Ref: Titus 1: 6,7,8,15,16 Titus 2: 3-9,12,14 Titus 3: 1-2,5,7,9,10,14,15
I am writing this in a narrative form, to lay out the event and how it was to be carried out according to Paul to his son Titus. My references are as stated above.
The Apostles Paul and his son Titus, had made their way to Crete to begin spreading the word of God. Paul gets called away and leaves his son Titus incharge of carrying out their work of The Lord. Paul leaves behind with Titus instructions on how the church should be arranged.
Titus: 1:5 "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders, in every city as I had appointed thee:"
Titus first order of business was to go amongst the people and to select men of very high standard and good character to be appointed as priests, bishops.
Titus was to look for men with the following standards. They should be blameless, a husband of only one wife, not selfwilled, slow to anger, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre, but a lover of hospitality a lover of good men, sober, just and holy temperature.
Paul then goes on to warn away from the unruly, the vain talkers, deceivers, subverters, and false prophets.
Titus is to choose followers, the aged men should be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, charity,and in patience. Thus setting an example for the young boys and young men.
The aged women, should be with behaviour becoming of holiness, not falsely accusing nor given to much wine, but good teachers, to teach the younger girls and women, to be the same, to lover their husbands, and their children, teaching them to be discreet, chaste, and keepers of a Godly home.
All should show a pattern of good works, uncorruptness, and sincerity, having sound speech that can neither be condemned nor ashamed of.
Servants should be obedient unto their masters, seeking to please them, and not talking back, but agreeing.
Paul exhorts Titus to make certain that the people of the church, deny ungodliness, and worldly lust, living soberly righteously, and godly in the presence of the world, for the glorification of Jesus and of God as people of zealous good works.
The people should speak evil of no man, nor be given to fighting and brawling, but meek. Paul tells Titus, that these people will be justified by God’s grace and made heirs with Christ, according to hope of eternal life.
Finally Paul warns against, foolishness in questions and genealogies and contentions about the law for this is unprofitable and vain, and to reject any man who appears to be a heretic, after being warned twice about it.
Paul’ s final instruction to Titus is to maintain good works, and Greet them that love us in Faith.
Through this Epistle, the Apostle Paul appears to set the standard, the bench-mark if you will for those who seek to belong to and follow Christ’s Church.
There is but one question remaining in the back of my mind about the instructions to Titus: Was Paul instructing Titus to avoid people that did not meet with his criteria just for the forming of the Church, or was he meaning to avoid them totally in general and not preach The Word of Jesus to them at all? My belief is that it was for the selection of "The Elect" of the Church.