This letter brings out something of what we might call the civilizing function of Christianity. Titus was clearly in charge of a very young church in a very unpromising situation. Elders had not yet been appointed, and Titus was to appoint them. (By contrast, the church was well established where Timothy was, and there a bishop was not to be “a recent convert” [1 Tim. 3:6].) In Crete, where Titus found himself, there was the possibility that a candidate for the eldership might have unconverted children or children who were “wild and disobedient” (Titus 1:6). The elder himself must be “not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain” (1:7). He is to function in a community of which one of their own people said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons” (1:12), a testimony with which Paul agrees. In that situation it would seem that neither Paul nor Titus had a moment’s hesitation about establishing the church. The letter is clear evidence that the Christian church is not intended to function only in cozy, respectable, middle-class environments. The gospel is for the most unpromising of people.
This is seen also in the instructions to those who have been converted. The older women are not to be addicted to wine (Titus 2:3), the younger are to love their husbands and children (2:4), slaves are not to steal from their masters (2:10), people are to respect authority and do what is good and not to engage in slander (3:1-2). All this is surprising in directions to a group of Christians. It shows both that these Cretans were unpromising material and that Paul expected them nevertheless to produce qualities of Christian character.
Moreover, the gospel is to be taken to such people, despite the strong opposition of rival teachers. Some of these are successful, for they are “ruining whole households,” even though they aim only at their own dishonest gain (Titus 1:11). Apparently there was quite a Jewish flavor to the false teaching: its adherents are “of the circumcision group” (1:10), they teach “Jewish myths” (1:14), they “claim to know God,” even though their actions show this to be a lie (1:16), they argue about the law and engage in foolish controversies (3:9). But this letter makes it clear that the strength and the nature of the opposition make no difference: Christian teachers are to press on with their task of evangelism and of leading the converts into a lifestyle that brings glory to God.
Paul takes up no position of superiority but makes it plain that he owes everything to “the kindness and love of God our Savior” and specifically to what God has done in Christ (Titus 3:3-7). He puts the highest standard before the Cretans, “for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men” (2:11). The letter makes it plain that the Christian way is an urging of people not to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but rather to rely on the grace of God. This grace “teaches” (2:12); it educates people like the Cretans—and any other group.
We should not miss Paul’s reference to the parousia, as he waits for “the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13; note here the way he speaks of Christ). The letter emphasizes what God has done to bring salvation and the certainty of its culmination when Christ comes back.