Bible Survey: Titus
The theme of Titus is order in the church. Paul had left Titus on the island of Crete with a job to do: that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city (Titus 1:5). An elder, a bishop and a pastor are the same office in the New Testament, and Paul gives the qualifications here much as he did in 1 Timothy. A pastor must be Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers (Titus 1:9).
Titus was a Greek who had come to Christ through Paul, mine own son after the common faith (Titus 1:4), and his field was a hard one. One of the Cretians' own prophets had said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies (Titus 1:12), and yet the gospel had saved many of them. There were false teachers as well, Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses (Titus 1:11), and all for money. Preachers with mansions and private jets are nothing new.
The heart of the letter is grace. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men (Titus 2:11), which means anyone may be saved. That grace saves us, and then it teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world (Titus 2:12), Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). A Christian who really believes the Lord could come today will live differently.
We are saved Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy (Titus 3:5), and still Paul keeps telling Titus to see that believers maintain good works. Works do not save anyone. They are the evidence that someone has been saved, for Christ gave Himself to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works (Titus 2:14).
Next in the series: Philemon.
Taught by Brother James Barker in Sunday School at Naples Independent Baptist Church, May 16, 2021. Watch the lesson.
