“Paul’s Missionary Strategy Can Still Work Today”
Titus 3
The book of Titus may be short, but it is packed with excellent directives for the Christian church, regardless of the culture. Titus was a Greek Christian who Paul had asked to go to the island of Crete and appoint new leaders for the developing Christian churches he had started. Paul had established these churches then continued on his missionary journey. In the meantime, Creten Jewish Christians had taken over the leadership and their culture was having more impact on their leadership than the gospel. Titus was called to go and make some changes. To get an understanding of Cretan culture, the Greek word for “liar” was kretizo, or “to be Cretan.”
After reading the first two chapters of this book we have learned how Christians were called to live within their culture.
Paul had a strategy for missionaries. His central focus was for Christianity to be compelling. Where Christians live out their relationship with God culturally similar to those around them. However, their lives were to be based on a Biblical value system and to be devoted to God Almighty, rather than being based on the gods in the culture. Christianity was to be based on God’s generous grace.
Which brings us to chapter 3. God’s generous grace allowed Christians the freedom to be not only subject to their rulers and those in authority but to go beyond that and be ready to do whatever was good. Paul instructed Titus to remind the Christians to keep from slandering, to be peaceable and considerate and to always be gentle toward everyone. Definitely not part of the Cretan culture.
Wow! Not a lot like our culture either. Wouldn’t that be something, if everyone who called themselves a Christian today, actually lived like that today? Notice that being good, not slandering, peaceable, considerate and always gentle is to be done “toward everyone.” Not just the people you like, or with whom you agree, but everyone. Did you catch that, not just toward other Christians, but, “everyone.” It’s easy to do so with those you like and who are like you, but in order for Christianity to make a difference, and to be compelling, Paul was calling us to be Christlike to everyone, everywhere, like Christ.
In verses 4-7, Paul puts this idea in a poem.
“But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
He saved us,
not because of righteous things we had done,
but because of His mercy.
He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out on us generously
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
so that,
having been justified by his grace,
we might become heirs
having the hope of eternal life.”
In verse 4, Paul reminds us
But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,
He saved us,
not because of righteous things we had done,
but because of His mercy.
It is not what we have done that gives us hope, especially the hope of eternal life.
How often are we fooled by our culture to think differently?
We grow up being told that we have to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and get back in the fight.
“God helps those who help themselves.”
None of which is written in the Bible.
The truth be told, we are redeemed by God’s grace, period.
Anything we have, anything we have earned, is by God’s grace and should be considered a gift. That’s why the gospel works for everyone, regardless of where we find ourselves in society.
Young men and women, old men and women, slaves, rich, poor, leaders or followers are all saved by grace.
How did He save us by grace? Verses 5 & 6,
He saved us through the washing of rebirth
and renewal by the Holy Spirit,
whom He poured out on us generously
through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Why? Verse 7
so that,
having been justified by his grace,
we might become heirs
having the hope of eternal life.”
Titus was encouraged to stress these things. Christians were called to devote themselves to doing what is good. The church should be the agent of transformation, but too often we go about it the wrong way. Verse 9 describes one way to avoid,
“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.”
The Greek word, for “avoid,” peristemi, literally means to turn oneself about so as to face the other way. We are called to wisely participate in our culture, but not to participate through cultural wars or through assimilation. When those events occur, we are called to “turn so we are literally facing the other way” and not be a part.
Why? Because they are unprofitable and useless.
But in the turning we should not ignore, Martin Luther King once said,
“True peace is not merely the absence of tension;
it is the presence of justice.” —Stride Toward Freedom, 1958
Paul told Titus how to handle a person who was divisive. He was to warn them up to two times, and then third time, have nothing to do with them. At that point, their self-will made them self-condemned.
However, in our culture today, not so.
The person who is divisive is the one who gets their picture in the paper, and on the television. They are the ones who generate business and keep things profitable.
The truth doesn’t matter, much like in Crete in the first century, as long as you can attract attention and publicity. If we followed God’s Word, the divisive person wouldn’t be rewarded, they would be ignored. Sounds good to me.
Paul concludes his letter to Titus with some excellent suggestions. First Paul tells Titus to remember people.
These were real people, friends of Paul and fellow servants. Artemas and Tychicus were to come and help while Titus went to visit Paul. Zenas and Apollos were in need of support as they too were sent to share the gospel.
Second, Paul tells Titus to remind those in the Christian church to do good deeds. Verse 14,
“Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.”
Paul had a concern that Christians would keep to themselves, secure in their own salvation and not reach out to others.
By not devoting themselves to doing what was good, or providing for urgent needs, Christians would become barren and unfruitful. Jesus had a parable for this, it had to do with the vine that did not bear fruit, it would be cut off from the vine.
Paul’s missionary strategy can still work today. God’s people must learn to maintain good works and to meet urgent needs. Be in prayer this week as to how you can do just that. Use the words Paul wrote to Titus to encourage you along the way. Each of us has a cultural environment where we live. Ask God to open your eyes to the needs of those around you. Then ask Him how you can help in meeting them. Rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to first see the needs and second to help meet them. Then praise God for His grace.
Paul closes his letter the same way he opened it, by offering grace,
“Grace be with you all.”
Let’s pray.
