were who was sinful and corrupt. As Christians, if we don’t continue to seek the Lord we can drift back into past habits, lifestyles and attitudes. It was no different with the Christians who lived in Crete and Paul wanted them to remember from where they had come. Paul also may have desired for them to remember who they were before they committed their lives to Christ so they could have compassion towards non-believers who were still living in this manner. We can come across as arrogant and egotistical if we forget that if it weren’t for the grace of God we would still be living in sin and under the judgment of God. Remembering the condition from which you have been saved helps you have a humble attitude and encourages you to be compassionate towards those who are still in that condition.  

 

“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had 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 Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.”

 

Paul reviews the basics of how salvation occurs in verses 4 through 7 by stating that Believers are justified by grace. Grace is unmerited favor. Nothing we are or do can qualify us for God’s mercy and His willingness to save us from our sins. Our Heavenly Father gave us a new life through the washing of the blood of Jesus over our lives. The Holy Spirit was given to us so that He could renew us and cause us to become new creatures in Christ. God was not stingy with His grace, love and forgiveness. He poured out His mercy upon us like a flood through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. This justification by grace allowed us to become adopted by Him and this allowed us to be heirs to all that His family members are due including eternal life, becoming members of the royal priesthood and receiving a new life washed of the curse of sin.

 

This is the legacy we have based on the truth of God’s Word, and this is the legacy Paul wanted Titus to convey to the Christians in Crete. This established fact based on God’s grace would remind the Believers that God was calling them to holiness and right living, just as it communicates the same to us today.

 

“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 him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”

 

Paul knew that there was discussions, debates and arguments going around in the churches in Crete concerning Jewish traditions and the Law and so he stresses the futility of all this talk. To Paul they were a waste of time and benefited no one. But Paul goes further in his instruction by telling Titus not only to avoid all this useless talk, but to actually confront and warn people involved in such discussions. These argumentative conversations were causing divisions within the local churches and Paul walks Titus through the steps of confrontation that might need to be done with such people. Titus is to warn these people once, and twice if necessary, but if they continue in their persistent divisive discussions he is to have nothing to do with them in any way, shape or form. Paul knows the character of such individuals for he personally had dealings with people of this flavor. He knows their character is distorted and warped. There is sin in their lives and their divisive talk is an attempt to either hide or justify their sin. He also knows that their talk is obvious evidence that they are condemning themselves as they persist in such useless conversations.

 

“As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have 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.”

 

Paul next mentions that he is sending Artemas or Tychicus to Titus very likely to help with the ministry in Crete and possibly to allow him to return to Paul in Nicopolis. Artemas was a close friend of Paul and it is postulated that later he became the bishop of Lystra in Turkey. Tychicus was also a disciple of Paul’s and he is mentioned several times in the New Testament. It is suspected that he was from Asia Minor and helped Titus raise funds for the poor in Judea (2 Corinthians 8:16-24).

 

Paul also instructs Titus to help pave the way for Zenas and Apollos in their travels to Crete to help in the ministry there. Zenas was possibly a Christian lawyer or a doctor and some suspect he was a Greek that had studied Roman law. He had a relationship with Apollos in the spreading of Christianity and traveled with him. 

 

Apollos was a very educated and eloquent Jew from Alexandria. He was very well acquainted with the Scriptures and the Jewish religion. He taught in the synagogue in Ephesus and received some in-depth instruction regarding Christian doctrine from Aquila and Priscilla. He preached with great zeal and power and traveled numerous places in the known world to spread the gospel and Paul thought very highly of him. Apollos eventually became bishop of Corinth and possibly other cities as well. 

 

“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.”

 

Paul ends this letter to Titus with several closing remarks. He tells Titus that Christians in Crete must devote themselves to live as good Christians spiritually, but also to physically provide for their basic needs. This may have reference to the quotation Paul gives in Titus 1:12, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.

 

This reputation of the people of Crete needed to change through the witness of Christians who served Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Thus by living as responsible and loving Christians they would never be accused of living dishonest and unproductive lives. This concept is true for us today. Christians should be known for their high standards of honesty and purity, but also for their hard work and dependability. Finally Paul ends his letter with a greeting from all those around him to Titus and with a blessing of grace upon Titus.

 

SUMMARY

 

Paul wrote to Titus to stress the importance of the teaching of sound doctrine so that it produced good practical Christian living. He covers the qualifications of elders who would need to be appointed by Titus in chapter 1. He also covers the responsibilities of Christians to each other within the local church body in chapter 2 and in chapter 3 covers their responsibilities to those who ruled over them and those who lived with them in the community. Titus is a book of the Bible that could be used as an instruction manual for any local church body.

 

“See the Gospel Church secure, And founded on a Rock! All her promises are sure; Her bulwarks who can shock? Count her every precious shrine; Tell, to after-ages tell, Fortified by power divine, The Church can never fail.”

Charles Wesley