First let's get something clear about erroneous notions of Paul and his founding a new religion, which he didn't. True, the halakhah of his Judaism switched from the Pharisaic oral law to the Ruach Hakodesh, but his religion was still one of the Judaisms of the time, not a new non-Judaism Gentile religion.

MOSHIACH'S LETTER THROUGH THE SHLIACH SHA'UL TO TITOS

This letter was probably written very close to the same time I

Timothy was written (though C.E. 63 may be too early).

Apparently Shliach Sha'ul has visited Crete and left Titus there

just as he left Timothy in Ephesus. Shortly before Shliach Sha'ul

was arrested again for the final time, and while he was still on

the mission field (some scholars believe Corinth, others Ephesus,

others Philippi in northern Greece, that is, Macedonia), he wrote

this letter to Titus, his long-time associate, an uncircumcised

Greek so helpful in Rav Sha'ul's dealings with the Corinthians

and as a test case against the circumcising party in the early

days in Jerusalem. In this letter we learn that Zenas and Apollos

are coming to Titus and that Shliach Sha'ul hopes to meet Titus

in Nicopolis in Epirus on the western shore of Greece.

Notice that appointing zekenim is something that an emissary of

Moshiach's shlichut does when planting new Brit Chadasha kehillot

in an area (1:5). This is not always left to a local Brit

Chadasha kehillah's pulpit selection committee or membership vote

as in congregationalism. G-d wants to plant new Brit Chadasha

kehillot and appoint new messianic ministers much faster than

that. On the other hand, there is nothing in Scripture to warrant

a leader coming in and domineering over a congregation and

dictating all the internal decisions for the believers. A certain

Spirit-led tension between congregationalism and episcopalism

exists, as far as polity is concerned, since both congregational

and episcopal forms of polity each have dangers and weaknesses

but also strengths and advantages.

Notice we are to take no notice of certain religious myths that

people adhere to who are not regenerated and therefore have no

taste for the authority and sufficiency of the inerrant Word of

G-d (1:11). The Bible is not composed of myths or etiological

folktales, but sober salvation history predicted and fulfilled

through inerrant prophets, and there is no other book under the

sun suitable for faith and practice. Here we see Shliach Sha'ul

pointing to the embryonic but growing stronghold of rabbinic

authority and the intoxicating influence of Jewish legalism and

mythologizing similar to what is later found in the Talmud and

the Midrashim (see 1:10-16; 3:8-11). Apparently the movement of

believers in Crete was tainted by the influence of certain

morally perverse Judaizers and this weak corrupt mission field

needed a reforming outreach messianic minister and preacher like

Titus.

By their fruit you will know the true knowers of G-d (1:16;

Matthew 7:20).

Watch vulgarisms in your speech, from the pulpit or in public

anywhere. Why should such be there privately either? (see 2:3).

Ch. 2:10 demands no petty thieving but complete and utter honesty

at all times. Ch. 2:12 means that G-d wants you to give up

everything that does not lead to him.

We are not to have a tendency to go picking quarrels or to

slander others or to walk in touchy bitterness, but we are to be

polite and courteous to people, remembering that if they do not

treat us the same way we treat them, we too were once in their

darkness See 3:2-3. Titus 3:3 says some of the things found in

Eph. 2:11-13 and II Tim. 2:24-26.

There are those who only want to waste our time, however. We must

not allow them. See 3:9-11. See 3:10 on what to do with a

divisive person.

Although salvation cannot be earned by good works (3:5), 3:14

shows that we are to live productive lives, meaning not just that

we are to learn how to pay our bills and not be in debt, but that

we are to avoid being unproductive or lax in good deeds for those

in need, good works accomplished for the glory of our Savior.

Notice that good works are emphasized in Titus 1:16; 2:7,14;

3:1,8,14. The problem is that such are not often enough

emphasized in our lives as believers.

This book gives a balance between the need to refute false

teachers (1:10-16) and at the same time not to allow them to

waste one's time.

Look at the formulated creeds (or something very close to such)

in 2:11-14 and 3:4-7. This could be placed on a membership