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In Titus 1:1-4, Paul’s salutation to Titus serves to frame the themes of the epistle: faith, truth, godliness, and service. Paul expresses that the truth of the Gospel and the promises of God are trustworthy. He demonstrates that leaders have been entrusted in proclaiming this truth.
In Titus 1:5-9, Paul provides a list of characteristics requisite of church leaders: elders and overseers. These characteristics demonstrate the need for alignment between a leader’s character, conduct, and communication. It is through a leader’s example that false teachers can be challenged.
In Titus 1:10-16, Paul ends the first chapter with a description of the false teachers and the results of their activities. He concludes that a corrupted inner man will defile one’s conduct and communication. He challenges church leaders to reprove such people in the hope of restoration.
The Apostle Paul wrote his letter to Titus as instructions for establishing godly leaders in the churches of Crete. He begins by framing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as faith, truth, and godliness. Faith leads to a transformed inner man, the knowledge of the truth transforms the mind, and the result of both is a transformed life: godliness. Paul’s salutation establishes key themes that are found throughout the letter: faith, trust, truth, and service.
Paul then reminds Titus of his purpose in Crete: to establish elders in Crete. Paul outlines the expectations of leaders using a series of virtues and vices that speak to a leader’s character, conduct, and communication. By referring to elders and overseers as stewards of God, Paul expresses the role of leaders as servants of God’s household.
Elders are to protect the local church from false teaching by initiating and winning conflict against false teachers. The characteristics of church leadership is distinguished from false teachers who are described as greedy, empty talkers, and deceivers. False teachers can be challenged by effective communication of the Word of God and consistent examples of godliness.
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