WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LEAD?
Titus 1:1 CSB
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness,
Paul was writing to Titus, a young pastor on the island of Crete. Titus was given the job of setting things in order in the church. Some church historians believe that Titus was a troubleshooter for Paul. We do not find Paul having to encourage Titus in the same way Paul did Timothy, although Paul considered both men sons in the faith.
In the very first verse, Paul declared himself to be a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. The word servant is easy to understand. The word apostle means sent one. So, Paul recognized that he was a servant of God. And he was a sent one from Jesus. And Paul was sent with a purpose. To bring a message of faith to God’s people. Faith is how we live before God and please God. As Paul proclaimed God’s word, it would cause faith in those who heard. Paul knew faith was vital to the young churches because the stronger the churches were in faith, the more stable they would be in the face of persecution and difficulties. He knew that the life of a believer is a life of faith and declared that we walk by faith, not by sight.
The second reason Paul was sent was to proclaim the truth to the Gentiles. Truth is what produces freedom, according to Jesus, and truth leads to something else - godliness. Paul was going into areas that had not had a history of Christians. There was no Christian culture to draw from. There may have been Jews in the regions Paul visited, but outside of that, we are talking a culture of idol worshippers. Paul would bring the truth from the Scriptures and the revelation that God gave him. The knowledge of this truth would help the new Gentile converts know how to live a godly life. The NLT version says, “to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.” Because these new believers had no godly background to reference, the message that Paul, and also Titus in this case, would bring was new and vital to helping them live for God.
Paul had a clear understanding of his mission and was totally committed to proclaiming a message of faith to the Gentile world and teaching them to live for God.
APPLICATION
I grew up in church and, except for a few college years, have been a part of church culture all my life. Over the past 15 years, I have noticed that my mission is very similar to Paul’s. I make no claims to being an apostle of Jesus Christ, but I do identify with being a servant of God and a pastor for the Lord Jesus. I know that my mission is to bring God’s Word, which causes faith to come, and also teach the truth that leads to godliness. The church culture in America is not what it was 15 years ago. Many do not know the truth that sets them free and leads to godly living. This is not a boomer rant but an observation of how much the environment in our country has changed.
We can lament the problem and long for the good old days, but that’s a waste of time. We can’t relive or revive the past but we can pray for a strong move of God’s Spirit that brings faith and truth to a generation that has wandered off the path. I believe this is possible, and this is my prayer. Please join me in asking God for His word of faith and His truth to be multiplied and glorified in our nation, our land, our church, and our lives.