The True Test Series

THE TRUE TEST

TITUS 1: 10-16

KEY VERSE: TITUS 1: 15

FOCAL POINT: THE TRUE TEST IS KNOWING GOD.

INTRODUCTION:

WE ACTUALLY KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT TITUS, A DEVOTEE OF CHRIST. ALTHOUGH NEVER MENTIONED IN THE ACTS ACCOUNT, PAUL APPEARS TO HOLD HIM IN VERY HIGH ESTEEM. ALTHOUGH A GREEK BY BIRTH, PAUL CHARGED HIM TO DIRECT THE CHURCH AFFAIRS OF THE CHRISTIAN, JEWISH CHURCHES ON THE ISLE OF CRETE PAUL ENCOURAGED TITUS TO SPEAK UNCOMPROMISINGLY. THE WRITINGS CONTAIN SEVERAL DOCTRINAL REALITIES. PAUL ISSUED THIS LETTER AROUND A.D 64 FROM CORINTH.

READ TITUS 1: 10-16

1 TITUS 1: 15

PAUL HAD A LOW OPINION OF THE CRETAN CHURCH. THE ACCUSATIONS ARE CLEAR IN HIS WRITING. THE POINT MADE WAS THAT INCORRECT TEACHING HAD TO BE ADDRESSED.

THERE WERE THOSE IN THE CRETAN CHURCH THAT FALSELY PRACTICED ASCETICISM. ASCETICISM WAS A DOCTRINE THAT TAUGHT SELF-MUTILATION AND SELF-DENIAL WOULD BRING MAN TO AN EXTREMELY HIGH STATE BOTH SPIRITUALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY. FOOD ISSUES WERE HUGH. THIS PRACTICE LED THEM AWAY FROM GOD RATHER THAN TO GOD. PAUL ENCOURAGED TITUS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES HEAD ON.

UNFORTUNATELY, MUCH OF THE SAME TYPE OF THINKING PREVAILS IN THE CHURCH TODAY. IT MAY NOT BE SELF-MUTILATION OR SELF-DENIAL AS TAUGHT BY THE ASCETICS, RATHER, PRACTICES IN THE CHURCH THAT HAVE LITTLE, BIBLICAL SUPPORT. DRAWING CLOSER TO CHRIST’S TEACHINGS AFFECT FAR MORE THAN A MULTITUDE OF RULES, REGULATIONS AND PRACTICES THAT HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH CHRISTIAN MATURITY, LET ALONE BIBLICAL SUPPORT. “ C.S. LEWIS STATED, “OF ALL BAD MEN RELIGIOUS BAD MEN ARE THE WORSE.”

THE TRUE TEST OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS A HOLY LIFE. THE BETTER YOU KNOW GOD THE MORE YOU RESEMBLE HIM.

READ PSALMS 112

APPLICATION: HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE PASSED THE TEST? 1 PETER 1: 16 “BE HOLY FOR I AM HOLY.” THE ANSWER IS HOLINESS!

REF: F.B. MEYER DEVOTIONAL COMMENTARY, NKJV STUDY BIBLE BY RADMACHER, ALLEN & HOUSE, THE INTERPRETER’S ONE VOLUME COMMENTARY BY CHARLES LAYMON, BLUELETTERBIBLE.ORG.