Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Take a breath, find your place, and read deeply. Discover the joy of reading God’s word with the Immerse New Living Translation (NLT) Bible.
This daily Bible podcast will take you through the Bible in a year following the Immerse Bible Reading Experience. So grab your family and small group and go through the Bible in a year together with Immerse. Each of the 6 volumes is available online or at your favorite Christian bookstore.
Henry: Welcome To Immerse: The
Daily Bible Reading Experience.
Day 39.
immersed in Titus.
After discovering the issues that were
going on in Ephesus, Paul asked Timothy
to remain there and stop those whose
teaching is contrary to the truth.
But around the same time,
Paul became aware of another
crisis requiring his attention.
False teaching was spreading among the
believers in the churches on the island
of Crete in the Eastern Mediterranean.
These churches were most likely young
and lacking in strong local leadership.
So Paul sent Titus another of his
trusted colleagues to reign in.
The rebellious people who engage
in useless talk and deceive others,
though probably young, like Timothy
Titus was another dependable coworker.
He had already played an important
role in bringing about reconciliation
between Paul and the Corinthians.
And Paul had also sent him to help the
Corinthians arrange their offering for
impoverished believers in Jerusalem.
When Paul wrote to the Galatians, he
used Titus as an example of a Gentile
believer who was serving Christ faithfully
without having to follow the Jewish law.
Now, Paul needed Titus to take
on an assignment every bit as
challenging as Timothy's an Ephesus.
On the island of Crete.
False teachers like those in
Ephesus were disrupting entire
households with their emphasis on
strange myths and speculative ideas.
The fallout from their work included
foolish discussions and quarrels
about following the Jewish law,
leading to divisions in the churches.
So Paul now writes a letter
of instruction to Titus.
Like his first letter to Timothy.
This letter alternates between
instructions for the community
of believers on Crete and
charges to Titus himself.
Because this letter is shorter and
more general, the shifts between
the two are not as pronounced.
Instead, Paul moves briskly
back and forth between them.
It's possible that Paul meant for Titus
to read this letter only privately.
Paul opens the letter with an emphasis
on the nature of the gospel message
and his own clear mandate to spread the
good news about Jesus to all people.
Paul then moves immediately to solving
the problem of leadership in the
churches of Crete by giving Titus
guidance for a appointing elders Titus.
And these appointed elders are called to
lead the churches to recommit, to living
by God's grace, as they did when the
good news was first preached to them.
Paul is counting on Titus to influence
the believers in Crete to live in this
evil world with wisdom, righteousness,
and devotion to God after Titus
has completed his mission in Crete.
Paul hopes Titus can join him for the
winter as he prepares for the long and
anticipated trip to bring the good news
to the western parts of the Roman Empire.
The letter to Titus.
This letter is from Paul, a slave of
God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.
I have been sent to proclaim faith
to those God has chosen and to
teach them to know the truth that
shows them how to live godly lives.
This truth gives them confidence that they
have eternal life, which God who does not
lie, promised them before the world began.
And now at just the right time,
he has revealed this message.
Which we announced to everyone.
It is by the command of God,
our savior, that I have been
entrusted with this work for him.
I am writing to Titus my true son
in the faith that we share may God
the Father, and Christ Jesus our
Savior, give you grace and peace.
I left you on the island of Crete so you
could complete our work there and appoint
elders in each town as I instructed you.
An elder must live a blameless life.
He must be faithful to his wife and his
children must be believers who don't have
a reputation for being wild or rebellious.
A church leader is a manager
of God's household, so he
must live a blameless life.
He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered.
He must not be a heavy drinker,
violent, or dishonest with money.
Rather, he must enjoy having guests in
his home and he must love what is good.
He must live wisely and be just.
He must live a devout
and disciplined life.
He must have a strong belief in the
trustworthy message he was taught.
Then he will be able to encourage
others with wholesome teaching.
And show those who oppose
it where they are wrong for.
There are many rebellious people who
engage in useless talk and deceive others.
This is especially true of those who
insist on circumcision for salvation.
They must be silenced because they
are turning whole families away from
the truth by their false teaching.
And they do it only for money.
Even one of their own men, a prophet
from Crete, has said about them,
the people of Crete are all liars,
cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.
This is true.
So reprimand them sternly to
make them strong in the faith.
They must stop listening to Jewish
myths and the commands of people
who have turned away from the truth.
Everything is pure to those
whose hearts are pure.
But nothing is pure to those who are
corrupt and unbelieving because their
minds and consciences are corrupted.
Such people claim they know God, but
they deny him by the way they live.
They are detestable and disobedient,
worthless for doing anything good.
As for you, Titus, promote the kind of
living that reflects wholesome teaching.
Teach the older men to exercise
self-control, to be worthy of
respect and to live wisely.
They must have sound, faith, and
be filled with love and patience.
Similarly, teach the older women
to live in a way that honors God.
They must not slander
others or be heavy drinkers.
Instead, they should
teach others what is good.
These older women must train
the younger women to love their
husbands and their children.
To live wisely and be pure, to work
in their homes, to do good, and to be
submissive to their husbands, then they
will not bring shame on the word of God.
In the same way, encourage the
young men to live wisely, and you
yourself must be an example to them.
By doing good works of every kind, let
everything you do reflect the integrity
and seriousness of your teaching.
Teach the truth so that your
teaching can't be criticized.
Then those who oppose us will be ashamed
and have nothing bad to say about us.
Slaves must always obey their masters
and do their best to please them.
They must not talk back or steal,
but must show themselves to be
entirely trustworthy and good.
Then they will make the teaching about
God our savior, attractive in every way.
For the grace of God has been revealed
bringing salvation to all people,
and we are instructed to turn from
godless living and sinful pleasures.
We should live in this evil
world with wisdom, righteousness,
and devotion to God.
While we look forward with hope
to that wonderful day when the
glory of our great God and Savior
Jesus Christ will be revealed.
He gave his life to free
us from every kind of sin.
To cleanse us and to make
us his very own people.
Totally committed to doing good deeds.
You must teach these things and
encourage the believers to do them.
You have the authority to correct
them when necessary, so don't let
anyone disregard what you say.
Remind the believers to submit to
the government and its officers.
They should be obedient, always
ready to do what is good.
They must not slander anyone
and must avoid quarreling.
Instead, they should be gentle and
show true humility to everyone.
Once we too were foolish and
disobedient, we were misled and became
slaves to many lusts and pleasures.
Our lives were full of evil and
envy, and we hated each other.
But when God, our Savior revealed
his kindness and love, he saved us.
Not because of the righteous things
we had done, but because of his
mercy, he washed away our sins,
giving us a new birth and new life.
Through the Holy Spirit, he generously
poured out the spirit upon us
through Jesus Christ, our savior.
Because of his grace, he made us write
in his sight and gave us confidence
that we will inherit eternal life.
This is a trustworthy saying, and I
want you to insist on these teachings.
So that all who trust in God will
devote themselves to doing good.
These teachings are good
and beneficial for everyone.
Do not get involved in foolish discussions
about spiritual pedigrees or in quarrels
and fights about obedience to Jewish laws.
These things are useless
and a waste of time.
If people are causing divisions among
you, give a first and second warning.
After that, have nothing
more to do with them.
For people like that have
turned away from the truth and
their own sins, condemn them.
I am planning to send either Artemis Ortus
to you as soon as one of them arrives.
Do your best to meet me at Nicolos for I
have decided to stay there for the winter.
Do everything you can to help Xenos
the lawyer and Apollo with their trip.
See that they are given
everything they need.
Our people must learn to do good by
meeting the urgent needs of others.
Then they will not be un productive.
Everybody here sends greetings.
Please give my greetings to
the believers all who love us.
May God's grace be with you all.
This concludes today's
immerse reading experience.
Thank you for joining us.