Bible Study
The beginning of Titus talks about him being in the city of Crete in order to appoint elders, Paul gives a list of characteristics that an elder must possess. I think he wants it to be known that the work of the ministry must begin at home before it can be brought to others in the community. Paul writes to Titus explaining that an elder must not have wild children and he must be faithful to his wife. This says to me that people are always watching the lives of those who lead. He wants it to be known that since people are watching their actions that they must be honest and upright people. Most importantly he lets it be known that after all the ground work has been laid and the foundations of the family life are set in order that the elder must be strong in the word of God.
Then Paul writes about some of the corruption within the Cretan people. Chapter 1 verse 12 says, “One of Crete's own prophets has said it: "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” I think that says a lot about them as a people. They are a people who had stretched in order to separate themselves from the love of God. It is very interesting that the very same people who had been described as “always liars,” are the same people who have claimed to know God. Maybe they have gotten to the point where they have lied to themselves so many times that they have begun to believe. In verse 16 it talks about them denying Christ by their actions and not being fit for anything good. I like to think of it as the blind leading the blind in a way. How you teach your children if you don’t know how to read and how can you lead someone to salvation if you have not truly accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
Paul’s final remarks talk about doing what is good and right and leading just and productive lives. I think that his comments bear a great weight on those in the Harbor house today. We all need to be built up in the word of God in order to fight in this war. We must learn to lead productive lives and strive to do what God commands.
Some days I feel like I succeed in doing the right thing and on other day I feel as if I fail. However I always look at my situation and I try to press on and not slip into the attitude of those who allow one bad choice determine what the future holds. Because God saved us not by our righteousness but by his mercy.