A Man Who Measured Up

By Gene A. Getz

Titus 1:4,5
There are some Christians who emerge as strong leaders. Their very attitudes and actions generate confidence on the part of others. They soon stand out as being trustworthy and unusually capable.

Titus was that kind of Christian. In some respects he had strengths that few other Christians have. It was these strengths that caused Paul to lay on his shoulders some very heavy responsibilities, challenges that many of us would rather not accept.

This quality of Titus can be seen both in the letter that Paul wrote to him and in passages elsewhere in the New Testament where he is mentioned.

Though we cannot be certain, Titus may have been one of Paul's first converts from among the Gentiles. This was probably why Paul addressed him in his letter as "mine own son after the common faith" (v. 4).

This may also explain why Paul took this young man along when he went to talk with the apostles in Jerusalem about his special calling to evangelize the Gentiles. Perhaps Titus was "Exhibit A" that demonstrated to
the Jewish brothers that the message of the gospel was available to all mankind (Gal. 2:1-10).

But the confidence that Paul has in Titus is best illustrated by the difficult assignments he gave Titus.

Assignment at Crete

We are not sure when Paul visited the island of Crete; this event was not recorded in the Book of Acts. At any rate, Titus had been with Paul on that mission. And when Paul had to move on to another location, he left Titus there to straighten out the various churches. To make sure that Titus had sufficient information, he later wrote this letter to outline some of the specific problems there. The letter no doubt also served to establish Titus's official credentials among the Cretans.

Immediately after his opening greetings, Paul began to set forth in verse 5 what Titus was to do: "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee." He wanted Titus to set in order that which was wanting and to appoint elders.

From the rest of the letter, we can see that Paul had a deep concern about the life style of the relatively new believers there. Having received little instruction on how to live the Christian life, they were still ingrained in ungodly and pagan living. Paul wanted Titus to give them the proper guidance.

To complicate the situation, the new Christians were already being led astray by false teachers "who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake" (v. 11). Paul told Titus to straighten the believers out and rebuke the "vain talkers and deceivers" sharply.

The Cretans also needed spiritual leaders who would be positive models of Christ-like behavior. So, Paul instructed Titus to appoint elders in every city, and spelled out what was expected of a man who was to be appointed as an elder.

These responsibilities that Paul laid on the shoulders of Titus were heavy. But Paul did not hesitate to do so because of the way Titus had previously handled himself in Corinth.

Assignment at Corinth

Paul had sent Titus to minister to the Christians in Corinth, who were well known for their carnality. He carried out his assignment magnificently. After that, Paul had much to say about Titus in his relationship with the Corinthians. From some of those remarks, we can see many significant things about this man:

First, though young in age, Titus acted with maturity. Titus might have been the one who delivered to the Corinthians Paul's first lettera let
ter filled with strong exhortations regarding their sinful behavior. The most serious injunction called upon them to deal with a man in the church who was living in open and flagrant immorality. This would be a very difficult task for anyone. But Titus succeeded, not only as a messenger from Paul, but as Paul's direct representative in dealing with sin, helping them to shed much of their worldliness. He faced the problem head-on (II Cor. 7:5-15).

Second, Titus was a man with pure motives. Paul was very conscientious about his own inner motives. He avoided any activity that could be interpreted as exploitation of others. Consequently, he would often bend over backwards to avoid any appearance of selfish behavior. Titus was a man who thought and acted with the same spirit as Paul. When Titus had completed his task in Corinth, it was obvious that his motives and behavior were above reproach. Thus Paul could say, "walked we (that is, Titus and I) not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?" (12:18) The implication is that Titus's behavior in Corinth matched that of the apostle Paul himself.

Third, Titus has compassion and concern for people. Paul paid tribute to this quality in Titus when he wrote to the Corinthians, "But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you" (8:16). To be equated with Paul in the area of care and compassion is no doubt the highest tribute any man could receive. Paul would not have made a public statement of this nature had there been any question in his mind regarding Titus's character.

Fourth, Titus has a positive attitude. When Paul needed a man to confront the Corinthians, Titus voluntarily accepted the challenge. Paul wrote, "For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you" (8:17). Titus went on his own; he was a self-starter. He thrived on difficult assignments. He did not run away from opportunitiesdifficult though they may have beento serve the Lord Jesus Christ. This he proved when he accepted the challenge to visit the troubled Corinthian church. Anyone with lesser stature would have gladly given the "opportunity" to someone else.

Fifth, Titus stood firm for what was right. When Titus arrived in Corinth, he faced a number of people who were highly critical of Paul. They had judged him severely and falsely, questioning his motives and classifying him as a weak person. How easy it would have been for Titus to side with them in their criticisms in order to be accepted and to demonstrate his own strengths.

But not Titus! He defended Paul as he wasa man of the highest motives and integrity. Consequently, we can understand Paul's words in his second letter to the Corinthians when he wrote, "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus; and not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more" (7:6,7).

Thus we can also understand why Paul had such great confidence in Titus. He was loyalnot for loyalty's sake, but because it was the right thing to do. He stood for the truth, no matter what it cost him per
sonally.

Furthermore, he did not succumb to the temptation to enhance his own image with the Corinthians by joining them in their criticisms against Paul. And this, of course, is a basic reason why Paul left Titus in Crete to face some church problems that were in some respects even more severe than those in Corinth.

Today's Application

Today the church of Jesus Christ desperately needs many a man like Titus who serves as a dynamic example and model for us all. How can you become this kind of person?

1. Even if you are young, work hard at becoming psychologically and spiritually mature. This kind of life style is not automatic. It takes effort. It means eliminating bad habits and establishing good ones. It means being open to correction. It involves having a teachable spirit. You must become a serious student of the Scripture, learning God's Word and what His will is for your life. You must become a functioning part of the body of Christ, learning to relate to others in unselfish ways.

2. Keep your motives pure. Look for opportunities, but never be an opportunist. Serve others out of love and concern for them, not for personal gain and advantage.

Don't misunderstand. No one can serve others in this way without being blessed personally. Enjoy those blessings when they come. But never allow yourself to reverse that process. To serve for personal gain soon rings hollow, and most thinking people read it loud and clear. They soon avoid those who have selfish motives.

3. Develop compassion for people. Again, this is not automatic. You must determine to keep your eyes off yourself and on others. You must stop putting all your energy into meeting your own needs and begin to meet the needs of others. To love people at the feeling level, you must get to know them personallytheir joys, their sorrows, their hurts, and their difficulties. You must develop the perspective of Jesus Christ who came to seek and save those who were lost and to give them life abundantly.

4. Develop a positive attitude. Like Titus, become a self-starter. Look for
opportunities that will strengthen you, challenge you, and help you develop your skills and ability. This, of course, is difficult, especially for the person who has a negative mind-set. But you can reverse that mentality. Begin to think positive thoughts about God's work, about other Christians, and about the opportunities that will enable you to serve the Lord and others.

5. Always stand firm for what is right. A temptation we all face is the temptation to compromise our convictions in order to be accepted by others. Be teachable and open to correction, but never compromise in such a way that you violate God's will. And remember, there are ways to disagree without being disagreeable. If you are not sure about God's will in a particular matter, before responding with a decision, seek advice from other mature Christians.

A Personal Response

Check yourself! Where are you in the process of developing the kind of reputation Titus had? To do this, sit down with a mature Christian friend you trust and read through the twentieth-century application. Ask that Christian to give you feedback regarding areas of strength and weakness in your life. Then set up goals in the areas where you need to improve. o

Dr. Gene A. Getz is pastor of Fellowship Bible Church North, 850 Lexington Drive, Plano, TX 75075.

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