In Order

Set Things In Order

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For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you. (Titus 1:5)

Any good evangelist knows that repentance and faith is just the start of the Christian life. That beginning must continue into true Christian discipleship. That’s why Paul left Titus on the island of Crete.

After their successful evangelism, there were a lot of young Christians to take care of. Paul left Titus behind to build stable churches with mature, qualified pastors for the people. This was especially needed in Crete, because the people of Crete were a wild bunch, well known as liars and lazy people. Titus had to find and train capable leaders for the Christians of the island of Crete.

In Order

When a job is hard, there are basically two kinds of people. With one you say, “The job is really hard, so we can’t send him.” With the other you say, “The job is really hard, so we must send him.” Titus seemed to be of the second kind.

This wasn’t a permanent job for Titus. When Paul wrote, “I left you in Crete,” he used the same phrase as in 2 Timothy 4:13 and 4:20 where he spoke of a cloak and an associate temporarily left behind. The idea is that Paul left Titus in Crete for a limited time to solve these problems, establish godly leadership, and then move on (probably to catch up again with Paul).

His job wasn’t easy, but it was simple to understand. Paul told Titus to set in order the things that are lacking. The churches needed order and leadership. Titus was commanded to set in order the churches, and to do it by appointing godly leaders. The phrase set in order was a medical term – they would use it for the setting of a broken or crooked limb. There were crooked things that had to be set straight among the congregations of Crete.

The order would come through appointed godly leaders, men of character that Titus was to carefully choose. Titus was to appoint elders in every city. This means Paul delegated a lot of authority to Titus. These elders were not chosen by popular vote, and they were not chosen through their own self-promotion. It was Titus’ job to look for men of the kind of character Paul would describe in the following passage and to appoint them as elders in congregations.

This reminds us of an important point. When God has work to do in His church, He usually does it through people. God didn’t send angels to appoint the elders, and angels were not to be appointed as leaders over the church. God looks for His people to rise to the occasion and the opportunity, and in obedience to His word to be about their Father’s business.

How does God want you to serve His people and a needy world? He has a place for you in the work of His kingdom. If the work is hard like it was for Titus, God will give you the wisdom and strength.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1

mercy

Mehr als Gnade und Frieden

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An Titus, mein echtes Kind nach unserem gemeinsamen Glauben: Gnade, Barmherzigkeit, Friede sei mit dir von Gott, dem Vater, und dem Herrn Jesus Christus, unserem Retter! (Titus 1,4)

Wenn wir heute einen Brief schreiben – falls jemand noch Briefe schreibt – beginnen wir mit dem Namen der Person, die wir anschreiben („Lieber So-und-so“). Am Ende des Briefes unterschreiben wir dann mit unserem Namen, damit man weiß, wer den Brief schrieb.

Im Neuen Testament fing ein Brief mit dem Namen des Autors an. Das macht auch Sinn, denn der Leser von Gnade, Barmherzigkeit und Frieden wollte zuerst wissen, wer das schrieb. Nachdem der Autor seinen Namen genannt hatte, schrieb er oder sie an wen der Brief gerichtet war.

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mercy

More than Grace and Peace

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To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. (Titus 1:4)

When we write a letter today – if anyone still writes letters – we start with the name of the person receiving the letter (“Dear So-and-So”). At the bottom of the letter we write or sign our name, so they know who wrote it.

In New Testament times, a proper letter started with the name of the author. That kind of makes sense, because the reader of the Grace, mercy, and peace letter might first want to know who wrote it. After the author gave his name, he or she would then say who the letter was to.

mercy

That’s the practice in this letter the Apostle Paul wrote to Titus, his younger associate on the island of Crete. Titus 1:1-3 gives us Paul’s self-introduction, and Titus 1:4 tells us who the letter was written to. It was written to Titus.

It is interesting to find that we don’t know anything about Titus from the Book of Acts. He is strangely absent from that record, though he must have been an associate of Paul during the time covered by Acts.

Though we read nothing about Titus in Acts, we still know something of his character and personality from this letter and from 2 Corinthians 2:13, 8:23, and 12:18.

– Titus was a true son in our common faith (Titus 1:4).

– Titus was a genuine brother to the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 2:13).

– Titus was a partner and a fellow worker with Paul (2 Corinthians 8:23).

– Titus walked in the same spirit as Paul (2 Corinthians 12:18).

– Titus walked in the same steps as Paul, in the same manner of life (2 Corinthians 12:18).

– Therefore, Titus could be a pattern to other believers (Titus 2:7).

All this makes us think that Titus was a remarkable man. Wouldn’t you love it if Paul wrote those things about you? I know it would be wonderful if Pau wrote of me that I was a true son in our common faith, a genuine brother, that I had his same spirit and walked in his same steps. The Apostle Paul thought highly of Titus.

At the same time, there is a hint at what might be some imperfection or weakness in Titus. Paul greeted him with this phrase: grace, mercy, and peace. When Paul wrote to churches he often greeting them with the phrase grace and peace (such as in 1 Corinthians 1:3, Galatians 1:3, and Ephesians 1:2). But when Paul wrote to the pastors Timothy and Titus he added mercy to his greeting (1 and 2 Timothy 1:2).

Do you see the hint at imperfection or weakness? Pastors and leaders like Timothy and Titus need lots of mercy right along with grace and peace. Today, receive all three from God – His grace, mercy, and peace. And if you know a pastor or leader in God’s service – pray that God gives them His mercy.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1

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Zu Seiner Zeit

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Aufgrund der Hoffnung des ewigen Lebens, das Gott, der nicht lügen kann, vor ewigen Zeiten verheißen hat – zu seiner Zeit aber hat er sein Wort geoffenbart in der Verkündigung, mit der ich betraut worden bin, nach dem Befehl Gottes, unseres Retters. (Titus 1,2-3)

Paulus schrieb seinem jungen Gefährten Titus einen Brief, und hier sehen wir einige Zeilen vom Anfang. Paulus schrieb über seine Arbeit als Knecht und Apostel Gottes und wie diese Arbeit Hoffnung des ewigen Lebens bedeutete. Paulus sorgte sich offensichtlich um das Hier und Jetzt, doch sein Herz und seine Gedanken waren nie weit weg vom Himmel und der Hoffnung des ewigen Lebens.

Diese Hoffnung des ewigen Lebens ist viel mehr als nur ein Wunsch. Sie wurde vor ewigen Zeiten verheißen, und zwar von dem Gott, der nicht lügen kann.

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Heutzutage ist es unter Christen eine Art Trend, zu sagen, dass die Bibel nicht viel über die persönliche Errettung oder die Hoffnung auf den Himmel sagt. Einige glauben, dass solche Gedanken weniger Bedeutung beigemessen werden sollte, als dem Hier und Jetzt.

Gott ist die Gegenwart wichtig, und Er tut ein großes Werk innerhalb der Gemeinde, Gottes Kindern als Ganzes. Aber wir dürfen die Hoffnung auf ewiges Leben und dass sie einzelnen Menschen, die ihr Vertrauen in die Person und das Werk Jesu setzen, verheißen ist, nicht klein reden.

Es ist hilfreich zu wissen, dass das ewige Leben jetzt beginnt. Manchmal meinen wir, dass sich das ewige Leben nur auf den Himmel bezieht und das stimmt in dem Sinne, dass es niemals endet. Doch wir müssen nicht auf das ewige Leben warten. Wir haben jetzt schon diese Hoffnung. Dasselbe Leben und die Gegenwart Gottes, die in alle Ewigkeit bei uns sein wird, ist jetzt schon mit dem Gläubigen.

Diese wunderbare Botschaft vom ewigen Leben hat auf die richtige Zeit in Gottes Plan gewartet. Aber zur richtigen Zeit – zu Seiner Zeit – zeigte Gott jedem Seinen Plan, der Plan, der nun geoffenbart wird in der Verkündigung.

Denke über diese Worte nach: zu Seiner Zeit. Das Christentum kam zu einer Zeit in die Welt, als es möglich war, seine Botschaft schnell und weit zu verbreiten.

– Es gab eine gemeinsame Sprache des Römischen Reiches, eine Sprache für den Handel, Geschäfte und Literatur

– Es gab praktisch keine Grenzen aufgrund des enormen Ausmaßes des Römischen Reiches

– Reisen war ziemlich einfach. Es ging zwar langsam, war aber relativ gefahrlos durch die Sicherheit, die das Römische Reich auf den Straßen und Seerouten bot

– Die Welt hatte größtenteils Frieden unter dem „Frieden Roms“ (Pax Romana)

– Die Welt war sich bewusst darüber, dass sie einen Messias und Retter brauchte. Der Historiker und Bibelkommentator William Barclay sagt: „Es gab nie eine Zeit, in der die Herzen der Menschen offener waren, um die Botschaft der Errettung zu empfangen, welche die christlichen Missionare brachten.“

Zu Seiner Zeit, als die Zeit richtig war, sandte Gott Seine Botschaft vom ewigen Leben durch die Person und das Werk von Jesus Christus. Danke Ihm dafür und vertraue darauf, dass Sein Timing auch in deinem Leben perfekt ist.

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In Due Time

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In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior. (Titus 1:2-3)

Paul wrote a letter to his young associate named Titus, and here we see a few lines from his introduction. Paul here wrote of his work as a servant and apostle of God, how that work was in hope of eternal life. Paul was obviously concerned with the here and now, but his heart and mind were never far from heaven and the hope of eternal life.

This hope of eternal life is much more than a wish. It was promised before time began, and it was promised by the God who cannot lie.

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It’s a bit of a fad among some Christians today to say that the Bible doesn’t speak much about personal salvation or the hope of heaven. Some think those ideas should be small and the bigger ideas should be community and the life of the here and now.

God cares about the present age, and He does a big work in community, among God’s people as a whole. But we don’t need to make small the hope of eternal life and how that eternal life is promised to individual people who put their trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

It is helpful to consider that eternal life starts right now. Sometimes we think eternal life only applies to heaven and that is true in the sense that it never ends. Still, we don’t have to wait for eternal life. We have that hope right now. The same life and presence of God that will be with us unto all eternity is with the believer right now.

The wonderful message of eternal life waited for the right time in God’s plan. But when the time was right – in due time – God showed everyone His plan, the plan now proclaimed in His word through preaching.

Think about those words: in due time. Christianity came into the world at a time when it was uniquely possible for its message to spread rapidly.

– There was a common language across the entire Roman Empire, a language of trade, business, and literature.

– There were virtually no frontiers because of the vast nature of the Roman Empire.

– Travel was comparatively easy. It was slow, but relatively safe because of the security that the Roman Empire brought to roads and sea routes.

– The world was largely at peace under the “Peace of Rome” (Pax Romana).

– The world was uniquely conscious of its need for a messiah and savior. The historian and Bible commentator William Barclay said, “There was never a time when the hearts of men were more open to receive the message of salvation which the Christian missionaries brought.”

In due time, when the time was right, God sent His message of eternal life through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Thank Him for that, and rest in knowing that His timing is also perfect in your life.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1

Letter to Titus

Wahrheit und Gottesfurcht in einem

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Paulus, Knecht Gottes und Apostel Jesu Christi, gemäß dem Glauben der Auserwählten Gottes und der Erkenntnis der Wahrheit, die der Gottesfurcht entspricht. (Titus 1,1)

Der Apostel Paulus hatte viele Gefährten und Mitarbeiter. Einer von ihnen war ein junger Mann namens Titus. Sie verbreiteten zusammen die gute Nachricht von Jesus Christus und errichteten Gemeinden unter den Gläubigen auf der Insel Kreta.

Letter to Titus

Es kam der Tag, an dem Paulus gehen musste und Titus mit einer schweren Aufgabe zurückließ. Paulus wollte seinem jungen Mitarbeiter Anweisungen geben und ihn ermutigen, also schrieb er ihm diesen Brief. Vom Heiligen Geist inspiriert war dieser Brief nicht nur für Titus hilfreich, sondern für alle Kinder Gottes durch alle Zeiten hinweg.

Weil sein Brief vom Heiligen Geist inspiriert war und Teil des Neuen Testaments ist, hat jedes Wort und jeder Satz Tiefe und Bedeutung. Wir können sowohl von seinen allgemeinen Themen als auch von jedem einzelnen Wort und Satz lernen. Der erste Satz des Briefes – Titus 1,1 – ist ein gutes Beispiel dafür wie viel, unter der Leitung des Heiligen Geistes, mit wenigen Worten gesagt werden kann.

Erstens sehen wir, wie Paulus sich selbst sieht: als Knecht Gottes und als Apostel Jesu Christi. Man kann sich nur schwer einen niedrigeren Titel vorstellen als Knecht. Das ursprüngliche Wort spricht nicht nur von einem niedrigen Sklaven (ein griechischer Gelehrter nannte es „den verachtenswertesten und unterwürfigsten Ausdruck der griechischen Sprache für Sklave“), es war auch das Wort für einen freiwilligen Sklaven. Für Paulus war es eine Ehre, diesen demütigenden Titel zu tragen – er war ein freiwilliger Knecht, ein Sklave Gottes. Doch er war auch ein Apostel, ein Botschafter Gottes, einer von denen, die von Gott beauftragt wurden, das Fundament der Gemeinde zu bauen (Epheser 2,20).

Paulus sagte, dass seine Berufung zum Knecht und zum Apostel gemäß dem Glauben der Auserwählten Gottes und der Erkenntnis der Wahrheit war. Seine Berufung lag nicht darin, weil Gottes Auserwählte glaubten, sondern in der Harmonie mit dem Glauben, den Gottes Auserwählte teilten. Man erkennt die Auserwählten daran, dass sie die Erkenntnis der Wahrheit haben – sie glauben und bekennen die Wahrheit darüber, wer Jesus ist und warum Er kam und besonders was Er am Kreuz für uns tat.

In diesem Vers ist mindestens noch ein wichtiger Gedanke. Paulus schrieb, dass die Wahrheit, die Gottes Auserwählte erkennen, der Gottesfurcht entspricht. Sie stimmt mit einem gottgefälligen und moralischen Leben überein. Ein gottloses Leben, gezeichnet von Sünde und moralischen Kompromissen, erkennt die Wahrheit Gottes nicht.

Diese Wahrheit führt uns zu einem der großen Themen des Briefes an Titus: die Verbindung zwischen gesunder Lehre und einem gottgefälligen Leben. Wahrheit und Gottgefälligkeit sollten immer Hand in Hand gehen. Von Zeit zu Zeit sollten wir uns selbst beurteilen: Glaube ich an die Wahrheit, insbesondere über Jesus und Sein Werk für mich? Lebe ich gottgefällig, übereinstimmend mit der Wahrheit und der Natur Gottes? Wir müssen immer daran denken, dass beides wichtig ist, und dass es eine Verbindung gibt zwischen dem richtigen Glauben und dem richtigen Leben.

Letter to Titus

Truth and Godliness, in One Accord

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Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness. (Titus 1:1)

The Apostle Paul had many associates and co-workers. One of them was a younger man named Titus. They worked together spreading the good news of Jesus Christ and establishing churches among the believers on the island of Crete.

Letter to Titus

The day came when Paul had to leave, and Titus was left behind to continue a difficult work. Paul wanted to instruct and encourage his young co-worker, so he wrote this letter to him. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, this letter was not only helpful for Titus, but also for God’s people through all ages.

Because this writing was inspired by the Holy Spirit and rightfully including among the writings of the New Testament, each word and phrase has depth and meaning. We can learn from both its broad themes and individual words and phrases. The first line of the letter – Titus 1:1 – is a good example of how, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so much can go into a few words.

First, we see how Paul referred to himself: both a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. It is hard to think of a lower title than bondservant. The original word speaks not only of a low slave (one Greek scholar called it “the most abject, servile term in use among the Greeks for a slave”), it was also the word for a slave by choice. Paul took glory in such a humble title – he was a willing servant, a slave, of God. Yet he was also an apostle, a uniquely designated ambassador of God, one of those commissioned by God to lay that one-time foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20).

Paul said that his calling as a bondservant and an apostle was according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth. His calling wasn’t because of the faith of God’s elect, but in harmony with the faith (the belief, the truth) shared among God’s elect. One way we can know who the elect are is that they make this acknowledgment of the truth – they believe and confess the truth about who Jesus is and what He came to do for us, especially His work on the cross.

There is at least one more important thought in this verse. Paul was careful to write that the truth acknowledged by God’s elect accords with godliness. It is consistent with godly, moral life. An ungodly life, marked by sin and moral compromise, doesn’t really acknowledge the truth of God.

This truth brings us to one of the big themes of Paul’s letter to Titus: the link between sound doctrine and godly living. Truth and godliness should always be in one accord. From time to time we need to do the self-assessment: Do I believe the truth, especially about Jesus and His work for me? Do I walk in godliness, consistent with the truth and nature of God? We must always remember that both are important, and there is a real connection between right belief and right living.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1