Titus 1:1,2 - In the hope of eternal life

1:1

As was his practice, Paul introduces himself as “servant of God” and “an apostle of Jesus Christ”. This is no boasting on Paul’s part. First, it was true. Secondly, being an apostle of Christ was no easy task, it brought much suffering and opprobrium with it. Moreover, Paul did not look on “apostle” as a title, but as a task. His task was to “further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness”. Paul was utterly Christ focused and gospel focused. We serve the people, but we are servants of God. Our task is not to give the people what they want, but what God knows they need. Notice also the term “God’s elect”. We are “God’s elect”, but that is not fatalism, it does not mean that what we do with our lives is of no consequence. Quite the opposite.

1:2

“In the hope of eternal life”. There is a sense in which eternal life starts now, the nature and quality of our life changes the moment we are born again, we are a new creation. However, it is only at the resurrection that this will come into all its fullness. And looking forward to eternal life is not simply “going to heaven when we die”. It is much more than that. We will be immortal, we will be completely Christlike. And our hope of eternal life is founded not on an idea, nor wishful thinking, but on the promise of God. So we can be absolutely certain of it. And this promise was made before the beginning of time! It has always been God’s purpose.