Titus 1: 1-16

(Titus 1: 1-16)『Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:  If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.  For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;  Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. 』

 

Around 65 AD, a Christian community was formed on the island of Crete, east of the Mediterranean Sea, and today on Crete. Although it is not explicitly stated in the Bible whether the community was first initiated by Paul's evangelism or already existed prior to Paul's evangelism, it was clear that Paul and Titus preached the gospel on the island. So, Cretan Christians were under Paul's spiritual guidance and influence. Paul left Titus there for this little Christian community. And, through a letter to Titus, Paul conveys a call for the Christian community.『For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: 』

Titus remained there for two missions. The first task was to finish what Paul had not done. Titus' mission was to correct false teachings spread through the circumcision and to instruct people with the right words. Paul's unfinished work, "correcting false teachings and raising people with the word," was left to Titus.

The second task is to establish elders in each castle. Paul says that he was commissioned to awaken the faith of those who were chosen by God, to become apostles to awaken the knowledge of the truth, and to do so, to proclaim the word of God's promise. "Leave Titus there" was the mission God had entrusted to Paul, to awaken faith and to awaken the knowledge of the truth, to save God's people for this purpose, to build God's people in each city. .

Paul exhorted Titus, the co-worker, "to establish a co-worker to join the ministry of the Word that awakens people's faith and awakens the knowledge of the truth, and raises elders, true leaders." This is because there will be a history of establishing a distorted thing, fixing a false thing, and building a broken home through those who participate in the "mission that God has given to Paul" in each city. When setting up a leader that God wants, the proper condition to look at is 『If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 』

 Paul directed the director, "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
Jesus asked to deny himself. It is to give up giving up one's righteousness. The bishop is the object of not only believers but also unbelievers. It must be like the light of the world. God has already declared to the Saints that you are the light. This is because the saints are born again as spirit bodies. That is why they do not love the world. If those who don't, become bishops, the church loses light and is turned away from the world.