Personal Training

In a world where education seems to be offered everywhere, the biblical description of the church as God’s training center for holy living is often overlooked (2:1–15). This error becomes obvious when a church lacks leaders. Effective leadership in a church is the result of proper training. When young believers have not been trained the church begins to flounder.

Paul was one of the most effective leaders of the early church. He preached the gospel tirelessly, founded a succession of churches throughout Asia Minor and Greece, and grounded these churches in God’s Word and the essentials of the Christian faith. But to be truly effective, Paul had to nurture others to follow in his footsteps and faithfully lead the church into the next century. Titus was one of the young men Paul was training for leadership. He had accompanied Paul early in his ministry (Gal. 2:1–3), had served as Paul’s representative (2 Cor. 7:5–16), and was considered a “fellow worker” (2 Cor. 8:23). When Paul wrote this letter, he had begun to pass the reins of leadership to this capable young man who was overseeing the churches on the island of Crete.

In his instructions to Titus, Paul reminds him of the traits of a spiritual leader (1:5–16). Paul had chosen Titus as a helper because he had evidenced these qualities. Now he had to model such traits to others, searching for those who could become leaders in the newly planted churches.

Paul instructed Titus to place the responsibility of moral leadership on the elders. Older men and women (2:1–5) had to lead the way in personal holiness. If their lives demonstrated the transforming power of the gospel, they would leave a lasting impact on following generations. Young men who saw older men diligently maintaining their faith in Christ would do likewise (2:2). Young women who heard older women encourage them to “love their husbands, to love their children” (2:4) would be more likely to take the counsel to heart if they saw their mentors doing that themselves. Titus himself was to exhort “young men” (2:6) while making sure that he was consistently following the pattern of life he was teaching (2:7).

The degree to which sound training exists in a local church practically determines the health of that church. The pastor may be the designated teacher, but the Bible makes everyone both a trainer and a trainee. Church members should rely on each other for spiritual guidance. The older generation should pass on to the next generation their vital Christian faith by word and example. The character that results from this process of spiritual training truly is an eye-catching advertisement for the gospel.

Taken from NKJV Study Bible