Titus 1

I see three main ideas in this chapter, first is Paul's introduction. Paul always uses his introduction to send a message: We are a people of hope, hope for eternal life. God does not lie. He has promised us life before the beginning of time. Whatever our circumstances whether we are feeling pressured and unsure (like the people experiencing aftershocks in Japan right now) or whether we are feeling pretty secure with life we have this hope. God has promised us eternal life. As we get old and are going slower we have to remember this is only temporary. Most of us remember the confidence we had in our bodies when we were younger. We took it for granted. Now that it is going we (I certainly) have to remember that this will be over in time but we will still live with God in Jesus Christ. Our bodies will actually be better than the bodies of our youth. I don't think we can imagine that.

Then Paul gets into instructions to Titus. First he defines a very high qualification for elders in the church in Crete. This seems to be the qualities Paul looks for in an elder anywhere. I suspect that Titus may have had to compromise to actually find people who qualified. But this gives him some definite things to look for. I think so often the church looks for men who look good, carry themselves well, speak well, know how to make people feel important. While none of this in bad one must look at the fruit of their lives. Are they self controlled? Do their children believe? Are their wives happy and productive? In short behind closed doors at home are they living as they profess in public?

And as they act correctly they must believe correctly. With those two things in place they will have a consistent witness and be able to honestly teach and encourage others to do likewise.

Then Paul seems to go on a rant first about Jewish converts who try to lead people to follow old Jewish practices and then about Cretans in general.

Perhaps the application to all this is that if one is not acting righteously one cannot see clearly to teach correctly, righteously either. He summarizes by saying: "They claim that they know God but their actions deny it."

I pray that my actions not deny that I truly know God. Yes it is important that we live out our faith, act soberly, so that people will take seriously what we profess and perhaps come to know the saving faith of Jesus because of our witness.