Week 1
Time: approx. 66 or 67 AD
Author: Apostle Paul
Audience: Titus
Purpose: To encourage Titus as he led the church and set up leaders across Crete.
Titus 1:1-4
Election
“Election is the divine choice of God to grant eternal life to undeserving sinners based solely on his love and not on the goodness of those receiving his grace. It is not arbitrary but part of his grand plan of salvation and grounded in his eternal wisdom.” - Benjamin Merkle
There are two reasons people are uncomfortable with the doctrine of election.
- Control - misunderstanding of free-will
- Perspective - human morality projected on God
Divine Reprobation or Double Predestination
“This may appear to be a logical extension of divine election, but the Scriptures do not teach this doctrine. The biblical theologian must stop where the biblical text stops, even though some issues appear to remain unresolved.” - Thomas Lea
The reality is that every single human who has ever sinned knowingly invites the judgement, wrath, and eternal separation from God.
That God shows any grace and mercy is in itself incomprehensible to anyone who is honest with himself about the sinfulness of humanity.
faith, knowledge, godliness
“Saving faith that opens one’s eyes to the knowledge of the truth should result in a transformed life characterized by godliness.” - Hayne Griffin
Titus 1:5
Plurality of leadership promotes accountability, provides diversity of gifts, and prevents abuse of power.
Titus 1:6-7
divorced, widowers, or single
Titus 1:8-9
“Since the office of bishop is one of authority and power, the vices named are those to which persons in such positions are tempted.” - F.D. Gealy
We must aspire to find, support, and become leaders of these standards, because the lives and eternity of families depend on it.
Titus 1:10-11
Titus 1:12-16
For those who claim to belong to Christ and His church, there is a standard to which we should and must hold each other.
“I have not much patience with a certain class of Christians nowadays who will hear anybody preach so long as they can say, “He is very clever, a fine preacher, a man of genius, a born orator.” Is cleverness to make false doctrine palatable? Why, sirs, to me the ability of a man who preaches error is my sorrow rather than my admiration.
I cannot endure false doctrine, however neatly it may be put before me. Would you have me eat poisoned meat because the dish is of the choicest ware? It makes me indignant when I hear another gospel put before the people with enticing words, by men who would fain make merchandise of souls; and I marvel at those who have soft words for such deceivers.
He who does not hate the false does not love the true; and he to whom it is all the same whether it be God’s word or man’s, is himself unrenewed at heart.
I beg the Lord to give back to the churches such a love to his truth that they may discern the spirits, and cast out those which are not of God.
According to modern efficiency he ought to have said, “Let him be kindly spoken with in private, but pray make no stir. No doubt the thought was original, and we must not question his liberty. Doubtless, he believes the same as we do, only there is some little difference as to terms.”
This is treason to Christ, treachery to truth, and cruelty to souls. If we love our Lord we shall keep his words, and stand fast in the faith, coming out from among the false teachers; nor is this inconsistent with charity, for the truest love to those who err is not to fraternise with them in their error, but to be faithful to Jesus in all things.” - Charles H. Spurgeon
Considering the high expectations, and desperate implications of their leadership, we must do the critical work of praying for our leaders.
Week 2
We must aspire to find, support, and become leaders of these standards, because the lives and eternity of families depend on it.
Considering the high expectations, and desperate implications of their leadership, we must do the critical work of praying for our leaders.
Titus 2:1
What exactly is meant by doctrine?
Doctrine - a belief or set of beliefs
Why is doctrine so important?
“Thought always precedes and determines activity. The doctrines found in the Word of God are not just designed to increase information, but rather produce radical, organic transformation.” - Paul Tripp
The Importance of Doctrine - Paul Tripp
Titus 2:2-3
Older men & older women
There is a spiritual mandate for older generations to pour into younger generations.
What is the life of an older believing man supposed to look like?
- sober-minded - contrast to drunken self indulgence
- dignified - worthy of respect
- self-controlled -
- sound in faith, love, & steadfastness
- “The latter years of life, especially for men, can be filled with regrets, a sense of uselessness or worthlessness, feelings of despair, self-absorption, or even a tendency to relax moral standards because of old age. However, Paul desired for the older men what he desired for himself as he approached the end of life: To have fought the good fight, to have finished the race, to have kept the faith.” - Thomas Lea
How about the ladies?
“As children grow up and leave home, the older woman’s focus may become less defined as her familial responsibilities become less demanding. This may contribute to feelings of uselessness, loneliness, low self-esteem, and self-pity. Paul suggested in this passage that older women should possess personal godliness, be worthy of respect, and play an essential role in the lives of the young women in the church.” - Thomas Lea
What is the life of an older believing woman supposed to look like? (Likewise)
- reverent in behavior - outward expression of inner character
- not a slanderer - gossip, lies, falsehoods
- not a slave to much wine - possibly a regional issue in Crete, mastery of emotional lives & physical appetites
- teach what is good - (not prescriptive positive or negative on women teaching) connected by thought to specifically teaching younger women.
Titus 2:4-8
“The very specific characteristics proposed by Paul suggest that he primarily had younger wives in mind. Of the seven adjectives used to describe the desirable qualities for Christian young women, four implicitly presuppose a life involving marriage and family.” - Hayne Griffin
What is the life of a younger believing woman supposed to look like?
- Love their husbands & children - highly desirable character traits
- Self-controlled - the essential element for each group
- Pure - fidelity
- Working at home???? - busy in the home
- Kind - not easily irritated, or irritable
- Submissive to their husbands -
- “It is the responsible acceptance of a relationship in which God has placed one and the resulting honest attempt to fulfill the duties which it imposes on one.” - Charles Cranefield
- “The equality of the sexes does not negate the distinctives of the sexes. The fact is that God created male and female. Each sex has distinctive features, not only physically but emotionally and psychologically. Such features are for the mutual benefit of the other. Yet in the context of the home, wives are “to be subject to their [own] husbands,” thus recognizing and accepting a God-given order and responsibility. In the context of male-female relationships, the terms “subjection,” “subordination,” and “submission” can stir emotional feelings and responses. Each term contains some acquired nuance that seems to suggest forced compliance or inferiority. That such a meaning is not intended by Paul in this particular text is further demonstrated by his initial exhortation to the younger women to “love their husbands” (v. 4). Any marriage relationship that is conceived and maintained only on the basis of each member adhering to certain prescribed legal requirements is probably doomed from the beginning. In considering the New Testament teaching on marriage, especially in Paul’s letters, the emphasis appears to be on the maintenance of a mutual or reciprocal commitment of the husband and the wife to an exclusive, intimate, loving, and caring partnership. When these prescribed biblical attitudes between husband and wife prevail, there will be little (if any) need for resorting to God’s intended order for establishing authority within the home.” - Hayne Griffin
LIKEWISE
What is the life of a younger believing man supposed to look like?
- Self-controlled - Do we understand how important this is yet?!
- daily work
- Communicating of the Gospel
- integrity
- dignity
- Sound speech
Titus 2:9-10
“No condition and no period of life is to remain unaffected by the sanctifying influence of the gospel.” - J.J. Oosterzee
Whatever season of life, or condition of life you find yourself, you have a tremendous opportunity to make the Gospel message credible by our attitudes and actions.
“The ultimate goal of increasing our knowledge of God should be Christian lives characterized by growth in obedience to God’s revealed will.” - Thomas Lea
Titus 2:11-15
As we experience & begin to operate from God’s grace, we learn to live for God’s glory, largely requiring correction of human behavior & removal & refusal of worldly passions & ungodliness.
How and why we live our lives is in response to God’s grace, and in hopes that others will follow our example and surrender their lives as well.
Week 3
How and why we live our lives is in response to God’s grace, and in hopes that others will follow our example and surrender their lives as well.
There is a spiritual mandate for older generations to pour into younger generations.
Titus 3:1-3
Societal Expectations
- be submissive to rulers & authorities
- be obedient
- ready to work
Your life is not your own.
“Biblical teaching is clear that blind, unquestioning obedience to the state in opposition to God’s law is not required (Acts 5:29). Yet not only are Christians “to be subject” (in attitude) and “to be obedient” (in actions), but they are also “to be ready to do whatever is good.” Literally, Christians are “to be ready for [or to do] every good work”. This extends the Christian’s responsibilities from a mere passive posture (obeying laws) to an active, positive involvement in society.” - Thomas Lea
Personal Expectations:
- speak evil of NO ONE
- avoid quarreling
- be gentle
- show courtesy to everyone
As Christians, we are new creations (2 Cor. 5:17) and are by the power of the Holy Spirit, now supernatural.
Titus 3:4-7
“Christians are to demonstrate this same kindness and love to lost individuals and society, making Christianity attractive and resulting in the salvation of others.” - Hayne Griffin
“You contribute nothing to your salvation but the sin that made it necessary.” - Jonathan Edwards
The only reasonable response to such love and kindness is to surrender all to Him, and reflect that same love and kindness to everyone we encounter.
Titus 3:8-11
Titus 3:12-15
- This kind of specificity brings credibility of time, place, and persons to the Bible.
- We get to see the importance of Christian community, even from a distance.
My prayer for us as we conclude this series, is that we will have a heightened value for sound doctrine, a desire to learn more, invest our lives into others, and encourage each other as we serve.