Titus 3 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence

            In Paul’s closing remarks to Titus, he tells him in verses one and two to remind the Cretans “to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

            In our relationship to civil authorities we have three responsibilities: to be in submission to their rule, to obey their lawful commands and to be ready for every good work.  Of course, it is easy to do such things when we like our civic leaders and agree with their laws.  It is much harder to do that when we are embittered with them.  But the apostle Paul tells Titus to remind the Church that we are all under authority and that we must remember our place in society.  Our freedom in Christ does not allow us as individuals to disregard the laws of the land nor to speak disparagingly of our rulers, even though they may be evil.  Because all authority is from God, those in power over us still represent something of God’s order in the world, thus we should pray for our leaders and be known for our orderliness. 

            The Cretans were well known for their insubordination and their insurrections, but for those who had come to faith in Christ, a clear difference could and should be seen.  It is an offense to God when his people act like heathens spewing evil out of their mouths and fighting others in the flesh.  Yes, we all should participate in the political process and make our voices heard, even calling out evil when we see it, yet we ought always to do this in a respectful manner to those placed in authority over us, whether that is in the home, the church or in society at large. 

            In addition to our submissive attitude and our lawful obedience, Paul also says that we ought to be ready for every good work.  In other words, we are not to check out of the world when don’t get our way.  We are still called to pray for the peace and welfare of the city and to actively promote its welfare both in our neighborhoods and towns, for in its welfare, we will find our welfare, God says in Jeremiah 29:7.  Likewise, Jesus says in Matthew 5:16 that by our good works unbelievers will give glory to our God in heaven. 

            We must remember that we have been left here on earth for a reason.  That may not necessarily be to help a political party win an election, but it will always include spreading the gospel and bearing a clear and pure testimony to Christ and his kingdom.  But we cannot do that if we act in a petty manner, picking fights, and playing the fool.  As the world decays around us and this perverse generation slides into moral relativism, we are called to show forth the love of Christ both in word and deed.  Since none of us does this well, we all should pray for the Lord’s help in power and in person.