Titus Study #4

“It Always Comes Down to Character” 

Titus 2:2-10

Study #4 in Titus Series 

 

INTRODUCTION: 

D.L. Moody famously said, “Character is what you are in the dark.”

 

Our English word, “character” comes to us by way of Latin and Greek. In Latin the word described an engraving instrument. In Greek it described the engraving itself. Our word more closely follows the Greek meaning. Character sums up those qualities that have been so deeply etched into a person’s life that they come to be seen as essential qualities. Character is what a person really is, not just what he thinks he is, or pretends to be, or what other people perceive him to be.

 

For example, a person can pretend...

·       To be moral, while secretly being a disgusting pedophile,

·       To be honest, but cheat or steal if he sees a personal advantage,

·       To be a Christian, but have no heart for God, for prayer, for the Word of God, or desire to congregate with God’s people.

 

CHARACTER is what you are when no one is looking, what you are when you think your actions will never be discovered. It is what you are when you are alone with your thoughts.

 

Here is an analysis I wrote several years ago about the difference between Reputation and Character.

Reputation VS. Character

The circumstances in which you live might determine your Reputation; the truths by which you live show your real Character.

Reputation is the photograph; Character is the true image behind the photo.

Reputation comes to one from without; Character grows from within.

Reputation is what you have when you come to a new community; Character is what you’re known by when you leave.

Reputation is what people think you are; Character is who you truly are.

Your Reputation may be earned in an hour; your Character is built over a lifetime.

Reputation grows like a mushroom; Character grows like an oak tree.

A single newspaper story can give you a Reputation; a life of toil establishes your Character.

Reputation makes you rich or makes you poor; Character makes you contented or makes you miserable.

Reputation is what men write on your tombstone; Character is what angels speak about you before the throne of God.

Some examples:

1.    I recall a scandal with the Portland Police Bureau back in 1999 that brought the issue of character into sharp focus. It involved 30+ officers from Central Precinct, including a Sergeant and the Precinct Commander. They were accused of padding their time sheets with overtime hours they had not worked but still got paid for. When no one was looking, the people who were supposed to be a cut above the average person on the street, revealed their true character. 

2.    Even before his election to the presidency there were serious scandals attached to Bill Clinton’s name, and his character was repeatedly called into question because of patterns of behavior. Whenever the right situation came along his weak character once again became obvious. Even with all that he managed to get elected. When his opponents were saying, “Character counts in a president!” the people in his camp shouted back, “It’s not about character, stupid, but about the economy!” But it was his flawed character that got him disqualified in the end.

 

The Bible sheds some helpful light on the human predicament. We all come into this life with a fatal character flaw called SIN. We are all sinners both by nature and by choice (cf. Romans 3:23). We may look good on the outside but on the inside, we are all rotten to the core (cf. Romans 3:10-18). Oh, we can do many good things, humanly speaking, and even fool ourselves and one another, but the Bible makes it clear that we are all flawed by sin, and thus unclean in God’s sight. 

 

Jesus had some fascinating discussions with the Pharisees about this subject. From a human perspective they were good, honest, upright, religious people and they were very proud of it. But Jesus looked at them through God’s eyes. He criticized them, not based on what they did or did not do, but on their motivations, and He repeatedly confronted them with the condition of their hearts (cf. Matthew 23). He called them “white-washed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Then He said to them, “Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” They did not like hearing that, to say the least! 

 

Illustration: 

CHARACTER is like the foundation of a high-rise building. Everything depends on it. The righteous moral decisions we make, the integrity, the honesty, and the kindness we demonstrate, are the steel structure of our life. The whole rest of the life is built on and around these things. You can readily see that if the character (i.e., the foundation) is flawed, then the steel structure will automatically be jeopardized and the whole building is in serious trouble. Oh, it may look fine on the outside but with the first crisis the building’s lack of structural integrity will be revealed for all to see. 

 

From God’s standpoint, for the Christian, character not only counts, but it counts for everything! If the world cannot see godly character in a professing Christian’s life, then it’s not there! Let’s stop kidding ourselves! Godly character will always show through, because it cannot be hidden.

 

TRANSITION:

In Paul’s letter to Titus, it is obvious that Paul was concerned with the Christians in Crete demonstrating godly character both in the church and in their community. There were 

some who professed to be Christians (1:16) but their “walk” did not match their “talk.” Paul was concerned that the Christians in Crete should grow in Christ and in the Word of God, so that they would be “…sound in the faith” (1:13). He repeats this same desire in 2:1. But this whole passage has an underlying presupposition; namely, that he was talking to genuine believers whose lives had already been transformed by the power of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17). Because without that, a person remains unchanged at the core and consequently unable to respond to this challenge to godly living.

 

NOTES on the Text:

Verse 2: Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance [patience].

·       “Older men” – Titus had some older men among the Christians in Crete. They had to be approached with love and wisdom and respect, or they might easily become offended when taught by a younger man like Titus.

·       Paul wanted Titus to teach the older men that they must live with the maturity and wisdom that their years should give them. This means temperate, dignified, and sensible lives. Paul’s command to teach these things means that they do not come automatically with age. I wish they did, but they don’t. They must be taught.

·       They must also have soundness (i.e., healthiness) in faith, in love, and in perseverance. As we get older, we tend to “harden” in our ways. Of course, this is a good thing if we “harden” in the ways of faith, love, and perseverance.

·       Perseverance here is the Greek word, hupomene. It literally means, “to abide under.” It implies steadfast and active endurance, not passive waiting. Older men are not to just patiently sit around and wait to die. They are to actively endure the challenges of life, even the challenges of old age.

 

Verse 3: Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

·       “Older women likewise” – Just as Titus had to give special consideration to the older men in the church, he must also take care in how to approach the older women. They have their own set of temptations and opportunities.

·       “…reverent in their behavior” – This adjective, reverent, means “suitable to a sacred office.” The conduct of the older Christian women must reveal that they regard life as sacred in all aspects. This includes how she dresses and carries herself.

·        “…not malicious gossips” – The word for gossips is diaboloi, the same word used for “devils.” When the older women – or anyone else, for that matter – maliciously slander and gossip, they are doing the devils’ work.

·       “…nor enslaved to much wine” – This was a common failing of older women in Roman and Greek culture, due to their cloistered lives. Paul recognizes that this special challenge needs special instruction.

·       “…teaching what is good.” Here Paul uses an interesting compound Greek word here, kalodidáskaloi, which means, “teachers of good things.” If the older women have special challenges, they also have special opportunities. God can use their wisdom and experience as they teach, admonish, and encourage the young women. This gives the older women something positive to live towards, instead of the negative things of slander and alcohol abuse.

 

Verses 4-5: …so that they [i.e., the older women] may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

·       Notice that according to Paul’s instruction, Titus was not to make it his ministry to teach the young women directly. Instead, he was to equip and encourage the older women to teach the young women. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the young women were barred from listening to Titus teach and preach. It simply means that it was wrong, and dangerous, for Titus to make the young women a focus of his ministry, which is true for pastors today as well. If there was a young women’s Bible Study group, Titus shouldn’t teach it. The older women should.

·       “The older women teaching the young women to love their husbands, to love their children” – Instruction for the young women begins with home matters. God has given them a strategic position from which to influence and assist their husbands and their children, and love should be the driving force behind that.

·       Paul says that love for husbands and children must be taught. Certainly, aspects of this love are inborn, to be sure. But other aspects – especially aspects that reflect the self-giving sacrifice of Jesus – must be taught.

·       “…to be sensible, pure, workers at home” – Young Christian women must be taught these attitudes and skills.

·       “…kind, being subject to their own husbands” – Goodness isn’t always easy in a world that blurs the line between good and evil, so the older women need to teach the younger to be good. “Subject to their own husbands” is another way of expressing the wife’s duty of obedience and submission in the marriage relationship (cf. Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18).

·       “…so that the word of God will not be dishonored [blasphemed]” – This shows how important it is for the older women to teach these things, and for the younger women to learn them. There is much at stake here. When Christians do not live in a Biblical, godly manner it means that the Word of God may be blasphemed among the ungodly. We know that many young Christian women struggle with this teaching because it runs counter to the attitudes and beliefs of our modern Post-Christian world. Nevertheless, this is the Word of God and must take precedence even if the world doesn’t like it.

 

Verses 6-8: Likewise, urge the young men to be sensible; ⁷ in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, ⁸ sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

·       “Likewise” – This is a linking word. It shows that what the young men need to learn isn’t all that different from what the younger women, the older women, and the older men need to learn. We may need a slightly different emphasis depending on our station in life, but the essential message of godly Christian living is the same.

·       “…to be sensible” [or sober-minded] – The Living Bible translates the thought well: “Urge the young men to behave carefully, taking life seriously.” This is the only command Titus is told to emphasize to young men, but sometimes it is a difficult one for younger men. The Greek word for sensible used here is sophron, and according to William Barclay, “It describes the man with the mind which has everything under control…. strength of mind which has learned to govern every instinct and passion until each has its proper place and no more.”

·       “…in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds” – Here Paul turns his focus specifically onto Titus, who himself was a young man. Titus had to be more than a teacher; he also had to be an example. His guidance of others could not be taken seriously if he himself was not walking after the Lord, and living out loud the things he was teaching.

·       “…with purity in doctrine, dignified” – Titus had to be an example in doctrinal stability and integrity. If he wasn’t comfortably settled in his understanding of the Scriptures, he wasn’t ready to lead and teach.

·       “…sound in speech which is beyond reproach” – How many times in these letters to Timothy and Titus have we heard this phrase, “beyond or above reproach”? Paul is urging Titus to make sure that the words that come out of his mouth leave no room for criticism or attack.

·       “…so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say [i.e., report] about us.” – Notice that Paul ends this sentence with the word “us.” His Christian reputation was on the line right along with Titus’. So that your accusers will be embarrassed, having nothing bad to report about us. Jesus could say to an angry mob, “Which of you convicts Me of sin?” (John 8:46)

 

Verses 9-10: Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, ¹⁰ not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

·       “Urge bondslaves to be subject to their own masters in everything, to be well-pleasing, not argumentative” – Titus was to teach bondservants about their specific duties as Christians. In the ancient world, Christians shocked the larger culture by mixing slaves and masters in the social setting of the church service. This meant that a slave might go to church and be an elder over his own master. That sort of thing was unthinkable in the broader culture.

·       Much to the frustration of many modern people, not even once did Jesus, or Paul, or any of the other biblical writers ever address, much less condemn, the practice of slavery as an evil social institution. For many of us that offends our modern sensibilities and ideas about justice and fairness. However, we should also not jump to the conclusion that Jesus and Paul and the others condoned slavery, because I’m sure they did not. C.H. Spurgeon explained the situation this way: “I do not think for a moment Paul believed that the practice of slavery ought to exist. He believed to the fullest extent that the great principles of Christianity would overthrow slavery anywhere, and the sooner they did so the better pleased would he be; but, for the time being, as it was the custom to have slaves, they must adorn the doctrine of God their Savior in the position in which they were.”   

·       “…subject to their own masters” – Paul does not say that bondslaves should be obedient to every free man, only to their own masters. Paul recognized that bondslaves had obligations, but only to their own masters. At the same time, as in every arena of human submission, our obedience and submission is limited by our higher responsibility to obey God first and foremost. As Peter explained in Acts 5:29, whenever there is a conflict between the two, we must obey God rather than men.

·       “…not pilfering but showing all good faith” – This type of offence was so common in the ancient world that sometimes the words servant and thief were used interchangeably. It was assumed that servants would steal from their masters in these small ways every time they got a chance. The word pilfering signifies not only stealing but embezzling another’s property; keeping back a part of the price of any commodity sold on the master’s account. In Acts 5:2, this was the crime of which Ananias and Saphira were guilty. They “kept back” i.e., pilfered, part of the price, then lied about it.

·       “…showing all good faith” – Simply, Titus must direct servants to be good workers in all ways. By their hard work and humble submission, they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

·       “…so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.” – In one sense the Gospel does not need adornment. At the same time, we can show the beauty of the Gospel by the way we live. We often think we need better words to adorn the Gospel. Better words are fine, but what we really need are better lives.

 

CONCLUSION:

Ironically, in this context those who best have the ability to adorn the doctrine of God are bondslaves. This shows that even a Christian in a low or disadvantaged station in life has the potential to beautify God’s truth by the way they live. The Gospel is adorned when its effects on life and character are expressed in Christlike conduct.

Titus Study #3

“How to Spot Smoke-Blowers and Snake-Oil Salesmen”

Titus 1:10-16; 2:1

Study #3 in Titus Series

 

INTRODUCTION: 

Satan is a counterfeiter. He fakes whatever God does and twists whatever God says. He is most effective when he comes up with something really close to the original. One of his best techniques is to mix lies in with the truth (i.e., adulterating the Word of God, 2 Corinthians 4:2, like putting one tiny drop of strychnine into a glass of cool, fresh water). He has been doing this from the beginning.

·       Jesus repeatedly tangled with the Pharisees over their flawed OT interpretations

·       Paul debated the Gnostics and Judaizers, combating their heresies

·       We fend off the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other cults who twist God’s Word

 

Truth is powerful and compelling, with a strong flavor. The poison can easily be slipped in behind it so that it is not detected, the way poisoners slip antifreeze into a sweet drink, or politicians slip “pork” into nearly every House and Senate bill. It just slides through without people even noticing. 

 

TRANSITION: 

In this letter Paul advises Titus on what to watch out for with those who were stirring up trouble in the Christian churches on the Island of Crete. This comes in the flow of thought coming out of verse 9, that a leader of the church must “be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”

 

NOTES on the Text:

Verses 10-11: For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.  

·       Note: There were “many” of these kinds of men in the churches in Crete. 

·       CHARACTER: What were they like?

Ø  “Rebellious men” = undisciplined, unruly; like disloyal soldiers who refuse to obey the word of command.

ü  They refused to accept the guidance of the leadership of the church.

ü  They refused to accept the teachings of the church.

ü  They refused to accept the control of the church.

Ø  “Empty talkers” = vain, profitless, producing nothing of value.

ü  They could talk glibly and fluently about religion but could not bring people closer to God.

ü  N.B. Being “spiritual” counts for nothing.

Ø  “Deceivers” = (lit. mind-deceivers)

ü  Instead of leading men to the Truth, they led them away from the Truth, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons of today who go from house to house selling magazines and offering “Bible studies.”

·       “…especially those of the circumcision”

Ø  Paul here refers to the people known as “Judaizers,” a 1^st Century cult that mixed Christian teaching, Greek Gnosticism, and Pharisaical Judaism.

Ø  They professed to be Christians but denied many of the fundamental truths.

Ø  They taught that Christ’s death on the cross was not sufficient to pay for all our sin. = Heresy! (N.B. Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and others teach this.)

Ø  They taught that grace alone cannot save = Heresy! Any group or any preacher that tries to persuade people that they need more than Christ and more than grace to be saved is a CULT!

Ø  They thought that Paul’s message was too simple and too good to be true. They wanted to intellectualize everything (the Gnostic influence).

Ø  Paul had much to say about these people because they were showing up everywhere. (cf. Colossians, Galatians, and 1 John)

Ø  cf. verse 14 – They were teaching “Jewish myths” as though they were the Gospel truth. They were teaching the “oral traditions” that Jesus condemned in Mark 7:1-13. Paul accused them of teaching the commandments of men rather than those of God.

Ø  In doing this they had hundreds of rules and regulations about everything: clean vs unclean, circumcision, sabbath keeping, etc. 

·       ACTIONS: What were they doing? 

Ø  Paul says they were “upsetting whole families” (οἴκους, i.e., households) – Their teaching was fundamentally upsetting by its very nature. Teaching that ends in doubts, confusion, and questionings is BAD TEACHING. In GOOD TEACHING, outside of the mental disturbance which truth so often causes, there should come in the end a greater certainty than ever. A good and noble teacher seeks to shed light on the truth, not to obscure it or twist it for his own purposes.

Ø  “Teaching things they should not teach” – Not only was their teaching upsetting, but it was also just plain wrong! The truth can be upsetting enough without mixing in a bunch of rubbish.

·       MOTIVES: Why did they do what they did?

Ø  Cf. Verse 11 – “…for the sake of sordid gain.”

Ø  They were in it for what they could get out of it. Beware of information peddlers offering high-priced seminars to “help” you do anything. These guys were more concerned about what they could get out of the people, than what they could put into them. 

 

Question: What is the relationship between Character, Actions, and Motives? 

Answer: Your character is defined by your motivations; but your character is displayed by your actions.

 

Or in other words, the things that motivate you will shape your character, which in turn will be revealed by the things you do and the choices that you make. 

 

So, Paul’s conclusion in verse 11 is that these troublemakers “must be silenced” (lit. “whose mouths must be muzzled or stopped). N.B. The best way to combat false teaching is to offer the truth in such a way that people can see it clearly and act upon it. (cf. Matthew 5:16; 2 Cor. 4:4ff)

 

Verse 12: One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

·       Cretans had a bad reputation in the whole Roman Empire. Sometimes stereotypes are exaggerated but more often they have at least a grain of truth. In this verse Paul quotes Epimenides of Knossos, a Cretan poet and philosopher who lived about 600 BC and was considered to be one of the 7 wisest men of Greece.

·       The common view was that Cretans were liars, gluttons, drunks, cruel, untrustworthy, greedy, and rude. (This was a common stereotype of the same order as that Blacks are all musical, Mexicans are lazy, Russians steal cars, Arabs will always cheat you, etc.)

·       The Greeks coined a verb, kretídzein, which in English would be something like “to Cretanize.” It meant to act like a Cretan and was invented as a word synonymous with “to deceive,” and “to lie.” It was used in the same way as another 1^st Century pejorative, corínthiazein, which in English would be “to corínthianize,” and meant to take part in sordid, debauched, and immoral behavior. They also had a well-known phrase, “…to play the Cretan with a Cretan” meaning to out-swindle a swindler.

 

Verses 13-14: This testimony is true. For this reason, reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

·       “This testimony is true.” Paul does not beat around the bush. Apparently, he had dealt with them enough to form a strong personal opinion, and it is obvious that even he did not have a very high view of the Cretans, but that is just the point. No one, no matter how bad they are or how misguided, is beyond the power of the Gospel and the help that Christ brings. Salvation transforms the very worst of men and turns them into true saints of God.

·       To this end Paul tells Titus to “reprove them sharply or severely” so that they will turn from their wicked, ignorant path and become “sound (i.e., healthy) in the faith” (cf. 2 Tim. 2:23-26). This is the goal of Biblical teaching (cf. Acts 26:18). God is in the business of Life Transformation, Character Development, and Attitude Adjustment.

·       “…not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the faith” – These were the same people Paul was talking about up in verse 10 (“…rebellious men, empty talkers, and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision”). The point of contention in the churches of Crete had to do with Jewish legalism. It was not centered on God’s Word, but on Jewish fables and the teachings of men who valued their own ideas and religious theories over the authoritative Word of God.

 

Verse 15: To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

·       Paul is referring to the Judaizers’ teachings about things clean and unclean, pure, and impure. Jesus taught about this in Mark 7:14-23. Here Paul echoes Christ’s words and says that the sin and impurity was within them, dirtying everything they touched (cf. Rom. 14:20).

·       “…but to those who are defiled and unbelieving” (lit. stained with dye) – N.B., A sick, impure heart and mind hears and sees impurity everywhere. A pure mind and heart see goodness, purity, and beauty. (e.g., Have you ever known someone who could turn any statement or any conversation into something dirty or sordid?)

·       Paul says, “…but both their mind (intellect) and their conscience (heart) are defiled” and therefore must be changed. Only God can do this! (cf. Rom. 12:1-2; Phil. 4:7-8) 

 

Verse 16: They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

·       In verse 16 Paul tells how you can spot these Spiritual Smoke-Blowers and Religious Snake-oil Salesmen.

·       FIRST, with their mouths they profess loud and long that they know God. They are good talkers, BUT

·       SECOND, by their deeds they deny Him (i.e., disown Him). They are good talkers but rotten livers.

·       And in their sinful condition, they are...

1.    “detestable” = They are repulsive, ugly, an abomination. N.B. Sin is ugly to God and should be to us as well, especially when worn by a professing Christian.

2.    “disobedient” = They cannot obey the will of God. They have a darkened conscience and a twisted mind and everything they touch gets polluted. This is from God’s viewpoint.

3.    “…worthless for any good deed” = They are reprobates, and sinful men cannot do righteous deeds.

a.    Paul here uses the Greek adjective ἀδόκιμος (adókimos). In biblical usage it is translated as unapproved, i.e., rejected; by implication it is worthless (literally or morally), and thus castaway like rubbish.  

b.    The word is used to describe counterfeit coins that are below the standard weight and therefore pulled out of circulation.

c.     It is used for soldiers who run away in battle.

d.    It is used for rejected candidates for office.

e.    It is used for a stone that the masons rejected. It was marked with a capital alpha (Α) and thrown to the side as unfit for use because of some flaw.

 

Chapter 2, Verse 1: But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.

·       Strangely, all our versions group this verse into chapter two. However, I believe that is a mistake. You must remember that Paul wrote this as a letter with no chapter or verse divisions, and contextually, this verse fits better as the conclusion of Paul’s argument in Chapter 1 than it does as the introduction to Chapter 2.

·       “But as for you” – Paul expected something different from Titus than what these troublesome legalistic Judaizers were dishing out. Titus knew the Word, he knew the truth, and Paul encouraged him to take his stand on sound doctrine and godly living and to raise up leaders who would do the same.

 

CONCLUSION: 

If we are to be useful to God in any way, we must first be changed at the core of our being through the New Birth. Without that heart transplant we cannot do anything to please God! Our good works are as “filthy rags” to Him (Isaiah 64:6).

 

But even as Christians we need to take a hard look at our character, our motives, and our actions. Is your motivation pure and unselfish and godly? Is your character Christlike and mature? And are your actions Spirit-controlled? Only then can we truly please God and accomplish His will.

 

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A personal note to my readers:

I love producing these studies and putting them online. While I am no longer in active full-time ministry since retiring, I still teach a weekly community Bible study here in Eastern Oregon where we now live. These study notes are what I am teaching each week. My prayer is always that they will be helpful to people seeking to know the Bible better. At the end of every study there is a comment box for people to weigh in with observations or questions but almost no one ever does that. I do not know why. Over the past few months, the number of people who are accessing the blog has risen and I am curious about who you are, how you found me, and how you are using the studies. Are you mostly using them in your personal devotions, or as source material for your teaching or preaching? Any way you use them is fine with me. I am just happy that you are finding them helpful. Please tell me a little about yourself – where in the world you live, what your life is like, how you are growing as a Christ follower – things like that. My email address is nosliwekim88@gmail.com. May God pour out His richest blessings on you and your ones. Mike

Titus Study #2

“Building the Team”

Titus 1:5-9

Study #2 in Titus Series

INTRODUCTION:

Christian ministry is a team endeavor. It has been from the very beginning. Jesus hand-picked 12 men to be with Him and to become His apostles. He spent three years with them, teaching them, training them, and equipping them for a lifetime of ministry. Later He had a team of 70 that He sent out 2 by 2 to preach the Good News, to heal the sick, and to proclaim the Kingdom of God. Paul also was seldom alone because he understood that a team approach to ministry is the most effective strategy. He teamed up with Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Titus, Aquila and Priscilla, Luke, Epaphroditus, and many others over the years. They worked together, prayed together, suffered together, and rejoiced together.

In our text for this study, we hear Paul telling Titus that he needs to build a team of fellow workers to continue and advance the church-planting ministry in Crete. 

TRANSITION:

To get us back up to speed, let’s review the first four verses of Titus just to refresh our minds.

Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth, which is according to godliness, ² in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, ³ but at the proper time manifested, even His Word, in the proclamation with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior, ⁴ To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

NOTES on the Text:

Now look at Verse 5: For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

·       So, in this verse Paul reminds Titus of the two (2) reasons why he left him in Crete:

1.    “That you would set in order what remains” – Paul and Titus working together had started the work in Crete. They had gotten things up and running. People had come to faith in Christ in several of the towns, and they were meeting together regularly for prayer, for the study of the Word, for fellowship, and for the breaking of bread (Communion). These were Christian congregations. But they were all made up of baby Christians, people very new in the faith. They needed to be instructed in the things of God, to be discipled, and to become grounded in the truth. So, Paul left Titus in Crete to carry on the work that had been started. He did the very same thing with Timothy in Ephesus. Paul was primarily a church planter and a traveling evangelist. He was very good at getting new congregations started. But churches also need pastors and teachers and capable lay leaders who will be there for the long-haul. Who better to do that in Crete than Titus, one of the founders of the ministry, a man already known, loved, and trusted.

2.    “…and appoint elders in every city as I directed you.” This tells us several things: First, there was more than one Christian congregation in Crete. Evidently the Gospel had spread very effectively so that groups of Christians were now meeting in many towns and villages. And each of those groups needed and deserved to have godly, well-trained leaders. But how do you get those kinds of leaders? That’s the second thing—You must raise them up, train them, and then appoint them. You must apply 2 Timothy 2:2 in which Paul tells Timothy: “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.” So, in the same way that Paul had discipled, trained, and appointed Timothy and Titus, they in turn now must find, train, and appoint others to carry on the same ministry in these new little churches that were springing up everywhere. The third thing I see in this phrase is the word “elders.” Notice that the word is plural, not singular. The model we see in the New Testament is a plurality of elders working together, leading the church. But what kind of men are those exactly? 

Let’s take a little side trip for a couple of minutes. Then we will come back to Titus.

The English word “elder” that we find here in verse 6 is the Greek word presbúteros. This was a common and well-established Jewish concept in Paul’s time.

·       The Jews had elders from way back when Moses chose 70 men to help him rule Israel (cf. Numbers 11:16). Over time this group came to be known as “the Sanhedrin.” Men were chosen to be a part of the Sanhedrin based on their knowledge of Scriptures as well as their personal dignity and maturity.

·       Moreover, every synagogue had elders. They were seen as the leaders of the Jewish community.

·       The presiding body of the Spartans was the Gerousía, from the Greek word géros, or “old man,” (n.b. our word “geriatric”) thus, a board of the older men.

·       The Latin word senex means “a wise old man.” The Roman Senate was so named because it was the “assembly of wise old men” i.e., the elders.

·       In England the term used was “aldermen” which means older men.

·       Egyptian villages were overseen by the village elders.

·       In all these cases, the emphasis is on the experience and age of the person and on his character.

Besides the word presbúteros, the Bible uses another word to describe those who lead the church. It is a synonym. Paul uses it in verse 7 to refer to the very same person and the very same office. It is the word “overseer” and sometimes translated by the word “bishop.” It is the Greek word, epíscopos (from epi = over, plus scópos, to see, to look, or to examine.)

·       This word is used of masters, managers, and foremen.

·       It is sometimes used of commissioners and magistrates.

·       The emphasis is on the person’s work and job description.

·       It points to the function and the office of the person rather than to their character.

God calls and gifts all Christians for service, and He expects all of us to grow to maturity in Christ. However, some, like cream, rise to the surface demonstrating not only godly character and spiritual wisdom, but also the ability to lead others. After careful examination and evaluation these are publicly elevated to positions of authority in the Body of Christ.

1.    This involves being officially and formally set apart unto ministry, i.e., ordination.

2.    This, only after the candidate has undergone a period of testing (1 Tim. 3:10).

3.    He is to be paid a fair wage for his work so that he is free to serve the church (1 Tim. 5:18).

4.    He is liable to censure and removal if he falls into sin (1 Tim. 5:19-22).

5.    He has the duty of presiding over the assembly and teaching the congregation (1 Tim. 5:17).

6.    He is not to be a recent convert but a proven man with some spiritual miles on him.

Now let’s drop back into our text. Look at Titus1:6.

Verse 6: …namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion.

·       In this verse Paul lays out five (5) Social and Domestic Qualifications for an “elder.”

1.    “…is above reproach” – This means unaccused and unaccusable, with nothing laid to his charge, blameless, above criticisms or accusations, past or present. The Greek word is anégklētos (ἀνέγκλητος), and is the same word used in 1 Tim. 3:10 in the same context.

2.    “…the husband of one wife” – This verse gets on the nerves of our enlightened left-leaning feminist sisters because the Scripture affirms not only here but in several other texts as well, that the primary leadership role in the local church is reserved for certain specially qualified males. Not only are they to be males but married men with children if possible. That was the norm for local church leaders in the Early Church. In this modern egalitarian age, many people view this restriction as an outdated standard that should be changed, but I believe there are good reasons to stick with the practice, which we will discuss more later.

3.    “…having children who believe” – In other words, children who have trusted in Christ, who are in the Faith. This is not, and has never been, a hard and fast rule because once young people reach adulthood their parents no longer have any authoritative influence over them. But still, Christian leaders with believing children is still the template, and what we should be aiming for.

4.    “…not accused of dissipation” – Here Paul uses the Greek word asōtía (ἀσωτία), which literally means “unsavedness” but by implication suggests a reckless, abandoned, dissolute, riotous life spent on selfish personal pleasure.

5.    “… [not accused of] rebellion” – Here Paul uses another complicated word, anupótaktos (ἀνυπότακτος), which means undisciplined, out of control, unruly, and guilty of public disorder. N.B. A man’s inability to train and lead a family creates a presumption of his inability to train and lead the church.

Verse 7: For the overseer [Gr. epíscopos] must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,

·       In verses 7-8 Paul focuses on 12 Personal Qualifications of elders/overseers. Verse 7 lists 6 of them, seen from the negative side. Verse 8 lists 6 more of them but seen from the positive angle.

1.    “…above reproach as God’s steward” = i.e., unreproachable, as in vs. 6. The elder/overseer is God’s house manager or administrator [Gr. oikonómos]. I believe it is noteworthy that Paul uses this same phrase, above reproach, twice in two verses. It must be pretty important!

2.    “…not self-willed” – Paul here refers to that self-loving spirit that seeks to gratify self in arrogant disregard of others (Gr. authádēs αὐθάδης from autos = “self” + hedomai = “pleasing” i.e., hedonism). – My opinions, my way, my best interests, my rights, my pleasures, etc.

3.    “…not quick tempered” – Means soon angry, quick tempered, easily flaring up at people (Gr. ὀργίλος = prone to anger, irascible, grouchy)

4.    “…not addicted to wine” – Literally “not one who sits alongside of wine;” not addicted to it or influenced by it, because it leads to violent quarrels and angry outbursts.

5.    “…not pugnacious” – Not quick with his fists, given to bodily violence (KJV, “a striker”). Also, not quick with hurtful words, browbeating, bullying, or bad-tempered. Remember, Jesus was reviled but did not revile in return.

6.    “…not fond of sordid gain” – He must not be eager for shameful gain, the kind who wants money and does not care what he must do or who he must step on to get it. The KJV translates this as “not greedy of filthy lucre.” Remember, money is not the problem. Rather, “…the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10)

Verse 8: …but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled,

·       Here in verse 8 Paul continues to list the 12 Personal Qualifications of the elders/overseers. As I mentioned, Verse 7 lists 6 of them, stated from the negative perspective. Verse 8 lists 6 more of them but from the positive perspective.

7.    “…hospitable” – A lover of hospitality (lit. “a lover of strangers”), possessing an open heart with an open home.

8.    “…loving what is good” – A lover of goodness (things and people)

9.    “…sensible” – Serious-minded, not frivolous, and therefore watchful, vigilant, and self-controlled.

10. “…just” – Means upright in his dealings with others; honest and fair.

11. “…devout” – He is holy, pure, unpolluted, free from the stain of sin.

12. “…self-controlled” – Literally, “one in control of strength,” meaning able to control his own appetites and desires, and temperate (moderate) in all things.

Verse 9: …holding fast the faithful word, which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.

·       In this verse Paul gives three (3) important Doctrinal Qualifications for elders/overseers.

1.    “…holding fast the faithful word” – True to the Faith, clinging to the Word of God in the face of opposition and temptation to abandon it, i.e., doctrinal stability – having such a tight grip that it cannot be knocked out of his hand and heart.

2.    “…able to exhort in sound doctrine” – This is his ministry to believers, encouraging, exhorting, challenging, correcting, and teaching. In 1 Timothy 3:2 Paul includes “…able to teach” as one of the qualifications for elder. It’s just a different way of saying the same thing he says here in Titus 1:9. “…able to exhort in sound doctrine” or “able to teach” mean the same thing. This quality is the main difference between a deacon and an elder.

3.    “…able to refute those who contradict” – This is the elder’s ministry to refute, convict, and set straight the critics, back-talkers, and opponents of the faith.

CONCLUSION:

I see two possible approaches to solving our need for more good leaders in the local church.

1.    We can whine, whinge, and complain about not having enough good leaders in the church, pitifully crying out, “God has not given us the people we need!” In other words, we can bellyache and blame God.

2.    OR (and this has two parts)

a.    We can resolve to become the kind of people that all of us should be anyway and begin to fill in the gaps and do the work of God, title or no title, letting our light shine in such a way that the church will recognize our usefulness and maturity, and the world will recognize our Christlikeness.

b.    Begin to train the kind of leaders we want and need for the church. This responsibility falls most heavily on the existing leaders but not entirely. Christian parents need to raise their children in such a way that they naturally move into serving and leadership roles in the church when they are old enough. Our church’s children’s ministry and youth ministry should have as a goal to raise up leaders. Training good leaders is a long-term project, and we must start early. Moreover, every church should have a strategy for training new elders and equipping them for service. There are many wonderful resources that pastors can use to set up this kind of program. What is lacking, all too often, is the willingness to do it, because it is hard work. However, in God’s plan, everything is to reproduce after its own kind. That includes pastors. Pastors need to reproduce pastors (elders) to come alongside them to carry out the work of ministry in the local church.