Passage Read: Titus 1-2
Meditation Verse: 2:15
Thought
In the first chapter, Paul told Titus to reprove the Cretans severely, because they are in fact "liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." In regard to the conduct of men and women, husbands and wives, young men, young women and slaves, Paul tells Titus to "speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you." We've lost this spirit today. We've given in to "every man has his own interpretation." We no longer believe there is one true teaching that MUST be obeyed. We give advice. We try to understand, and then we make suggestions. That's not the way of Jesus or His disciples! They knew the truth and they knew that all men were shut up under sin and rebellion. The ideas of men were not just useless but dangerous! False ideas and wrong behavior needed to be soundly rebuked, and if people would not listen, they needed to be disciplined, which for the Church simply meant cut off from fellowship until and unless they repented. But wrong behavior needed to be rebuked, sound behavior needed to be taught and exhorted and required! Who teaches with this kind of authority today? Titus was commanded to "let no one disregard you!" No believer should be allowed to disregard any clear teaching from Scripture, which here includes commands to husbands, wives, older men and younger, older women and younger, and even slaves. These things were not optional, not subject to interpretation, not open to debate. These are how Christian men and women even today are to live and act in each of these contexts.
Application
The Church today has fallen far from these things. Even if others ignore these truths, these commands, I cannot. Not only do I need to set the required example in speech and life and godliness and purity and dignity, but I need to teach and require all these things of every believer I meet. We all need to submit to the instructions of the Lord--otherwise, we are in rebellion, no matter our excuse or justification! Jesus didn't come so people would just believe He exists; He came so that people, in believing that He is and who He is would recognize their need to do what He commands. To know Jesus means to know He is God and Judge and King, so we need to submit to everything He commands. To the point that His servants are to teach and command and require obedience of those who claim to believe in Him. To follow Him is to obey Him. I have no choice in the matter, and I need to remind others that they don't have a choice either. Everything God requires of the Cretans here, these things are also required of me and those around me.