Titus for You

God's Word for You

by Tim Chester

Join Tim Chester for the latest in the groundbreaking, bestselling God's Word For You book. Titus For You will help you get to grips with this short, powerful letter, showing how it transforms our hearts and lives today. Tim Chester's renowned gifts for making the complex clear, the truth applied and the gospel shine brightly mean this book will take you to the pages of the Bible to engage your mind and stir your heart.

Written for people of every age and stage, from new believers to pastors and teachers, this flexible resource is for you to:

READ: As a guide to this wonderful letter, exciting and equipping you to live out the truth in your life.

FEED: As a daily devotional to help you grow in Christ as you read and meditate on this portion of God's word.

LEAD: As notes to aid you in explaining, illustrating and applying Titus as you preach or lead a Bible study.

Whoever you are, and however you use it, this is... Titus For You

Genres: New Testament, Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Christian Living

128 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2014

About the author

Dr Tim Chester is involved in The Crowded House, a church planting initiative in Sheffield, UK. He was previously Research & Policy Director for Tearfund UK, and has been published widely on prayer, mission, social issues and theology. He is married to Helen and has two daughters.

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a more devotional, applicational commentary through a book, it’s hard to go wrong with any volumes in this series.

[David Nalley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good, short, and practical commentary on Titus.

Tim Chester is worth reading for his passion for Christ and his devotion to calling the church to live missionally in this world.

[Ruth Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ningún libro de Tim Chester de esta serie decepciona. Al ser Tito tan breve, Chester puede profundizar en las aplicaciones prácticas y volverte a llevar al corazón del evangelio con cada uno de los capítulos. Ha sido estupendo leerlo en mi tiempo devocional.

[Amalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

great for bible studies!

[Michael Boling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raise your hand (or perhaps your mouse) if you have recently read through the Apostle Paul’s letter to Titus. The immediate guess if most have not, unless they have made it through most of a year’s worth of daily Bible readings, worked through this short yet important Pastoral Epistle. The latest book in the excellent God’s Word for You series from The Good Book Company is Titus for You by Dr. Tim Chester, a book that will certainly lead the reader to a great appreciation and application of the timeless truths found in Titus.

One outstanding element of this book is its sheer readability. For those often turned off by commentaries due to their breadth and/or discussion of issues that seem to be of a rather foreign nature to most non-scholars, Chester’s approach to Titus will come as a source of refreshment. The overall intent of this book is to provide the reader with the ability to use the material provided for purposeful and in-depth Bible study, as a personal devotional tool, or as something that would find its way into a small group setting. In all three aspects, Chester hits a bulls-eye.

After providing a short yet informative introduction to Titus, Chester engages the text of Paul’s letter over the course of seven chapters. As Chester exegetes this epistle, he does so not by trying to examine every nuance of every Greek word used by Paul or by analyzing the discussion points of scholars or the variety of interpretations through the years. While such things are indeed purposeful and appropriate for more lengthy tomes, Chester instead chooses to focus his efforts on presenting the overarching message found in a particular chapter of Titus with the majority of his attention given to the all important element of how the believer can apply the message of Titus to their daily life.

For example, Chester notes in relation to Paul’s statement in Titus 1:7, namely that an overseer in God’s household must be a man who is blameless, the importance of looking for leaders and having an innate desire to be leaders who are blameless in character. Chester aptly states leaders in the body of Christ must be “blameless in their home, their character and their doctrine. They need to be disciples who can make disciples.” Thus, the individual who is in ministry simple to make a name for themselves or to gain a following, whether that is through the vehicle of social media or in a local church setting is in ministry for all the wrong reasons. In fact, Paul, in his letter to Titus, defines such individuals as the complete opposite of what a church or believers should be looking for in a godly leader.

I also appreciated the attention Chester gave to Paul’s words in Titus 2 concerning the proper understanding and application of God’s grace in our lives. Chester saliently comments “We should not misunderstand Paul’s emphasis on grace. Grace does not mean that what we do does not matter. It does not mean that we can live how we choose since God will always forgive us. Paul is quite clear: we need to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions. We are to be self-controlled…Grace teaches us to control ourselves and our passions.” This is an important message in a day when grace is far too often taught as a catch all for life with no emphasis given to the need to pursue holiness through the work of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives.

A final aspect of this book that is very helpful are the “Questions for Reflection” found at the conclusion of each chapter. As noted earlier, one of the intents of this book is for it to potentially find its way as part of personal Bible study, personal devotions, or in a small group setting. The questions posed by Chester are invaluable for meeting those three goals as they will push the reader to consider in more depth the points discussed in that particular section. Such questions moves this book from simply being a book that is read and put back on the shelf to a tool that can be used over and over to dig deeper into the words of life provided by the Apostle Paul in Titus.

I highly recommend this book for all believers. Titus is a book often overlooked which truly is a shame. Chester’s effort in Titus for You will most definitely bring attention back to Titus and rightly so given the numerous practical truths found in this book that are as important to understand in our day as they were when Paul penned them so long ago.

I received this book for free from The Good Book Company via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Mundy Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a big fan of the "God's word for you" series since reading Chester's volume on 1 Samuel in 2014. they are readable, clear, devotionally helpful and everything a pastor or lay person would want from a commentary.

but special thanks goes to Tim Chester for his volumes. I find him insightful, gracious and clear. this volume on Titus is fantastic. get it, read it, enjoy it and thank God for his great kindness to us in Jesus Christ

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the Christian to get back to the basics, is to get back to the bible. Titus for you is a indepth bible study of the church and for the church which equals Christian living. I would have to say this is expository teaching which is rare jewel in Christian books these days. So many Christian books now are more influenced by the culture instead of the whole counsel of the word.

Starting with the first Chapter-Truth leading to Godliness is the foundation of what is taught and how we as Christians should live and the church is governed. Godliness shows that the truth is true. (kindle location 191) Godliness and truth work together, they do not compete with each other. Each leads to the other and bears fruit for the church and it's members.

Where we grow in truth and godliness is thru discipleship. Where life is done together. Not just for the sake of meeting together, but to grow in faith, where hope is sustained and faith is fed thru the hope we have. Discipleship also develops leaders. Without the proper gospel centered discipleship, leaders fail. When you see so many church leaders failing in different capacities, maybe the failure started in the lack of discipleship. Having been thru this myself, this spoke to me loud and was a comfort at the same time. Don't set yourself up for failure due to lack of discipleship. This is a personal lesson learned. Discipleship also keeps our desires aligned with who God is and his desires for his people and you. Keeps you out of the petty things. However, this is all for naught if not a gospel centered discipleship. Chester's teaching on what this looks like is for us all. Gospel centered is intentional and does not come by accidental. Discipleship among generations is also encouraged and taught. So many times our churches do not see the value of mixed generations, but instead has seperate ministries for every kind of need, when ministry should be done together. That is called unity for the gospel. Anything else is for each is own and leads to pride.

I was also encouraged by the teaching of legalism in the book of Titus. Legalism always starts out with what must I do and ends with Is that enough? (kindle location 629) What that approach does is make ministry into a project instead of a life time commitment. Grace is the opposite of legalism. It is by grace, we have fuel for the Christian life, legalism we run dry. Legalism says don't do this...the Gospel of Grace says "You need not get drunk because Jesus offers a better refuge. You need not lose your temper, because God is in control of the situation. Sin is always making promises, and the gospel exposes those promises as false promises and points to God, who is bigger and better than anything sin offers. THAT IS GOOD NEWS. (Kindle location 733) Because we have seen and experienced God's grace, we can see God's glory. God's glory is also God's wrath because in God's wrath, all things will be made right.

Titus for You is really God's glory expressed and experienced thru His grace as you live out His grace. It starts with who God is and the truth we should always be seeking and ends with the cross and His glory.

A complimentary review copy was provided to me by Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC). I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Craig Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Titus is the third of the Pastoral Epistles written by Paul. It is the shortest of the three but is packed with lots of doctrinal and practical content. According to Tim Chester, in Titus Paul “is giving us a vision of a life that touches people in small but decisive ways – a life that has eternal consequences. He is setting out the truly good life” (9).

Tim Chester unpacks how Paul presents this message to Titus in Titus For You which is part of the God’s Word For You series from The Good Book Company. This series of devotional commentaries is designed to aid Christians in reading the biblical text either just as a book, as a devotional or as a group discussion guide.

As a devotional commentary, Titus For You is designed to all Christians to learn more about the book of Titus through personal devotions or in a group setting. The chapters are broken into two parts and there are discussion questions at the end of each section. When words are used, like sovereignty, that might be more unfamiliar to readers they are placed in bold lettering indicating that a short definition or brief description is given at the end of the book.

In Titus For You, Tim Chester unpacks this powerful message from Paul, a mature Christian, to Titus, a pastor left in Crete who is charged with identifying and training leaders for the church there. At the heart of all that Paul instruction Titus to do is how the gospel shapes church leadership. Chester tackles topics like the sovereignty of God in salvation and evangelism (16-18), discipleship (29-42), legalism vs grace (54-56) and the function of structures within the church (12, 29).

Titus For You is a must have for any Christian or small group studying the book of Titus. The God’s Word For You series is a must use for churches and something churches should encourage their members to use for personal Bible study.

I received this book for free from The Good Book Company through Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jonathan Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quality commentary. Two reasons why this did not get five starts: 1. The other commentaries from this series (that I have read) were by Tim Keller and they were spectacular. Very enjoyable, in that terrible Gospel saturated way! 2. The depth was missing from this commentary. This is also a good thing in that you don't need to be able to read Greek to get anything out of this commentary.
Either way this was a good little commentary about a book that I think most people have never studied, but should. Titus is well worth your time.

[Joe Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was convoluted with reformed language that would spend as much time trying to defend a theological view as it did expositing the verses.

[David Hodges · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also appears on the Pious Eye site (reviewer’s blog) and, less nicely formatted, on Amazon.

Mostly, this book is very good. It is doctrinally reformed (“The Spirit gives the desire and the ability to respond to the gospel. Because God has made us alive, we hear the gospel and respond with faith” [15]; “God has done the choosing, so God will do the persuading” [17]) and does not try to evade widely unpopular biblical truths (such as “Christian teaching on headship within marriage” [64]: “It is not that younger women cannot have a career. But if they are wives and mothers, home is the primary place where they are to serve. The call to be ‘busy at home’ is not just to counter the temptation to be lazy at home, but also to counter the temptation to be over-busy elsewhere” [59]). Overall, Titus for You is edifying, pleasant reading, a devotional commentary suitable for individual or small group study.

Some things that Chester writes don’t quite work for me, however. Perhaps they will not work for you, either.

Most minor of these failures-to-work is Chester’s portrayal of “individualism” as something wholly negative. Such lack of nuance has become prevalent among Bible teachers concerned about contemporary disintegration of Christian community. While concern to preserve or reestablish Christian community is laudable, simplistic portrayal of “individualism” as entirely bad could someday lead to (for example) erosion of personal liberties many of us consider sacrosanct gifts from the God who created us. Chester writes: “the problem in Crete is that these Christians do not want to be part of the flock under the shepherd. They want to be like solitary, wild animals. They want to think of themselves individually, not as part of a collective. But sheep do not do well as wild animals. They need a flock and they need a shepherd. And that holds just as true amid the rampant individualism of western culture today as it did...then” (45, paragraph break removed). This passage strikes me as pushing Scripture’s analogy between Christian believers and sheep a bit far. After all, is the point of Scripture’s analogy the superiority of sheepishness over individualism, or humans’ inescapable state of sheepish dependence on either the good (divine) shepherd or some other (non-divine and not-so-good) replacement? Whether Chester’s use of the analogy is excessive or not, limitation of possible options to “solitary, wild animals” on the one hand and “sheep....[who] need a flock and...a shepherd” on the other still seems simplistic. Of course, one can only expect so much nuance from a relatively short devotional commentary, and simplistic individualism-bad, collectivism-good rhetoric, though irksome, hardly rises to the level of heresy.

Similarly sub-heretical but not entirely satisfactory are some of Chester’s statements on church authority. On authority, he at one point writes (based on his understanding of Titus 3): “If our elders deny the gospel in any way, then we should challenge them. If they get ‘these things’ wrong, then confront them. But on all other matters trust them” (107). Does Paul really give church leaders a blank check when it comes to every biblical teaching beyond the gospel? Is testing leaders’ assertions by the standard of authoritative Scripture really only laudable when it deals with core gospel truths? While we certainly don’t want unruly and overconfident sorts disrupting churches in the name of novel interpretive schemes unknown among Spirit-guided interpreters of prior generations, the sad truth is that much or most of the doctrinal error that we find in our churches—initially concerning matters not obviously and directly affecting gospel essentials, but typically proving a “gateway drugs” to later errors that do affect gospel essentials—originates with our leaders. In our day, when inspired apostolic guidance does not reside in any living persons we can consult but is limited to a written text we must interpret, and when persons can be deemed specially qualified for church leadership because of past high-profile secular careers (from athletes to executives), Chester’s position seems insufficiently nuanced.

Chester’s discussions of rules, legalism, and controversy (45-56, 103-9) also don’t entirely work for me. Concerning rules and legalism, Chester wishes to draw a very broad application from Paul’s condemnation of the unruly (“literally ‘insubordinate...’”[44]) false teachers troubling the church in Crete, particularly (or solely: Chester believes “that is” is likely the best translation of “especially” [KJV “specially”] [45]) those teaching the necessity of circumcision for salvation (Titus 1:10; see also Acts 15:1). Chester proposes the following understanding of Titus 1:10-12: “Paul is saying that these religious rules do not enable their followers to escape the influence of the world. Rather, the result of rule-keeping is to completely succumb to it.” (47). Is Paul saying that any and all rule-keeping will necessarily lead to greater worldliness, or is he just pointing out how rules promoted and followed by unsaved persons in place of the gospel have this effect? Is Paul claiming that rules that accord with Scripture’s teachings and that are neither claimed necessary to salvation, nor set forth as sufficient in themselves to bring about godliness, are necessarily bad and to be avoided?

This seems a bigger claim for Paul’s meaning than the text supports. Yet, it is the meaning Chester suggests. He believes that “laws and rules” invariably “reduce godliness to ticking some boxes” (47). The idea is that once you start setting up rules, anything you don’t have a rule for becomes a free-to-do-as-you-like zone irrelevant to determination of how godly or ungodly you are. One can pursue godliness either by formulating rules or by making “a whole-life commitment”—one cannot, Chester apparently holds, do both. If you formulate rules, you adopt “a legalistic approach that wants to limit godliness, diluting it down...to a part-time project” (48); “a set of dos and don’ts” necessarily “reduce[s] the demands of godly living” (49); calls for “clearer rules on how to be godly” in one’s behavior must be rejected (Ibid.).

I don’t buy this. Is it not the case that specific rules for various real and potential situations can be formulated given a whole-life commitment to God’s authority and Spirit-directed study of Scripture? Does adherence to a rule in one area of activity necessarily mean disregard of God’s will in areas where one has not set up rules to follow? Scripture is rich enough in moral principles and directives to permit formulation of many rules accurately describing how Bible-believers should act in many concrete situations; I cannot credit the idea that Christians should avoid formulating such rules.

Chester is of course correct that “Grace is not just for the beginning of the Christian life, it is the fuel for the Christian life” (50). Does it follow from this, however, that “adding rules has no power to change [any of] our lives” (Ibid.)? Without doubt, unsaved persons, persons dead in their sins, cannot come alive spiritually or achieve any degree of godliness by adhering to rules. But if a person indwelt by God’s own Spirit, someone to whom God has given spiritual life, strives in the Spirit’s strength to follow rules derived from Spirit-guided understanding of the Bible, does that striving really do nothing to improve that person’s life? Chester’s answer seems to be that, indeed, such a person does not benefit from such striving and should in fact stop all such derivation of rules from Scripture. Derivation of rules from Scripture and efforts to follow such rules are always “legalistic,” always treat rules as “substitute fuel” in place of God’s grace (Ibid.), Chester believes (apparently). This understanding strikes me as too simplistic, applying the label “legalism” to entirely too broad a set of activities.

I cannot help but suspect that such fear of broadly, vaguely defined “legalism” has made even the most doctrinally sound of our pastors afraid to offer specific guidance (rules, “dos and don’ts”) on moral matters where Scripture permits formulating such guidance quite readily and properly. Granted that following rules does not make anyone righteous and never captures the full importance of all that Scripture teaches, does rules’ limited value mean they have no value and that believers’ requests for specific guidance should be rebuffed? If any tendencies among contemporary Christians are more prevalent than others, those tendencies are toward doctrinal and moral drift. Refusal to give specific moral guidance where it can readily be given favors moral drift; doctrinal drift is favored by the next aspect of Chester’s commentary that does not work for me: too broad an understanding of the sorts of “controversy” Paul intends Christian disciples to avoid.

Like his discussion of rules and legalism, Chester’s discussion of controversy suggests applying Paul’s words in a broader manner than those words seem to justify. Chester’s application of Titus 3:8-9 (taking the gospel summary of 3:5-7 into account) reads as follows: “Stress the gospel and avoid controversies. We stress the gospel because it is excellent and profitable, and we avoid controversies because they are unprofitable and useless” (104). Further, “we should avoid talking about things that divide, simply because they divide” (105). The implication of Chester’s words is that all controversy, all discussion about topics of disagreement, is bad and to be avoided according to Paul. However, the New International Version (NIV) wording that Chester works from has Paul counseling Titus to “avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law,” which is quite something other than avoidance of all controversies of any sort. The statement is not, “all controversies, which are foolish,” but “foolish controversies,” a locution which itself implies the existence of controversies that are not foolish. (The King James Version [KJV] wording is “foolish questions,” which similarly implies the existence of non-foolish questions.) Given earlier identification of “the circumcision group” (NIV and Chester’s wording) as the false teachers making trouble in Crete, the “about the law” seems naturally taken to mean “about the [Jewish ceremonial] law” rather than about moral (or political or economic) implications of the laws of Moses, so that not even all discussions we would today identify as “about the law” would seem to be in view. If one reads “arguments” and “quarrels about the law” as separate items to be avoided (the KJV translators’ punctuation favors this: “contentions, and strivings about the law”), rather than as a single item (“arguments and quarrels about the law”), one can see here a call to avoid “arguments” (“contentions”), but one would still seem obligated to limit the range of this prohibition to arguments on such topics as context indicates Paul has in mind when writing to Titus. Claiming Paul opposes all argument or contention hardly fits with what we know about the man’s activities as a promoter and defender of the faith and opponent of heresy and error.

So, while Chester is doubtless correct that “We should talk about the love of the Father, the grace of the Son and the renewal of the Spirit more than we talk about anything else” (105), so that we should expect more Christians to be called to emphasize these central gospel matters than are called to focus on less central matters where professing Christians disagree, Chester’s identification of all controversy as something bad to be avoided goes beyond the text and does not seem justified. Mean-spirited disagreement that prevents cooperation on important matters where there is agreement is certainly to be avoided, but no controversy is “foolish” that concerns truths found in (or by good and necessary consequence inferred from) the whole counsel of God, whether or not those truths fall within one or another Christian’s identification of the essentials of the gospel. While it is reasonable to assume that most Christians will be called to focus most of their attention on the things that matter most, which are indeed such truths as the doctrines of grace, a God who inspired a whole Bible covering many topics (not just a series of gospel tracts) can be expected to call some of his people to focus on scriptural truths beyond the core tenets of the gospel, even if those truths have become unacceptable topics of discussion among many who consider them too unimportant to require that Christians do more with them than “agree to disagree” to avoid “controversy.”

I find arguing about things, or just disagreeing with people (or being disagreed with), one of the most unpleasant things there is. (If my own experience is any indicator, one reason many called to controversy are less winsome or pleasant than others might like them to be is that they find the need to debate so disagreeable. Far from being lovers of controversy, these persons love truth and only enter into controversy because they see no way in good conscience to avoid it.) I’d enjoy nothing more than just focusing on uncontroversial “good works” while ignoring contentious topics. Alas, many contentious topics matter; God’s written Word speaks to them. When persons who profess to believe Scripture adopt and promote beliefs that run contrary to what one understands God’s Word to teach, controversy is unavoidable if one desires to honor the Bible’s authority. Admission of one’s own fallibility as an interpreter should of course prevent such controversy from being conducted in a spirit of hostility or enmity, as should regular revisiting of truths upon which parties to controversy agree, but the idea that there is something “useless” about any and all controversy does not seem supported by Scripture, either in Titus or elsewhere.

I am not claiming that Scripture’s various teachings, whether plainly stated or necessarily inferred, cannot be ranked in order of importance. The person and work of Jesus Christ, the triune nature of God, the “crimson thread” of salvation history—clearly these matter really are of highest importance. But that does not make anything else that Scripture teaches unimportant, much less “useless” to debate. “Controversy” in the sense of mean-spirited and self-centered divisiveness doubtless should always be avoided; “controversy” in the sense of fervent but peaceable debate, in contrast, seems a wholly acceptable activity for those who would apply authoritative Scripture to the whole range of topics on which it speaks, whether directly or by implication. While the supreme importance of those truths most obviously central to the gospel should always be underlined, this should never be done in a way that suggests other things in Scripture are unimportant matters about which Christians should just “agree to disagree” and discuss no further.

One final for-what-it’s-worth remark. Near the end of the text, Chester offers (with reference to Titus 3:3) this summary of one point of Reformed doctrine (Total Inability or Total Depravity, the “T” in the famous—or infamous, depending on whom you ask—T.U.L.I.P. summation of core Calvinist tenets): “We could not turn to God, because we were in chains. And we did not even want to turn to him, because we were deceived....Unless we become new people with new hearts and new desires and new loves, then we will never turn back to God” (98). In addition to reinforcing my initial statement that Titus for You is “doctrinally Reformed,” this passage provides me an opportunity to quibble over traditional wording. Perhaps this quibble will show me less soundly Reformed than Chester, but I offer it anyway. I tend to prefer speaking of “Total Inability” as “Total Unwillingness.” The point of the doctrine is not that fallen humans lack any of their original volitional equipment; they are every bit as free to choose what they want to choose as Adam was. The inability, though every bit as total as Chester indicates, is entirely moral or volitional: fallen humans cannot choose spiritual life because they do not want to, and only God can turn their wills so that they do want to. This understanding of matters is what enables me to see the justice in God’s holding those he does not save morally responsible for their unbelief: they are not deceived against their wills; rather, they collude with the Deceiver (see Romans 1:18).

Final aside aside, my extended criticism of aspects of Titus for You that don’t work for me (and might not work for you) should not be taken as general dissatisfaction with, or unwillingness to recommend, the book. On balance, it worthwhile, edifying, and enjoyable reading. Christians looking for something devotional yet sound could do worse.

[Mike Chitwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

INTRODUCTION
Theological debates occur within Christianity; sadly, some miss the main point biblical authors were really communicating. For example, the book of Titus is often remembered for the checklist of qualifications concerning elders, yet there is more to the book than this one topic. Author Tim Chester of Sheffield, England does a great job in Titus For You of summarizing Paul’s intent for the entire epistle. Basically, Chester believes Paul wrote this letter to Titus, his younger son in the Christian faith (1:4), by saying, “His goal was not converts, but disciples. For any ministry we are involved in…that should be our goal, too.” Chester explains his thesis by exegetically explaining this epistle verse-by-verse, which includes topics such as the Gospel, discipleship, character, God’s grace, and His glory.

THE GOSPEL IS THE CORNERSTONE OF DISCIPLESHIP
First, Chester’s summary of Titus may be discipleship. He realizes that Paul’s letter begins by emphasizing the Gospel (1:1-3). Only the Gospel can “bring those to whom God has chosen to saving faith” because one cannot rescue oneself, which feeds into holistic discipleship. In other words, the Gospel must be lived out in each believer’s life and not just received as a one-time moment of salvation. In chapter three in the book of Titus (3:4-7), Chester explains the difference between God’s grace and His glory. He starts by showing how Paul emphasized correct Gospel application in both belief and in culture. As a result, one lives a purposeful life because one’s motivation for living is founded in the Gospel’s redemptive application in not just their past, but also in their present and future.

GOSPEL BASED DISCIPLESHIP INCLUDES CHARACTER
Since Chester believes that Paul’s goal was not “converts, but disciples,” he believes one will show a life that makes the “God our Savior attractive” because they are Christians of deep character. They are not simply individuals with a knowledge-based form of discipleship. Rather, believers will display a joy from their Christianity that will attract others towards a deeper form of discipleship. Again, this is the result of the right Gospel-belief with the right Gospel-culture. It is a character-driven discipleship that is a lifestyle of “everyday Christianity” than a compartmentalized faith that is barely used.

More specifically, Titus For You says that Paul defined character to Titus as a “disciple who makes disciples.” Notice that Chester does not engage the theological divisive debate on concerning divorced men being elders or deacons in chapter one. Instead, his exegetical focus is on one’s internal character, which coincides with Chester’s interpretation of chapter three in the book of Titus, which encourages one to avoid controversies by focusing on the Gospel. Debates can be a waste of energy, so one’s focus should be on the clear steps of discipleship that will lead to the development of one’s internal character.

Also, Chester states that Titus displays the importance of an older person in the faith mentoring a younger person in the faith. In fact, this is exactly what Paul is doing with Titus (1:4-5). As one read’s through both Titus and Titus For You, it is clear to see that Paul is not engaging Titus in a process of self-discovery common to some forms of growth. Rather, Paul is directing Titus with clear expectations of how a Christian should live (2:15). Therefore, Paul is not just telling Titus about the importance of mentorship, he is living it out in their relationship (1:5).

CHARACTER IS FOUNDED BY GRACE & SUSTAINED BY GOD'S GLORY
Now that the relationship between character and discipleship has been shown in Titus, it is important to focus on one final profound truth. Chester writes in Titus For You, “We are pushed from behind by the wonder of grace and we are pulled forward by the hope of glory.” He claims that Paul’s point in the third chapter of Titus is that grace justifies us before God in salvation, but also a Christian should continue on in sanctification towards God’s glory (3:4-7). Basically, the Gospel saves us and it transforms us till death or until Christ’s glorious appearing where there will be a new heaven and earth. As Chester writes, “Grace also shapes our lives in the present. The gospel is good news for the last day. But it is also good news for the next day.” This is a beautiful truth he pulls from the book of Titus without adhering to any one eschatological theology. Instead he simply states, “We live between “two appearing’s.” The first was by grace when Christ appeared incarnate as both man and God, which is past tense. The other is future tense when Christ returns in full glory and splendor to redeem not just humanity, but His creation. Therefore, since He appeared by grace, His future appearing should develop within us a grateful character of hope for one’s Christian life and not a threat of His future judgment.

CONCLUSION
The Gospel impacts discipleship, which develops one’s internal character, and then character, is inspired by God’s future glory. These are some of the encouragements found in the book, Titus For You, which is the first entry in The Good Book Company’s “God’s Word For You” series, that is not written by Tim Keller. Rather, author Tim Chester does a great job of maintaining the quality associated with the series. The only complaint about Titus For You is that Chester seems to repeat himself when biblically explaining the latter half of chapter one and the first half of chapter two. Despite this one drawback, Titus For You is a readable short commentary similar to previous books in the “God’s Word For You” series that are recommended. This is because the well-trained pastor will find deep insights, while the average layperson will find the commentary accessible. Both groups can use Titus For You as a devotional by slowly meditating on the books content with the questions asked at the end of each chapter. By reflecting on the message found in the epistle Titus and the book, Titus For You can teach anyone that the grace of the Gospel is not only affirming for one’s salvation, but character forming for one’s transformation. As a result, a Christian should choose to be a disciple of Christ in both right doctrine, and a godly character that is neither antinomian nor legalistic, but Gospel centered and guided.

[Joshua Reitano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Tim Chester's work -- Meals with Jesus, Total Church, Everyday Church. This commentary is a helpful homilectical exposition of Paul's letter to Titus.

From the publisher:
Titus For You will help you get to grips with this short, powerful letter, showing how it transforms our hearts and lives today. Tim Chester's renowned gifts for making the complex clear, the truth applied and the gospel shine brightly mean this book will take you to the pages of the Bible to engage your mind and stir your heart.

Written for people of every age and stage, from new believers to pastors and teachers, this flexible resource is for you to:

READ: As a guide to this wonderful letter, exciting and equipping you to live out the truth in your life.

FEED: As a daily devotional to help you grow in Christ as you read and meditate on this portion of God's word.

LEAD: As notes to aid you in explaining, illustrating and applying Titus as you preach or lead a Bible study.

Whoever you are, and however you use it, this is... Titus For You

[Jon Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening! Encouraging and a Challenge.

I like this series in general and have read many of the "... for you" books. Most are easy to read, a few less so. All have been worthwhile. The questions for reflection at the midpoint and end of each chapter are a highlight.
I have read the book of Titus before, more than once, but I have never been so encouraged or challenged by what it has to say than I have been reading this book alongside it. Gospel truths are highlighted. The good (or godly) life is outlined, revealed to be a response to God's grace and vital to mission.
I will be reccomending this to family and friends, in fact I may be buying copies to give as gifts.

[Sean Harding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I sometimes get cranky with the Good Book Company because they tend to make their books so brief they lose a lot of substance.
This one is also too short, but at lease it does cover a lot of Titus.
I wouldn't really call it a commentary however, it is far more homiletic in nature to be one, but it does at least take you to the text and discusses it, and gives helpful application.
So whilst I felt it was again too brief it did have a lot going for it.

[Tom Pountain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will pick up anything Tim Chester writes, in many ways this did not disappoint. I love his clarity and thoughtfulness over the implications of big theological truths. However, having read a few books in this series now, the 'devotional' style seems to lend itself to more diversions, asides and intrusions into the Biblical text that I would hope for from such a book.

[Barbara Harper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed many of Tim Chester's contributions to The Bible for You series. But this one fell a little flat for me. I did glean a few good comments, but not as much as I have in previous books in the series.

[Lindsey Haro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Perfect if you want to take a deeper look into the book of Titus. :)

[Chrissie Heasman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really helpful and practical book.

[Jestin James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice companion book to read along with the book of titus. Not a commentary, but a look at the main truths mentioned in the book.

[Sarah Tummey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book to read alongside the Biblical letter to Titus from Paul. Chapter 3 explained legalism, and Chapter 6 explained salvation very clearly.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as focused and concise as the other books in this series that I have read by Keller but still good and worth reading. I enjoy Chester.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how accessible this commentary is. It doesn't cover everything (which is fine), but it does a good job of hitting the main points.

[Jónatas Rafael Lopes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muito bom para Devocional.
Há diferença para os do Keller, claro.

[Alana Valle]

A great little book that helps you deep dive into Titus with commentary and spiritual application. Read it for my DGroup, really helps to evoke deeper conversations.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent - not so much an exegetical commentary, but an excellent thought provoker, slightly outside the box.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Titus is about the gospel-all three chapters. Although Paul left Titus in Crete to appoint leaders, the book is "all about ensuring the gospel is central to the everyday life [sounds like many good books that have come out in the last few years] of the church, so that the world can be reached for Christ." There is a great explanation of the gospel on pg 94-95.

There is a brief, one page introduction to this series of books, then it goes right into a brief introduction to Titus before starting the section-by-section examination. It's from a Reformed perspective, if that matters to you, but he doesn't go heavily into doctrine or try to convince the reader of any specific theology.

They say that "these books are not commentaries." I would say this is an exposition of sorts, but not a verse by verse commentary. The book can be read through (at only 115 pages, including unnecessary text box pull quotes that quote what's already in the book-magazine style), read in your own personal devotions, or used as a Bible study with questions for reflection at the end of each section.

The book takes us through Titus section by section. Verse references are bold, although the text of the Bible is not included, and any words that are rare or used differently in everyday language are gray when they first appear, and are explained in a glossary towards the end of the book. This includes explaining theological terms, Christian lingo, and words or terms used in the Bible that new believers may be unfamiliar with. I think it's a nice, user friendly feature.

He often gives some helpful background and historical information. An example would be that Titus 1:12 is a quote from a Cretan philosopher, Epimenides, who basically says that they fit the stereotype that we now have. It doesn't sound much like philosophy to me, but then he was a Cretan after all!

There are some minor items in the book that aren't to my liking, but overall, I learned a lot and think it's a very good book. (Was I supposed to wait until the end to write that?)

The first thing I didn't like is right at the beginning in The Introduction To Titus, he starts out with a couple of paragraphs about the movie It's A Wonderful Life, and then compares that with "what Paul is doing in the letter he writes to Titus." I don't like comparing movies to the Bible, even if it's a wonderful movie. And even though he gives a short description of the it, I would guess that many younger people haven't seen it.

Chester compares Titus with Acts. There's a comparison I'm more satisfied with. He also refers to Ezekiel calling on the breath (or Spirit) of God to bring life to corpses as a comparison to preaching the gospel.

Starting on page 57, he talks about "living the good life". This sounds a little strange to me, almost like a beer commercial (Miller beer's The High Life-which sounds a lot stranger today than it did back then) or something Joel Osteen would say. What he means is doing good works and living a godly life as laid out in Titus 2:1-10, which isn't strange at all. Then he continually refers to living the good life throughout the rest of the book. The problem is if someone quotes a part of the book that has that phrase in it, or comes late to Bible study, or a number of other situations, the wording might sound strange without the context.

A couple of other things I didn't care for:

-In Titus 2:4-5 he takes out the one idea of being busy at home and spends a full page on how wives, especially mothers, should forgo careers to stay at home. Not that I disagree, but he's taking one or two things from each category and making a whole scenario out of it.

-Sometimes he's unnecessarily negative. "If you are in your twenties, do not live like a child-on your Xbox all the time." Or, "I wonder how you think of God. Maybe he seems distant to you. Maybe he seems harsh or high handed. Or maybe you feel that he has forgiven you, so now he tolerates you." But out of that he writes extensively about enjoying God's kindness.

I've always liked Titus, and that's the reason I decided to review this book. I think it's a good book for its intended purposes, and as mentioned, especially good for new believers. Some people might overlook Titus. If that's the case, this is a good book in pointing out how it's about the gospel and what Paul's message to Titus-and everyone who reads it-is about. I think just about anyone could learn from it. The minor dislikes don't detract from the main exposition about the book of Titus, which I think is well worth reading.

I received a free copy from The Good Book Company through Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an unbiased review.

Find it at Amazon

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Titus! I love this little Pastoral Epistles written by Paul tucked away between 2 Timothy and Philemon. It’s only three chapters long yet how edifying to read. It’s actually my favorite. In this book Titus For You containing 200 pages, you will be excited of all the pearls of wisdom you will discover from Tim Chester. I’ve read many books on Titus over the past two years now and every author seems to have his own perspective or point of view on what Paul is saying. I found Chester’s view to resonate deeply with the Scriptures and within my soul!

First of all I especially appreciate the way he takes the time to divide the three chapters to unify them for the glory of God.

Chapter one is about keeping the Gospel central

Chapter two is about ensuring the Gospel is central in everyday living

Chapter three is about ensuring the Gospel is central for the sake of the mission.

What we are essentially seeing in this Epistle according to the author is that Paul is focusing on disciplining the people with the Gospel. Paul desires for Titus to bring order by disciplining people through the Word for mission.

Chester develops the Epistle by going through many verses explaining them in a clear precise way that is easy and comprehensible. You couldn’t call this a verse-by-verse commentary but somehow I found it more in debt and profound then some other commentaries that I have studied on Titus. I say this because of the way Chester brings everything together when he explains specific points just by using other verses and explaining it straight forward. He does a great job in bringing out important insightful points that we too often neglect the pertinence because we read it so fast. Example: he shows us clearly how Jesus’ first coming was an act of grace yet His second coming will be an act of glory for God.

I also appreciated the way he reminded us that the glory of God is a threat to those who do not know him. This sometimes is a detail I tend to forget when I ponder on Gods glory. Because I am a Christian I seem to always think of nice things when I think of glory and God. But not so if you’re not a Christian!

His last chapter: Stress These Things, Live These Things, I found particular encouraging. I loved how in the end it boils down to how we are to treat people the way Jesus treated people. That is, with humility and gentleness! If we are honest, this is a bit radical for some of us in our culture today where freedom of speech, our opinions and pride override those wonderful virtues that may seem for some of us, out of date. Yet, as we clearly see in Titus chapter 3 they are still to be lived out today for the children of God.

After ever section you have a few questions to help you meditate more deeply on what you’ve just read. I believe this helps the person who desires to dig deeper into the Word, it’s the extra nudge.

It’s a marvelous book on Titus and one that I tend to keep close at hand as a reference book. As of yet in my many readings this is the first version I have had of this venue and it fits really well with what I read that Don Carson briefly wrote about in – An Introduction to the New Testament, in the section about Titus.

I leave you with these two awesome quotes:

“Grace does not simply prepare us for the future age (by saving us from God’s judgment). Grace also shapes our lives in the present. The gospel is good news for the last day. But it is also good news for the next day.”

“God’s kindness is seen in the sending of his Son and the sending of his Spirit, so that we might share in the rebirth of all things.”

Ann L Beaulieu

*I have received a free copy by Cross Focus. However I am under no obligation to write a positive review. These are entirely my own personal opinions and thoughts expressed according to my own discernment.

[Beverly]

"Living the good life of the gospel is always a challenge when we live in a culture that defines the good life in other ways. It is particularly hard in a culture where newspapers cannot be trusted and politicians are corrupt; a harsh, selfish, racist culture in which there is a fear of crime; a culture where people are reluctant to do manual work, which is therefore left to migrant workers; a culture in which people routinely overeat. And that was the culture of first century Crete."

In the Bible the book of Titus, located near the end of the New Testament, is short and compact. It is easily read in 10 minutes since it contains only three chapters. But it is by no means an insignificant book. It has surprising relevance for us today. Tim Chester's book, Titus for You, effectively shows his readers just how appropriate this little book is for you and me today.

The Apostle Paul and Titus had traveled to Crete and professed Christ to many who became saved by faith. Then Paul moved on leaving Titus there to continue to preach the gospel and organize groups of believers in many towns. A few years later, Paul writes this epistle (a short letter) to encourage Titus to choose leaders for these growing churches. The Apostle Paul's guidelines had very little to do with the structure of a church as we might have expected. Instead his message was about keeping the gospel message central.

Two topics of discussion caught my attention in this book. The first is the principle of mentorship and relationships as they pertain to growth and maturity within the membership of the young church in Crete. Mentorship is an important aspect of Christian vitality. It focuses us on relationship rather than rules, which the author rightly believes is key to a church's ability to stay intent on its mission to share the gospel with the nations. Mentorship is an urgent need in today's youth-focused peer dependent culture. So this author spends a significant amount of space on this topic.

The second subject I found interesting is the relationship between the false teachings Titus was supposed to deal with, the author's discussion of legalism, and what he had to say about divisive people. It didn't matter so much what the false teachings were that Paul was referring to, whether it was a form of legalism or not, but how the ones perpetuating the deceptive beliefs became divisive within the body of believers. It all had to do with respect and lack of respect for the authority of the leaders, rebellion, and staying close to the original gospel message as shared by Paul. In the book of Titus, Paul warns us to be on guard against people who reject authority and love controversy in whatever form it took.

I am excited about the God's Word for You series and this book in particular. It has successfully served to open up the little book of Titus and revealed the hugely relevant message it contains for Christ's followers even today. I would love to see this series in every church library and widely read. I think you will find the contents fresh and fascinating.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Cross Focused Reviews (A Service of Cross Focused Media, LLC)on behalf of The Good Book Company . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jeff Randleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pastoral Epistles, which include 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus, are by far some of the most practical letters in the New Testament when it come to ministry. In these short epistles, Paul writes to two young men who are leading churches: Timothy, in Ephesus, and Titus, in Crete.

These letters are full of incredible advice and spiritual insights for growth, both as a Christian and as a leader and minister. One of my personal goals over the past year and a half has been to study and memorize both of the letters to Timothy, and Titus is next on the list for this fall.

I think these are pretty important letters for us to examine in detail.

I’ve read several other books from The Good Book Company in this series, covering Galatians, Romans 1-7, and Judges. I’ve enjoyed each one of them immensely. So, when I saw an opportunity to read this one on Titus, I was pretty excited. At first, I wasn’t sure how it would compare with the others, since all of the ones I have read were written by Timothy Keller, and this one is by Tim Chester.

My fears were ungrounded. Chester hit a home run with this look at Titus. I feel like he did a great job dividing the letter up into sections to examine in detail. The chapters he writes here follow the natural breaks in the text itself, lending itself well to easy reading, or even to fit a preaching schedule.

There are a few items that really stood out to me strongly as I read Chester’s thoughts on this letter. I’m sure many of these will be fleshed out in my thinking and impact my studies as I dig into this letter myself later this year.

My one criticism really has nothing to do with Chester’s specific work on this book, but with the series as a whole. Very little of the biblical text is printed in the book, requiring you to keep a Bible handy as you read. This normally isn’t an issue, but I spent some time with this book in a coffee shop reading, without a Bible handy. I ended up using an app on my phone, but it was a bit cumbersome. Printing the text in the book would eliminate the need to have a Bible within reach.

That said, I normally read books such as this with my study Bible nearby, and the notes I take are usually in the margins of my Bible, allowing me to find them easily, when studying that passage again. It just didn’t happen to be the case this time.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book. Tim Chester approached the letter to Titus with strong biblical integrity, remaining true to the text, and to the culture in which it was written, but aptly drawing applications for readers today, and for tomorrow.

I’m sure that Titus For You will make it’s way off the shelf frequently for reference as I continue to study, write, and preach on this short letter.

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Cross Focused Media as part of their Cross Focused Reviews blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."