The Christian’s life is to be characterized more by obedience to the commands of their God than the culture of the world around them.
We find this truth so clearly in Titus 1.
The book of Titus is another of Paul’s “pastoral epistles” that were written by him to individuals. Titus was a pastor on the Mediterranean island of Crete, and after a brief opening on the grace of God, the apostle turns to giving his spiritual son guidelines for establishing leaders in the churches there.
Now, many of the qualities and character qualifications that the apostle outlines are found elsewhere. However, there is something distinct in Paul’s approach to Titus as he likewise described things that Cretans were known for that were not good:
“One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ 13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth” (Titus 1:12-14).
I recently heard a pastor on Instagram talking about culturally pervasive sins and I thought it was a fascinating idea.
He got a lot of flak for what he said, and I can understand why. Yet, I think there was some merit to the things he was saying even if it was offensive. He justified his approach by appealing to what Paul does in this passage.
Now, certainly, not every Cretan was a liar, an evil beast, or a lazy glutton.
Paul was painting with a broad brush to denote culturally pervasive sins that happened to largely afflict the people of Crete. These were things that you would have found prevalent in their society, even if not every one of them was guilty of these specific sins.
However, it was commonplace enough that one scholar found:
“The Greek verb kretizō, ‘to Cretonize,’ meant ‘to double deal’ and ‘to lie’ all rolled into one (see also the accompanying box).”[1]
It might not have characterized everyone, but it was common enough that it became a verb!
For this reason, the church needed to be distinguished from their culture. Truly, the people of God are called saints—that is they are God’s holy ones, and holiness has the idea of separateness.
We are separated unto God as His distinct people. As such, we should be familiar with the sins that are common in our culture in order that we might not fall prey to them. This is especially true of those in positions of leadership, although it is true of all Christians whose position is “in Christ.”
Just because culture says something is right does not mean it is right. Our only standard is the Word of God, not the opinions and consensus of man.
Modern American culture is fraught with sexual sin (of all kinds). Movies and shows celebrate fornication, adultery, and homosexuality. Beyond this, pornography is everywhere and runs rampant in the lives of many.
How many in the church are guilty of being entertained by things that God finds abhorrent?
Likewise, modern American culture is guilty of materialism, greed, and discontentment.
Money and stuff are some of the greatest idols of our day. People will do anything to make money and yet for most people no amount of money is ever enough. There is always more to buy and whoever is selling will tell you, “You deserve it.”
How much has the American church and its leaders distinguished as holy in a nation that is plagued with these things? Or do we go to great lengths to justify our sins because they are commonplace?
Let us strive to not only profess we know God, but to profess Him also through our works (see Titus 1:16), that we might be set apart as His people, and be a light in an increasingly dark world.
[1] Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Romans to Philemon. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002), 503.