Titus for you
Tim Chester
Good Book Company, 128 pages, £6.79
ISBN: 978-1-90991-960-0
This book shows us the meaning of Paul’s letter to Titus and applies its teaching to 21st century believers. The author shows his heart for the gospel and his passion to make Bible teaching clear and life-changing. He uses simple but powerful language and up-to-date illustrations.
Take his chapter on Titus 2:1-10 entitled ‘Living the good life’. In expounding the apostle’s words to older men, he says this age group can be grumpy, pick arguments and be cynical or weary of giving itself in service.
He points out that the antidote is to grow old like Caleb, who re-entered Canaan just as enthusiastic and confident in God as when a young man: ‘He still wants to be in the middle of the action. He has not retired from serving God’ (p.58).
One of the issues the author touches on in writing about younger women, is whether a Christian mother should go out to work. He does not say that young mothers should not have a career, but writes: ‘When Paul says younger women are to be “busy at home”, it is not a temptation to be lazy, but a counter to being over-busy elsewhere’ (p.59).
For young men, Chester writes that Paul’s words about being self-controlled refer to the temptations they face; he says, ‘Lust, ambition, impatience, all require a response of self-control’ (p.60).
This book will be helpful to preachers and Bible teachers. It is part of a series written with a clear typeface and having a good page layout. I love the little quotations given in boxes every now and then. This one caught my eye: ‘Instead of complaining about what is wrong, teach about what is good’.
Michael Bentley
Bracknell
