Over the years, I have read a significant number of leadership books, such as The 360 Degree Leader, Lincoln on Leadership, The Leadership Challenge, and one of my favorites, Leadership Principles of Atilla the Hun. I even have a graduate degree in Leadership for Evangelism and Discipleship. With all of this said, I am no stranger to leadership material. By far, my favorite leadership book is Titus.
Titus is a book on Christian leadership that provides a plan for developing a healthy church that’s not quick and easy but effective. It’s important to remember that God’s church is the sum total of every one of His followers. Therefore, Titus deals with the church’s structure and how a sanctified church operates in a fallen world.
Paul is writing to Titus, who is on Crete, while he is wintering in Nicopolis, instructing Titus on how to execute a leadership plan on Crete. Titus is a Greek who probably was led to Christ through Paul’s ministry. He is Paul’s special representative to the church on Crete. Titus’ parents might have been nobles from Crete. Church tradition teaches that Titus is believed to have died in Crete. The book of Titus was written around AD 64, about the same time Paul wrote 1 Timothy.
The opening greeting in Titus is much longer in proportion to the total length of this letter than that of any of Paul’s other letters. This is an excellent reason to give it a serious look. Paul writes, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior” (Titus 1:1-4).
What does this greeting have to do with us today? Let me share three lessons we learn from Paul’s greeting to Titus. I share them in no particular order. First, truth is always inseparably linked with godliness. Doctrine becomes hazardous when it’s divorced from godly living. Doctrine is the body of teachings of the Christian faith concerning its central beliefs, which is grounded in Scripture and aims to maintain the integrity of Christianity. It’s of central importance in Christian preaching and teaching in that it equips the people of God for effective and faithful service in his world. Truth must produce goodness, or it’s not truth.
Godliness consists of expressions in everyday living of the character of God. Since God is love, godliness consists of loving in word and deed. Since God is mercy, godliness consists of being merciful. Since God is patient and kind, godliness is expressed through patience and kindness. The point is that while our expressions and behaviors will never achieve godly perfection, our being perfected enables us to reflect the nature of God Himself through our devotion and obedience to Christ. Therefore, putting God’s truth into practice, godliness is not the work of a special few but is the natural flow of a life in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Second, eternal life begins in the here and now, but it’s also a hope because it’s not yet a completed reality in our experience. In one sense, the believer has eternal life in Christ now. But in another sense, it’s yet to come. There is no doubt to be in Christ is to have eternal life. We read in 1 John, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). We don’t have to wait until we die to experience eternal life. In this sense, eternal life refers to quality more than duration. But eternal life also affirms that death is not the end of our lives. We have yet to experience the reality of this aspect of eternal life. The hope Paul speaks of is not a mere wish-dream because of Jesus’ victory over death in his resurrection.
The last lesson from Paul’s greeting that I will share is that identity matters. Believers are to find their identity in Christ, which speaks of who we are and our purpose. Paul clearly understood who he was in Christ and how that affected his purpose. Paul reminds Titus of who he is in Christ and, therefore, how that affects his purpose. All believers must be mindful of who they are in Christ and how that affects their purpose. As God’s child, identified with Him through Jesus Christ, you are loved, chosen, forgiven, redeemed, and adopted. God is the one who grows our faith and makes us new. As we believe the things that He says of us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can do what He has called us to do. As we continue to move from one degree of Christlikeness to another, we are not only blessed but also genuinely able to bless others as His people, the church of Jesus Christ.
Growing up in my home, I was regularly reminded of what being a part of the Cooper household meant. In fact, I came to understand the benefits and expectations of being a Cooper. The benefits centered around being family. As a Cooper, I understood I was not alone; I had a whole family supporting me. I also was made keenly aware of the expectations. A Cooper doesn’t lie; we are faithful, strong, and on and on. When I was out and about, I represented the family and was expected to behave in a manner worthy of that name and never to bring dishonor to the Cooper name. When I did, I was corrected.
I guess this is why I found it more natural to accept that I am part of the family of God. I bear God’s name, identified with Him through Christ. I have been granted eternal life and called to share that such a life is available to all who receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. I also understand that the gospel truth is tied to godliness. I need to put my faith in practice for my good and the goodness of others. I am a child of God, and like Paul and Titus, all of us who are, receive great benefits and expectations, which Paul lays out for us in Titus.
I want to share this part of Paul’s greeting as a benediction of sorts. To you, my church family, “grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” Grace and peace bring two remarkable thoughts together. Grace is God’s underserved and unearned favor at work in our lives through Jesus. It results in a sense of harmony and well-being, the peace of God. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!