THE BOOK OF TITUS
Titus |ˈtīdəs| a book of the New Testament, an epistle of St. Paul addressed to St. Titus.
The book of Titus is a letter from the Apostle Paul to his missionary friend and brother in the faith, Titus.
"This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim FAITH to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.” Titus 1:1-2
We can learn so much about what it looks like to live a godly life from these men. This book is full of practical application for living out the gospel in everyday life. And for all my single ladies—it even has a great list of character qualities you should look for in a man. That’s right—Paul is describing what “elders” (or male leaders in the church at that time) should be like. Let’s take a look…
“An elder [a godly man] must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. For an elder must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching...” Titus 1:6-9
I like this verse because it shows us what a godly, righteous man is supposed to look like. When you’re looking for someone to date or marry—start looking for the qualities Paul writes about in Titus 1:6-9. These are the high standards and characteristics Paul thought were beneficial for the church—and I think are beneficial in marriage! These were the things I noticed in Field that set him apart from every other guy I had dated I the past. I was attracted to him physically, but his godly character was what made me know I could trust him to lead our future family.
The book of Titus not only describes what a godly man should look like—it describes what godly PEOPLE should look like. The book of Titus is only 3 short chapters, but it holds a great deal of wisdom for living as a believer in Christ. We compiled a list of things Paul encouraged the church to do—and things he warned against. Let’s pray these together today…
FATHER, HELP ME NOT TO…
- slander others (2:3, 3:2)
- avoid quarreling (3:2)
- not get involved in foolish discussions about spiritual pedigrees, quarrels, or fights (3:9)
FATHER, HELP ME TO…
- promote the kind of living that reflects wholesome teaching (2:1)
- exercise self control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely (2:2)
- have sound faith and to be filled with love and patience (2:2)
- live in a way that honors God (2:3)
- teach others what is good (2:3)
- love my family and friends, to live in wisdom and purity (2:4)
- be a hard worker, to do good, and to be honoring and submissive to leadership (2:5)
- submit to the government and its officials (3:1)
- be obedient, always ready to do what is good (3:1)
- be gentle, showing true humility to everyone (3:2)
- devote myself to doing good (3:8)
- do all I can to meet the needs of others (3:14)
Amen!
Titus 2:11-14 tells us that our lives should reflect the godly behavior listed above—because of what Jesus has done for us.
“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to ALL people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds.” Titus 2:11-14
I’m praying with and for you today—that we would be deeply convicted to live the godly lives Christ died to give us. Let’s honor Him with everything we say and do.
XO-
Sabrina
“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his GRACE he declared us RIGHTEOUS and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7