ORDER IN THE CHURCHES
by E. L. Bynum
Lesson 1: Titus 1:16
Memory Verse: Titus 1:9
Introduction:
This epistle should be dated about the same time as I Timothy. Titus was a Greek (Galatians 2:1-3), and is not mentioned in the book of Acts. He is mentioned in II Corinthians 2:13; 7:6, 13, 14; 8:6, 16, 23; 12:18; and II Timothy 4:10. Paul was not in prison at the time He wrote this epistle. Titus 3:12. Titus had been sent to the Island of Crete, which was a very difficult place to correct all the doctrinal errors that had been introduced. Titus 1: 12-13
I. THE SALUTATION. vs. 1-4
A. Paul's Own Ministry Explained. vs. 1-3
1. He was a servant (slave) of God. v. 1
2. He was an Apostle of Jesus Christ. v. 1
3. God's elect. v. 1. Individuals as well as churches are God's elect, meaning that they arc chosen of God. Romans 8:33; Colossians 3:12.
4. This is always manifested through faith and acknowledging of the truth. v. 1; Ephesians 1:3-13; I Peter 1:1-5, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
5. The result is godliness. v. 1. Godliness produces good works. 1:16; 2:7, 14; 3:1, 5, 8, 14. Real salvation changes a person from a life of ungodliness to godliness. 2:12
6. Paul's hope founded on the eternal purpose of God. v. 2. Numbers 23:19, God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good ? I Peter 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
7. True believers have eternal life now. John 3:16; I John 5:11-12, And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. When the Lord comes we will fully enjoy it.
8. God's will is manifested through preaching. v. 3. I Corinthians 1:21, For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. The gospel did not come from man, but it came from God. Galatians 1:10-12, For do I now persuade men, or God ? or do I seek to please men ? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
9. This purpose manifested through Paul. v. 3
B. Paul's Own Greeting To Titus. v. 4
1. Paul's personal feelings toward his spiritual son. v. 4
2. The common faith is the faith once delivered to the saints. Jude 4, For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Paul's personal desire for Titus. v. 4 (Note that in 1:3; 2:10; and 3:4 he refers to God as Saviour. In 2:13 and 3:6 he refers to Jesus Christ as Saviour. (This shows that Paul believed in the equality of the Godhead and the absolute deity of Christ).
II. PROPER CHURCH ORDER AND SOUND PASTORS. vs. 5-9
A. Paul's Specific Commission Of Titus. v. 5
1. Paul left Titus in Crete to set things in order in the churches. v. 5
2. He was to ordain proper pastors in the churches. v. 5. Since pastors are to oversee the church, teach and preach to the church, proper order is largely in their hands. Acts 14:23, And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
B. God's Specific Qualifications for Pastors. vs. 6-9
1. The pastor's blameless home life. v. 6
a. His marriage must be right. No Divorce & remarriage.
b. His children still at home must be right. See I Timothy 3:4,5. They must be faithful, not accused of riotous living, and not unruly.
2. The pastor's blameless personal life. vs. 7,8
a. As a steward of God he must be blameless. v. 7a. A steward is one that is placed over a household as Joseph was. Genesis 39:19. He must he faithful. I Corinthians 4:1-2, Let a man so account of its, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of Cod. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. He must seek the good of his master. Luke 16:1-13
b. He must control his emotions. v. 7b. He is not to be self-willed and angry. Ephesians 4:26, Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.
c. He must not drink intoxicants. v. 7c
d. He must not be covetous or greedy of filthy lucre. v. 7d
e. He must treat others right. v. 8a
f. He must be sober minded and live an holy life. v. 8b. I Peter 1:16, Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
g. He must be temperate or self controlled. v. 8c. This applies to his appetites and actions. Galatians 5:23, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
3. The pastor's blameless Church life. v. 9
a. He must be sound in the Word of God. v. 9a
b. He must have a strong teaching and preaching ministry. v. 9b
c. He must preach sound doctrine and refute false doctrine. v. 9c
III. PROPER CHURCH ORDER AND UNSOUND TEACHERS. vs. 10-16
A. The Unsound Teachers Identified. vs.10-13a
1. They are unruly legalists, and were in it for the money. v. 10; Acts 15:1, 5, And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
2. They were guilty in subverting whole houses. Paul has nothing good to say about them, and their mouths must be stopped. v. 11a
3. They were teaching false doctrine, and they were doing it for money. v. 11. Such people are not to be treated kindly. In those days churches had to meet in homes, and this made if very easy for false teachers to gain entrance. Home Bible classes can be very dangerous, and are usually a place to introduce false doctrines.
4. One of the Cretian prophets had correctly stated their nature. vs. 12-13a. They were liars, beastly, and lazy gluttons.
B. The Remedy Specified. vs. 13b-16
1. They must be rebuked sharply to correct their doctrine. v. 13b. He was to "exhort and to convince" them (v. 9). In any event, "their mouths must be stopped" (v. 11).
2. They were to be turned front legalistic religion. v. 14. I Timothy 1:4, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Colossians 2:21-22, (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?
3. Their understanding of purity was wrong because of a defiled mind and conscience. v. 15. Their minds and consciences had been defiled. They were teaching the Jewish dietary laws and applying them to Christians.
4. Their profession of faith was disproved by their works. v. 16. They were false professors that did not know God. James 2:14-20, What cloth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what cloth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believes" that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead ?
5. There is no substitute for truth. John 8:32, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What is it that God cannot do?
2. How is God's Word manifested?
3. How did Paul describe Titus?
4. How can we know that bishops and elders are the same?
5. In what manner does Paul sneak of both God and Christ in the chapter?
6. Of what race was Titus?
7. After reading the references to Titus in the New Testament, how would you describe him?
8. What two things did Paul leave Titus in Crete for?
9. Describe the unsound teachers and the specified remedy!
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