Titus Simplified

Author & Audience

Author: The apostle Paul

Audience: Titus, a Trusted Gentile Companion of Paul

Titus was Likely Converted to Christianity By Paul

Titus 1:4 (NASB95)

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Paul Trusted Titus with a Lot of Big, Difficult Tasks, Such as:

Delivering Letters to Corinth

Collecting the Corinthian Contribution

And to Establish Leaders and Correct the Problems in the Churches on the Island of Crete

Titus 1:5 (NASB95)

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,

Crete was a Large Island in the Mediterranean Sea (2 Pictures)

It was Known as a Very Immoral Place

Titus 1:12 (NASB95)

12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

The Churches Throughout Crete Were Young and Inexperienced

Most of Them Were Gentiles, But There Were Some Jews as Well

Purpose

We See Several Related Purposes for this Letter:

For Titus to Oppose False Teachers Who are Ruining the Church

For Titus to Appoint Qualified Men to Be Elders in Every City…

So that They can Protect the Church and Refute False Teachers

For Titus to Teach the Truth of the Gospel…

So that it Will Bring About Good Behavior and Works

Theme

The Book is Primarily Focused on Stopping the False Teachers

But the Primary Concern is What the False Teaching Produces

It Doesn’t Lead to Godliness But to Godlessness

That’s One Way to Tell if a Teaching is True to the Gospel or is False…

By the Fruit that it Produces

Does this Teaching Lead People to Righteous/Godly Behavior?

Or Does it Lead to Unrighteous/Ungodly Behavior?

Crete was Already a Godless Place

They Were Famous for Their Immorality

But Paul Believed the Teaching of the Gospel Would Produce Godliness in the People of Crete

Outline

Chapter 1

Paul Reminds Titus of Why He Left Him in Crete:

To Set in Order the Things that Have Yet to Be Set in Order

Namely, to Appoint Elders in Every City

And Paul Lists the Qualifications These Men Must Have

They Needed Qualified Elders in Crete Because:

There are Many Rebellious People and Deceivers

Especially Some Judaizers Who Were Teaching Things They Shouldn’t for Money

Cretans Were Known to Be Liars, Evil, and Lazy

They Need to Be Shown the Error of Their Ways so They will Turn to the Truth

Those with Pure Hearts Prove it with Their Lifestyles

Those with Impure Hearts Deny God with Their Lifestyles

Chapter 2

Titus Needs to Teach the Truth

Older and Younger Men and Women and Slaves Ought to Have Good Behavior…

So that the Gospel will Be Respected By Outsiders

And So Those Who Oppose the Church will have Nothing to Accuse Them of

There are Many Reasons to Live Godly Lives as a Christian

One of Them is so that Outsiders can See…

The Beauty and Transformative Power of the Gospel

The Grace of God Through Jesus has Brought Salvation for All People

And the Gospel Saves and Trains Us to Live Godly Lives

This is Why We Were Made God’s Special People:

To Redeem Us, Purify Us, and Make Us Zealous for Good Works

This is What Titus is to Teach, Encourage, and Convict at Crete

Chapter 3

Titus Needs to Remind Them to Be Subject to Governing Authorities

Christians Ought to Be the Best Citizens

Titus 3:3–8 (NASB95)

3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,7 so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

This is a Key Passage in Titus Because…

It Presents the Gospel of Jesus:

We Were Lost in Our Sins

But Then God, in His Grace, Kindness, Love, and Mercy…

Sent Jesus and the Holy Spirit to Justify and Sanctify Us…

So that We can Have the Hope of Eternal Life

This Gospel is What Leads Us to Practice Good Works

This is Something Paul Believed Wholeheartedly in:

When the Gospel is Preached, it will Produce Good Works

Titus Should Avoid Arguments that are Unprofitable and Worthless

He Should Reject Those Who Remain Divisive After 2 Warnings

Christians Need to Learn to Practice Good Deeds…

So that Needs will Be Met…

And So We Won’t Be Useless in the Kingdom

Key Passage

Titus 2:11–14 (NASB95)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

By God’s Grace, Jesus Lived, Died, and Resurrected to Save All People From Sin and Death

He Instructed Us to Deny Ungodliness and Live Godly in this Present Age

He Purified Us and Made Us His Special People…

Who Do Good Deeds in His Name, for His Glory, and for the Benefit of All Creation

The Hope of His Return and Our Resurrection to Glorious, Immortal Bodies…

Is What Empowers and Motivates Us to Live Sensibly, Righteously, and Godly

When the Gospel of Jesus is the Center of What We Believe, Teach, and Live…

It Will Lead to the Justification and Sanctification of Ourselves and Others