Titus – Serious Christianity: From Chaos to Christ

I am serious about Jesus Christ.  Very serious.  I am serious about Christ, His church and Christianity as a whole.  And frankly, I have a serious problem with people who claim to be Christians but don’t really care much about the Bible, attending church or even Christ, Himself, except for when they just want something from Him.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not talking about a seriousness that makes one sour with no sense of humor.  Some religious people at church look like they’ve been baptised in dill pickle juice, or just took a big bite of a mud sandwich.  In my humble opinion, good humor is of major importance.  In fact, it’s one of my life values as well as being one of the core values of our church.  No, I’m talking about taking Christianity seriously enough to actually live it.

Our next teaching series beginning October 3, 2010, is about this very subject.  The letter by Paul to Titus is a short New Testament book that’s packed full of useful information on how to set things straight in our churches, and how to move personally from a life of chaos to a life in Christ…from brokenness to blessing. We will witness serious Christianity—knowing and doing what is right through the grace of Jesus—as we read verse by verse through the book of Titus.

Paul had a deep concern for effective communication of the faith to succeeding generations. Sound doctrine and the distinctive Christian way of life must be taught. The Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) even describe a system of teaching that is divinely designed to transmit both truth and life.

The topics Paul touched on in his letter to Titus constitute a fair digest of New Testament theology.  Throughout the letter Paul strongly emphasizes the need to provide sound (healthy) teaching about the great truths of Christianity. He uses the word sound five times, stressing the importance of having a healthy and working knowledge of Christian truth.  People who aren’t serious about Christianity shy away from theology, doctrine and creeds.  In reality, these words simply speak of truths that are to be taught, affirmed and maintained. They need not and should not be dry and boring. I say shame on the egghead theologians and preachers who don’t put in the necessary effort to make the great doctrines (teachings) understandable, practical, pertinent and helpful to our lives!

Paul’s letter also emphasizes the need for good works. In Titus we find a fair summary of the true Christian lifestyle. Here we read about godliness, faith, qualities and ministries of leaders, self-control, love, and much more.  The great lesson is that healthy doctrine plus healthy community leads to a healthy lifestyle of doing what’s right in God’s eyes.

There is a tremendous call to action in the book of Titus. This is a book requiring people to know and do as the result of being serious about Christ.  So be warned; this series will drive a dagger in the wimpy, faint of heart pseudo-Christianity that so often passes for faith in our day.