Character is Everything

Titus 1

​Character is everything! We see this in 1 Timothy 3 and now in Titus 1 as Paul addresses Titus on the difficulty of his placement in Crete. Titus wanted another assignment from Paul because he was having a hard time ministering in Crete. The people seemed not only difficult, but impossible with their false teaching and sowing discord among the brethren. Here, Paul reminds church leaders like myself, that when things get difficult and we feel like quitting, that we should follow the counsel he gave Titus—focus on the privileges of ministry, obey the Word, and face the enemy. He also reminds Titus and us to lean on the Elders of the church to help lead through the difficulties.

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began 3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; 4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” Titus 1:1–4 (ESV)

God declares His truth through dedicated people, and it is a joy to share the Word with others. The angels in heaven would love to change places with us, so we should never cease to marvel that God would use us!

“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Titus 1:5–9 (ESV)

Sometimes there are problems because unqualified people get placed in leadership roles just because places of leadership need to be filled. Other times it’s a failure of God’s people to obey God’s Word and seek authority they have not been given. The Greek word translated “set in order” used in this passage is a medical term that means “to set a broken bone.” The church body suffers when we avoid facing and solving serious problems such as sin, gossip, sowing discord, false teaching and a failure to follow God’s called leadership and His vision and mission for the church. This is a major part of the call and work of Eldership.

Paul shares that these elders would serve Titus’s need to set things right that were broken in the church; so that, the ministry would be healthy and operate effectively based on sound doctrine. Dr. Tony Evans states that “Qualified spiritual leadership is critical for a church to function properly.”

Dr. Evans goes on “Notice that the criteria for serving as an elder are quite stout! What we see here are not descriptions of performance but of character. Paul wanted a certain kind of man to serve as an elder. An “elder,” also called an overseer, is not necessarily an old man, but a mature one who knows and walks with God. Elders are to encourage with sound teaching or refute those who contradict it. This is a weighty responsibility. It takes men of integrity to submit faithfully to their King’s agenda, to teach others to do likewise, and to correct those who oppose it. That’s why Paul gave Titus such high expectations for elder candidates.” Yes, Character is everything!

Warren Wiersbe writes that as a leader in the church, we must face the enemy.

“For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach. Titus 1:10–11 (ESV)

Perhaps like Timothy, Titus was too timid to confront the enemy and the false teachers; but it had to be done. “Sound doctrine” means “healthy doctrine,” teaching that contributes to the spiritual health of the church. Just as a physician must attack infection and disease, so local church leaders, more specifically, the Eders must attack false doctrine. Because many false teachers are outside the church, elders must equip Christians with sound, biblical teaching to help them discern truth from lies. But should false teachers or anyone sowing discord try to operate inside the church, elders must silence them and call them to accountability.

“One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth. 15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” Titus 1:12–16 (ESV)

In these final verses of Titus 1, Paul quotes a Cretan poet from the sixth century BC: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. Dr. Evans writes in his Study Bible, “It’s never good when someone describes his own fellow citizens like that. But unfortunately, Paul found the saying to be true of at least some of the Cretans. He thus urged Titus to rebuke them sharply. Of course, for Paul rebuke is never the end but only the means to an end. He wanted church members in Crete to be sound in the faith and to ignore those who reject the truth. Only by conforming your thinking to God’s truth can you live a life that is pleasing to God.”

How is your character? Are you living out a faith that honors Jesus and aligns with His Words and actions? Does your conversation resemble that of a Cretan? God forbid! Are you promoting harmony in the church or are you sowing discord? Are you being led by the Holy Spirit in the work He has designed and called you to in the church and in the community?

Today, may your lips that praise God reflect that of Jesus and those who seek to further His Kingdom in peace, love, and harmony.

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