The Plumbline

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:16) Robert Half told us that 'when one teaches, two learn.' I couldn't agree more! In order to teach, one must learn first what one is teaching, but within the teaching, additional learning actually occurs. It is kind of like a tiny embryo of knowledge begins to break into two, then four, and so on. Half also put a question out there for us to consider today: "When your future arrives, will you blame your past?" Too many times, we blame our past, but did we have the opportunity to learn from whatever it was in our past that we blame today and just didn't heed that opportunity? If you ever get into the scripture and find there is 'new meaning' in a passage you have likely read time and time again, you are just seeing it from today's perspective. T...

You, however, must tell everyone how to live in a way that agrees with the true teaching. Teach the older men to have self-control, to be serious, and to be wise. They must be strong in faith, in love, and in patience. (Titus 2:1-2) You might say the Apostle Paul left Titus in Crete to help establish the churches there, knowing the region well himself, and being commissioned to develop the leadership within those churches. Titus was commissioned to appoint 'elders' to help lead the people - men of good reputation, solid beliefs, and with upright hearts. Titus was also called upon to help the New Testament churches know when a man was teaching wrong doctrine, trying to mislead people with some other 'gospel message' other than grace. It was an important role, but we hear very little of Titus. That might give many of us a little hope, because we don't need to have the 'important roles' in life to contribute in a very positive way! As Paul commissioned Titus, h...