And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful. Titus 3:14
“The ‘good works’ in question are not ‘living a good moral life’ or ‘obeying the law’. They are the ‘good works’ of giving practical help, particularly money, to those in need, or where there are social emergencies that require urgent assistance. This passage begins to sound, in fact, as though Titus is to set up what we today would call a charity organization.
In a sense, that’s exactly what early Christianity was. One of the remarkable things the early Christians were known for — and one of the reasons for the rapid spread of the faith — is the way they were unstoppable when it came to helping others, both financially and in practical ways. If people were ill, they would nurse them. If they were hungry, they would get them food. If they were in prison, they would visit them. And so on.
No only with their own family — most people in the world would do that — but with strangers, with people from difference ethnic groups, even with former enemies. This, of course, follows directly from the previous passage [Titus 3:1-13]. Having been gripped by the generous love of God themselves, they couldn’t help acting in the same way.”
N.T. Wright in Paul for Everyone: The Pastoral Letters, 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus (London SPCK, 2003) 163.
It seems fitting to cite N.T. Wright this morning as Jenni and I are heading to Europe today. Specifically, this week we will attend a European Generosity Consultation and Compass Europartners conference in Malaga, Spain. We hope to engage in good discussions with European leaders we know and others we will meet for the first time. Jenni will share stewardship resources she developed in Spanish with Potter’s House in Guatemala, and I am scheduled to facilitate a workshop and deliver a plenary address as ECFA International Liaison. Why go do this?
In the biblical text above, the Apostle Paul is instructing Titus (his co-worker appointed to minister in Crete) to help fellow Christ-followers (“our people”) scattered throughout the ancient Mediterranean world to show their faith through fruitful works. As we visit the shores of the Mediterranean this week, pray with us that likewise we will encourage “our people”, that is brothers and sisters in Christ who have been “gripped by the generous love of God”, to put structures in place to help God’s people more generously participate in His work all over Europe. Make it so Lord Jesus!