1) Paul's lengthy self-introduction (1-4)

• Christians are in a similar position as Titus.
• Big picture of the whole book of Titus: Genuine good works emerge only from a deepening grasp of sound gospel doctrine. If good works are not present, neither is the gospel.
• The gospel message is reliable, because it rests on a trustworthy God.

2) The Main Message of Titus 1: 5-16: Godly church leaders are essential for the preservation of sound doctrine and to model the godly living that flows from it.

a) How are elders installed? (5)Elders are men whose lives and teaching are consistent with sound gospel doctrine. (6-8)

• He has a godly home life.
• He loves what is good and does what is good.
• He is not an anti-elder, like the false teachers who are “unfit for anything good”. (7b, 10-16)

 b) What do elders do? (9)

• They display a fierce private and public loyalty to the Word by holding firm to sound doctrine, encouraging others with it, and exposing the error of the church’s enemies.