I. Greetings (Titus 1:1-4)

I. Greetings (1:1-4)

1:1-4 Paul calls himself a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ. Thus, he’s operating on God’s agenda, not his own. Paul’s goal is to build up the faith and knowledge of God’s people. Why? To lead them to godliness (1:1) so that their lifestyle honors the God who gave them eternal life (1:2), which is one of the primary goals of election (see Eph 1:4-5).

God promised eternal life before time began (1:2) but brought it about in his own time (1:3). You can bank on God’s promises. Anything he says in eternity is guaranteed in time. But you’re dependent on his schedule. The timing for Jesus’s entry into the world was perfect—and so is the timing for everything God does in your life.

Paul writes to Titus, his pastoral delegate on Crete. Paul either led Titus to Christ or nurtured him in the faith since he calls him his true son in their common faith (1:4). He wants Titus to help the churches conduct themselves properly, reflecting the values and behavior of their heavenly Father. When we live under our parents’ roofs, we must submit to the rules and ethics of their houses. Similarly, God’s people must conform to his guidelines that govern the church. Thus, the church needs to have its ministry coordinated effectively and sound doctrine firmly established.