Titus 1:4
4 To Titus [Titos], mine own [gnesios] son [teknon] after [kata] the common [koinos] faith [pistis]: Grace [charis], mercy [eleos], and peace [eirene], from [apo] God [theos] the Father [pater] and [kai] the Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos] our [hemon] Saviour [soter]. KJV-Interlinear
4 to Titus, my true child in a
common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. NASB
The name of Titus is
found only in 2 Corinthians, Galatians 1:1-6:18, 2 Timothy, and of course Titus.
The description of
Titus that Paul makes, indicates that Titus was a
really good friend and aid in Pauls ministry.
Titus was sent to some
of the most remote places in the region, facing almost insurmountable odds in
getting the gospel spread and setting up and organizing local churches for
folks that lived in those places.
Titus helped Paul in
Asia Minor, in Mesopotamia, in Crete, and in the far northern regions above
today s Turkey and Greece.
Titus, a gentile, was
most probably a very resourceful, skilful, and capable man in dealing with people
in general.It is likely that Titus was
brought to Christ by Pauls ministry, as Paul here refers to him as a child in
the common faith, which is Christianity.
Titus
was not Pauls literal child, but this is a term of which today we might say, Best
of friends.
Grace and peace are
terms we have already covered in other studies.
Grace is a reference to favor, or having the
favor of God.Peace is the reference to
prosperity, happiness, wealth, and such things that indicate a full, complete, and
meaningful life.And such is the life
that comes to anyone and everyone who pursues their spiritual life in a
legitimate and honorable fashion.
And such a life comes
to you only by means of the Father through the Son, Jesus Christ. And we might add here, in the power of the
Holy Spirit.The Father is credited with
authoring the Divine Decrees (Gods plan), the Son is credited with executing
that plan, and the Holy Spirit sustains and reveals that plan.
There is no other means
of attaining a perfect and meaningful and full life.
Paul was blessed to
know many people who supported his ministry.
Those people were blessed because they functioned unselfishly in an
obedient and responsible manner within their spiritual lives.
You might ask yourself,
where do you fit in that type of picture?
Most folks see the Bible
as free.They take and give nothing in
return for what they receive.However,
there will be in life, a very small minority of folks that will not just take,
but give, of themselves in many ways, so as to promote the gospel, the Bible,
and their Christian beliefs, such that others may be saved and/or have the
opportunity of advancing in their spiritual lives. Titus was such a person as were many others
in history.
Are you in that
minority?