Daily Scripture Reading Titus 1:1 - 2:5

Many people who regularly attend church will often say how much they love God and want to serve Him. The dominant philosophy within Christianity is to believe the words of people when they profess their love for God. Anyone who expresses any skepticism about the sincerity of that professed love is denounced.

Today, we are going to start reading the book of Titus. We are going to see a verse which basically teaches us that actions speak louder than words. This means that just because someone claims to love God, does not mean it is true.

Titus 1:1 ¶ Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and the full knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,

The very first word tells us Paul wrote this letter. He described himself as a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus.

Notice the word “for”. The words that come after the word “for” tell us why Paul is an apostle. There are two reasons. The first reason is to build the faith of the elect. The second reason is for full knowledge of the truth. This verse does not say Paul is an apostle in order to make people feel good or give them an emotional high. Instead, knowledge of the truth is the goal.

Many modern churches are focused on ritual or giving people an experience that lifts their spirits. The emphasis should be upon learning the Bible.

Titus 1:2 in the hope of eternal life, which the God who cannot lie promised from all eternity,

Titus 1:3 but at the proper time manifested His word in preaching, with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,

Titus 1:4 ¶ To Titus, my genuine child according to our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus 1:5 ¶ 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,

This verse tells us why Paul wrote this letter. Paul had left Titus in Crete, and this letter was instructions on what Titus was supposed to do in Crete.

Acts 27:9 tells us Paul spent “considerable time” in Crete when he was being taken to Rome as a prisoner. That journey is the first and only time Crete is mentioned in the book of Acts.

The first task assigned to Titus was to appoint elders. The word “elders” is plural. We see throughout the New Testament that each church should have multiple elders. Notice Paul did not tell Titus to appoint a Pastor in each city. The idea of a church being led by a single pastor is not biblical.

Titus 1:6 namely, if any man is beyond reproach, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, who are not accused of dissipation, or rebellious.

Titus 1:7 For the overseer must be beyond reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of dishonest gain,

In this verse Paul used the word “overseer”. This tells us elders and overseers are synonymous.

Titus 1:8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled,

Titus 1:9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to reprove those who contradict.

Titus 1:10 ¶ For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,

Titus 1:11 who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of dishonest gain.

Titus 1:12 One of themselves, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Titus 1:13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,

Titus 1:14 not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

Titus 1:15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and unfit for any good work.

The pronoun “they” refers to the rebellious men mentioned in verse 10. Look at the word “profess”. The rebellious men claim to know God. Now look at the word “but”. Even though the rebellious men say they know God, their actions prove they don’t.

This verse tells us that actions speak louder than words.

Modern society puts a lot of emphasis on feelings and emotions. Many people believe we should always assume the best of other people. This philosophy insists that if someone claims to know God, then they should be believed.

However, this verse indicates we should look at their actions. If their actions contradict the words that come out of their mouths, then we should believe their actions, not their words.

Titus 2:1 ¶ But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.

Titus 2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance.

Titus 2:3 ¶ Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

Titus 2:4 so that they may instruct the young women in sensibility: to love their husbands, to love their children,

Titus 2:5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be slandered.

Look at the last phrase “so that the word of God will not be slandered”. One of the results of wives not submitting to their husbands is that the word of God will be slandered. This contradicts the current mentality within Christianity which believes the teaching about wives submitting to their husbands is not a big deal and can be downplayed or ignored.

Many people who regularly attend church will often say how much they love God and want to serve Him. The dominant philosophy within Christianity is to believe the words of people when they profess their love for God. Anyone who expresses any skepticism about the sincerity of that professed love is denounced.

However, Paul wrote that there are rebellious men who profess to know God, but their actions prove otherwise. This teaches us that actions speak louder than words. When there is a contradiction between what people say and what they do, we should believe their actions, not their words.

What examples do you see of people in the church saying one thing, but their actions demonstrate something else?

Are there rebellious men in Christianity who profess to know God, but their actions prove they are denying God?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”