My college pastor, Ben Coleman, calls Titus the "clean-up guy" because the apostle Paul sends him to clean up messy situations in various churches around the Ancient Mediterranean. One important thing to remember about ministry is that it is going to be messy. Wherever you deal with people, especially in such a personal area like their relationship with God, there will be disagreements and tension. That's something that I've been learning to work through, and Paul's letter to Titus offers some insights.
In Titus 1, Paul lays out for Titus that "the reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished" (v. 5). This reminded me, first of all, that we can't do everything on our own. God places others in our lives to help us with ministry, and we need to partner with each other. Sometimes, others will finish what we start, and sometimes we will pick up where someone else left off (see 1 Corinthians 3:5-9).
Paul also talks about appointed leaders ('elders' and 'overseers') and gives some qualities of good leaders. For example, a leader "must be blameless--not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be hospitable, one who love what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined" (Titus 1:7-8).
Leaders need to be held to a higher standard. Rather than just following the rules by obligation, they should be seeking righteousness with all their hearts. As a leader, I know people will be looking up to me, so some things that may not necessarily be "sinful" for me, I must avoid so that I don't cause any of my brothers or sisters to stumble (see 1 Corinthians 8:9-13 and 1 Corinthians 10:23-33). Of course we can't be perfect on our own, but we must let Christ live through us as he transforms us into His image. Does this mean we should hide our sins and mistakes? Of course not! We must be honest with each other, confess our sins, and let everyone know that it's okay not to be okay (check out 1 John 1:5-7).
Finally, Paul warns again Christians who "claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good" (Titus 1:16). There are a ton of people who "go to Church" but don't really live for Christ. That includes any of us who have ever just attended Church on Sunday morning and Wednesday night but don't really live differently than anyone else the rest of the week. So many of us who claim to be Christians act like the way to earn God's favor is by "being a good person." As long as we don't do anything too bad (by our own definition), show up to Church every once in a while, and throw a few bucks in the offering plate, we figure that's all that God requires.
It's easy for those of us who would consider ourselves committed Christians to look down on other people, but in fact, the Bible says "What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! ...There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:9-10). There's no way ANY of us could ever be good enough in God's eyes. In His sight, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6).
So, if there's no way we can ever be good enough to get into Heaven, who can possibly make it? That's the exact same question the Disciples asked Jesus. And his answer reveals the solution. "The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God'" (Mark 10:26-27). Paul expands on this answer, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
So, Paul is warning against people who try to earn their salvation by doing good deeds. He also warns against hypocrisy, something that many outsiders often notice about Christians. We must be sure to not only address the outer issues, what we do, what we say, and how people perceive us. "The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Let's focus on letting God work on our hearts first. Then all the other things will fall into place. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Matthew 6:33).
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