Reading: Titus 1-3, Psalm 23

The third pastoral letter from Paul, the letter to Titus bears many similarities to the first letter to Timothy. It appears to have been written following Paul’s release from house arrest in Rome and before his rearrest and final imprisonment leading up to his execution. Titus is on Crete, leading and directing the church there. In an odd way, the inclusion of Titus in the canon of Scripture may be one of the stronger argument against direct apostolic succession. Paul appears to “pass the torch” to both Timothy in Ephesus and Titus on Crete. If he was intending to pass on his office to one or the other of them, he certainly does not say so, and the inclusion of both letters in the Scriptures seem to indicate that Paul did not consider his position or their as limited. They were to teach, correct, and lead the churches where they were, depending on nothing but the Scriptures and the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The themes in Titus are extremely similar to the first letter to Timothy. The issues at hand are legalism, licentiousness, bad faith teaching, and the passing on of authority to others in the church. Paul repeats what he instructed to Timothy- leaders in the church need to be upstanding people who are committed to the gospel. Those who are contentious about things that matter less than the gospel- which is everything- are not faithful leaders. They need to be corrected before being allowed to teach or lead anything. That is Titus’ job. He is to ignore the subjects they wish to argue about- whether they be the license to do things or restrictions against them- and to preach the gospel and teach sound doctrine. Titus is not to be caught up in any other argument. The sign of sound doctrine is the primacy of the gospel. Those who would proclaim Jesus as Lord cannot be caught up in social revolutions, good or bad, apart from that lordship. Titus is to declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Paul’s concern is that the Cretan Christians learn to live their lives out of a celebration of their salvation, not stuck in searching for better. Paul describes himself before his call from Christ as passing our days in malice and envy. It is a far too easy thing to leap from a desire for a better life to jealousy for those who you perceive already have one. Then jealousy turns to malice as motivation for self improvement fails but the difference in quality of life remains. Paul would have the believers look past such things and see that they have all been granted a far greater gift. Becoming obsessed with little differences, rules, and freedoms is foolish, and gets in the way of the gospel message that Jesus is Lord. Paul knows people who are so focused do not really understand what they have been forgiven. He tells Titus to warn such a person once or twice, but then have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

In a world awash in recriminations both between and towards believers in Jesus, we would do well to remember Paul’s warning. People who are more concerned with protecting their vision or promoting their cause than proclaiming Jesus as the King of the Kingdom of God and calling for repentance to life in his name, are people we want nothing to do with. The Story is about Jesus, not them. We are responsible to tell the Story of Jesus, and none other.