01 Titus 1:1-4 - Introduction to Titus

February 21, 2021

Christopher C. Freeman

Title: Introduction to Titus Text: Titus 1:1-4 FCF: We often struggle with the daunting work that God has given us. Prop: Because all God’s elect, in every role, are tools of God for His purposes, we must depend on God to work through us. Book Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Titus chapter 1. Today we begin our second of three pastoral epistles. At the beginning of I Timothy, we delved into the background of these books. Let me review that a little, especially since Titus shares the same contextual backdrop as I Timothy. As we noted at the beginning and end of I Timothy, these epistles are called the pastoral epistles, but probably should be renamed the Ecclesiastical Epistles. Meaning they were written specifically to talk about the order, practice, behavior, purpose, direction and focus of the entity known as the ecclesia, the assembly, the church. Not the building, but the people. Not necessarily on an individual level, as most epistles are written, but as a body of believers. Although disputed by more recent and more liberal scholars, Paul’s authorship is resoundingly affirmed by early church fathers and by conservative scholars. Although the history is unclear, we supposed that sometime after Paul’s imprisonment recorded in Acts 28, Paul was released and went on a 4th missionary journey. In this, Paul set up Elders in churches along the way to deal with growing problems. [Slide 2] On his way to Macedonia, he leaves Timothy in Ephesus and stops by the island of Crete. There he leaves Titus. He sails from there to the region known as Macedonia and to the city called Nicopolis. That means that I Timothy and Titus were probably written at the same time and from the same place. Probably around AD 62-63. So who is Titus? Titus was an uncircumcised gentile Christian. We know this about him because Paul says so in Galatians 2. He went with Paul to Jerusalem to authenticate Paul’s message before the other apostles. On this occasion, They did not ask that Titus be circumcised. This validates Paul’s argument in Galatians, that gentiles need not be Jewish first before being Christians. Other than this though, we don’t know much about Titus. He was an early convert of Paul, that much is true. He has probably been assisting Paul for more than a decade. We know that Paul sent him to the church of Corinth as his emissary, both delivering Paul’s message in II Corinthians and also helping the church at Corinth to understand and apply it. [Slide 3] Although we can’t be sure, it seems that unlike Timothy, Titus’ job in Crete was far less permanent. Paul talks about Titus rejoining him in Nicopolis, and in II Timothy we actually find that Titus is in Dalmatia, which is modern day Croatia and Bosnia. Across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. Titus, according to church tradition, went back to Crete after Paul’s death and remained there serving until he died. [Slide 4] With these details, a picture emerges of Titus. Although not much is said about him, and although he is only written this short letter – it seems that Titus was Paul’s righteous “fixer.” He goes to Corinth, a fairly difficult setting with all kinds of problems, and a whole lot of disunity and disorder, and helps to bring them to order. And now he is being left, for a short time, to do the same for the church in Crete. Although Paul exhorts Timothy often in I and II Timothy about his own character, and even encourages him not to be timid. Titus is never really given much exhortation. To that degree then, Titus sets himself apart from even Timothy, as a man whom God uses to right the ship. As with I Timothy, some kind of false teaching has arisen there in Crete. The teaching is similar but not identical to what Timothy was facing in Ephesus. Paul is sending Titus to get it under control but the method for doing this is somewhat different than what he recommends for Timothy. The themes in Titus largely reflect the themes in I Timothy with one addition. There seems to be a heavier emphasis on the confession of proper truth. Certainly, Paul’s message is a gospel that produces godliness. However, Paul takes pains to give strong doctrinal statements that are simply not in I Timothy. And the emphasis is on the gospel shaping the church to look like Christ. Much like the picture above – we are slaves and pawns. Jars of clay. Yet when we look into a mirror – the reflection should be our King. We are still keeping our eyes out for specific phrases. Although Paul never breaks into doxology in Titus (interesting since there is more theology here than in I Timothy) there is one “this is a trustworthy saying” in Titus. I plan to read the entire book of Titus this morning. I would ask that if you feel so inclined to read a chapter from Titus, please go ahead and make your way toward the front and sit in one of these front pews. We only need 3 volunteers today. But, before we read the text itself, and as the volunteers make their way up, there are a number of challenging passages or concepts in Titus that we will be studying. Chapter 1 1.) Is one qualification of an Elder that their children are saved? That seems… kind of out of their hands, right? 2.) Paul insults an entire people group. Racism? 3.) Christian liberty unleashed – all is pure to those who are pure? Chapter 2 4.) Wives duties are to keep the house and to submit to their husbands??? Oh boy. 5.) Slaves again. Not a problem to have them… oh Paul. 6.) Universalism again. God’s grace has appeared bringing salvation to all people?!?! Chapter 3 7.) Submission to wicked rulers and authorities… again?! That is not very American of you Paul! 8.) Regeneration precedes works. If our State of Theology Survey proved anything, it was that our church is not unified on this teaching. Many believe that faith precedes regeneration. However, Paul in Titus makes it clear that regeneration precedes works, it does not follow works. 9.) Justified by faith, grace, or works? The bible says all of them. So, which one is it? 10.) The harshest of church disciplines… for a divisive person. Pray Scripture Reading At this time, I’ll ask for three volunteers to come up to the front here and read a chapter in the book of Titus. Each chapter is no more than 16 verses long, so it shouldn’t be too taxing for us. We did this with I Timothy, and it was wonderful hearing the entire letter read in one sitting. If you are not reading, you can follow along in your bible and on the outline which was printed for you instead of sermon notes this morning. Scripture Intro: [Slide 5] I will read one more time the text for this morning. Titus chapter 1 verses 1 through 4. I am reading from the CSB this morning, but you can follow along in the pew bible on page 1345 or in whatever version you have. Transition: Well, we won’t linger long in the text this morning but I want to allow Paul to introduce himself and express his warm greeting to his friend and spiritual son, Titus. Let’s dive in. I.) Church leaders are but tools of God, used for His purposes, so we must depend on God to work through us. (1-3) a. [Slide 6] 1 – Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, i. Once again, Paul identifies himself. ii. Paul describes himself as a slave of God. This is not a title that is unique to Titus. In fact Paul calls himself the slave of Christ or God often. iii. Indeed, the New Testament writers refer to God’s people as His slaves. And although this word can refer to bondservant, ie, one who submits freely to serve another… it doesn’t necessarily mean that in the context. iv. In the truest sense of the word, Paul is the slave of God. He does what His master says, regardless of his own personal will and to the disregard of his own person interests. v. But Paul speaks often of how merciful and gracious his Master is. So it is a joyful slavery. vi. Paul also describes himself as an apostle. vii. The word itself means emissary, delegate, or ambassador. viii. If this was all the word meant, it may be true in some sense to refer to all of God’s children as apostles. In fact, Paul calls every Christian an ambassador, or representative of Christ in II Corinthians 5. ix. He does not use this word though. x. Although the raw definition of apostle can mean ambassador or delegate, it is clear that even early on in the church’s history, the word apostle was a reference to a particular office. xi. The apostle is a delegate of Christ. His representative. In a direct kind of way. This office was established for the foundation of the church and has since expired. It is interesting that no one claimed to be an apostle of Christ in the early church after these men died. By the time of John’s writing Revelation, he was the last one. xii. So has the church been established today? xiii. I read a stat the other day… Do you realize that there are 3 times more members of Southern Baptist Churches than there were citizens of the Roman Empire during the time of Nero? xiv. The church has been established, and therefore, we do not need apostles any longer. We need the apostles teaching, which is the teaching of Christ… THAT is sure. But the next big leader we wait for in the church – is the return of Christ – not another apostle. xv. In fact, with all these high-profile church leaders apostatizing doctrine, or being involved in gross unrepentant sin – I’d say that hope in any would-be-apostle is quite silly. xvi. So, all that to say – Paul is an apostle, but no, we don’t have any more today. b. [Slide 7] For the faith of God’s elect i. Paul now answers the question why. ii. Why has God made Paul His slave? Why has Paul been commissioned to be an apostle of Jesus Christ? iii. For the faith of God’s elect. Now what makes this phrase particularly challenging is because Paul uses a preposition here that has a wide variety of uses. Two of the most popular among our many English translations are… 1. According to the faith of God’s elect, meaning that his calling as an apostle is in the same vein or teaching as the faith received by God’s elect. 2. For the faith of God’s elect, meaning the purpose of his calling as an apostle was to see God’s elect receive faith a. As a subpoint here some translations say for the sake of or to further the faith of God’s elect. Meaning that his apostleship was to grow the faith of God’s elect. iv. All of these are certainly true – but I tend to favor the second option most without its subpoint. Perhaps reading up on Paul’s missionary trips these last couple weeks has colored my view, but it seems that Paul’s apostleship was all about seeing God’s elect receive faith in Christ. v. Certainly, that could mean ongoing faith. But here particularly I believe Paul is getting at seeing God’s elect come to Christ for the first time. vi. Then the ongoing nature of his apostle ministry is… c. [Slide 8] And their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness i. [Slide 9]So here we have the trilogy of faith. 1. Truth received from God by which we are saved (Christ’s faithfulness) Not in our receiving it, but in the effectiveness of the truth that we receive. 2. Growing Intellectual understanding of the faith (knowledge of the truth) 3. Proper behavior that must come from faith (godliness) from faith to faith (Romans 1) ii. The trilogy of faith toward God’s elect is the purpose of Paul’s slavery to God and apostle call from Christ. iii. This was essentially the primary focus of I Timothy – and indeed that endures in Titus. A gospel that brings faith in Christ to God’s people and grows them in knowledge and holiness. iv. But knowledge and holiness is not the ultimate goal of this faith or Paul’s calling as an apostle. d. [Slide 10] 2 – in the hope of eternal life i. When biblical writers talk of hope, they do not mean wishful pie in the sky desires. ii. Rather they mean blessed expectation of future peace and joy. iii. That hope is in eternal life. iv. But why would we hope in this? e. [Slide 11] That God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. i. So, this whole phrase starts easy enough, but finishes with a perplexing statement. ii. First, God who cannot lie has promised us eternal life. iii. That God is not a liar is simple to understand but is a mega theme in all of scripture. iv. Why will God’s Word not return Him void? Why is His word truth? Why is God faithful to His own Word? Why does God continue to show mercy and give grace? v. It all comes down to this truth. God has promised and God is not a liar. It only takes 1 lie to be a liar and God isn’t one. vi. But when did God promise this? vii. Before time began. Why is that perplexing? viii. Well, when did time begin? There can be several suggestions but really, they all revolve around the moment God spoke creation into existence. ix. So before that time, God promised eternal life. Does anyone see some problems with that? 1. Who was there to hear the promise? 2. How can this promise of eternal life happen before the fall of man? x. These are some… HUGE questions. I mean you want to talk about things that I am really not prepared to teach on, this is a BIG one. xi. But let me make a suggestion to you – in order to reorient your thinking about the elect of God. xii. God has promised that His elect will be given eternal life through union in Christ before they even existed. Before men fell. Before time began. Who did God promise this to? Christ. He promised this to His unique Son. xiii. Now already, your alarm bells are starting to ring. I realize that. Already you are probably thinking – wait, isn’t the promise of eternal life for me? It is. But the promise wasn’t made to you… it was made about you. It was made to Christ, the second person of the Godhead. Or perhaps you are struggling with the other part. How could God have chosen people to have eternal life in Christ before men had fallen into sin and death? xiv. Another time, perhaps when I am more prepared for such a large discussion, we can enter into all this. In fact, in II Timothy, I know there is a passage where this will come up again, and it is the first chapter so we’ll be getting to it fairly soon. xv. But understand this. Your salvation in Christ as the elect of God was no mere accident, nor did God leave it up to each person to decide whether they wanted it or not. xvi. My friends, if you are in Christ – God foreordained and predestined you to be in Christ before he spoke the world into being. xvii. And although He did that for you – it is a promise He made and is fulfilling to His Son. That He would gather a people for Him - forever. xviii. And my friends… God is not a liar. xix. Even though all I have said can be the cause of much debate, listen to me… don’t let it. xx. Rather – bask in the truth of God’s promise for you. If you are in His Son, you are part of a promise God made to Christ before the foundation of the world. xxi. If your response is… why me? You are on the right track. f. [Slide 12] 3 – In His own time He has revealed His word in the preaching with which I was entrusted i. Paul has spoken of the hope we have of life in eternity future. ii. Paul has reference how the promise of that life was made in eternity past. iii. Now Paul connects the end and beginning to the now. iv. God, according to His own timetable, according to His own will… v. Has revealed this redemption plan through His Word. vi. His word that is always true vii. His word that is our faith viii. His word that reveals Christ ix. God has peeled back the curtain for His elect to see this truth. Indeed, He did so as Paul himself preached it to many. Including Titus Himself. g. [Slide 13] By the command of God our Savior. i. The preaching of the gospel of God is a command levied upon this apostle. ii. He is required to take and give this truth to all. Knowing that God is in the business of revealing it to His elect. iii. And in this way… God, not Paul, Not Apollos, Not the believer themselves, no… God alone is our Savior. iv. He has promised His Son, eternal life in Christ before time began for His elect, His bride. And God has opened up the eyes of the blind, unstopped the ears of the hard of hearing, he has risen the dead, birthed anew His elect to receive His truth. v. That by faith in Christ, not faith in our faith in Christ, but by faith in Christ alone we will be saved. h. [Slide 14] Passage Truth: So, Paul’s introduction is one of power and authority. His slavery to God and apostleship from Christ is for the benefit of the elect of God and in hopes of that eternal life promised by God to His people. i. Passage Application: We have not yet arrived an any exhortation, but we can reasonably conclude that dependence on God is primary. j. [Slide 15] Broader Biblical Truth: From the rest of scripture, we know that God has appointed people throughout the ages to speak His message to the those who will receive it by faith. Paul is but one man in a long line of faithful preachers of God’s Word that is yet unbroken, even to today. k. Broader Biblical Application: And so, with humble hearts we cry out to God to continue His Kingdom work in and through us, even today. Until that hope of eternal life, which He promised to His Son for His people, would be fully realized. Transition: [Slide 16(blank)] So Paul has a high calling that is only possible through God. But who is Paul writing to, and what is his desire for that person? II.) All God’s people are tools to accomplish His will, so we must depend on God to work through us. (4) a. [Slide 17] 4 – To Titus, my true son i. Titus is a true or genuine son of Paul’s. ii. Of course, this is not talking about Titus as the physical son of Paul – but rather his spiritual son. b. [Slide 18] In our common faith i. Common here does not mean hum drum or ordinary. ii. Common instead means shared. iii. This is the word that Catholic was taken from. And once upon a time, before Roman Catholicism forever took the word, Catholic would always mean shared or same. iv. That is why in the apostle’s creed we see the expression catholic church. It doesn’t mean Roman Catholic; it means agreement in doctrine. c. [Slide 19] Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. i. As we have come to understand, grace is God’s supernatural empowering to do something that we cannot hope to ever do on our own. ii. Peace here refers to peace with men but also with God. A cessation of hostility with both. iii. Although this is one of Paul’s standard greetings, it is interesting that he goes on to mention the senders of this Grace and Peace being God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. iv. So, absent from this list is the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. v. Once again, the case is made that where God’s grace is, the Holy Spirit is, necessarily. d. [Slide 20] Passage Truth: Paul is writing to his spiritual son in common faith, Titus. His fixer. His hammer. His tool that God has given him to go and solve problems in churches. e. Passage Application: But to do this, Titus must not rely on his past, his accolades, his pedigree, or anything save the grace and peace of God. Sent by the Father and His Son the Savior Jesus Christ. f. [Slide 21] Broader Biblical Truth: So we also are instruments and tools for God’s use in this world. To be used in His power and direction to fix and mend what He directs us to fix and mend. g. Broader Biblical Application: But we cannot hope to do this on our own, or even united together. We must rely on the abundant gifts of our Father and Savior. The Triune God. Conclusion: [Slide 22(end)] So CBC, what does this brief little intro of Titus mean for us? How does it affect how we live? Paul alludes to this tension right in the first verse. He is both a slave of God and an apostle of Christ. He is both very lowly – but also of the highest rank possible in the early church. What does this mean? That no matter how we look at it – we are all tools of God used for His Kingdom. We are all equally blessed of God to be part of what He is doing, no the other way around. And although we may inhabit different roles within that framework – the bottom line is, that we are all one in Christ. We are all pawns reflecting our King. Paul is an apostle, Timothy is an Elder, Titus is a fixer – but they are all commissioned by God for the faith of His elect and the knowledge of the truth which produces godliness. They all share the same hope of eternal life that God has promised to His Son that He would give them. This great salvation, this great work we have before us – friends – it is all God. From top to bottom, from eternity past to eternity future – it is all Him. Although Paul is an apostle, he is also a slave like you and I. Although Titus is a fixer, he needs God’s grace and peace. My friends, there is no one in the universal church who is outside of this framework. And Paul is about to tell Titus to set up Elders for the church in Crete. But not because Elders are the answer. Rather because Elders are those given the role by God to reveal God’s truth. As we begin this book, knowing that there are problems that this church in Crete faces – we can gain a great deal of encouragement to know, that whatever we may face as a church in Columbus Michigan – it will only be solved by dependence on God the triune. His grace, His peace, His presence, His truth. We are like Titus. Whatever Paul is about to command, it is only possible through God’s grace and peace. And no matter what we may face in the days and years to come, it is only possible through God’s grace and peace.