Titus 1:1-4.  Paul had placed Titus in Crete for the reason that Timothy had been stationed in Ephesus.  Titus was a missionary, tasked with the establishment of the newly planted churches.  Titus was a disciple of Paul – or, as Paul puts it, a “true child in a common faith.” It was left to Titus to preach that faith in Crete, and to train and appoint others who would carry on that preaching.  Some of the elements of that message are seen in this salutation:

1. It is the faith of God’s elect.  Every believer puts his faith in Christ because God opens his eyes to who Christ is, and what he has done for him.
2. It is the true faith.  Titus must be careful to weed out falsehood because faith without truth is not enough.
3. It is a faith which accords with godliness.  What people believe about Christ should make them more Christ-like.
4. It is a faith in an eternal promise.  Paul refers to a promise made at one time in the past, but which is now revealed when believers preach the gospel.  That promise was that everyone who believes in Christ will inherit eternal life.

[The Greek word for  eternal  is found twice in verse 2.  It means the same thing both times.  It does not mean a process that goes on forever.  It means an event, the results of which will last forever.  Just as God made a promise in eternity past (“before the ages began”)  so he will one day make good on that promise and grant immortality to the faithful.  The promise was an event in time.  The resurrection unto eternal life will be an event in time.  It will result in lives that are eternal.  The second death in hell will also be an event in time – the judgment day.  It will result in deaths that are eternal.]

LORD, may we preach the faith that proclaims the truth about your eternal promise.