Titus 1
Titus' Task on Crete
5The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
As Paul has established many churches across the Mediterranean, and this large Greek island south of Greece and North of Africa, was one of them. You may have heard the saying “Cretans”, when referring to those who behave in an unruly or gluttonous way. It comes from the paradoxical saying of Epimenides, a poet and religious prophet, who said in one of his poems, “Cretans are always liars”. It seems paradoxical because if he is a Cretan, he is making a truth statement about himself. Paul puts him in the same category as other false prophets who are deceptive, teach for dishonest gain, and hold to Jewish myths and other unreasonable commands.
Regardless, Paul is writing to Titus, who later had a large Christian Basilica dedicated to him, as he was a bishop in the area of Gortyn. As he does in the other pastoral epistles, Paul advises Titus to appoint elders, and then gives him qualifications for these leaders. These qualifications remind us that leaders in the church are called to a higher standard. While these qualifications set a high bar, it was important in Paul’s mind to have these types of leaders in every town.
Some have said, “As the leaders go, so goes the church”. We certainly see that in other sectors of the society. While leaders are certainly subject to a higher standard, we must remember that they are human and sinners and saints at the same time. Without the grace of God, no leader can hope to live up to these expectations. At the same time leaders must remember they will have influence on others positively or negatively, as they represent Christ and His church. As Paul said, “Watch your life and doctrine closely”.
Pray for your leaders that they might uphold these standards that Paul gave Titus for the leaders that would lead the church at this critical time in church history. We today live in a similar time, where leaders must lead with solid doctrine based on the Word of God and also live lives worthy of their calling that is an example for those they lead.
Jesus, we pray for those you have called to lead Your Church. As we seek to grow the Church, may its leaders emulate these standards Paul passed on to Titus. May your grace and power of the Holy Spirit help these leaders to pass on the Good News to the next generation, Amen.
5The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
As Paul has established many churches across the Mediterranean, and this large Greek island south of Greece and North of Africa, was one of them. You may have heard the saying “Cretans”, when referring to those who behave in an unruly or gluttonous way. It comes from the paradoxical saying of Epimenides, a poet and religious prophet, who said in one of his poems, “Cretans are always liars”. It seems paradoxical because if he is a Cretan, he is making a truth statement about himself. Paul puts him in the same category as other false prophets who are deceptive, teach for dishonest gain, and hold to Jewish myths and other unreasonable commands.
Regardless, Paul is writing to Titus, who later had a large Christian Basilica dedicated to him, as he was a bishop in the area of Gortyn. As he does in the other pastoral epistles, Paul advises Titus to appoint elders, and then gives him qualifications for these leaders. These qualifications remind us that leaders in the church are called to a higher standard. While these qualifications set a high bar, it was important in Paul’s mind to have these types of leaders in every town.
Some have said, “As the leaders go, so goes the church”. We certainly see that in other sectors of the society. While leaders are certainly subject to a higher standard, we must remember that they are human and sinners and saints at the same time. Without the grace of God, no leader can hope to live up to these expectations. At the same time leaders must remember they will have influence on others positively or negatively, as they represent Christ and His church. As Paul said, “Watch your life and doctrine closely”.
Pray for your leaders that they might uphold these standards that Paul gave Titus for the leaders that would lead the church at this critical time in church history. We today live in a similar time, where leaders must lead with solid doctrine based on the Word of God and also live lives worthy of their calling that is an example for those they lead.
Jesus, we pray for those you have called to lead Your Church. As we seek to grow the Church, may its leaders emulate these standards Paul passed on to Titus. May your grace and power of the Holy Spirit help these leaders to pass on the Good News to the next generation, Amen.
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