Titus 1:1

New Living Translation

This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.

For Encouragement

I chuckled when I read the introduction of Paul’s letter to Titus for the simplicity and humility of the man the Spirit took to the third heaven and heard things he couldn’t talk about. The great apostle introduced himself simply as Paul. No letters before or after his name. It’s shuddering to consider how any of our modern ministers of the gospel would have introduced themselves. This gives me permission to recount a real-life story at the funeral of a dear old family member.

The poor service leader introduced the preacher to bring a word of comfort and encouragement to a grieving family. To our horror, the retired minister refused to acknowledge his name with a nod at him. The title “Rev.“ wasn’t satisfactory. It took the intervention of other officiating ministers on the podium to prompt the junior minister to add the title “Dr.“ to it before he took the pulpit—God’s altar!

And you know the unthinkable thing? He took time for a long lecture on the meaning and importance of degrees and titles, and how it matters when introducing a senior minister—what it takes to earn the title Dr.—all of this at a funeral service before a grieving family, friends, and guests!

Where were simplicity and humility? That is why I chuckled when I read ‘Paul’ instead of ‘Pharisee (Dr.) Paul’ in his introduction.

Social media is resplendent with degrees, titles, and even training certificates. They are important for job searches and the affirmation of academic work. But that is the world’s sphere, not the Christian landscape where we call our Lord simply Jesus. He doesn’t take offence, and heaven responds to us. What is wrong with us ministers of the gospel?

I thank God for education and for those who have higher degrees, and we must acquire them. By them, we gain knowledge for informed living and for the teaching and preaching ministry. However, things have been taken to extremes too often these days. Pulpit protocol is the priority: where titles precede the message and take precedence over the messenger’s character.

Paul was a lawyer and studied the highest level of theology in his time, yet he never burdened his readers with his academic titles. He called everything in his pedigree as putting confidence in the flesh, which, for the sake of Christ and a higher knowledge of Him, Paul considered as garbage (Philippians 3: 4-9).

In this letter to Titus and others, he simply refers to himself as Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ (Titus 1:1). His focus was on the message, not the messenger.

May we be like Paul and rather focus on the message of the Gospel, allowing our lives to go before us as a witness to our Savior, who showed us His divine blueprint for our attitude adjustment (Phil. 2:6-8).

Pray with Me

Father, please teach us to empty ourselves so that you become everything in and through us, in Christ Jesus. Amen.

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