Thursday, February 19, 2009

Titus: The Handbook on Godliness

Paul's epistle to Titus is literally dripping with references to godliness from the first sentence onward. A simple outline of the book looks like this:

1. Spiritual Conduct of leaders
  • The standard (1:5-9)
  • The purpose (1:10-16)
2. Spiritual conduct of believers in general
  • As a result of sound doctrine through the teaching of God's grace (2:1-15)
  • As a result of a changed life in Christ (3:1-15)

Titus was left by Paul on an island with a rather debauched history. Here was a people who would rather swindle a neighbor than lend a hand. Christians are to be different than that. There are social mores that need to be upheld; evidences of growing maturity; understanding of gender roles; and above these the leadership lifestyle is to be exemplary in order to deal with the disorderly.

Notice the two reasons Paul gives for godly conduct. First mentioned is teaching. Notice the teacher--God's grace. I find this fascinating because we do not think of grace as a teacher. Grace does indeed teach us: of our sinful condition, of a righteous God, of redemption, of faith. Beyond these grace teaches the work of sanctification, which is the theological area Paul addresses through most of this epistle.

Second is the changed life. That is what we were; this is what we are. Now live like a real difference was made. If something real happened, show it.

There is one point that strikes home in the list of elder qualifications. Each of those is a facet of the normal Christian life. Every older man (and woman) should give evidence of the Lord working in him through conduct obvious to all.

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