Titus 1:1-4 – Being trustworthy stewards with a trustworthy message

Although the cultural context that Titus faced was unlike ours, yet the message in this letter to him has a lot of relevance for the church today. A close examination of the text will reveal that in three short chapters, Paul managed to deal with quite a number of issues. Like most of his letters, this one also carries doctrinal contents for the believers today. Paul began in the first chapter touching on matters relating to the church; in the second chapter, issues relating to the homes; and finally in the third chapter, things relating to the world.

In the opening verse, Paul described himself both as a slave as well as an apostle. As a slave he assumed a position of humility, and as an apostle, he recognized his God-delegated authority.  In the work entrusted to him, Paul was able to skillfully hold the two roles in proper tension. In calling himself an apostle, Paul acknowledged the special commission of the Gospel he was called to steward. So he clearly stated the purpose of his appointment. He was commissioned “for the faith of the chosen of God and the knowledge of truth which is according to godliness, in the hope of eternal life …” (verses 1-2).

Note the several elements that were mentioned: faith, knowledge of truth and hope of eternal life. We need to know that the Christian faith is not subjective because it rests on the objective truths of God. Hence, it is important that believers not only need faith but also the knowledge of the truth. Here, Paul even defined the type of knowledge that believers need. He was not talking about any knowledge but only those that would lead to godliness. Another element he talked about here was the hope of eternal life. The Christian hope is different from other hopes, in that its object is eternal life. This hope bears several unique characteristics: It was a promise of God (verse 2), who cannot lie for He would never violate nor deny His own nature (verse 2). This trustworthy God had made known this message through the preaching entrusted to Paul at His appointed time.

Having introduced himself, Paul then went on to address Titus. Here, Paul called him my true child in the common faith. It is highly probable that Paul was instrumental in his salvation. He then wished him grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Like Paul and also Titus, we must learn to live in the realm of the domain of the King, Jesus our Lord. For we are His Kingdom people with His Kingdom message. We are called to be stewards of His message – the message of God’s grace and the peace that results from that grace. It is about the initiative of God which releases His blessings on humanity through Christ, so that we can enjoy Him. It’s about the peace that we can experience as a result of that grace that reconciled us with Him, and with one another within the Christian community. Let’s never allow the pronouncement of grace and peace to be merely a Christian crèche! Let’s live to demonstrate it! More importantly, to responsibly steward it!