Titus: A Pig In The Parlor Named for its recipient, Titus, the Epistle of Paul to Titus provides personal encouragement and counsel from the Apostle Paul to the young pastor Titus. Titus, one of the young men who accompanied the Apostle Paul on many of his missionary journeys, first came to Christ as a Greek in the city of Antioch and though well trained and faithful, faced continuing opposition from ungodly men within the churches in Crete where he ministered. In writing this letter to Titus, Paul not only desired to help Titus, but he also hoped Titus would pass on the encouragement and counsel to the leaders he was to appoint in the Cretan churches.(1)
In sharing with Titus, Paul called out considerations that need to be addressed when a church has a problem. When a church has a problem, it is because the world is invading the church instead of the church invading the world. The gospel is intended to be a disturbing element, to change society. Therefore, whenever the church is true to its authentic message, it is always against the status quo. The church is a revolutionary body, it always has been, and we can thus be very much in sympathy with some of the revolutionary movements of our own day. But the difference is that the church challenges the status quo with the power of God, something that no other organization or group can do.(2)
Now the basic need of the people in Crete was the need to have "sound doctrine," a phrase that occurs several times throughout Paul's letter to Titus. Paul knew that to change society, people must be told the truth. The sound doctrine Paul focuses on has the following characteristics (3):
- It sets forth its greatness as "The Doctrine of God".
- Our fall, ruin, sin, and punishment were great.
- Our salvation and redemption are great.
- Our safety, happiness, and hopes are great.
- It sets forth its certainty. It is "of God".
- It comes by revelation of God.
- It is guaranteed by the fidelity of God.
- It is as immutable as God himself.
- It sets forth its relation to Christ Jesus our God and Savior.
- He is the author of it.
- He is the substance of it.
- He is the proclaimer of it.
- He is the object of it. The gospel glorifies Jesus.
- It sets forth its authority.
- The whole system of revealed truth is of God.
- The Savior himself is God, and hence he must be accepted.
- The gospel itself is divine. God's mind is embodied in the doctrine of the Lord Jesus and to reject it is to reject God.
Isn't this what the church is looking for today? And isn't this what the world is looking for today? Sound doctrine -- good, solid teaching, straight from the shoulder revelations of truth -- and good deeds to back them up and prove the reality of the teaching. In addressing the area of sound doctrine, the Apostle Paul emphasized the need for church leaders and teachers to be clear about the basis of men's salvation. How do you change human hearts? Today we are still striving to change people's nature by education, by legislation, and by a change of atmosphere or environment. But as someone has well said, "If you bring a pig into the parlor, it won't change the pig, but it will certainly change the parlor!"(2)
This incredibly salient point is one that we would do well to heed today; we need to make sure that members of the church know the truth about salvation if we truly want to change human hearts.
References:
- (1) James MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, Copyright 1997, Word Publishing.
- (2) Ray Stedman, Titus: Truth And Proof,1968, Ray Stedman Library, Copyright 1995, Discovery Publishing.
- (3) Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon's Sermon Notes, Copyright 1997, Hendrickson Publishers.
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