That’s correct, four verses. Titus is a fairly short book (46 verses, 3 chapters) so I feel an more expositional approach is possible. I often find a deeper dive into scripture is a healthy thing, especially since Paul is adept at packing large amounts of content and meaning into each verse.
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (v1-4)
Paul states multiple purposes for this letter to Titus, a leader in the early Greek (gentile) church:
– to encourage faith and truth in the young church community (including in Titus)
– to model and encourage obedience to God and His will
– to affirm who God is, establish His sovereignty, and list some of His altruistic attributes
– to affirm who Jesus is (God incarnate), and state His role of Savior
– to remind them of the gift of eternal life available through Jesus Christ
– to propagate the mission of teaching and preaching the gospel
Paul’s desire for the wellbeing of the church is clear, even in his letter’s introduction. Paul exudes Jesus’ love for people by empathetically writing this letter in a spirit of encouragement and guidance.
Have you ever seen a sibling in Christ (or an entire church body) struggle? I think most of us have. Has God tapped you on the should and asked you to help them? He did that with Paul, and it’s possible He wants to work through us in that same way.
I encourage us to listen for God’s prompting when we learn of a need. As we approach them, we can frame our intent much as Paul did: “Hey, God asked me to encourage you in this…” Not everyone responds well to an offer of ‘help’ or ‘advice’, however, I know very few people who don’t respond well to ‘an offer of encouragement’.
Paul and Jesus both approach people in non-threatening ways. I picture them both having a warm and loving smile on their faces, even when they are offering correction. We too can learn this skill and use it to encourage others in alignment with God’s guidance, word and will.
Father God, our Protector and Provider, You are awesome in love and deed. Father You give us much guidance, and Your love is so great we overflow with it. May that abundance encourage and edify our siblings in Christ, enabling them to love others even more. May You establish a community of encouragers, and those who are being encouraged, so together we can help build Your kingdom. In the name of Jesus our Savior and Redeemer we praise You, amen.
~ Conqueror in Training