There are two possibilities: (1) those whom God chose to be saved before time began; and (2) those who, through God’s grace and power, chose to accept his offer of salvation.
When is God’s appointed season? (1:3)
Sometimes we understand God’s timing; other times we don’t. Paul’s point was that God always works according to his purpose (Gal 4:4; 1Ti 6:15), inviting us to accept eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Paul did not expect church leaders to be sinless in this life. What he probably meant was that a believer must live a life that is consistently godly and effective to qualify as an elder. Elders must be willing to open every area of their lives to God’s scrutiny.
Do these regulations about an elder’s children still apply today? (1:6)
Yes, but the regulations apply only to children in the household, not to adult children. A very similar regulation in 1 Timothy makes clear that skills in managing a household are transferable and apply to caring for the local congregation, God’s household (1Ti 3:15). Not only do believing and obedient children reflect on an elder’s fathering skills, but rebellious children can cause an elder to have a poor reputation with those outside the church (1Ti 3:7).
What was the circumcision group? (1:10)
These were Judaizers, so-called believers who demanded that Gentile Christians follow a Jewish lifestyle, including the rite of circumcision. They refused to believe that one could be part of God’s family without being circumcised. Paul said the Judaizers were preaching a different gospel (Gal 1:6). See What was this different gospel? (Gal 1:6).
Was Paul slandering Cretans? (1:12–13)
Paul quoted Epimenides, a sixth-century BC Cretan poet, to remind Titus why Crete was such a difficult place to do ministry: Cretan culture was notoriously sinful. Paul’s statement should not be interpreted as an ethnic slur because all peoples and cultures, not just Cretans, have faults they are known for. By quoting one of their own poets, Paul made a specific application to give Titus some perspective.
What is more important: correct doctrine or good character? (2:1–2)
Some people think doctrine doesn’t matter as long as you live a godly life. But sound doctrine does not mean just thinking the right thoughts or reading the right books; it means knowing how and why to live the right kind of life. As proper eating and exercise are good for the body, proper teaching is good for the soul.
What does self-controlled mean here? (2:2)
Paul used this word to mean resisting temptation. It means emotional control, a disciplined balance of emotions and will. Self-control means living in gentle strength, able to withstand the influences of passions and environment.
See the article Why doesn’t the Bible condemn slavery? (1Pe 2:18–21).
Has God’s grace appeared to all people? (2:11)
Paul was referring not to every individual person but to every “kind” of person. Paul wrote about the new life possible because of God’s grace—no matter what race or class a person might belong to. Older men (v. 2), older women (v. 3), younger women (v. 4), young men (v. 6) and even slaves (v. 9)—all people can live more fully because of God’s grace.
Why is the return of Jesus called the blessed hope? (2:13)
If Christ doesn’t return and Christians are not resurrected, then the Christian’s hope and faith is useless (1Co 15:14), for there will be no future glory or spiritual fulfillment. Yet God has set eternity in the human heart (Ecc 3:11). Because Christ has been raised from the dead and has promised to return, we have the blessed hope of knowing that we too will live and enjoy God forever (Rev 22:3–5).
Should we obey ungodly rulers? (3:1–2)
To submit to rulers and authorities does not mean blind obedience. As he did in his letter to the Romans (Ro 13:1–2), Paul said that government’s authority is established by God to keep order on the earth. Whether in the home or in society, Christians must recognize the authority over them, even if they don’t always agree with it. God’s authority stands behind every government, right or wrong, but it also stands “over” every human authority, not allowing evil to go unchecked forever.
If government parallels God’s law, then Christians are right to obey it. However, if a human law runs counter to God’s principles, then it is not wrong to disobey that human law. But even while resisting in those areas where government oversteps its bounds (Ac 5:29), Christians must still recognize the authority of government in its other functions. In this way, Christians can obey God with a clear conscience.
Paul didn’t note any exceptions to this general statement because usually in his letters he was combating some imbalance. In Crete many believers were apparently disrespecting authority. So his command here is an unqualified call for obedience.
Why must we be subject to rulers and authorities? (3:1)
Without rulers or authorities, everyone would go their own way (Isa 53:6) in a sinful society. The inevitable result would be anarchy (which literally means “without a ruler”). Therefore, God has appointed governing authorities (Ro 13:1) to promote the right, punish the wrong (Ro 13:3–5), and keep order in society.
What is the washing of rebirth? (3:5)
This is the cleansing from sin by the Holy Spirit—a spiritual work that underlies salvation (Jn 3:5–8). This spiritual rebirth is the event symbolized by baptism.
Does it matter which denomination my church belongs to? (3:9)
Denominations are like extended church families. The churches within them are linked by common doctrinal beliefs, history, relationships and culture. A new attendee may not sense these “family ties” at first, but they are often significant in shaping the life of a congregation. Just as it matters what family you come from, it also matters what denomination your church is part of.
At their best, denominations help like-minded churches combine resources for larger ministries (e.g., schools or missionary work) that could not be accomplished by an individual church alone. They help safeguard doctrinal integrity by overseeing the orthodoxy of pastors, missionaries and member congregations. Together, churches within a denomination are able to more effectively champion their common doctrinal and social distinctives.
The most important distinctive of a denomination is what its members believe, which is often expressed in a creed or doctrinal statement. Generally, these cardinal doctrines are what unite all Bible-believing Christians, regardless of denomination. But there are many important doctrinal distinctives dear to believers that often define denominations; these include baptism, communion, church government, sovereignty of God and the freewill of humankind, the end times and certain social issues.
While individual Christians may not agree with every distinctive of their denomination, it would be difficult to be loyal to a church in which there are strong disagreements. Some local churches maintain only a loose connection to their denomination, and many churches are non-denominational or independent. Of course, while churches such as these may avoid some of the drawbacks of denominations, they miss some of the advantages as well.
Which controversies are foolish? (3:9)
Christians have always recognized common core beliefs: faith, repentance and submission to the will of God. Anything less significant is not worth fighting about, especially quarreling over who is “more spiritual.” Paul expected Titus to defend the essentials (vv. 5–8) but avoid arguments about the nonessentials.
Are we really supposed to have nothing to do with divisive people? (3:10)
Yes, in the sense of not offering Christian fellowship (1Co 5:1–5). Such avoidance always follows clear warnings and is intended not to hurt offenders but to bring them to repentance so they can be restored (Mt 18:15–20). The divisive people here were engaged in the kind of debates prohibited in Titus 3:9. Since their foolish controversies only harmed the church, these people could not be allowed to continue.
Is there any hope for the self-condemned? (3:11)
Can divisive people repent? Yes. Jesus taught that we should repeatedly forgive those who repent—even if they stumble and have to repent again and again (Mt 18:17, 21–22). Paul was describing those who continue to be quarrelsome and unrepentant. The church was not condemning them by avoiding them. Their own attitudes and behavior condemned them.
What happened to the Cretan churches? (3:15)
Not much is known. But history as a whole records that they did not prosper, possibly because they were somewhat isolated from the mainstream of church growth, being on an island. The island was conquered by Islam in the seventh century and returned to Christianity in the tenth century.