Titus is a contemporary of Timothy. Titus was a young preacher that would pastor on the island of Crete. He would also be challenged by the same type of false prophets that Timothy had been challenged by. Titus was a Greek believer and was loved and trusted by Paul. This letter was to help Timothy grow into proper leadership in his own church. The island of Crete was a culture of self indulgence...discipline was not rewarded or respected by society. Do you see any similarities today?
Paul talked about living a good life.....as my study Bible puts it, Our service won't save us, but we are saved to serve.
Character was very important....just being educated or to have a following isn't enough. Who you are is as important as what you do.
Church relationships were also important...teaching must relate to various groups. Crete had all sorts of Christians coming together and this could be a source of conflict if not handled correctly. Different generations were also important. The role of Father in a Greek church was only a functional role, it was not a nurturing role...many young men were living in families where fathers had neglected responsibilities to their wife and children. Do you see any of that happening today?
Citizenship was the last major theme in this letter....you should be the same in your community as you are in your church.
Look what comes up from the depths of the sea.
After you read, feel free to make a comment or ask a question in the comment box. You can sign up as a follower on the right, or you can sign up by e-mail at the bottom if you would like to follow the whole year. You may also chose to simply read along and make no comments. Whatever you choose. If you fall behind, as most people will do, don't worry...the whole year is here and you can catch up at your own speed. I highly encourage you to stick with it, If you read the Bible, you are going to mine some real jewels and insights.
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