Titus 1

Chapter 1. The Gospel in TitusThe letter of Paul to Titus, appointed by him overseer of the church of Crete, contains about 50 sentences, and 750 words. It is less than one quarter the size of a short sermon, could easily be printed on four pages of a small leaflet, and written on six pages of note paper, or two pages of typewriting, thus comprising about as much matter as a very ordinary personal letter. But within this little space there is compressed a body of doctrinal and practical teaching outweighing volumes of sermons, and full enough to be expanded into an immense library, so concise and so pregnant with living truth are the words of the Holy Spirit. Let us look at the teachings of this epistle as they relate to doctrine, to practical duty, and to Christian hope. Titus 3:11-14 in the second chapter are a very good compendium of the whole letter, and almost every phrase is laden with suggestive and comprehensive truth.

The Doctrines of Grace

The Doctrines of GraceIt contains a plea for sound doctrinal teaching on the part of the Christian minister. “You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). It comprises every doctrine of grace within the brief space of its 46 verses.

1. The Glory and Dignity of Jesus It begins with the glory and dignity of the Lord Jesus Christ who is named side by side with God. “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ” (Titus 1:1). Then he adds, “by the command of God our Savior” (Titus 1:3). Next, his benediction includes the Lord Jesus with the Father in glory, honor and worship: “Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior” (Titus 1:4). Again in the second chapter and the 13th verse, the correct reading is, “The glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Once more the familiar phrase, “God our Savior,” is used in the third chapter. “When the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared” (Titus 3:4). The testimony of this epistle, therefore, to the Lord Jesus Christ is that He is equal with the Father, our divine Savior and Lord, to whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory everlasting. Amen.
2. Recognizes Man’s Fallen Condition This epistle also recognizes man’s fallen condition. “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” (Titus 3:3). There is no rose-colored humanitarianism here. It is crimson sin and crimson blood, utter ruin and divine redemption.
3. God’s Electing Love Paul’s apostleship, he says, “is according to the faith of God’s elect” (Titus 1:1). He further says in the next verse that it is “resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through… preaching” (Titus 1:2). Salvation, therefore, is not an afterthought, but was always in God’s thought and plan and was even formulated in His mind and promised to His beloved Son as our Representative in that eternal covenant, which is very clearly referred to in other Scripture. We were given to Christ by the Father before we were ever born, in consideration of His promise to redeem us in due time by His precious blood. This is the meaning of that mysterious, but gracious word, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away” (John 6:37).
4. Divine Mercy and the Grace of God The doctrine of the divine mercy and grace of God is most clearly expressed in at least two passages in this short epistle. “The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). “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” (Titus 3:4-5). Salvation is a stream of grace that has flowed to men from the foundation of the Father’s love. We have done nothing to deserve it; we can do nothing apart from Him to affect it. It is the gift of God’s love, freely bestowed, freely received for Jesus’ sake.
5. Redemption Through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ The doctrine of redemption through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is presented. “While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:13-14). This is the same old Pauline gospel, the gospel of the cross, the great atonement, the precious, precious blood. Without that blood there can be no gospel and no salvation. It is the distinguishing mark which identifies the divine currency of truth and grace, and without this crimson sign all else is vanity and lies.
6. Justification Through the Righteousness of Christ Next comes the doctrine of justification through the righteousness of Christ. “So that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7). This again is the old, old story which we hear so often in Romans and the other Pauline letters. It is the fundamental message of the gospel. There are some who tell us that we are saved by feeling, by experience, by a clean heart, and by a sanctified soul. These are “things that accompany salvation” (Hebrews 6:9), but the sinner is justified by a sovereign act of God the moment he turns from his sin and accepts the Lord Jesus Christ as his righteousness and salvation. Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow, All for sin could not atone, Thou must save, and Thou alone.
7. The Doctrine of Regeneration"He saved us,… because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5). Regeneration is not justification; it is the effect of it. “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born [that is, regenerated] not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13). God gives a new heart to every soul that He justifies, but we cannot make this new heart—we can simply believe for it. And as we accept His grace by faith, we receive His quickening life by conscious experience.
8. The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit Titus presents the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. “The washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5-6). This is something more than regeneration; this is the filling of the Spirit. It is recognized here as the privilege of every regenerated person. It is also intimated that it is a repeated experience, and one capable of great variety of degrees. We receive the Holy Spirit by one definite act of faith, but God gives us new or renewed outpourings of His grace and power as we come into closer fellowship and become responsive to His touch. The command of the apostle in Ephesians is best expressed in a continuous present tense and imperative mood: “Be being filled with the Spirit” (see Ephesians 5:18). That is, be continually receiving more and more fully the influences of the Holy Spirit, and opening your being more completely to His indwelling control. And so it will be true of us, as our text expresses it, that He will be shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.
9. The Doctrine of Holiness Titus provides us with a doctrine of holiness. “Who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a [peculiar] people that are his very own, [zealous] to do what is good” (Titus 2:14). The ultimate purpose of Christ’s redemption was not so much to save us from judgment as from sin, and to make us a separated people, as the word “peculiar” here means, and on fire, as the word “zealous” means, to serve and glorify God. Here then is a body of Christian doctrine as complete, clear and simple as perhaps no similar portion of Scripture contains in such condensed form: God’s everlasting and electing love, God’s free and boundless grace, Christ’s great redemption, justification by faith, regeneration by the Spirit, the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit and the life of separation and sanctification. Blessed be God for all this precious truth, this glorious gospel of the grace of God.

The Duties of the Christian Life

The Duties of the Christian LifeThe apostle in this epistle emphasizes the side of practical duty quite as much as heavenly doctrine. He speaks in the very first verse of “the truth that leads to godliness.” The Lord’s own test is “by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:20).

1. It Embraces Practical Righteousness The teaching of the gospel and the grace of God embraces practical righteousness in all its departments. “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12). The word “teaches” here literally means, disciplines. Salvation is a discipline in the practice of godliness. It has a certain negative quality, “[saying] ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions.” That is, we must say “no” to everything that comes to us from without or from within that would lead us away from God or into sinful indulgence. A very large part of character and conduct consists of what we do not do. Without the power to say “no,” we shall be as “a reed swayed by the wind” (Matthew 11:7). But there is a positive side to the discipline of grace. We should “live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:12). The first word includes what we owe to ourselves, and carries with it the idea of self-restraint and temperance in all things. The second word, “upright,” covers our duties to others, and requires that we should deal justly with all our fellow beings. The third sweeps the mightier circle of the heavens. It is not the horizontal line of duty, but the vertical. It includes supreme love, obedience, confidence and faithfulness toward God in all things. Where shall we find a finer compendium of practical Christian living? The word “teaches” should be translated “disciplines,” as we have already seen. The idea is that not all at once do we learn to live this practical Christian life. We get the principle of it in a moment, but the practice of it is like the learning of some fine art, like stenography and painting, and everything depends upon proficiency and practice. How patiently our great Teacher bears with us and takes us over the same lesson again and again, until at last we are made perfect in obedience, and the lesson of meekness, forbearance, silence or submission is fully learned. “I am instructed,” Paul had to say, “I have learned the secret” (Philippians 4:12). So let us learn and receive the discipline of the Holy Spirit.
2. Do What Is Good Again he enjoins the disciples of Christ that they should be “careful to devote themselves to doing what is good” (Titus 3:8). In the third chapter and eighth verse he says that Titus must constantly affirm this. It is one of the things of which God’s children must be ever reminded, and one of the things which must be guarded with sedulous vigilance and care. Evil, it has been truly said … is wrought By want of thought More than by want of heart.
3. Conduct of the Elders and OfficersNext he comes down to the specific conduct of the elders and officers of the Church of Christ. Their Christian deportment is quite as important as their teaching. Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:7-9) And he emphasizes this by insisting upon Titus himself maintaining an example of great carefulness and uprightness in his own life. “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us” (Titus 2:7-8).
4. Words for Older Men Again he comes down to the aged men and gives them a word of wholesome counsel in six significant terms. “Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance” (Titus 2:2).
5. Words for Young Men He does not forget the young men, but has a word directly for them. “Encourage the young men to be self-controlled” (Titus 2:6). He emphasizes self-controlled, because youth is apt to be impetuous and ill-balanced, and the work of Christ requires that the intense enthusiasm of the young should be controlled by the “spirit… of love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
6. Words for Women Then he turns to the women, and, having given them much wholesome counsel for their own conduct, he commits to older women the oversight of the younger women. Here he devotes two whole verses and holds up a standard of sweetness, discretion and true home life—that were never needed more than they are today in Christian families—a picture and realization of which would save many a heartbreak and many a wrecked family. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. (Titus 2:3-5)
7. Words to Servants Nor does he overlook the servants who were indeed the slaves in the families of Crete. They were exhorted to obedience, zeal, meekness, silence, even under rebuke, strict honesty, and such fidelity as would even on the part of a poor slave “make the teaching about God our Savior attractive” (Titus 2:10). This beautiful expression is used only of the servants. When the Lord would choose some jewel of special beauty to adorn His crown, He looks for it not in a royal palace, but in some lowly kitchen. It is not a mighty preacher or an illustrious statesman that is to shine with brightest luster, but some humble maid in an American family or some patient slave in a Roman palace. I remember more than one humble servant in this work who has been used of God, by a sweet, transformed life in the kitchen or laundry, to bring her proud mistress to these meetings to find the secret which made her maid’s life so changed and blessed.
8. Our Civil and Social Duties Finally, he completes his sketch of Christian virtue by a fine reference to our civil and social duties. “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men” (Titus 3:1-2). Here is the true Christian socialism even under a cruel, despotic Roman tyrant. This is the ideal of the Christian state; and such living transformed ancient Rome, and today would be mightier than all the ravings of demagogues and the politics of Democrats and Republicans.

The Outlook of Faith and Hope

The Outlook of Faith and HopeThe circle of truth would not be complete without this precious verse. “While we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). This is the incentive of all true living and the consummation of faith and hope. Not death but glory. Not to get away from the turmoil and trouble of life, but to fight a good fight and to share by and by the victory and the crown. For this blessed hope Paul lived, suffered and labored. How much nearer it is to us today. Let it fire our dying love and zeal. Let it inspire our sacrifice and service. “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20-21). It will give largeness, loftiness and sublimity to our lives if we live under the power of this blessed hope. It is said that a number of sculptors once brought their statues of Minerva to surmount a lofty tower; but as one by one they were reared aloft, they appeared so small in the distance that not a single feature could be distinguished. At last one artist brought a colossal figure, roughly outlined, but nobly planned. It had little beauty when looked at near at hand. But when it was placed on its lofty pedestal, the distance lent enchantment to the view, and every detail of form and feature stood out in such noble relief that a great shout of approval went up from the witnessing company. So our little lives are too small to fit this magnificent hope. Let us make them larger, grander and more in keeping with the mighty mold and inspiring motive which comes from the expectation of that glorious day. What a day it will be! “Gather together all the treasures of sight, all that is beautiful. Gather together all the treasures of sound, of sweet harmonies. And to these all the treasures of the heart, of dear loves, holy friendships, and happy fancies. Ransack the treasures of time. Pile them all in one. Then double them. Then treble them. Then quadruple them. Then multiply them a hundredfold. Then multiply them a thousandfold. Then multiply them by thousands of thousands. Then multiply them by all the arithmetic of all the ages.” And still the soul a far off glory sees, Strange music hears. As something not of earth, borne on the breeze. The sun and stars Point to some land of endless, endless truth Of light and life. Where souls renewed in an immortal youth Shall know the Infinite.