If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

Phil. 3:4b-6

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,¹² training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, ¹³ waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11-14

We introduced our study of the book of Titus last week by considering the importance of apostolic authority. Because the apostles were discipled by Jesus Himself, both their preaching and writings carried His authority to build and guard the church. This week we will consider how this came to be true in the life of Paul and how he continued to exhort and instruct the Church in these truths through the pastoral epistles.

In Phil. 3:4-6 we find Paul’s description of his Jewish “credentials” that had formed such a core part of his identity before coming to Christ. Paul bore in his body the sign of the covenant God had made with Israel and understood his own history as a member of the tribe of Benjamin. He seems to have been raised in a Hebrew speaking household and to have been educated in Jerusalem under the Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Because of his zeal for the Jewish Law and traditions, he was a violent persecutor of the early. God, however, had other plans for Paul and he underwent a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9).

According to the initial account of Paul’s conversion (Acts 9:15) as well as his own testimony (1 Tim. 2:7) the Lord set him apart as an apostle in order that the gentiles might hear the message of the Gospel. Although Acts records others playing an initial role in sharing the Gospel with gentiles (Phillip in 8:26-40 and Peter in 10:1-48), the events of Paul’s life would confirm the Lord’s predictions about his life and ministry. Acts records three missionary journeys that the apostle Paul undertook in which he saw numerous conversions and helped to plant a great many churches. It was towards the end of his life, probably following a release from the captivity described at the end of Acts, that Paul wrote his final letters that have come to be known as “the pastoral epistles” (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus).

As the apostle came to end of his life, his main concerns were for the congregations of dear believers that had come to know Jesus as their Savior just as he himself had all those many years before. These letters, while written to close associates who had worked with him through various portions of his ministry, carry instruction necessary for the wider body of Christ. First, godly leadership is emphasized in order that the churches might be led by those who themselves live out the truth of the Gospel and are also able to instruct others in it. Second, there are warnings against certain false teachings that threaten the doctrine and witness of the churches. Finally, these letters contain practical exhortations to live as the people of God “in the present age” in order that Jesus might be glorified among His people.

Join us this Sunday as we look further into these things and enjoy a special time of fellowship together following our service!

Soli Deo Gloria.

-Thomas