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"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone."
(Titus 3:1-2)
Let's study Titus 3:1-8 together this week. The book of Titus is a letter written by Paul to a young pastor, Titus, on the island of Crete. It was a very pagan place, yet the letter does not have a great deal of doctrinal and behavioral correction like we see in other letters, like the letters to the Corinthians. This would lead us to believe that the Christians of Crete that Paul is writing to are rather sound in their doctrine. The letter really focuses on how they can be effective ministers and evangelists where they live. The first two of only three short chapters in Titus focus on how they ought to go about raising up strong believers within the churches: with qualified leaders and active, intergenerational discipleship. Chapter 3, however, really turns to give instruction on their evangelism to those outside the church.
Read the first two verses of Titus 3 (written above) once more. Here is Paul's wisdom and instruction to the believers in Crete on how they can have an effective testimony to outsiders with how they live. If you read chapter 2, you'll know that Paul isn't suggesting that they just live good lives and not bother with opening their mouths to teach about Jesus (the whole "preach the Gospel and if necessary use words" idea). Indeed, nobody can be saved by ONLY seeing the good lives of Christians; they must hear the Gospel in order to respond to it for salvation. However, the living testimony of a life transformed by Jesus is essential to displaying Jesus to the lost world. Here are Paul's instructions:
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient: The authorities of Crete were, in all likelihood, all unbelievers. Paul encourages the Christians that how they act as citizens is an important piece of their testimony as believers. Of course, we know that we are not to follow earthly laws that would require us to directly violate the law of God, but the way that we obey civil authority should be a testimony to the lost around us.
To be ready to do whatever is good: A strong way to display Jesus through our lives is to be active doers of good, not just when we're having a good day, not just when things are working out the way we want, but we ought to always be ready to do good. Doing the right thing, even in small situations, is an opportunity for us to point to the goodness of our God, who always and only does what is good.
To slander no one: Speech is a powerful thing. Would your friends at work know there is something different about you from how you refuse to participate in the gossip and "venting" about others that goes on?
To be peaceable and considerate: One of the ways that Jesus describes people of the Kingdom in the Beatitudes of Matthew 5 is by telling us, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Do we look to make peace, or do we stoke the fires of conflict and quarrels?
To always be gentle toward everyone: We live in a rather cutthroat and harsh world. The kind gentleness of how we speak and act toward others stands in contrast to the lostness around us. Gentleness often requires patience and humility. In our ever-on-the-go and me-first society, gentleness points the lost to our Savior.
As you look at the commands that Paul gives in these two verses, which one stands out as the most difficult for you to live out? Don't be discouraged. We are all works in progress. How can you be a better living testimony to the lost around you? Look to Paul's instructions here and ask the Lord to help you better point others to Christ through one of these practices today.
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