Titus Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION:

(Deuteronomy 4:2 [KJV])
Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

(Proverbs 30:5, 6 [KJV])
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

(Isaiah 28:10 [KJV])
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

(Isaiah 28:13 [KJV])
But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

(2 Peter 1:20 [KJV])
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

All of the studies found here, whether book studies or topical studies, are done with research with mainly two things: The KING JAMES BIBLE and a plain old, 1828 Webster's Dictionary. Why? Outside of actually studying secular and Jewish history, archaeology, one needs nothing more. You do not need foreign, dead languages that no one speaks, nor lexicons, nor concordances, nor commentaries, because they differ not only with one another and with the KING JAMES BIBLE, they create division, confusion, debate, and unbelief, apostasy, and a falling away from God Himself. We do not need them. That Word of God written and preserved for us in our own language is supposed to be enough, like the Old Testament was for the Jews, and as the New Testament was for the early Christians in Greek, Latin, Italian, Spanish, German, etc.

Tyndale Bible
Coverdale Bible
Matthew's Bible
Great Bible
Geneva Bible
Bishop's Bible
King James/Authorized Bible

There are studies within as tangents on words, subjects found within the two testaments, as to broaden the scope of the study, to learn more, deeper truths. This is not an intellectual site with PhDs, theologians, and no worldly wisdom.. Check everything out, everything. Not just here, but with everything you read and see and hear. Be Bereans:

(Acts 17:11 [KJV])
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

(1 Thessalonians 2:13 [KJV])
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

Always research for yourself, use all of the context, and never privately interpret!

Start of study

Titus Chapter 1: QUALIFICATIONS OF A TRUE PASTOR

(Titus 1:1 [KJV])
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Servant, not just an apostle, but a worker serving God and mankind and, this lacking in America, the absolute highest authorities in the church, the heads, the top ministers, must first, always, be servants to lead, not bossy bosses
"According to" simply means it is the same gospel as was always that gospel, the true gospel, given after the fall, throughout God's Word to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Israel's prophets, Israel herself, now the Gentile world
God's elect are those who believe, not are just chosen, but who also choose God
All are called, many are called, few accept the gospel, so few chosen, because Jesus came to save ALL, not a few. It is just that few believe by faith, few accept the free gift, because they want to do things their way, work their way to heaven, think they are good enough in their own self-righteousness, they want to have their own religion, earn their salvation their way
The gospel is the truth of God's Word, cover to cover, starting in Genesis 3:15, and must be only acknowledged by anyone to be saved

(Titus 1:2 [KJV])
In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

God, knowing all things, promised to the Godhead that He would save us, knowing that we would be created, fall and be in need of salvation
This was before the creation, and the Lamb of God was, in God's time, slain before the foundation of the world

(Numbers 23:19 [KJV])
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

(John 17:24 [KJV])
Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

(Ephesians 1:4 [KJV])
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

(1 Peter 1:20 [KJV])
Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

(Numbers 23:19 [KJV])
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

(Titus 1:3-4 [KJV])
But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour; To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour,

These two verses in succession clearly state, clearly show and reveal, and clearly expose that Jesus Christ is God, our Saviour
Note God our Saviour, the LORD Jesus Christ our Saviour, completely interchangeable

(Titus 1:5-6 [KJV])
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: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

Set in order, church organization, an organizational chart to be made, according to God's Word, His ways
Wanting, lacking, deficient, as in needed
They had gone through large areas of Asian minor, Europe, many cities, many people, planting many churches, appointing many elders and bishops

WANTING, ppr.

Needing; lacking; desiring.
a. Absent; deficient. One of the twelve is wanting. We have the means, but the application is wanting.
Slack; deficient. I shall not be wanting in exertion.

(Titus 1:7 [KJV])
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Titus 1 couples with 1 Timothy 3:1-13

Blameless, as in beyond reproach, innocent before God and man, not to say they will not be falsely accused ever, as that will often, always happen

Husband of one wife, not multiple wives, after divorcing many, one after another

Husband, as in a man, not a woman

Household (children) run well, both parents in agreement on discipline Biblically done

A person who says in his heart to God, "Thy will be done, not my will"

Temperate, not flying off of the handle with what we call a "short fuse"

Not a drinker at all

Not violent, not a brawler

Not greedy, not building a kingdom on earth for themselves, with fancy estates, tons of possessions

Must understand that it is the ministry of God, not theirs, to take care of for God as good stewards

Saying, "Nevertheless not my will, but thine be done", as Jesus did

(Matthew 26:39 [KJV])
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

(Mark 14:36 [KJV])
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

(Luke 22:42 [KJV])
Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

You can go to their house; they will be willing to come to yours

Has a teachable spirit and can themselves teach, gently guiding, never really needing outside sources (Christian or "Christian" books, videos, etc.) but can teach from the Word of God only, using context

Not a new believer, but has to have been discipled correctly in every way in God's ways, by God's Word

The reputation from without, subtracting the false accusation from the world, of course, bu rather they know that the person is a man of God, whether they appreciate that or not

(1 Timothy 3:1-16 [AKJV/PCE])
This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Bishops/overseers/pastors

"A man" desireth it, not a woman
"he desireth", not she
"the husband", a man is a husband
"ruleth well his own house", his, not hers, as in it is a man, not a woman in this qualification
"having his children", again, a man, not a woman
"if a man know", not a woman
"he take care", not she
"he fall into the condemnation", not she
"he must have a good report", not she
"lest he fall into reproach", not she
He, his, a man, a husband, nothing here indicates a woman being a pastor, a teacher of general assemblies, congregations

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Deacons

Not "deaconesses" (women "deacons"), a made up word by man-hating feminists, but deacons (men)
"their wives", meaning they are men
"husbands of one wife", meaning men

(Titus 1:10 [KJV])
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Boy, is that not the truth today!
This was 2,000 years ago, and nothing has changed
Then it was Jewish believers wanting to not give up the laws of men for the law of faith, Judaizers
Today it is Roman Catholics, Muslims, New Agers, etc. who want you to join their cults
Vain talking comes from vain philosophy, leading to babbling
Unruly, as in not ruled by God, unwilling and unable to be tamed, especially their tongue

(Matthew 6:7 [KJV])
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

(2 Timothy 2:16 [KJV])
But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

(Titus 1:11 [KJV])
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

If you get to the head of the family, you get the entire family, as they will follow
How does one stop a mouth? Direct confrontation is the only way
They were doing this for profit, for money, as televangelists are doing today
"Teaching things which they ought not" teach, as in false doctrine, not just unimportant things

SUBVERT', v.t. [L. subverto; sub and verto, to turn.]

To overthrow from the foundation; to overturn; to ruin utterly. The northern nations of Europe subverted the Roman empire. He is the worst enemy of man, who endeavors to subvert the christian religion. The elevation of corrupt men to office will slowly, but surely, subvert a republican government. This would subvert the principles of all knowledge.
To corrupt; to confound; to pervert the mind, and turn it from the truth. 2 Tim 2.
MUST be stopped , not could, not should be stopped

(Titus 1:12 [KJV])
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

This was a known thing about Crete, the largest island in Greece, with an ancient history
This poem Paul quotes was written centuries earlier, so this truth was well established, known by this time for certain
Epimenides of Cnossos is the author, and was a 7th or 6th century BC Greek philosopher-poet, from Knossos or Phaistos.

THE SOURCE

“They fashioned a tomb for thee, O holy and high one
The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!
But thou art not dead: thou livest and abidest forever,
For in thee we live and move and have our being.”
― Epimenides Cretica

(Titus 1:13-14 [KJV])
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

This first century set of Judaizers was common, powerful, influential, highly persuasive, deceived and being deceived
Once again, the way to deal with it was and is by direct confrontation, not avoiding the controversy they cause, but exposing it
Today they may not listen, but it is worth a try. Today it is Gentile fables, occultic philosophy, pagan religion trying to pass itself off as Christianity

(Titus 1:15 [KJV])
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

If we have the Word of God in us, then all that we are and do will be pure before God and men, beyond reproach, blameless, like it should be
Conversely, if we are of the world, carnal, fleshly, minding the things of this world, then every thought, ever action is impure, defiled, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, with no keel rudder, no sail, blown all over the place by ever wind of doctrine, the latest this, that

THE DEFILED AND UNBELIEVING

(1 Timothy 4:2-3 [KJV])
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

(Ephesians 4:14 [KJV])
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

(Titus 1:16 [KJV])
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

The perfect deceivers, the perfect deceived by the enemy, professing Christians who live in the world, like the world, indistinguishable from the world
This is the lukewarm, Laodicean church of today, apostate, reprobate

REPROBATE, a. [L. reprobatus, reprobo, to disallow; re and probo, to prove.]

Not enduring proof or trial; not of standard purity or fineness; disallowed; rejected.
Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them. Jer 6.
Abandoned in sin; lost to virtue or grace.
They profess that they know God, but in works deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate. Titus 1.
Abandoned to error, or in apostasy. 2 Tim 3.

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Titus chapter 2