Counter Cultural

Titus 1:1-4: “Counter Cultural”

I heard it again: “White boy!” I was riding my bike down the streets of our small town in Guyana, South America. I was a teenager, and by now I was used to people randomly shouting “white boy” as I rode or walked around. It wasn’t just my skin color that stood out. Anyone I talked to would quickly realize that I did not speakthe Guyanese dialect of British English called Krealese. Even though we were generally treated very kindly by the Guyanese people, it was clear that we were from a differently culture.

As we look at Titus this morning, we will find that Christians are called to be counter-cultural. We are called to stick out in certain ways. Even though we are very much a part of whatever culture we belong to, both the gospel message and our lifestyle will conflict with our culture.

Paul writes to Titus, his coworker who is ministering on the island of Crete. As he begins this letter, he presents the gospel in a way that counters the Cretan culture. This morning, we will first look at Paul’s ministry as an apostle. That’s how he starts out the letter. That will lead us to the second point—the point I want to focus on—which is the purpose of this letter. The purpose of this letter is explicitly counter-cultural.

Read Titus 1:1-4

1. The Ministry of Paul
A. The Goal of Ministry
Paul introduces himself: he is an apostle and servant of God. God specifically chose him, along with the rest of the apostles, to lay the foundation of the church and write parts of the NT. It is important that he establish his God-given authority as he writes to churches who did not know him well. In vs 4, we see that he writes to Titus. His child in the faith. Paul was the spiritual father of this young man. He sets forth his authority from God and his partnership with Titus. Then he explains his goal in verse 1.

His goal of his ministry is the faith of God’s elect (for the sake of/according to). Who are the elect? According to the Scriptures they are the ones God chooses for salvation. Do we know who they are? No. But, we do know that people who are saved are God’s elect. We preach the gospel to all, knowing that God will use that message to save them. Paul’s goal is for God’s chosen people to believe. Not only for salvation, but to continue in the faith.

He then defines this faith…this belief. Look again at verse 1. The knowledge of the truth that accords with godliness. Those are his 2 concerns: that God’s people would know gospel doctrine and live godly lives. As he says in Colossians 1:28: he wants everyone to be mature in Christ.

2. The Reason for Ministry
Paul’s goal is the continued faith of God’s people. His reason or basis for his ministry is this: the hope of eternal life. He ministers so people can get to heaven.
People who believe the gospel are not believing something vain, but are believing a message that gives rock solid hope. The promise of eternal gives Paul hope as he preaches the gospel. This eternal life was promised long ago by a God who does not lie.

3. The Means of Ministry
All of sudden Paul switches subjects. He was talking about eternal life in vs 2, but now in vs 3 he is talking about the “word” (vs 2-3). You’ve probably talked to people who like to do this. They are going on about something. Then they begin their next sentence, and they’re on to something else entirely different. Like switching channels on TV. You give them a confused look and then they explain themselves. I gave Paul a confused look this week while I was studying this.

That’s what Paul does here, but he knows exactly why he is doing it. See, this amazing hope of eternal life is not stuck in past when God promised it. It is not a hazy speculation of what might happen. Eternal life is offered right now. Today. Through the Word. The hope of eternal life is laid out right in front of us when we hear the word of the gospel.

This is not a theoretical exercise in theology for Paul. He is not an armchair theologian. He PREACHES this word. This was his life’s work given to him by God. The means of ministry is the proclamation of the gospel.

Yes, verses 1-3 are a bit dense. But that’s OK, sometimes we are too at times. Let’s put it simply: Paul strives for people to believe in Christ because he knows there is this awesome hope of eternal life. He does this by the preaching of the gospel.

That’s the ministry of Paul. Now, the purpose of the letter.

2. Purpose of the Letter

A. To counter cultural lies with the truth of the gospel
If you grew up in church, this introduction may not sound shocking or counter cultural. In this letter, Paul launches an attack on the Cretan culture. The first missile he fires is found in vs 2. “God that cannot lie.” These are not empty words, like he thinks Titus has forgotten that God does not lie. No. By saying that God does not lie, Paul challenges the culture of Crete. Look at verse 12: Cretans are always liars. Historical studies have shown that the Cretan people were known for their lying. Paul proves it by quoting one of their own poets. Ouch. Other historical studies have shown that the main deity that the Cretans worshiped was Zeus. Zeus was known for his lying and his deception.

Paul knows the culture he is writing to, and counters the cultural lies with the truth. He doesn’t says “God who is not unfaithful” or “God who is not unloving.” He says the God who does not lie. He presents a God, not of Greek mythology, but a God beyond time. A God who plans and accomplishes his will, who saves and gives eternal life. The Greek myths are countered by the biblical story.
The first purpose of the letter is to counter cultural lies with the truth of the gospel. Yes, sound doctrine is important for the church. Not just because it leads to godliness…that is important. Not because it is from God…that is also important. But sound doctrine is important for the church so it can resist the lies of the world around it. Look at 1:9: pastors are to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine. The theme we saw last week–sound doctrine—is also the purpose. Sound doctrine to counter cultural lies.

You may ask: how in the world are you going to reach the culture with the gospel when you present a gospel that blasts away at their dearly-held lies? The second purpose of the letter answers that question.

2. To promote godliness which commends the gospel
The second purpose of the letter is to promote godliness which commends the gospel to the culture. This fits with the second theme we saw last week: godliness or good works. This godliness flows from hearts that believe and love the gospel. But being godly is not just for the sake of being godly. Clearly, we want to be godly to honor and glorify God. But on a human level, we are godly to commend our message to people.

Chapter 2 especially focuses on this. Paul gives specific instructions to young women in chapter 2. At the end of verse 5, he gives the reason for their obedience: “that the word of God be not blasphemed” or reviled. In verse 8, Paul gives commands to Titus: “so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” Verse 10: Paul gives instructions to slaves: “so that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.” In 3:2 we are told to show perfect courtesy (the KJV has meekness) to all people.

The message which offends people is proclaimed by a church who commends the gospel. A church who jettisons the gospel loses the message that will transform people. A church who loses the gospel, loses the message that makes commendable people. Really, we have here the foundation for evangelism. Sound doctrine to counter cultural lies and a sound lifestyle to commend that gospel to others.

The application to us is not that hard to find.

1. The church must focus the gospel at cultural lies
A church that does not counter cultural lies with sound doctrine is not faithful to the gospel. Silence is complicity and cowardice. The apostle Paul attacked the biggest lie in the Cretan culture. We must subvert the lies of our culture in the same way. No, we don’t change the gospel. We focus it at the lies like focusing the sun with a mirror. What are some cultural lies we must counter?

Today, the church is America must be clear on homosexuality. Homosexual acts are a sin. People who believe the gospel will give up the practice of homosexuality in obedience to the Savior. Christians are called to offer the gospel to all and to be kind to all people.
But we have no hope to offer to unrepentant sinners. We can only offer hope to those who repent of their sins and follow Jesus Christ. We serve a God who is not impure.

The church must be clear on marriage. It is between one man and one woman for life. We not only teach this, but by God’s grace we model it in our own marriages. We serve a God who created them male and female.

The church must be clear on abortion. Abortion is murder of an unborn child. Abortion is sin. God cares deeply for the innocent and helpless in society. We must be clear that every human life is precious from conception to natural death. The church doesn’t stop there, but offers forgiveness in Christ for those who have had abortions. We serve a God who protects the innocent.

The church must be clear on racism. Every person is created in God’s image and deserves respect. The gospel breaks down racial, cultural, and national barriers. One day around God’s throne will worship people from every tribe and language and people and nation. We serve a God who loves the world.

The church must stand for biblical marriage. It must stand against abortion, racism, gluttony, and sexual intimacy outside the bounds of biblical marriage. To do anything less is to be unfaithful to sound doctrine. No, we don’t have to bring up these topics whenever we share the gospel. But to be silent as a church is to be unfaithful.

2. The church must commend the gospel through transformed lives
People do not like when you counter their dearly-held lies with the truth of God’s Word. Many will reject God’s truth…many will reject the offer of God’s forgiveness in Jesus Christ. But, they should not be able to reject the gospel because we are angry, grumpy, and hateful people.

When we are gripped by the gospel, it transforms our lives. And transformed lives commend an offensive gospel to a hostile culture. When we disobey the commands of Scripture, the word of God is reviled. When we obey the commands of our Savior, we adorn the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dear friends, let us be counter cultural. Do not back down on the gospel. Do not back down on godliness. That combination of an unstoppable message and an uncompromised life is weird to our culture. That’s our calling. Christ desires his people to have theological backbones of steel coupled with tender hearts of love.

If we let one or both of these principles drop, we lose our ability to evangelize. If we have both the gospel and godliness, we have the foundation to proclaim Christ in our culture. And that’s our mission.