PAUL continues to instruct Titus in his duties as a minister of Christ, and chief elder, or bishop, in Crete.

In this chapter Paul is placing before Titus how to minister to the congregation of believers. Paul places two important directions for ministry. The first is to build Christians up in their faith. The second is to teach Christians how they should behave in the culture of the day.

The first concern is dealt with quite shortly in verse 1. Paul tells Titus he must teach according to souind doctrine. The duty of every minister is to teach sound doctrine. The purpose of such teaching is so that Christians are strong in faith, and able to live to the glory of God in the world. Only sound doctrine builds up faith and character in the life of a believer. Error, as we saw in the last study, only promotes ruin of spiritual lives, and bring corruption into the life of the believer. This takes us back to Paul's greeting to Titus in chapter 1:1-4. Paul speaks of the preaching entrusted to him. By this we understand the truth, the gospel, the doctrine, which he had been taught by the Holy Spirit. This was the teaching he had given Titus as the common faith which united them in Christ. The minister must seek to know and understand, and live such truth and doctrine. If he or she does not then it will be impossible to teach the truth to others.

The other concern is the life and living of believers in the culture of the day. This is pressed on Titus by Paul because the word of God, the gospel, must not be maligned before the world (v.5). Also so that when the truth of the gospel is opposed by the world, there will be nothing in the life of believers which will undermine the truth, and cause shame amongst the fellowship (v.8). Also that the life and living of Christians may make the truth of the gospel attractive, and so encourage people to believe in Jesus (v.9). The point Paul is making is that Christians are waiting patiently for the return of Jesus which is the blessed hope all true believers are waiting and longing for (v.11-13). In the light of this hope believers should long to live and behave according to the character of this kingdom hoped for.

These verses explain to us that we are Christ's people, and citizens of his kingdom, and so we must show in our lives Christ-likeness, that is the character and behaviour which befits the people of God. This means we put away worldly passions � that is the ways of the world, and live godly lives � that is the life where God is seen to be worshipped and obeyed, and which reflects the goodness and holiness of God.

Paul is teaching Titus that it must be his chief concern that the life and society of the church, the congregation of believers, may commend the gospel, and so win souls and silence criticism and opposition. Paul is not addressing how society can be improved, so he does not say whether slavery is right or wrong, or should be abolished. Nor does he analyise the status and condition of women in the society of the day. He is not seeking to put right social wrongs, or inspire the believers to do so. What he is doing is seeing society as it was, and seeking to urge Titus to teach and encourage believers to so live their faith, that Christ may be commended, and there may be no levers in the behaviour and life of the church which the world can use against Christ and the gospel.

To achieve this aim Paul speaks of the different groups of people within the believing community, and seeing the areas where special caare need to be taken, and commands Titus to deal with these matters. So Titus is urged to minsiter for the elderly in the church, the older men and women, and how they behave and live their lives so the gospel is commended. He then goes on to think of family life and how this must shine with the character of Christ. He goes on to deal with the problems to which the younger members of the church face, and finishes with how slaves should conduct their lives in their slavery for the commending of Christ.

The point is that society in every age have particular directions where the behaviour of society and the world is not according to the way of Christ, and ministers should help and guide Christians, by teaching sound doctrine, how they should behave in society to reflect the glory of Christ.

Verse 11 is a pivotal verse. The grace of God in Jesus Christ has appeared when Christ came and died to provide the means whereby people may be reconciled to God. The way this appearing is made known to all is by the church, the body of believers. The way God makes the appearance of his grace known to the world is through the church. So the life of believers must show forth the wonder and blessing of God's grace.

This is important not just for the blessing of the world, but that we might not be ashamed when Christ returns. So believers must say no to ungodliness etc.