Titus’ qualifications of a sound church composed of sanctified believers in chapter 2 verses 1-10 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Christ is as Reggie Kidd has written “a case in self-mastery.” He possessed integrity and incorruptibility (vs.7). But beyond that, whereas in our own lives we seek to establish a pattern of good works (vs.7) Jesus seeks no pattern. His self-mastery is from everlasting to everlasting. He never failed in helping the poor and loving his neighbor.
Jesus gave to us his self-mastery in his death at Calvary. By mastering good works perfectly he bestowed upon us the grace to live to others and master our own imperfections. Far from a perfectionist ideology, we as redeemed people now seek though imperfectly, to follow our master by abiding in truth (Titus 2), pursuing noble works of righteousness, and defeating our evil tendencies to follow unrighteousness.
His coming accomplished far more than an exemplary testimony of right living, but it also delivered us from our common desires and perpetual bondage to ungodliness. Our worldly passions have been displaced with a “new inward disposition.” Christ redeemed us to be a living apologia to the Cretans’ and to the entire world.
*Quotations from Reggie Kidd’s article: Titus as Apologia
