My God and My Country

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus Chapter One

1 Paul a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth, which is according unto godliness.

2 Unto the hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lie, hath promised before the world began:

3 But hath made his word manifest in due time through the preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior:

4 To Titus my natural son according to the common faith, Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest continue to redress the things that remain, and shouldest ordain Elders in every city as I ap-pointed thee.

6 If any be unreproveable, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, which are not slandered of riot, neither are disobedient.

7 For a Bishop must be unreproveable, as God’s steward, not froward, not angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre,

8 But harberous, one that loveth goodness, wise, righteous, holy, temperate,

9 Holding fast that faithful word according to doctrine, that he also may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine, and convince them that say against it.

10 For there are many disobedient and vain talkers and deceivers of minds, chiefly they of the Circumcision,

11 Whose mouths must be stopped, which subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

12 One of themselves, even one of their own Prophets said, The Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

13 This witness is true: wherefore convince them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.

14 And not taking heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men, that turn away from the truth.

15 Unto the pure are all things pure, but unto them that are defiled, and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but even their minds and consciences are defiled.

16 They profess that they know God, but by works they deny him, and are abominable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Editor’s thoughts:

Verse 2 - God is not a man that He would lie. He cannot lie for that would be against His holy nature. (See Numbers 23:19)

Verses 7-9 - The qualities that would make up the needed requirements for church elders, and those that would be placed in positions of authority. Primarily, one who would be slow to anger, (Read Proverbs 19:11), patient(Read 2 Timothy 2:24), and noble in so far as being one that acknowledges all good report, (Read Philippians 4:4). Likewise said person, must be strong and grounded, hold steadfast in the belief of Christ, for that is sound doctrine. It can be used to exhort or reprove as needed.

Verse 11 - Quite the opposite of the noted above. These are the types that would sell the Gospel for profits only, or worse yet, sell false doctrines that would profit them only, and not those who have purchased it. The Gospel is to be freely given to any that would seek it.

Verse 15 - We are here reminded of Acts 10:9-15 and likewise Mark 7:20-21

Verse 16 - The facade of the ungodly and the hypocrite. Acting as if they are righteous pillars of the community by words, but in works, they are anything but so, and are therefore unfit for any service.