Titus 1:1-4

To each believer there is given a spiritual calling, a gift. 

Establishing your gift is a joint effort with you and Holy Spirit. He will teach you, precept by precept, and He will place you where He needs you for your good and the good of the Church.

Titus 1:1-4

1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, a true son in our common faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

Like many of Paul’s letters, the greeting begins with Paul identifying himself by name. The first line of the greeting he refers to himself as a slave and apostle. An Apostle is a  person designated by God to speak and act with special authority. This letter instructs Titus (and the Cretans) about the proper conduct of believers. Cretans had a reputation for ungodliness. God is trustworthy; His promises are certain.  

Titus was a non-Jewish missionary companion of Paul. Titus  is mentioned only in the apostle’s letters. Titus accompanied Paul to Jerusalem, where the apostles Peter, James, and John affirmed Paul’s ministry to the Gentiles. Titus also served as Paul’s representative to the church in Corinth, where he helped collect relief funds for the poor believers in Jerusalem. Because of his character and dedication, the apostle Paul and the churches held Titus in high regard. Faithlife Bible.

Paul introduces the theme of the book, good works, in the first verse with the term godliness. Good works or works appears eight times in this epistle. At least two other phrases parallel the good works theme: “reverent in behavior” and “adorn the doctrine of God”.

The salvation that God has promised to each of us who know His Son will be fulfilled; God is faithful to His promises.

The Greek word translated preaching was the word for the message proclaimed by a public herald. Paul places emphasis on the message, not the messenger. Christians should always focus on Christ, for He is the center of our faith, not any one preacher. The power is in the truth of what is preached, the good news that Christ has saved us from our sins. 

A king’s commission is a definite, official act, giving a person a task and authority to carry it out. Paul’s commission was as God’s “imperial secretary,” carrying the royal message of salvation. NKJ Bible.

All are the servants of God who are not slaves of sin and Satan. All gospel truth is according to godliness, teaching the fear of God. The intent of the gospel is to raise up hope as well as faith; to take off the mind and heart from the world, and to raise them to heaven and the things above. How excellent then is the gospel, which was the matter of Divine promise so early, and what thanks are due for our privileges! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God; and whoso is appointed and called, must preach the word. Grace is the free favour of God, and acceptance with him. Mercy, the fruits of the favour, in the pardon of sin, and freedom from all miseries both here and hereafter. And peace is the effect and fruit of mercy. Peace with God through Christ who is our Peace, and with the creatures and ourselves. Grace is the fountain of all blessings. Mercy, and peace, and all good, spring out of this. Matthew Henry Commentary.

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

2 Corinthians 8:23 If anyone inquires about Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you. Or if our brethren are inquired about, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ.

1 Timothy 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,