Title: Paul's Apostolate
(Titus 1:1-4)
It can be seen that Titus was a faithful worker who was loved and trusted by Paul to such an extent that he was called a true son, a companion, and a co-worker. Although the exact date or location of this book has not yet been revealed, it is believed that it was written and sent in Macedonia, where 1 Timothy was written, early in AD 66. The theme of this Titus is 'the good life'. This book provides warnings against false teachers and presents Christians with a proper life of faith.
1. Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ
Regarding the attitude of a servant serving his master, it metaphorically describes the relationship between the master and the servant in human society. As a servant of God, he said that he should do God's work with the attitude, 'I was a useless servant, so I just did what I was supposed to'. Next, in an attitude of absolute obedience to his master, he said, 'Be faithful to death'. And the servant waits for the master's will with the attitude of saying to the master, 'Speak to me, here I am,' and must obey it.
And he revealed his identity by saying that he was an apostle of Jesus Christ. The word apostle means one who is sent. It means a worker sent by Christ. Jesus said, 'As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you'. If we work as gospel workers, it is Jesus Christ who sent them as workers.
2. Why was Paul called to be an apostle?
Paul tells several things about his being called by the Lord to be an apostle. First, in verse 1, it says 'because of the faith of God's elect'. It is a word that shows the fact that the faith of God's elect must be transmitted by men. In particular, in the case of the apostle Paul, the significance of his calling must be very great. Because it played a decisive role in preaching the gospel in the early church age.
And it is surprising that the epistle received through his revelation was read by millions of people today as the Bible to accomplish God's work of salvation. Therefore, Paul was convinced that all of his work was accomplished by God's eternal economy, and he was faithful as a gospel worker by this calling. Second, it is said that 'because of the knowledge of the truth that belongs to godliness' The word godliness is a life devoted to God. Through his epistles, Paul passed on the knowledge of man's service to God, and through Paul, we learned a lot about how to serve God.
In the next verse 2, it says 'because of the hope of eternal life'. We can see that all these providences of God were to give us the hope of eternal life. That is why it is said that it is because of the hope of eternal life. And he said that this eternal life was promised by God before eternity. The eternal life we have received by grace is not a thing of yesterday or today. It was the fulfillment of what God had promised from eternity. That is why it is telling us that 'he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world' about our choices. This is what God's providence said, 'He revealed his word through evangelism in his own time'. This means that when God wanted to accomplish salvation, He did what He wanted to accomplish through His Word.
Conclusion: The existence of one Paul is appearing as such a great and glorious being in God's plan of salvation. this is rain