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Titus 1: Proclaim the Truth
How does our acceptance of truth lead us to godliness?
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Titus 1:1 God’s servant and special messenger of Jesus Christ, proclaiming faith among his people, those who accept the truth that leads to godliness,
King James
Titus 1:1 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;
How can we be sure of eternal life?
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Numbers 23:19 God does not have our human flaws. He cannot lie, nor can he do anything that later would be cause for repentance. When he makes a promise, you can be sure he will fulfill it. Whatever he says, he will do, always keeping his word.
Titus 1:1–2 From Paul, God’s servant and special messenger of Jesus Christ, proclaiming faith among his people, those who accept the truth that leads to godliness, with the hope of eternal life, a promise that God guaranteed from the beginning.
Revelation 13:8 Earth’s inhabitants, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain since the founding of the world, will worship the beast.
King James
Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Titus 1:1–2 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;
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Why should we want to tell others how God changed our life?
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Matthew 10:32–33 “If anyone publicly acknowledges me before men, I will publicly acknowledge him before my Father in Heaven. “But anyone who denies me before men I will deny before my Father in Heaven.”
Titus 1:3 The time has come to proclaim his truth. By the order of God our Savior, I was given responsibility to deliver his message.
Revelation 12:11 “The people have overcome Satan by the sacrifice of the Lamb, by giving their testimonies, and by complete surrender to God’s will, even unto death.”
King James
Matthew 10:32–33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Titus 1:3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
What were some of Titus’s ministry responsibilities?
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Titus 1:3–5 The time has come to proclaim his truth. By the order of God our Savior, I was given responsibility to deliver his message. I am writing to Titus, my son in the faith we share. May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ bring you favor, mercy, and peace. I left you in Crete to continue the work I began, to appoint leaders in every town as I directed.
King James
Titus 1:3–5 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:
Why do you think Paul had so many requirements for appointed leaders?
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Titus 1:6–9 Look for upright men with one wife, fathers of respectful, obedient children. A leader must be blameless, his sins in the past, faithful in his service to God. He should be even-tempered, not self-centered, greedy, or easily angered, not a heavy drinker or prone to violence. He should love good people, one who is outgoing and hospitable. He should be kind and considerate, being of sound mind judging wisely and fairly. Be sure he has a good understanding and commitment to the message of Jesus Christ so he can use sound doctrine to encourage believers and convince naysayers.
King James
Titus 1:6–9 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.
If there were no seminaries in Crete, how were men schooled in “sound doctrine”?
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Titus 1:9 Be sure he has a good understanding and commitment to the message of Jesus Christ so he can use sound doctrine to encourage believers and convince naysayers.
King James
Titus 1:9 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.
Why were men sometimes deceived into believing they had to be circumcised?
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Titus 1:10–11 Dissenters and good talkers—especially those who say one must be circumcised to be saved—can deceive the weak in faith. Their false doctrine needs to be silenced. Just for financial gain, they have led entire families astray.
King James
Titus 1:10–11 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.
What made the circumcision message profitable for those who preached it?
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Titus 1:10–11 Dissenters and good talkers—especially those who say one must be circumcised to be saved—can deceive the weak in faith. Their false doctrine needs to be silenced. Just for financial gain, they have led entire families astray.
King James
Titus 1:10–11 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.
What motivates people to lie?
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Titus 1:12 One of their own prophets said, “Cretans are all liars, wicked animals with no stomach for the truth.”
King James
Titus 1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
After people have embraced a lie, thinking they are following the truth, what approach has the best chance of turning them to faith in Christ?
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Colossians 4:6 Be gracious with your stories, flavoring your message with that which will answer the hunger in everyone’s heart.
Titus 1:13–14 He was right, so rebuke them for their error and turn them to a strong faith in Christ, giving no credence to Jewish tradition and human psychology that distracts from the truth.
King James
Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Titus 1:13–14 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.
If people are comfortable in their sin, why would they ever want to leave it?
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Titus 1:15–16 The pure in heart see that which is pure, but dirty-minded unbelievers wallow in their filth, their consciences made comfortable with perversion. They claim to know God, but their deeds say otherwise. They are detestable, disobedient people, unfit for any good work.
King James
Titus 1:15–16 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.
If people are not comfortable in their sin, why don’t they surrender their lives to the Lord?
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Titus 1:15–16 The pure in heart see that which is pure, but dirty-minded unbelievers wallow in their filth, their consciences made comfortable with perversion. They claim to know God, but their deeds say otherwise. They are detestable, disobedient people, unfit for any good work.
King James
Titus 1:15–16 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.