His Word Today

“If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.” (Titus 1:6)

I recently received a phone call from a pastor in the eastern United States. He is a leader of a church plant. His congregation is growing in their faith in Christ and in number. He said he needed guidance regarding the need for, and the selection of, elders for this local church. I gave him several suggestions, including the study by that local church of I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9.

What did the Apostle Paul say to Titus regarding the selection of elders in the church? What qualifications are there for individuals to serve as church elders?

First, elders are to be anyone above reproach? Paul’s use of the pronoun anyone (τὶς; tis)is in the masculine gender. This infers that elders are men. The phrase above reproach (ἀνέγκλητος; anenkletos) means to be morally blameless and beyond any immoral accusation ((1 Cor. 1:8; Col. 1:22; 1 Tim. 3:10; Titus 1:6, 7). This remains a vital requirement for leaders in the church.

Second, an elder is to be the husband of one wife. This literally means a one wife husband. In other words, a one woman man. An elder is to remain faithful to his wife and to his marriage vows and responsibilities (Prov. 5; 6:20-35; Eph. 5:22-33). An elder is to avoid sexual immorality at all costs. This is an explicit reference to only men being elders.

Third, an elder’s children are to be believers. There is no age limit inferred in the text. An elder’s children must confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord whatever their age. They must also live lives which are not open to any accusation of debauchery or insubordination.

Debauchery (ἀσωτία; asotia) refers to recklessness, senseless living and wildness. Insubordination (ἀνυπότακτος; anypotaktos) means to be rebellious and disobedient. Both words describe a child who is self-willed and independent to the point of being uncontrollable.

“The elder must have his own household under control. This involves not only the matter of discipline (1 Tim. 3:4–5), but also positive spiritual influence as well. His children must be believers who are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient,” explains Dr. Duane Liftin.

Years ago, an elder at a church I pastored approached me and informed me that he was resigning from his position. One of his children had broken the law and been arrested. While the incident was a mischievous misdemeanor punishable by community service, my friend believed it disqualified him from being an elder. While other elders of the church dismissed his decision as taking his teenager’s actions too seriously, I accepted his resignation and respected his decision. I encouraged the other church elders to do the same.

Eldership is not to be filled by someone on the basis of their popularity in the congregation and position in the community. Rather, God has given the requirements and they are to be taken seriously. My friend understood this even though other church elders did not.

Take time today to pray for your church elders. You may consider sending them an email informing them of your prayerful support of their position and ministry. I am sure they would be most appreciative.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you–” (Titus 1:5 (ESV)

Following his doctrinal introduction, the Apostle Paul began to explain the reasons for the epistle to Titus. The primary reason was for Titus to put in place proper church structure and encourage biblical behavior.

Paul began with the importance of church order. The word order (ἐπιδιορθόω; epidiorthoo) means to set right and to correct. In other words, it means to straighten out. The churches in Crete needed biblical order and appointing godly leaders was of first importance.

Titus was to appoint elders. The word appoint (καθίστημι; kathistemi) means to actively put in charge and to designate for a particular task. Titus had the responsibility to appoint elders in the churches. It was not to be a popularity contest but rather a divine mandate.

Elders (πρεσβύτερος; presbyteros) literally meant an elderly man. An individual’s age often harmonized with his leadership ability and maturity.

“Titus was to correct wrong doctrine and practices in the Cretan churches, a task that Paul had been unable to complete. This ministry is mentioned nowhere else. Elders (1 Tim. 3:1–7), mature spiritual leaders of the church, also known as bishops or overseers (Titus 1:7; cf. 1 Tim. 3:2) and pastors (lit., shepherds; see Eph. 4:11), were to care for each city’s congregation,” explains Dr. John MacArthur. See also Acts 20:17, 28; 1 Pet. 5:1–2.

Apparently, Titus had not completed this task that Paul had given him. There was no time to delay. The responsibility was important. The need for elders in the churches was great.

“As with Timothy in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3), Paul had left Titus behind to provide leadership to the fledgling church in Crete. Now the apostle reiterated his previous instructions, both for Titus’ sake and for the congregation’s. The organization of the Cretan church was unfinished due to the brevity of Paul’s visit. Thus Titus was to straighten out (lit., “set in order”) the situation by appointing elders in every town. Titus was now acting as an apostolic agent (cf. Acts 14:23) in Paul’s absence. His authority in the Cretan church was an extension of Paul’s own. Such authority ended with the close of the Apostolic Age,” explains Dr. Duane Liftin.

A seminary student of mine serves as an associate pastor of a fledging church plant. The initial congregation of twenty has grown numerically. He asked what would be the next step in the church’s development. We agreed that the first task was to appoint elders in the church. These would be individuals who, on the basis of biblical qualifications, would assume the responsibility of spiritually leading the church alongside the pastor. What was necessary in Paul and Titus’ day remains so in ours.

Does your church have qualified lay elders who lead the congregation alongside the pastor? Take time today to study the biblical qualifications for elders found in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. Pray for those in your church who serve in this leadership position.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!      

“To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (Titus 1:4 (ESV)

Grace and peace. Before we begin to study what the Apostle Paul had to say to Titus about his ministry in Crete, attention must be given to two Greek words found in vs. 4. Those two words are grace and peace.

To most believers in Christ, grace and peace are familiar words. They are contained in many church hymns and gospel songs. They are the topics of Christian books and slogans found on wall hangings. The words may even be displayed in your church sanctuary or worship center.

Why are these two words so important? Why would Paul use them in each of his thirteen New Testament epistles? Historically, they were part of a common greeting; such as hello or how are you? But is that all they represented?

Grace (χάρις; charis) means favor, good will, and kindness. Grace is more than favor but rather unmerited favor, undeserved good will and kindness to sinners. It is favor, good will and kindness from God wherein He is under no obligation to show favor, good will and kindness.

Peace (εἰρήνη; Eirene) refers to freedom from worry and to have tranquility. Peace is also the absence of enmity or war between two parties. In certain contexts the Greek word for peace is seen in the OT concept of the Shalom, i.e., welfare, health (Matt. 10:34; Mark 5:34; John 14:27; 16:33; 20:19, 21; Rom. 1:7; 5:1; 15:33; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 2:14; Php. 4:7, 9; Col. 3:15).

Notice the word order. Grace always precedes peace in the New Testament epistles. For example, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” (1 Peter 1:1–2 (ESV)  

There can be no peace for the sinner unless God first disposes His grace. This unmerited favor is initiated by the Holy Spirit’s regenerating work (John 3:1-8) whereby God brings the spiritually dead to life (Eph. 2:5-7). This new life in the person and work of Jesus Christ results in peace with God (Rom. 5:1) and the peace of God (Php. 4:6-7).

“Grace, the free favour of God, and acceptance with him. Peace, the positive effect and fruit of grace and mercy. Peace with God through Christ who is our peace, and with the creatures and ourselves; outward and inward peace, comprehending all good whatsoever, that makes for our happiness in time and to eternity,” explains Puritan Matthew Henry.

Do you know God’s peace? Peace is the result of receiving by faith God’s grace of salvation in Jesus Christ. May it be so.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.” (Titus 1:4 (ESV)

Following his introductory remarks in Titus 1:1-3, the Apostle Paul then addressed the recipient of his letter; Titus. Titus was pastoring on the island of Crete (1:5).

“Titus was a Gentile believer (Gal. 2:1-3). If the Epistle to the Galatians was written before the council recorded in Acts 15, his conversion was the fruit of Barnabas’ and Paul’s early ministry in Antioch of Syria (Acts 11:19-30). Although Paul addresses this letter to Titus, he intended for it to be read to the whole church (3:15),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Titus was also a true child of the faith. He was a true convert to Christianity. True (γνήσιος; genesios) means genuine, real and sincere. Child (τέκνον; teknon) refers to a dear friend. God had chosen Titus to understand the truth of the Gospel unto salvation and evidence this understanding by his godliness (1:1). He became a dear companion to Paul. Titus was not a mere professor of the Gospel but rather a genuine possessor of grace and faith in Christ. This was in contrast to others who served alongside Paul but had deserted the faith (2 Tim. 4:10; I John 2:19).

The word common (κοινός; koinos) means that Paul and Titus has a mutual and shared faith; or trust in, dependence upon, commitment to and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Their faith was not only trust in Christ for salvation but also the  doctrines of the Christian faith; “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

“Paul identified Titus as his “true child in a common faith” (Titus 1:4). Blood ties were important to Paul, but for him our true, eternal family in Christ supersedes mere physical relations. Scripture says in many places that our real family is formed not by blood ties but through faith in Christ (Mark 3:31–35). Ultimately, only our relationships with true believers will endure eternally, and so we must look to the church to be our family and allow ourselves to be family to other believers,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

Do you have close relationships with other believers in your church? Who are these individuals? Let us all do what we can to strengthen the bond of love with other Christians by prayer and encouragement.

Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“…and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;” (Titus 1:3 (ESV)

The following article is an excerpt from the Master’s Seminary Blog, June 23, 2020. It is entitled Ten Essentials of Preaching.

1. Preaching must be Biblically-Centered and Biblically-Grounded.

2. Preaching must be God-Exalting.

3. Preaching must be Christ-ward.

4. Preaching must be Doctrinally and Theologically Accurate.

5. Preaching must be dependent, both before and after the Preaching Event.

6. Preaching must be Well-Prepared.

7. Preaching must be Authoritative.

8. Preaching must demand something.

9. Preaching must be both articulate and imaginative.

10. Preaching must be Passionate and Engaging.

Solid preaching is not monotone or monochromatic. It goes beyond reading the Bible out loud, and it goes beyond reading dryly from a manuscript.

This requires changing vocal patterns (tone of voice, volume, and pace, etc.), making eye contact, and using one’s body (facial expressions, hand gestures, maneuvering around the pulpit) as a means of communication—just as the preacher would in interactions in daily life.

Further, to be passionate in preaching requires a man to believe in what he is preaching. As D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it in his landmark lectures titled Preaching and Preachers, the preacher is not serving merely as an advocate, but as a witness! He is not merely reciting facts about God and His Word. Rather, he is testifying to the power of the great God revealed in the Word. Lloyd-Jones would say elsewhere in his Preaching and Preachers lectures that preaching is “theology on fire” — a useful phrase and image that speaks to the passion which must undergird and flow out of any sound preaching. Solid preaching is both passionate and engaging.

A Weighty Task.

The task of preaching is no small matter. With the Holy Spirit’s guidance, preaching requires great commitment, precision, and care. Pray for those men in your life (including, if applicable, yourself) who have been entrusted with this weightiest of tasks, that they would always treat Scripture as “what it really is, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13), and that in preaching the truths of the Bible, they would “make it clear in the way [we] ought to speak” (Col. 4:4).

Take time today to pray for your pastor and other ministers who preach the Word of God. Pray they never compromise from God’s command to “Preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:1-7).

Soli deo Gloria!

“…and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;” (Titus 1:3 (ESV)

The following article is an excerpt from the Master’s Seminary Blog, June 23, 2020. It is entitled Ten Essentials of Preaching.

1. Preaching must be Biblically-Centered and Biblically-Grounded.

2. Preaching must be God-Exalting.

3. Preaching must be Christ-ward.

4. Preaching must be Doctrinally and Theologically Accurate.

5. Preaching must be dependent, both before and after the Preaching Event.

6. Preaching must be Well-Prepared.

7. Preaching must be Authoritative.

8. Preaching must Demand Something.

Preaching is not lecturing. While there is a didactic component to any sound preaching, preaching should go beyond teaching in calling on the listener to do so something with the content of the sermon. The preacher is free to suggest specific points of application for the church, but is not required to do so, since it ultimately is the Spirit of God who is going to convict hearts and move Spirit-indwelt individuals to act in response to the preacher’s wielding of the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17).

For believers, the Spirit will take a faithfully-prepared sermon and drive the truth of Scripture into the heart of God’s people (Heb. 4:12), convicting them of sin and fueling them to grow further in holiness and Christlikeness. For unbelievers, the Spirit will take such a sermon and convict him or her of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8), which ultimately will lead to salvation for those who are among God’s elect, or just condemnation for those who remain under God’s wrath. Either way, God’s purposes in sending out His Word through the preacher will be fulfilled (Isa. 55:11).

9. Preaching must be both Articulate and Imaginative.

The best sermons are not merely thrown together. Rather, they are carefully crafted over the course of many hours. They have ample cross-references to Scripture, and if needed, to church history. They are edited, polished, and rolled over in the preacher’s mind, so as to work out any problems with the content or delivery before the preaching event arrives. Routinely preaching “Saturday night specials” is no way to preach!

In addition, solid preaching is imaginative, meaning that, when it would be helpful, it includes illustrations, stories, and hypotheticals to draw out the meaning of the text. Since it is both “living and active” (Heb. 4:12) and “perfect” (Ps. 19:7), the Word of God ultimately needs no illustrations or similar devices to bring it life. The word of Christ itself gives life (John 6:63). However, to carry us along in our fallen condition, illustrations and stories can be helpful in illuminating the meaning of Scripture, which in turn helps us to live upright and godly lives in this age (Titus 2:12).

As with anything, illustrations and stories can be overused! If an illustration or a story showcases a preacher as a gifted illustrator or storyteller – rather than showcasing God and His glory – the preacher has not fulfilled his task.”

Take time today to pray for your pastor and other ministers who preach the Word of God. Pray they never compromise from God’s command to “Preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:1-7).

Soli deo Gloria!

“…and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;” (Titus 1:3 (ESV)

The following article is an excerpt from the Master’s Seminary Blog, June 23, 2020. It is entitled Ten Essentials of Preaching.

1. Preaching must be Biblically-Centered and Biblically-Grounded.

2. Preaching must be God-Exalting.

3. Preaching must be Christ-ward.

4. Preaching must be Doctrinally and Theologically Accurate.

5. Preaching must be dependent, both before and after the Preaching Event.

6. Preaching must be Well-Prepared.

Being Spirit-led is no excuse for being ill-prepared. A preacher, like any Christian, must be committed to disciplining himself “for the purpose of godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7). He must be committed to communing with God (through the reading of Scripture and prayer), as well as with God’s people.

As it relates to his preaching in particular, he must heed the words of 2 Timothy 2:15: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” In short, he must be a disciplined man who is committed to working hard and toiling in his study. He must be committed to studying the text in its original language, applying sound principles of grammar, hermeneutics, and exegesis to extract the main point of the text, studying the Scriptures and key theological treatises for important cross-references, and developing a sound homiletical outline that unearths and shines a spotlight on the main point of the text.

As time goes on, this exegetical process is likely to go faster, but the disciplined preacher must be committed to taking no shortcuts in the exegetical process. As the process goes faster, the preacher has more time to go deeper.

7. Preaching must be Authoritative.

The man who has been appointed to preach is not standing up to share his opinions or suggestions. He is not giving a TED Talk. He is not a life coach or a self-help guru who happens to be holding a Bible. Instead, as did the prophets of the Old Testament and the apostles of the New Testament, the preacher must be willing to say, with boldness, “Thus saith the Lord.” He does so precisely because he knows the power rests with God and His Word, not with the preacher himself.

He is not ashamed of the message he has been called to proclaim, nor does he shy away from or minimize the office and responsibility he holds. As D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it:

The preacher should never be apologetic. He should never give the impression that he is speaking by their leave as it were. He should not be tentatively putting forward certain suggestions and ideas. That is not to be his attitude at all. He is a man, who is there to “declare” certain things; he is a man under commission and under authority. He is an ambassador, and he should be aware of his authority. He should always know that he comes to the congregation as a sent messenger.

Sound preaching is authoritative preaching.

Take time today to pray for your pastor and other ministers who preach the Word of God. Pray they never compromise from God’s command to “Preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:1-7).

Soli deo Gloria!

“…and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;” (Titus 1:3 (ESV)

The following article is an excerpt from the Master’s Seminary Blog, June 23, 2020. It is entitled Ten Essentials of Preaching.

1. Preaching must be Biblically-Centered and Biblically-Grounded.

2. Preaching must be God-Exalting.

3. Preaching must be Christ-ward.

4. Preaching must be Doctrinally and Theologically Accurate.

Preaching should not be driven by theological presuppositions, but instead should be, first and foremost, biblically-centered and biblically-grounded. Every sermon is, to some degree, a theological endeavor, as it promotes and explains the character and Word of God.

So before the sermon is preached, it should be checked against trusted theological resources to ensure the preacher is safely within the guardrails of orthodoxy. To this end, studying systematic theology, biblical theology, historical theology, and practical theology is an essential component of being a faithful and effective preacher of God’s Word. Being a student of theology not only benefits the preacher, it benefits those to whom he is preaching.

As J.I. Packer once put it: “Doctrinal preaching certainly bores the hypocrites; but it is only doctrinal preaching that will save Christ’s sheep.”

5. Preaching must be dependent, both before and after the Preaching Event.

The preacher recognizes that apart from Christ he can do nothing (John 15:5), and so he is a man of prayer, both as a part of his daily walk with the Lord (1 Thess. 5:17) and in particular as he prepares his soul and mind to preach.

He prays as he studies (Ps. 119:18), he prays throughout the week leading up to his preaching, he prays the night before he preaches, he prays the morning he is scheduled to preach, and he prays as he walks up to preach. He is utterly dependent upon the Lord to provide the wisdom, the grace, and the strength to deliver God’s Word that day.

While the preacher is dependent upon prayer that is not the only way he is dependent on God in his preaching. Though he is well-prepared to preach the sermon, he is nevertheless yielded to the Spirit as he delivers the sermon. He is reading the room as he preaches, noting eye contact and other non-verbal cues from the congregation, and as he does so, he is willing to go in directions that he had not planned to, as the Spirit leads, albeit all within a well-crafted and orderly presentation of what God has revealed in His Word.

With his words, the preacher is to shepherd real people who sit before him with real hurts and real questions, not simply recite a memorized speech. So the preacher must depend upon the Spirit to help him to accomplish this task.

Take time today to pray for your pastor and other ministers who preach the Word of God. Pray they never compromise from God’s command to “Preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:1-7).

Soli deo Gloria!

“…and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;” (Titus 1:3 (ESV)

The following article is an excerpt from the Master’s Seminary Blog, June 23, 2020. It is entitled Ten Essentials of Preaching.

1. Preaching must be Biblically-Centered and Biblically-Grounded.

A preacher does not stand in the pulpit to make his point, to ride his hobby horse, or to showcase his oratorical skills. Instead, he is a mouthpiece for God, heralding His perfect Word to the flock before him. His commitment to proclaiming the truth of God’s Word is rooted in his commitment to the inerrancy, infallibility, clarity, and sufficiency of Scripture (“The sum of Your word is truth”, Ps. 119:160; “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4 quoting Deut. 8:3); “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction. . . .”(Rom. 15:4); and “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work”, (2 Tim. 3:16–17).

2. Preaching must be God-Exalting.

Preaching is not about the man who lays the Bible atop the pulpit. Preaching is about the God whom that man is charged to proclaim. Preaching should leave its listeners in awe of the holy, majestic, regal, omnipotent, omniscient, unchanging, just, wrathful, patient, compassionate, and loving God revealed in Scripture.

The preacher should endeavor to bring glory to God by showcasing God and His greatness in his sermons, whether the sermon is based on a text that is explicitly about the greatness of God (Ps. 145:3; Rom. 11:33), or if it comes from a book that does not mention the name of God (Esther), that raises questions of God and His purposes (Job, Ecclesiastes), or that contains instructions on how Christians are to live in a world that is increasingly hostile to God (the Epistles).

 3. Preaching must be Christ-ward.

While we reject hyper-typological and allegorical methods which might find Jesus, say, in the sword Ehud thrust into Eglon’s belly (Judg. 3:21–22), we nevertheless take heed of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 2:2: “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” While we would not go as far as Charles Spurgeon in saying, “I take my text and make a beeline to the cross,” those who preach should, at some point in a sermon, focus the saints’ gaze on the glorious Son of God.

“I would propose that the subject of the ministry of this house, as long as this platform shall stand, and as long as this house shall be frequented by worshippers, shall be the person of Jesus Christ. . . . if I am asked to say what is my creed, I think I must reply—”It is Jesus Christ.” . . . the body of divinity to which I would pin and bind myself for ever, God helping me, is . . . Christ Jesus, who is the sum and substance of the gospel; who is in Himself all theology, the incarnation of every previous truth, the all-glorious personal embodiment of the way, the truth, and the life,” explains Spurgeon.  

May those who preach say Amen to those beautiful words.

Take time today to pray for your pastor and other ministers who preach the Word of God. Pray they never compromise from God’s command to “Preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:1-7).

Soli deo Gloria!