Bullet Point Bible

Christian Conduct in Society

¹ Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work.² They must not slander anyone, but be peaceable, gentle, showing complete courtesy to all people.

Paul instructs Titus to teach believers about their civic responsibilities.
Submission to governing authorities is presented as a Christian duty (cf. Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17).
"Ready for every good work" connects civic duty with practical acts of service benefiting the community.
Christian behavior should contrast sharply with slander and contentiousness.
The virtues listed (peaceable, gentle, complete courtesy) reflect the character of Christ.
"Complete courtesy" (Greek: *prautēs*) implies meekness or gentleness, especially under pressure.
This positive conduct is to be shown universally ("to all people"), regardless of their status or beliefs.
This instruction was particularly relevant in Crete, known for its rebellious inhabitants (Titus 1:12).
Such behavior serves as a powerful witness to the transforming power of the gospel.

The Basis for Gracious Living: God's Mercy

³ For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another.⁴ But "when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared,⁵ he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,⁶ whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior.⁷ And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life."

Paul grounds the call for gentle conduct (vv. 1-2) in the believers' own experience of God's grace.
The "For" (Greek: *gar*) connects the command to the reason: remembering their own past state.
Verse 3 provides a stark description of life apart from Christ, emphasizing moral and spiritual bondage.
The universal "we too" includes Paul and all believers, fostering humility.
A dramatic contrast ("But when...") introduces God's saving intervention.
Key attributes of God highlighted: kindness (*chrēstotēs*), love for mankind (*philanthrōpia*), and mercy (*eleos*).
Salvation is explicitly denied as a result of human works ("not by works of righteousness").
Salvation is accomplished "through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit," pointing to spiritual rebirth and transformation (cf. John 3:5).
The Holy Spirit is given abundantly ("poured out on us richly") through Jesus Christ.
Justification (being declared righteous) is by God's grace, leading to heirship and the hope of eternal life.
This passage summarizes core tenets of Pauline soteriology (doctrine of salvation), involving the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Focus on Good Works, Avoid Useless Disputes

⁸ This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.⁹ But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty.¹⁰ Reject a divisive person after one or two warnings.¹¹ You know that such a person is twisted by sin and is conscious of it himself.

"This saying is trustworthy" likely refers back to the profound statement on salvation in verses 4-7.
Titus is urged to strongly emphasize ("insist on") these truths.
The intended result of believing in God is active engagement in "good works."
Good works are described as "excellent and profitable," benefiting both the believer and the community.
This contrasts sharply with the "unprofitable and worthless" nature of certain disputes.
Paul specifies avoiding "foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and disputes about the law," likely referencing issues stirred up by Judaizers or Gnostic-like thinkers.
Such disputes distract from the core message and practical Christian living.
Church discipline is prescribed for a "divisive person" (*hairetikon anthrōpon*), someone promoting factions or heresy.
The process involves warnings before rejection (cf. Matthew 18:15-17).
Such a person is described as "twisted" (perverted) and "self-condemned," indicating a willful persistence in error.

Final Instructions and Greetings

¹² When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there.¹³ Make every effort to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; make sure they have what they need.¹⁴ Here is another way that our people can learn to engage in good works to meet pressing needs and so not be unfruitful.¹⁵ Everyone with me greets you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Paul outlines his plans, intending to send either Artemas or Tychicus to relieve Titus in Crete.
Tychicus was a frequent and trusted associate of Paul (Acts 20:4; Eph 6:21; Col 4:7; 2 Tim 4:12).
Paul requests Titus join him in Nicopolis (likely the one in Epirus, western Greece) for the winter.
Practical support ("make every effort to help...on their way") is requested for Zenas and Apollos.
Zenas "the lawyer" might have been an expert in either Roman or Jewish law. Apollos was a well-known Alexandrian teacher (Acts 18:24-28; 1 Cor 1:12).
This care demonstrates the practical interdependence and support network of the early church.
Paul reiterates the theme of good works, linking it to meeting "urgent needs" and ensuring believers are "not unfruitful."
This reinforces that faith must result in tangible actions that benefit others.
The letter concludes with greetings from Paul's companions and a final blessing.
"Grace be with you all" is a characteristic Pauline closing, emphasizing God's unmerited favor as the foundation for all Christian life and ministry.

The Bullet Point Bible

Titus 3