Be a Titus

What kind of man was Titus? Here are some things that came up in my study as I was preparing for sermons in this book.

Acts 15:1–2 – 1 But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.

Paul, writing about this time, says to us…

Galatians 2:1–3 – 1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.

Titus was a gentile. He was a convert to the faith. And Titus was man enough to go with Paul and stand with him in the Jerusalem council. Titus was willing to be the converted and uncircumcised gentile standing in front of the apostles and the circumcision party to declare that gentiles can indeed be saved without reverting to following Jewish laws.

Later, Titus is the man Paul sent to Corinth to deal with that crazy church and all its issues. Titus was the man left on Crete to appoint elders in every church to guard them against bullying and deceptive false teachers.

May God give us a few more Tituses in our churches today.