“Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught” (Titus 1:9)

The Apostle Paul gave an extensive list of the character qualities that Titus was to look for in the men who should lead the churches on the island of Crete. That list (found in Titus 1:5-8) is helpful not only for selecting leaders, but also as a way to examine and measure our character as followers of Jesus Christ.

After the character is described, Paul then begins to tell us what those leaders should do. Again, these words have first relevance to leaders in the church, but they are not only for those leaders. In part, this explains how leaders should lead us, and where we need to be and go as Christians.

What should leaders do? They should be holding fast the faithful word.

This means first that the leader must be sure of the faithful word for himself. When he brings the word of God to people he must bring it with confidence and authority, not mixed with theological speculation and academic doubts.

Holding fast the faithful word also that the leader will stick to God’s word, instead of a focus on fads and programs for the church. If a man will not first stick to the word and will not then stick with the word of God, he is not qualified for leadership in God’s church.

Don’t miss the last part of this phrase. The leader should do this as he has been taught. This means that the leader has been under the teaching of someone else. A qualified leader doesn’t necessarily need to go to Bible College or seminary, but they do need to be taught and discipled by someone, not just themselves. No one is really safe to teach until they themselves have been taught.

These are important things for leaders – but also for everyday Christians. How about you? Do you hold fast the faithful word? Do you stick to the word of God? Remember the example of Eleazar the son of Dodo (2 Samuel 23:9-10). He fought the Philistines with such might that when the battle was over, his hand stuck to the sword. That’s a great illustration of holding fast the faithful word.

– Eleazar had his grip on the right thing – a sword. We need to put our hands on the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.

– Eleazar actually made use of his sword, and we must actually use the truth of God’s word instruct us, transforming our thinking and life.

– Eleazar held on to his sword tightly, and we must hold on tightly to the faithful word of God.

Believer, hold fast to the word of God – so tightly that you can’t let go of it!

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1

“Sober-minded…” (Titus 1:8)

What qualifies someone for leadership among God’s people? Surely, there must be a sense of calling, and the heart and gifts to match the calling. But those things are not enough, even if one were to add ambition to them. When God speaks of what qualifies someone for leadership, He speaks of character.

The list of character given in 1 Timothy 3 and here in Titus 1 not only gives us the character to look for in leaders and potential leaders, but it also gives us an important way to measure Christian maturity. The more this list describes our character, the more like Jesus we are.

These lists are more than measures of character, they are also goals to reach for. When we measure ourselves against a list like this and come up short, it gives us a direction to reach for. We trust that the truth of the gospel means we can be forgiven through what Jesus did for us on the cross, and that the new life He gives us can cause these qualities to grow within us.

The ancient Greek word we translate sober-minded (sophron) has the idea of being self-controlled, clear-thinking, and sensible. That’s a quality that seems to be in short supply today. We see this especially on social media and the internet, where people are so quick to rush to extreme opinions and statements, usually and little evidence.

The sober-minded person is not so quick to rush to judgment. Clear thinking is important to them. They aren’t constantly joking about everything, but they know how to deal with serious subjects in a serious way. In the mind of the Apostle Paul, this was an important quality in a leader. He used this root word ten times in his short letters to Timothy and Titus.

Warren Wiersbe wrote of this quality, “This does not man he has no sense of humor, or that he is always solemn and somber. Rather it suggests that he knows the value of things and does not cheapen the ministry or the Gospel message by foolish behavior.”

When it comes to foolish behavior, sometimes preachers can be the worst! Some preachers will do anything ridiculous to draw a crowd or please a crowd. I think God wants a preacher of His word to be serious about God’s message without taking himself so seriously.

Paul told us in another place using the same root word for sober-minded. Paul wrote, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

It’s not clear thinking to think too highly of yourself! May God give us clarity of thought about ourselves, about our present age, and most of all about God’s truth.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1

“But hospitable…” (Titus 1:8)

As Paul listed the character qualities Titus was to use to appoint leaders in among the many new churches on the island of Crete, we see here that he mentioned the practice of hospitality. This means that God regards this as one characteristic of a person qualified for leadership among the people of God. God sees if we are hospitable or not; God cares if we are hospitable or not.

The ancient Greek word that we translate hospitable is philoxenos, which simply means “lover (philo) of strangers (xenos).” It is a mark of godly character to love more than those of your own family or group, but to also have a love for strangers and foreigners.

By nature we may stick to our selves or to our own group. It may seem dangerous or foolish to extend love to strangers. But that is how God loved us. The Bible says that at one time we were strangers from God (Ephesians 2:12 and 2:19). When we were strangers from Him, He showed His love to us and invited us into His home.

The importance of hospitality ran deep in the ancient Middle East. When travelers crossed great distances over dry and dangerous ground, the hospitality of a stranger’s tent might mean the difference between life and death. Failing to help a needy stranger was a disgrace, and the gift of simple hospitality was greatly appreciated.

We love Psalm 23 as a beautiful description of God as our shepherd – and He is. But Psalm 23 also describes God as our host. He prepares a table for us, even in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5). As we come into God’s house He soothes our head with oil, a customary greeting practice among those ancient peoples (Psalm 23:5). He fills our cup with refreshment, so much so that it runs over (Psalm 23:5).

As it is with God, so it should be with His people. They should show the practice of hospitality with open homes and open hearts, giving this gift to both friends and strangers. It isn’t done to impress them with what wonderful hosts we are or how many beautiful things we have, but to bless them in Jesus name and to open our lives to them.

Romans 12:13 says that God’s people should be “given to hospitality.” That word “given” is a strong word, sometimes translated “persecute” (as in Romans 12:14). The idea is to “pursue” people you don’t know with hospitality. This is love in action, not just feelings – and something for every Christian, not only leaders. Open your home and your live to someone else soon.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1

For a bishop must be… not violent. (Titus 1:7)

As we read what the Apostle Paul wrote as a description of the character Titus should look for in leaders among God’s people, it’s good for us to ask: If I’m not a leader among the people of God, and don’t plan on being a leader, why should I care about this list? I can think of a few reasons why every Christian should care about this list.

1. Every Christian should care about this list because it gives God’s description of what spiritual maturity and godliness practically look like. We may never have the calling to leadership, but every Christian should grow towards the character of a godly leader.
2. It helps us to understand what God expects of the leaders we should respect and pray for in God’s church.
3. In many ways it gives us a wonderful description of Jesus in His earthly life. He perfectly fulfilled all God’s expectations for leaders.

Here, the fifth quality (or sixth, depending on how one counts) is that the bishop or leader must be not violent. It should go without saying, but it still needs to be said: there is no place for a leader among God’s people who is violent towards others.

He must not be violent towards those he works with, and those who in some sense work for him. He must not be violent in any way that would force himself upon a woman. He must never be violent towards his wife, and if it is appropriate for him to spank his children it must always be done without anger and in proper measure.

Normally, we think of only two exceptions to this for a leader among God’s people. The first is if he does it in correct measure under proper authority, as a solider or an officer of the law. The second is if he does it in self-defense, and then only in proper measure.

Yet there is something else to see here, pointed out by William Barclay. He said that the ancient Greeks understood the meaning of this word to include not only physical violence, but also verbal abuse. It might be that this was Paul’s focus here. Usually we understand that those who have a problem with physical violence are not qualified for church leadership. But it is more common to make excuses or overlook when a man is verbally abusive to others, especially if he thinks he does it for the goal of church work or ministry. But if someone is consistently verbally abusive to others (not necessarily the occasional, rare outburst), they should not be leading God’s people.

Think about it: Jesus was never violent or abusive. He spoke strong words of rebuke, but never in a sinful way. He turned over tables in the temple courts, but never struck another person. To pay our debt of sin, Jesus received violence; He didn’t give it out. If you have a problem with being physically or verbally violent to others, remember that Jesus took violence on Himself to pay for that sin, to defeat its power in your life, and to pour out His grace upon you to help build new habits that please God. Jesus also died to rescue the violent man, and to transform him into a strong yet gentle man, into the image of God’s Son.

Click here for David’s commentary on Titus 1