The Epistle to Titus is another of Paul's Pastoral Epistles, written to his trusted co-worker and "true son in our common faith." Much like Timothy, Titus was Paul's apostolic delegate, tasked with a difficult mission. Paul had left him on the rugged island of Crete to "straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town" (1:5). The Cretan culture was notoriously corrupt—Paul even quotes one of their own prophets who said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons" (1:12). This cultural chaos was seeping into the new churches, which were plagued by rebellious people, empty talkers, and deceivers.

The letter to Titus is a short, punchy, and intensely practical field manual for establishing order and health in a challenging mission field. Paul's primary instruction revolves around the inseparable link between sound doctrine (healthy teaching) and good works (godly living). He begins by outlining the stringent character qualifications for elders, who must be appointed to lead and protect the church from false teachers. He then gives practical ethical instructions for various groups within the church—older men, older women, younger women, younger men, and slaves—showing how the gospel should transform every aspect of life. The theological heart of the letter is found in two magnificent summaries of the gospel (2:11-14 and 3:4-7), which provide the grace-filled motivation for this new life of obedience. The letter is a powerful reminder that the goal of the gospel is not just to save us from our sin, but to transform us into "a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good" (2:14).