via TJC
“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”
Titus 2:7-8
In Titus, this namesake book follows a disciple named, you guessed it: Titus, a missionary sent by Paul to a city in Greece called Crete. Ever hear of someone referred to as a cretan? Well you can imagine the condition of this city from which this insult is derived. It was a target rich environment for people that needed to hear the good news of the gospel. These people likened God to their “god” Zeus, touted as a seducer. Promiscuous young men and women, avoiding marriage and building a family, obsessed with cultural myths and human ideals and commands….sound familiar? All while they said they knew and followed Christ. But their lives were a disaster…
Titus’ mission was clear and simple: Go teach the good news. But how? What a rough environment to try to do that! Non-Christians were being turned off to God, because so called Christians touted their beliefs but demonstrated something different. So there was this social connection between believers and disaster.
In Titus, we receive a roadmap - In order for the good news to prevail in Cretan culture, it wasn’t going to happen by force or by separation. Christians had to participate in Cretan public life and as they grew in the community, were able to show the real results of a true follower of Christ.
Daily Battle Order:
Kingdom men - we cannot spread and teach the good news by force, and we cannot teach it by separating ourselves from those whom we strive to influence. Meet people in the middle and show them the odds that God’s grace defies regularly.
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