Titus 1:3-4
To Titus, my true child in a common faith…
Even the openings of Paul’s letters are theologically rich. In our verses today, we find several doctrinal themes that will reappear in this letter. First, Paul’s emphasis on God’s authority and how it functions in the ministry of the apostle. Paul did not choose to be the Lord’s appointed but he was compelled to go forth as Christ’s messenger by the decree of “God our Savior.” The eternal life our Creator promised “before the ages began” becomes the possession of the elect as they trust in Paul’s preaching of the gospel, the Word of God itself. Next, Paul had a high doctrine of Christ as both the creator God and Christ Jesus whom he called “our Savior” which clearly identifies the Father and Son as equal in authority and glory. Paul’s words help us to see that Jesus is the incarnation of God Almighty and is truly God as well as truly man. Today, Christians deny the false deities in our culture and across the world when we call upon Jesus as the Savior. Then, Paul’s reference to salvation being displayed “at the proper time” shows us how the work of Jesus forms the very center of human history. Kairos, the Greek word for “time,” is used for events of great significance, not the passage of time. The gospel arrived at the proper kairos, at the time God appointed. Now, we look back on the cross as the center point of history, much as the old covenant saints looked forward to their ultimate redemption. Finally, Paul’s identification of Titus as his “true child in a common faith.” For Paul, blood ties were important, but not as important as our eternal family in Christ. Scripture says in many places that our real family is formed not by blood ties but through faith in Christ. In the end, only our relationships with true believers will endure eternally, and so we must look to the church to be our family and allow ourselves to be family to other believers. Do you have close relationships with other believers in your congregation? Let us all do what we can to strengthen the bond of love with other Christians.
Source: S C Ball May 11, 2024
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