NATURE OF TRUTH
Opening Prayer
Loving Lord, thank you for your countless blessings, more than I ever could have imagined. May my thoughts and actions be expressions of gratitude today.
Read TITUS 1:1–9
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior,
4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:
Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.
Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good
5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint[a] elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe[b] and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘As the Sun of Righteousness dawns in our hearts anoint our lips with the seal of your Spirit that we may witness to your gospel and sing your praise in all the earth’.*Does truth need a guardian or an ambassador? If the well-known saying is to be believed, the truth ‘will out’ no matter what! But what we see in the world around us gives us little hope that this will really happen.
For Paul, an essential part of the growing church had to be leaders who knew, understood, taught, and lived ‘sound doctrine’—the truth (v. 9). And to this end, the role of an overseer was paramount: to encourage the truth and refute that which is not. Those with leadership responsibility would have to find many and varied ways of doing both. Consider for a moment which aspect of the given two you would find challenging.
Although daunting, the list of behaviors given here is the hallmark of a person who has experienced (and continues to experience) the transformational work of the Holy Spirit in their life, encompassing the whole of life: family relationships, habits, personality (vv. 4–9). This is a transformation that requires our collaboration: discipline, resilience, and stamina. An elder must be someone who understands and exhibits these qualities in the face of the fight between falsehood and truth—a fight that still rages on today (v. 9).
Apply
Are there areas in your life needing change that will better express what God has done for you?
Closing prayer
I lift up to you, Lord God, those who are involved in representing or fighting for truth. Give them wisdom, courage, and strength to do your will.
*Common Worship Morning Prayer: Epiphany Season (Church of England)
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