Morning Musings-Protege Titus

Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




Titus was another of Paul's protege's.  Titus was left on the isle of Crete 

"to straighten out what was left unfinished and to appoint elders in every town" (v 5). 

 There must have been a large population of Christians on this island to have had a church in "every town" and needing elders.

The extension and expansion of what Paul accomplished is rather amazing.  His faithfulness to his God-given commission to go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel was far-reaching. 

Yet, as we saw in the epistles to Timothy, some of Paul's secret was to have partners in his work.  He mentored many and established them in God's Word and work.  He had committed so much to other faithful and reliable men of God.

Titus was one of them and Paul calls him "my true son in our common faith" (Titus 1:4).  This is a 'label' he gave to Timothy as well (1 Timothy 1:2).  From this we can see that true Christian bond and affection among these brothers in Christ. 

Paul's concern for the individual is felt and likely part of his 'success', as it were, of being able to train so many for Jesus and His work.

  "By this will all men know you are My disciples when you have love one for another" said Jesus (John 13:34, 35).  

This is a key to forming our interpersonal relationships and reaching out to others for Christ.

There are some common threads here in Titus which we have already observed in Timothy. The criteria of those who desire eldership in regards to their character and deportment, personally, and within their respective families, needing to be exemplary.  

We also see the elements of those who stirred up trouble who were "unfit for doing anything" (v 16).  This group was doing it "for dishonest gain".  It was bad enough they were teaching false doctrine but they were making the people pay for it too!!  

This group in Titus look like they were 'legalists'.  Those which Paul called "the circumcision group".  They must have been saying something like, Yes, you must be saved through Jesus Christ, God's Son, but you also need to be circumcised, to be truly completely saved.

It has been called the 'day of grace' since Jesus acquired salvation through His death and resurrection for us; from then until now and still ongoing.   We live by the Holy Spirit of God and God's Word.  We are saved to do good works NOT saved by good works (Ephesians 2:10).

Titus was to rebuke the Cretans "sharply" for believing they had to earn their way to saving faith and grace by following Jewish ways of Old Testament times.  They were not to let their "minds and consciences be corrupted" (vs 13-15).

Titus would have constant vigil to detect departure from sound doctrine and to train the would-be-elders in the same and, get this, to be able "to refute" those "rebellious people" who would interject the falsehoods (v 9).  Titus and the appointed elders had their work cut out for them and they could not let down their guard for one minute.  Like shepherds who carefully tend and protect their sheep, they had to be ever vigilant to straighten things out and keep them that way with their Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ's ever present help.


                                                                      ~ERC  2016~