Relationships Series

• Even though Apollos was an orthodox teacher who modeled holiness, people under his ministry wandered from the truth to almost idolize the teacher himself. God creates unity through the death of His son. To create division based on the preference of a teacher of that truth is not only contradictory, but offensive to God and counter to His plan. Satan loves division over preference because it renders God’s followers ineffective for service and destroys their testimony to the Gospel. When we fail to truly submit our wills to Christ, we get in the way of the Gospel.

We see back in Titus 3:13, that whenever Zenas and Apollos were to arrive on Crete and wherever they may have been headed as they passed through, Titus was urged to help them on their way and see that they lack nothing/nothing is lacking for them. They were cherished partners of Paul and faithful co-laborers in the work of the kingdom. The kingdom of God is not about competition, but co-operation for the cause of Christ. Paul doubtless sensed that his time of freedom would soon end and that, if he lived to carry on the Lord’s work at all, it would be from a prison cell. It was therefore all the more imperative that the men he had trained and left behind be encouraged and supported. Even though Paul specifically placed the obligation to help Zenas and Apollos upon Titus, his example of this good work should be a lesson to other Cretan Christians (Lea, T. D., & Griffin, H. P. (1992). 1, 2 Timothy, Titus (Vol. 34, p. 332). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).

• That spirit of mutual support and care should always characterize Christ’s church, especially its spiritual leadership. Under the sovereign Lord, leaders are interdependent, called and commissioned to trust and assist one another as fellow servants of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, and only briefly, in order to have an effective witness, Christians must seek true relationships with:

4) Faithful Friends (Titus 3:14–15)

Titus 3:14–15 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. 15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. (ESV)

In closing, Paul gives a last word on faithful friends. Like Titus and the other elders on Crete, the people among whom they ministered were also [to] learn to engage in good works/deeds so as to help/meet cases of urgent/pressing need. All who engage in such works of mercy need never fear that they will be unfruitful (Donald Guthrie, The Pastoral Epistles, p. 210 as quoted in Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2525). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.).

It is not possible for a pastor, or even a team of elders, to meet all of the many urgent/pressing needs of a congregation. Not only is there not enough time for one man to do it all, but other believers in the church invariably have spiritual gifts and abilities that the pastor does not have, by which certain good works/deeds can be accomplished and the urgent/pressing need of fellow believers can be met. What would happen if all of our budgets and programs were evaluated on the basis of the extent to which they produce good works in the world around us and meet urgent needs of people everywhere? (Demarest, G. W., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1984). 1, 2 Thessalonians / 1, 2 Timothy / Titus (Vol. 32, p. 338). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.)