Titus 1

I am quickly going through the pastoral epistles (the two Timothys and Titus). I have gotten behind in my reading. That is mostly why there have not been any blogs lately.

In Titus 1, Paul, like he does for Timothy, is calling Titus to appoint leaders in the new churches.

Paul starts his set of qualifications with some mostly do-nots (1:6-7). Only one wife, having believing children, not self-willed, not quick tempers, not a heavy drinker, not easily provoked, not fond of sordid gain. Paul at least partially defines sordid gain further down in 1:11. He says some are teaching things they should not in order to be paid for it (sordid gain).

We can glean that these men were teaching specials rites and rules. These things, they claimed, would assure the learner right standing with God. Paul constantly rejected legalistic rules. Paul said faith is what saves and we show the fruits of our faith by our good works. These good works are a product of our faith. But they do not save us. Jesus saves us as we believe in faith.

And those works will be different for each person. There are no set rules.

After these mostly negative attributes of the leader come the good attributes, gifts perhaps (1:8-9) = hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding firm to the Word taught by Paul, Titus, and others. Thus they are able to accurately teach the Word and also correct those who disagree.

Remember Paul is talking of believers, not unsaved people. New believers still have to be taught and have to be unlearned things they formerly believed and practiced. In a church of all new believers anything is possible. It is so easy for a whole church to get off. Great care has to be made to make sure people do not latch on to incorrect ideas.

It is so easy for people to add on stuff, perhaps bringing on stuff from their old religion and old practices. Syncretism is combining practices from one religion onto another.

To keep these new converts growing in faith Paul knows, great caution has to made to keep the old stuff out. The teaching has to be kept pure and correct.