The Secret Life Of Titus Series

In the movie the Secret Life of Walter Mitty we see Walter who works at Life Magazine developing pictures. He is leading a very boring life. Because his life is so boring he daydreams of having exciting adventures where he is at the center of danger and excitement. But then back at work he finds himself in the position of taking the last photograph for the print of Life Magazine. With this new twist his life becomes one exciting adventure after another. Walter goes to a live volcano, he skateboards down a mountain and swims with the sharks in the North Sea.

We might think that Titus has a boring life. He is never mentioned in the book of Acts and he has one of the “pastoral letters” addressed to him. When we piece together the life of Titus from Galatians, 2 Corinthians, 2 Timothy and the book of Titus we realize that despite never being mentioned in the book of Acts Titus had one of the most adventure filled ministries of anyone we find in the Bible.

The ministry adventures of Titus took him from Jerusalem to Rome and even beyond to the remotest places of the then known world. Titus had his adventures while tackling some of the biggest problems we find in the new Testament.

Titus the champion of Freedom in Christ

Galatians 2:1-5

When we read Galatians 2 we see that Titus had an extremely important role in the Acts 15 Jerusalem council. He was not mentioned in Acts 2, of course because he is not mentioned at all in Acts. One option is that Galatians 2 is talking about a different Jerusalem council. If it is a different council then it is the same figures working out the same issues a second time. Early on in my ministry I did hold to a view that Acts 15 and Galatians 2 were two separate events. I switched on that one and I consider Acts 15 and Galatians 2 detailing the same council, but Acts from Luke’s view and Galatians from Paul’s view.

At the Jerusalem council Titus finds himself facing the Judaizes and the Apostles; James, Peter and John. This it Titus in the North Sea with sharks. The whole of the Christian leaders have been drawn in to the ways of legalism and spiritual bondage. Paul is standing alone and only Titus is with him to stand up to the most influential leaders and apostles.

Acts 15:1-29, Galatians 2:1-21

It was Titus’s role to stand for freedom in Christ. Even Barnabas was influenced by the Judaizes but Titus made the stand with Paul. Titus never lost his nerve. He stood before the leaders at Jerusalem as living proof that the uncircumcised Christians are accepted and used of the Lord.

Paul said he and Titus did not give into these intimidating church leaders even for a moment (Galatians 2:5). In all this Paul had to rebuke Peter to his face about the hypocrisy in Antioch (Galatians 2:11). Then even Barnabas was led astray by the hypocrisy (Galatians 2:13), but not Titus, he stood in Jerusalem with courage. What an adventure Titus had with Paul in Antioch and in Jerusalem.

Standing against licentiousness in the church

Now if the Jerusalem council was the ultimate showdown with legalism, then Corinth was the opposite extreme as a battle against sin in the church. Titus took Paul’s harsh letter to Corinth and stayed there to confront the sin and lax moral standards in the Corinthian church. Amazingly he did it.

Titus straightened out the problems in the most problem filled church in the New Testament. He confronted sin head on and came out refreshed. It was a huge encouragement for Paul that Titus took on this challenge and turned things around at the Corinthian Church.

Taking this challenge on is like going into a live volcano. Titus is two for two in going for the extreme tests in ministries.

Now when I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened for me in the Lord, 13 I had no rest for my spirit, not finding Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I went on to Macedonia. (2 Corinthians 2:12-13)

But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted in you, as he reported to us your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me; so that I rejoiced even more. (2 Corinthians 2: 7:6-7)

For this reason we have been comforted. And besides our comfort, we rejoiced even much more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I was not put to shame; but as we spoke all things to you in truth, so also our boasting before Titus proved to be the truth. (2 Corinthians 7: 13-14)