REPUTATION, CHARACTER AND SOUND DOCTRINE
Titus 1
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time …”
It is important to understand, as Paul tells us, that faith, knowledge and truth must lead to godliness, which is the basis for our hope of eternal life. It boils down to the life we lead and the character we possess. However we must not see this in a vacuum, where we are alone, but in the framework of God’s promise and the participation of God the Father and Christ our Saviour (and may I add, though Paul did not say this here, God the Holy Spirit).
Once we understand this then we can easily understand Paul’s focus on reputation—the integrity of our faith expressed in our life and action as witnessed by others—character—hospitable, good, disciplined and righteous—and sound doctrine—a clear understanding of God as revealed in Scripture.
These are especially important in leaders as they influence and shape those whom they lead, but as Paul emphasised, the commonality of faith for both Paul and Titus, and thus for leaders and those they lead, means that all of us must aspire to the same—reputation, character and sound doctrine—because all of us share the same hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.
“Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.”