Titus: Church Leadership and Order

• Church order is the central theme
• Without proper leadership and order, churches are vulnerable to problems and errors
• Titus is mandated to set order in churches by ordaining overseers and teaching sound doctrine

Introduction

• The book of Titus was written by Paul to Titus (Titus 1:1-4)
• Titus appears to have been saved as a result of Paul's ministry (Titus 1:4)
• Titus is not mentioned in the book of Acts
• Titus is mentioned 13 times in Paul's letters
• Titus is one of few letters addressed to an individual
• Paul left Titus on Crete to properly organize churches (Titus 1:5)
• Titus ordains elders (spiritually mature men) to oversee churches
• Paul gave Titus guidelines for selecting church overseers (Titus 1:6-9)
• Paul has tremendous confidence in Titus (II Corinthians 8:23; II Corinthians 12:18)
• Titus is one of Paul's faithful traveling companions

Chapter One

• Paul identifies as a servant of God using the greek word "doulos" meaning slave (Titus 1:1)
• Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ, meaning one sent by Jesus (Titus 1:1)
• Paul is a bond servant of God, sent by Jesus to proclaim the good news in word and deed
• Faith and truth are key factors with Paul (Titus 1:1)
• Paul's service and recognition or truth is motivated by faith
• Paul practices what he teaches
• Pauls hope is in eternal life which God promised before the world began (Titus 1:2)
• God reveals His will through preaching, and Paul is to proclaim the word of God
• The letter is written to Titus to whom Paul had evidently led to the Lord (Titus 1:4)
• Paul leaves Crete before the churches are properly organized (Titus 1:5)
• Titus is responsible for selecting mature men in every city in Crete (Titus 1:5)
• Paul gave Titus guidelines for selecting bishops (Titus 1:6-9)
• Church overseers must live a life above reproach and set the example for the congregation
• Titus is responsible for setting bishops over various churches
• Paul warns Titus of unruly and deceptive people who oppose the truth (Titus 1:10)
• Setting the churches in order restrains these people (Titus 1:11)
• False teachers have turned faimilies from the truth (Titus 1:11)
• Love of money motivates the false teachers (Titus 1:11)
• One Cretian said that "Cretans are always liars, worthless animals, and lazy gluttons" (Titus 1:12)
• Paul tells Titus this is true and to rebuke them to be sound in the faith (Titus 1:13)
• Those sound in faith will not heed Jewish fables and commandments that turn people from the truth (Titus 1:14)
• Paul contrasts the pure in heart with the impure (Titus 1:15)
• To the pure, all things are pure (Titus 1:15)
• To the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; their minds and consciences are defiled (Titus 1:15)
• Defiled people profess to know God, but their actions speak differently (Titus 1:16)
• Because of the disobedience of the defiled their works are disgusting to God (Titus 1:16)
• The defiled ones cannot make correct judgement concerning good works (Titus 1:16)

Chapter Two

• Titus is instructed to teach things suitable for sound doctrine (Titus 2:1)
• Older men must be discreet, honorable, self-controlled, and true in faith, love and patience(Titus 2:2)
• Older woman must be taught proper behavior to be pleasing to God (Titus 2:3)
• Older women are responsible for teaching younger women to love their husbands and children, be self-controlled, morally clean, domestically inclines, good. and submissive to their husbands so the Word of God will not be blasphemed (Titus 2:4-5)
• Learning precedes teaching and Titus first taught the older women who were responsible for teaching the younger women (Titus 2:4-5)
• Young men must be urged to be self-controlled (Titus 2:6)
• Paul exhorts Titus to be an example that others can follow (Titus 2:7)
• Teachers must teach the truth with pure motives (Titus 2:7)
• Teachers must be honorable and sincere, demonstrating a lifestyle above reproach (Titus 2:8)
• Spiritual leaders must live their lives so opposition cannot find fault, thereby discrediting them (Titus 2:8; Daniel 6:4)
• Servants must be obedient to their masters and please them in all things (Titus 2:9-10)
• The servant statement also applies to employer/employee relations
• Relationships with others will either have a positive or negative effect on attitude toward the gospel of Jesus
• We should not speak against those who are over us, nor should we contradict or steal from them
• The grace of God, brings salvation, has appeared to all men (Titus 2:11)
• The grace of God instructs us that, after denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live a self-controlled life and walk uprightly and in a Godly manner (Titus 2:12)
• We should look for the appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, which is our blessed hope (Titus 2:13)
• Jesus gave Himself for us to redeem us from all sin and to purify us (Titus 2:14)
• We are to be peculiar (different from the world) people with zeal to do good works (Titus 2:14)
• The previous instructions must be taught (Titus 2:15)
• Exhortation and rebuke must be administered with authority (Titus 2:15)
• We must conduct ourselves and teach in a way that commands respect (Titus 2:15)

Chapter Three

• We must remind people to submit themselves to those in authority and to obey them (Titus 3:1)
• We must teach people to prepare themselves to participate in every kind of good work (Titus 3:1)
• We must instruct people not to speak evil or slander others, but to be peaceable, gentle, and humble (Titus 3:2)
• We must remember that we were once foolish, disobedient, and deceived, and that we lived accordingly to the dictates of the flesh (Titus 3:3)
• At one time. we lived an evil and jealous life in which we hated and detested one another (Titus 3:3)
• God reveals His kindness and love to mankind by saving him (Titus 3:4)
• We are not saved by righteous works, we are saved by God's mercy (Titus 3:5)
• We are saved by the "washing of regeneration" and the "renewing of the Holy Spirit,” which is given unto us through Jesus Christ, our Savior (Titus 3:5-6; Luke 3:16)
• "Washing of regeneration" means baptism into a new birth
• "Renewing of the Holy Spirit" means renovation of our lives, which comes as a result of the Holy Spirit
• We have been justified by God's grace and made heirs of eternal life (Titus 3:7)
• Constantly affirm the truth of salvation and remind people to maintain good works (Titus 3:8)
• These instructions are good and profitable for men (Titus 3:8)
• We must avoid foolish questions, tracing genealogies, and quarrels and controversies concerning the Word of God because these things are not profitable (Titus 3:9)
• After giving two warnings, we are to avoid those who cause division and will not submit to instruction (Titus 3:10)
• A violator is given two opportunities to repent before being cut off from fellowship
• One who causes division and will not repent is perverted (Titus 3:11)
• One who causes division and will not repent is in sin and actually condemns himself by refusing to repent (Titus 3:11)
• Paul is sending either Artemis or Tychicus to replace Titus in Crete and Titus is to meet Paul in Nicopolis, where he plans to spend the winter (Titus 3:12)
• Titus is instructed to give Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos assistance so their needs will be met (Titus 3:13)
• Believers are instructed to practice good works for necessary things so that they will not be unfruitful (Titus 3:14)
• All those with Paul send their greetings to Titus (Titus 3:15)
• Paul sends his greeting to those in Crete who love him (Titus 3:15)
• Paul closes this letter with his characteristic blessing, "grace be with you all." (Titus 3:15)

Summary

• Paul left his good friend and traveling companion, Titus, in Crete to set order in the local churches
• Order was to be set through instruction and the placement of godly oversight
• Titus had the responsibility of teaching sound doctrine to the believers
• Titus was responsible for selecting and ordaining mature men to oversee the local churches
• Through the instructions the standard of God's grace is revealed

Conclusion

• The letter to Titus must be applied to believers and churches today
• Churches must be set in order, according to God's standard, but not man's
• Godly oversight must get into position, and ministers must instruct the Body of Christ in sound doctrine