THE CHRISTIAN AND GOVERNMENT God set up three institutions to provide for man's needs. Those are the home, the church and the government. He established governments to keep civil order. For that reason, Paul urged Christians to be subject to governmental authority (Titus 3:1). Their authority comes... [ Continue Reading ]
PAST SINFUL LIVES Those who were Christians at the time of Paul's writing were once involved in all sorts of sin (Titus 3:3). They were without spiritual understanding (foolish; 1 Timothy 6:9). Being disobedient toward God, they were led astray (2 Corinthians 11:3). They became enslaved to the passi... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVED BY GOD'S MERCY Yet, God was gently disposed toward all mankind. He initiated efforts to save man by sending the Savior to earth. Though man may do a multitude of good deeds, he cannot earn salvation. Instead, man's salvation comes as a result of God's mercy. The loving Father extends that merc... [ Continue Reading ]
A RESPONSE TO THE FALSE TEACHERS The false teachers would have had one believe salvation was through works of the law of Moses. However, Paul has just shown it is by God's mercy which man finds through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Spirit. On the basis of this truth, Paul ins... [ Continue Reading ]
CLOSING WORDS Paul apparently planned to send either Artemas or Tychicus to take Titus' place in Crete (compare 2 Timothy 4:12; Acts 20:4; Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7). Titus was then to join Paul in Nicopolis where he planned to spend the winter. Titus was also instructed to help Zenas and Ap... [ Continue Reading ]