A Titus 2 Woman: Lesson 1

Called To Be God’s Woman: A Titus 2 Woman

KEY Verses: Titus 2:3-5

Lesson I

Introduction Background Study

Titus 1:1-4

Prayer is a vital part of any ministry: not just us praying, but also involving the church in praying for the ministries of the church. It keeps the church involved in the workings of the church and is essential in all of us working together in Christ.

When you receive a letter from an old friend, perhaps your mind

awakens to memories of your past times together.

Memories can sometimes really snowball! One memory leads to

another, perhaps warming the heart; reminiscing on how it came to be that you became friends…and the bonds that impacted the friendship that you now have.

You have things in common with this old friend; things you agree on together or share an interest in together.

And, although much time may have passed since you have been in

contact with this old friend, when you re-connect again, it is as if no time has passed. You pick up again, just as if it had been in touch yesterday.

Tonight we begin with a letter from one friend to another friend.

Lesson GOALS: Our lesson tonight is strictly introductory and will be based on Titus: 1:1-4. Our interest will be to gather information on who wrote the letter, to whom, to discover their relationship and find out who Titus is.

Lesson 1

Let’s begin by reading the foundation of our lesson, [B] Titus 1:1-4

In answer to [Q.1. Who wrote the letter?] We see from verse 1, Paul wrote the letter.

2. What are Paul’s credentials according to verse 1?

A. Paul is a servant of God; an apostle of Jesus Christ;

Paul was called to be an apostle so he might lead people to trust in

Christ.

[B] I Corinthians 9:17 Paul tells us in I Corinthians 9:17 why he does what he does: “a dispensation of the Gospel is committed unto (him) me.” The word dispensation infers a ‘stewardship’ responsibility.

Paul is not a prideful, self-made apostle or a man boasting of his own importance. Scripture affirms Paul’s words:-

[B]Galatians 2:7 speaks of the Gospel being committed to Paul for the Gentiles, in particular.

[B] I Timothy 1:11 gives us another confirmation in God’s Word of the Gospel being committed to Paul’s trust.

And in [B] 11 Timothy 1:11 another confirmation of Paul appointed to be a preacher, an apostle, a teacher to the Gentiles.

3. What reason, from verse 1, does Paul give for writing this letter? (ladies answer)

Add: “Paul was commissioned to further the faith of God’s elect so that they might acquire full knowledge of the Christian faith.” - Ryrie

4. What does it mean when Paul explains he has been called to help people come to a

“knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness”, (verse 1)?

Then: Paul’s heartbeat is for believers to not just have the knowledge of God’s Truth, but to apply this knowledge of God’s Word that their lives might lead to proper living…before a Holy God. Lives that would be in accordance with His Word.

5. What application can you draw from Paul’s purpose, for yourself?

APPLICATION:

We need to ask ourselves, if Paul’s heartbeat is our heartbeat?

Is it our personal goal to take the knowledge of God’s Word: that is, that which we’ve heard, the knowledge we have read and studied and allow it to lead us to a progressive refining of the Potter’s vessel?

Matthew 5:8, from the Sermon on the Mount says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Oswald Chambers* has said this about purity. “Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity.” He says “if the spiritual bloom of our life with God is

getting impaired in the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put right.” [*My Utmost for His Highest, March 26]

Purity is a character trait of the believer and without purity, we will not see or hear God in our lives.

[B] James 2:14-20 – This familiar passage tells us clearly that if we say we believe God’s Word, our lives, our “works” will show this. The question that we must ask ourselves is: are we bearing His fruit or have we come to a place of complacency and are “at ease in Zion”? If there is No Fruit…perhaps we need to examine our ‘root’. Are we a branch attached to The Vine? If we are not bearing fruits of righteousness…what is it in our lives that hinders the cause of Christ?

Can others look to us, and as Paul said, in the manner in which he follows Christ, believers should follow him? Does the way in which we conduct our walk further the faith of other believers to maturity in their faith in Jesus Christ or are we a stumbling block? Paul’s response to his call and motivation is a selfless one.

Titus background continued:

This letter was written to Titus. Who is Titus?

Galatians 2:3 tells us Titus was a Greek. There is no Scriptural data that Titus was a convert of Paul’s, but some commentators indicate that Titus may have been his convert.

Paul calls Titus, “my own son after the common faith:…” in verse 4.

6. What does this intimate reference to Titus tell you about Paul and Titus’ relationship?

Paul has an affectionate response to Titus. “Son”, literally, means as his child.-Ryrie

Paul’s reference to Titus, “my true son” not only speaks of their closeness, but also of Paul’s trust in Titus to carry on for him, a work that he’d already begun, much like the way men who own their own businesses would add “& Sons” to their business name.

7. & 8. What is the background of Paul and Titus’ relationship?

As we read these references to Titus and let us note our observations regarding their relationship:

From 2 Corinthians 2:12,13 – Paul has arrived in Troas to preach the Gospel and he was well received, however, Paul has no peace. Titus was not there. The background on this is that Paul had sent Titus with a ‘harsh’ letter to Corinth and he hadn’t yet heard how the letter had been received. Paul left for Macedonia.

[B] 2 Corinthians 7:5-7 – Verse 5 describes Paul’s spiritual anxiety. In

verse 6 we find God comforts Paul by bringing Titus to Macedonia. In God’s goodness, he sent Titus, the key to Paul’s being comforted. Paul was comforted with the good news of the Corinthians having accepted Paul’s severe letter.

[B] 2 Corinthians 8:6, 16-17, 23 – Full picture: Titus had a difficult job to do in a troubled church at Corinth; yet, verse 17 tells us he is diligent (“being more forward”) and undertakes the difficult task. Verse 23 tells us Paul’s response regarding Titus: “he is my partner and fellow-helper…”

[B] 2 Corinthians 12:18 – Titus and Paul are cut of the same spiritual mold and the same heart. Paul speaks of Titus as a brother: one who will not take advantage of them or profit off of them; one whose spirit is one with Paul’s spirit and one whose Christian “walk” is the same as Paul’s walk.

2 Timothy 4:10 – In this letter to Timothy, Paul is at the end of his life and ministry, and names Titus among his lifelong friends.

Galatians 2:1, 3 – In this chapter of Galatians, verses 1-10, we see that Titus is on the front line concerning the issue of circumcision.

What happened in Galatians 2:1-10 is this: Titus accompanied Paul and Barnabas on one occasion to Jerusalem, where there arose the question about whether or not Greeks needed to become Jews, that is, did the Greeks need to be circumcised, before they became Christians? There was quite an upheaval but Paul stood his ground, refusing to allow Titus to be circumcised despite the insistence of the Judaizers, that is, one who conforms to the religion of the Jews.

Ryrie tells us that Titus was “a test case: if he were compelled to be circumcised, then other Gentile believers could be too; if not, then freedom from the law was confirmed.”

Paul, it seems, not only considered Titus to be a man he could trust, he also sent Titus to do the “hard” things: things that would place Titus on the ‘front lines’ of controversy. Titus appears to be a bold witness for the Lord; not afraid to stand. Titus was a man Paul could trust.

We saw more Biblical evidence of Paul’s trust in Titus from 2 Corinthians 7:5-8, when Paul sent Titus to deliver a “harsh” letter. It was Titus that restored order in that church. We see Titus is a man who could be trusted to successfully accomplish the missions he’d been sent to do.

APPLICATION - Friendships are often strengthened during times of difficulty. Also, during times of duress, we are aware of the conviction and surrender of one another to the Lord. In our difficult times, will our spiritual fruit be seen by others? Is our spiritual goal to be counted trustworthy with the things the Lord places in our lives. We may, with hindsight and self-examination, see the Lord’s working in us and His ever- presence with us… when He has carried us over the sharp precipices of difficulties in our lives. And, as important as friendships and bearing one another’s burdens may be, ultimately our priorities lie with being trustworthy before the Lord…to Him alone!

Titus was sent a second time to Corinth on yet another difficult

mission: i.e., the collecting of money for the poor in Jerusalem from a divided church. This collection had been started at an earlier time, but now the collections had begun to lag. Titus was Paul’s representative, wherever Paul sent him; a man that was highly trusted and evidently, a man that accomplished the mission assigned to him.

Would that this could be said of us as believing women who are called to be God’s woman.

This ends the introduction to the book of Titus, verses 1-4.

Next week we will continue with Titus 1 – Elders and Offenders