In Titus 1.10-16, Paul addresses the false teachers that had unsettled the churches on the island of Crete. These false teachers were of a Jewish kind, not unlike the Pharisees that we read about in the Gospels and the Judaizers that Paul condemns in the book of Galatians. Basically, theyContinue Reading
For the last few weeks (see previous posts) we have been looking at the subject of preaching as we work through the book of Titus, and particularly in light of Titus 1.9. According to the Reformed tradition, one of the marks of a true church is the faithful preaching ofContinue Reading
In our last study, we continued to look at some biblical-theological truths that hopefully helped make us more discerning of what that central event of corporate worship – preaching – is. There are both good and not so good approaches to preaching out there. The merits of every sermon mustContinue Reading
I have already drawn attention to the fact that the elder qualifications in Titus 1.5-9 have many things in common with moral virtues expected from upstanding pagan citizens in the ancient world of Greece. (This is one piece of evidence for the fact that even non-Christians know something of God’sContinue Reading
As we approach another section in Titus that highlights the central importance of preaching and teaching in the life of the church – the minister must be qualified to preach and teach – I want to connect this chief public and corporate means of grace to the concept of biblicalContinue Reading
In recent weeks I have been using some theological categories (to help explain God’s Word in the book of Titus) that may be new to many people in the study. For one, I have been introducing covenant theology. So far we have considered at a basic level God’s covenant ofContinue Reading
What comes to mind when you think about qualifications for elders in the church? Ultra-spiritual? Other worldly? Or perhaps irrelevance? In Titus 1.5-9, Paul sets forth qualifications for elders. At first glance, they seem very ordinary and perhaps even out of place in the letter. In fact, as it turnsContinue Reading
Throughout history, the church has had to fight against being unduly influenced by the world or popular culture. The church is a counterculture institution with an otherworldly ethic. (Remember that the bible paints Christians as exiles and pilgrims in this world (cf. 1-2 Peter).) One way in which this isContinue Reading
The church today has various views on the relative importance of the church in the life of the Christian. In Titus 1:1, Paul speaks about godly conduct that accords with the Word of God. One question that naturally arises in this connection is: what kind of importance should be attachedContinue Reading
On Thursday, May 31, we had the privilege of having the Minister (Coen Vrey) of Bellville RCSA and his wife join us, as well as one of the long time couples of the congregation. We were blessed by hearing some of their reflections on being part of a Reformed ChurchContinue Reading
Reformed Church Southern Suburbs 2025