What is the meaning of Titus 1:1? Paul - From persecutor to preacher (Acts 9:15, “Go! said the Lord. ‘This man is My chosen instrument…’”). - He consistently identifies himself by name to highlight God’s grace in redeeming a former enemy of the church (1 Timothy 1:12-16). - His life story demonstrates that no one is beyond Christ’s reach (Philippians 3:7-8). A servant of God - “Servant” underscores absolute ownership: Paul belongs to God, body and soul (Romans 1:1). - The title links him with past servants like Moses (Exodus 14:31) and the prophets, showing continuity in God’s plan. - Practical takeaway: believers today echo Paul’s attitude—“You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). An apostle of Jesus Christ - Apostle means “sent one”; Paul’s authority is divine, not human (Galatians 1:1). - As an ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20), he carries Christ’s message with the same commissioning Jesus gave in John 20:21. - This authority secures the letter’s teachings; rejecting them is rejecting Christ who sent him. For the faith of God’s elect - Paul’s mission aims to spark and strengthen saving faith among those God chose before creation (Ephesians 1:4). - He endures every hardship so the elect may “obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:10). - Faith comes through hearing the gospel he proclaims (Romans 10:17). And their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness - Truth is not abstract; it produces transformed living. Jesus asked, “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). - Godliness grows as believers grasp sound doctrine (1 Timothy 6:3) and rely on “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him” (2 Peter 1:3). - Right belief and right behavior are inseparable; Paul ties them together at the verse’s close to guard against empty talk and ungodly living (cf. Titus 1:16). summary In one verse Paul sets the tone for the whole letter: a redeemed man, utterly owned by God and commissioned by Christ, writes to cultivate faith and truth-shaped lives in God’s chosen people. The aim is not information alone but transformation—faith that saves and knowledge that shapes everyday godliness. |
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