Greg Chandler
Ancient Crete fell strongly under the influence of Satan. Even their own poets saw this and wrote, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12), with the Apostle Paul heartily amening the sentiment (vs. 13). Still, there was light in the darkness. A small band of Christians lived amid this wickedness, with the constant threat that the darkness would infiltrate the church. For this purpose, Titus was commissioned to preach the truth and rebuke those who sought to corrupt. It is not surprising that the apostle’s letter to Titus is rich in hope. Faithful people facing a barrage of wickedness long for the day when darkness will be banished by the light.
Waiting, though, can be frustrating. There is the humdrum waiting, such as when the repairman gives the “window” of arrival between the hours of 10:00-2:00; there is frustrated waiting, such as sitting in the doctor’s waiting room an hour after your scheduled appointment; there is excited waiting, such as a child anticipating his birthday but thinking the day will never arrive. Waiting can also be frustrating when it comes to Jesus’ return, with some even denying it will happen. Peter dealt with such scoffers, who said, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (II Peter 3:4). Paul did not want the Cretans to give up, so he tied the concept of waiting with hope. At the very beginning of the letter, he wrote of “hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began” (1:2). Not only does this set the tone that God can be trusted amidst a culture of liars, but it also reminds readers that His plan is “the long game”; it is something planned before humanity’s birth and will give way to eternal life with God.
Reaching the heart of the epistle, the apostle instructs Titus to encourage godly living among the Cretans. He states that salvation means renouncing ungodliness and worldly passions and replacing such things with “self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (2:12). Motivation for such a radical change of life involves “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (2:13). The “hope of eternal life” (1:2) is now joined with the “blessed” hope of the Lord’s return. For many Christians, this thought produces more fear than hope due to feeling unsure about their salvation. Paul, however, encourages confidence; he encourages the kind of hope that will rejoice when this Friend is seen face to face. The old hymn, “It May be at Morn” should capture the feeling of every faithful saint. Hymnist H.L. Turner penned, “O Joy! O delight! Should we go without dying, no sickness, no sadness, no dread and no crying, caught up thro’ the clouds with our Lord into glory, when Jesus receives His own.” Waiting with “blessed hope” means longing to see the skies rolled back to reveal the majestic return of the Savior!
This confidence is further emphasized as Paul begins bringing the letter to a close. After a majestic summation of salvation (3:4-6), he writes, “So that being justified by His grace we might become heirs, according to the hope of eternal life.” Perhaps the New English Translation better captures the idea in this way: “We become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.” Typically, heirs receive their inheritance upon the death of another. In the case of Christians, it is the death and resurrection of Another, the Savior Jesus Christ! As He arose and returned to glory, He promises the same for His faithful, a promise that allows brave hope during the time of waiting.
There is danger in waiting; Paul knew this not only for the Christians in Crete, but also for Christians of every generation. The appeal for a “shortcut” to richer fellowship with Jesus has spawned countless false doctrines since His return to Heaven. Such error-riddled teaching has led many to swerve from faithful living that leads to eternal life. The strong allure of a culture given to unholy living has been the spiritual death knell of many who once set their hope fully on Jesus. The blackness of sin was allowed to hide His light, causing the hopeful confidence in Christ to descend back into chaos. Perhaps, though, the greatest enemy to hopeful waiting is plain old apathy. The failure to robustly grow one’s faith and to settle for status quo spirituality will not endure to the end. May the Christians of every generation, including this one, heed the comforting and challenging message Paul sent to the island of Crete. May every Christian zealously pursue a hope that will one day end in the reality of victory in Jesus.
While the road may be long, the destination is worth it; stay hopeful!
