The book of Titus is a short letter written by the Apostle Paul to Titus, a fellow Christian and leader in the early church. The letter’s primary focus is on guidance for church leadership and godly living within the community of believers. It ought not to surprise us then that Titus speaks on relationships. Billy Graham remarked, “Relationships are the hallmark of the Christian faith. Our relationship with God and our relationship with others should be a driving force behind all we do.” These are powerful words and ought to cause us to want to pay attention to what Paul shares on this pivotal topic.
In Titus 3:1-8 Paul encourages believers to obey authorities, be kind and considerate to others, and remember God’s grace in their lives. It emphasizes the importance of avoiding quarrels and focusing on doing good deeds. This passage addresses personal and communal transformation.
Paul begins in verse 1, addressing proper conduct toward authorities. Paul instructs Titus to remind people to be submissive to rulers and authorities. Christians are to be good citizens. The danger in a passage like this would be to misuse it to justify passive submission to inappropriate acts and calls to action. Being subject to authorities does not mean we don’t question their decisions. Being subject to authorities does not mean we don’t raise our voices in protest to actions and decisions felt to be unjust or unfair. When the demands of authorities contradict the demands of the kingdom of God, the believer has no choice but to take the often costly stand and speak out – whether it means ostracism, punishment, exile, or even death. Therefore, we must obey rulers unless they tell us to disobey God and help with “good work” in our community.
Paul continues in verse 2 to speak of proper conduct towards all people. We believers must show courteous consideration at all times and under all circumstances. Christians are to influence for good by doing good and being peaceable and considerate toward others. This is only possible with genuine humility.
In verse 3, Paul then reminds us believers of our former state – before we came to Christ. We were “foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, and hated by others and hating one another.” As we look at this list, we can wrongly assume that sin and unrighteousness are primarily defined by outward acts. The Bible penetrates more deeply into the inner recesses of our very being. Sin is not necessarily a matter of destructive or unacceptable external behavior; it’s also a matter of inner attitude and maturation. As long as we major on the outward aspects of sin, we’ll never understand the fundamental nature of sin. However, because we believers were once bound by these ungodly acts and have been delivered by Christ, we should be gentle and try to help those still held captive by sharing the love and message of our Lord with them.
Paul proceeds in verses 4-7 to emphasize God’s grace. He writes, “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared.” This speaks of amazing grace! God’s love for us appeared in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Jesus saved us. He did so not because of works done by us in righteousness. Jesus saved us according to His own mercy. Salvation simply cannot be achieved by our good works. It’s all God’s doing from start to finish. Jesus saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. This inner cleansing is symbolized in Christian baptism. Regeneration (rebirth) and renewing are brought about by the Holy Spirit, who makes us “a new creation” in Christ. This new life results from a fundamental change, a cleansing, from sin to the beginnings of holiness as the believer is initially sanctified by the Spirit. The good news is that our faith places great hope in the future (heaven); our future calls us to take the present seriously, and our future renews our strength amid today’s hurts, failures, and frustrations.
Paul ends in verse 8 by instructing Titus to “insist on these things.” He is speaking of all he has mentioned in verses 4-7. This teaching should be affirmed so that those who have experienced this grace will make every effort to show it by continually doing “good works.” Think of it this way. Good works are not the cause but the necessary fruit of salvation.
We learn from Titus 3:1-8 that we are to be in a right relationship with God and others so that through humility, we who are being transformed will be transforming agents in the places where we live, work, go to school, and play. God’s grace in us should be evident by the respect we give to authorities and how we treat others. We were once ungodly like those yet to receive Christ, but God has changed us in ever-increasing Christlikeness. Therefore, we should maintain the fruit of our salvation, good works.
Imagine a community where people once lived in constant conflict, filled with bitterness and anger towards one another. But then, a transformative event took place. A flood of kindness and love flowed through this community. People started helping each other, showing genuine concern, and speaking words of encouragement. This transformation was not due to a sudden change in circumstances. It resulted from people coming to Christ for salvation, following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus. This is the picture Paul gives us in Titus 3:1-8. When we take Christ and Scripture seriously, lives, families, and communities are transformed. Titus 3:1-8 encourages us believers to be agents of positive change in our communities through sharing God’s Word as well as through acts of love and kindness, reflecting God’s grace, and transforming the world around us. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!