By: Daniel Goepfrich The Personal Letter The short letter to Philemon is the most personal of all of Paul’s preserved writings. In his three decades of ministry, Paul certainly wrote many other short notes and personal letters, but God chose to preserve only this one for our benefit. Although nowhere does this letter give the location of Philemon, Colossians 4:7-18 provides a list of names almost identical to those in Philemon, including Philemon’s slave, Onesimus. It seems that Paul sent Tychicus and [...]

By: Daniel Goepfrich Godly Living Towards Unbelievers Titus 3 concludes this short letter with two more exhortations to godly living. Building on the practical situations from chapter two, which were focused on our actions toward fellow believers, the first few verses of chapter three show that this extends to unbelievers and even governing officials as well (Titus 3:1-2). It seems that part of Paul’s normal teaching was that Christians are not to be trouble-makers in this world. Instead, by praying for our [...]

By: Daniel Goepfrich A Lifestyle Based on Sound Doctrine Titus 2 picks up the theme of good works from chapter one. Rather than false doctrine, Titus was to “COMMUNICATE THE BEHAVIOR THAT GOES WITH SOUND TEACHING” (Titus 2:1). The word translated “sound” means “healthy.” Paul used it eight times, all in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus and all related to correct doctrine, except Titus 1:13 and 2:2, where it refers to a healthy Christian faith. However, even those are in the [...]

By: Daniel Goepfrich Titus Overview Titus is one of three letters Paul wrote specifically to individual co-workers in his ministry. (The others were both to Timothy. Philemon was not a co-worker.) Although he is never mentioned in the book of Acts, we can piece together some information about Titus from 2 Corinthians, Galatians, and 2 Timothy. Before Paul left him on the island of Crete, Titus served as an itinerant apostle under the authority of Paul in Corinth and Dalmatia (northeast of [...]

By: Daniel Goepfrich The Worldly Church 2 Timothy 3 begins with a sad look at the state of the Church which is falling further and further from Christ (2 Timothy 3:1-9). This passage is often used to describe the modern world in which we live, and there are certain similarities. However, it is more accurately a description of the Church that is influenced by the world. Most people of the world have no interest in maintaining even “THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE OF RELIGION,” [...]

By: Daniel Goepfrich Enduring to the End 2 Timothy 2 continues with a few analogies, a few commands, and a few reminders. First, Paul used the analogies of a soldier and a farmer to illustrate the focus required to serve God well (2 Timothy 2:1-7). Just like a soldier cannot be concerned with things around him when he is in training or battle, so Timothy must not let his circumstances take him off mission. Just like a farmer receives the first benefit [...]