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by Katie Erickson

These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.
- Titus 2:15

Paul’s pastoral letter to Titus is filled with practical instruction for leading and nurturing the church in Crete. Having spent the first two chapters laying out sound doctrine and godly conduct for various groups within the church, Paul closes chapter 2 with a powerful exhortation to Titus himself: teach these things, encourage and rebuke with authority, and don’t let anyone disregard you. While Paul’s words were directed to a young church leader in the first century, they remain deeply relevant for the Church today.

To fully grasp verse 15, we must remember what precedes it. Paul had just finished a sweeping passage (Titus 2:11-14) describing the grace of God that brings salvation, trains believers to renounce ungodliness, and prepares us as Christ’s purified people, eager to do good. Read more about that here.

Titus was to proclaim this vision of transformed living to the believers in Crete, who were surrounded by cultural corruption. Sound doctrine wasn’t just intellectual; it needed to be practical, shaping each believer’s life and witness. Thus, when Paul says “These, then, are the things you should teach,” he is referring not just to abstract theology but to the gospel and its ethical implications. Titus was to ensure that believers lived in a way that adorned the gospel. His teaching was not optional; it was essential for the health and witness of the church.

Paul gives Titus a threefold charge: teach these things, encourage the believers, and rebuke with authority.

Paul first emphasizes that Titus must teach in accordance with sound doctrine. The gospel must be taught clearly, consistently, and faithfully. Without instruction, believers will be vulnerable to false teachers and compromising with the culture. Clarity means making sure God’s truth is presented in a way that it can be easily understood. Consistently means continually reminding believers of God’s truth. Faithfulness means standing firm on the true message and not watering it down.

For today’s Church, we need pastors and leaders who are not merely motivational speakers or organizational managers, but teachers of the Word. Biblical literacy is declining in many churches today, leaving believers vulnerable to shallow theology and cultural ideologies. This verse reminds us that teaching God’s truth is non-negotiable.

The next charge is for Titus to encourage others. The Greek word here carries the sense of urging, comforting, and building up. Teaching must not only inform the mind but also encourage the heart. Paul is clear: pastors and teachers are not to wield the Word as a hammer that crushes, but as a tool that builds up. Encouragement helps weary believers persevere, strengthens the fainthearted, and reminds the church of God’s grace.

This form of encouragement looks like pointing believers to the hope of Christ’s return, reassuring them that God’s grace is sufficient in their weakness, celebrating faithfulness and growth (however small), and inspiring believers to pursue holiness not out of fear but gratitude. Encouragement is often undervalued today, even though we face constant discouragement from the world, temptations, and trials. Pastors, teachers, and fellow believers must continually encourage one another in the gospel.

But at the same time that Paul tells Titus to encourage, he also tells him to rebuke. Rebuking is the flip side of encouragement; it is correction when necessary. Love does not mean turning a blind eye to sin or error, but correcting one another with God’s grace. If believers are straying into false teaching, destructive habits, or ungodly living, rebuke is essential.

Rebuke in Scripture is always aimed at restoration, not humiliation. The goal is not to shame but to bring repentance and renewed obedience. This might mean correcting a doctrinal error that undermines the gospel, calling out sinful behavior that damages the message of Christ, or warning believers when they are being deceived by worldly values. In a culture that idolizes tolerance and avoids confrontation, rebuke is difficult. But if leaders fail to rebuke when necessary, they are not protecting their fellow believers. Titus was not to shrink back from confrontation, and neither should we.

At the end of this command, Paul adds “with all authority.” This authority did not come from Titus’ personality, experience, or position. It came from God’s Word and Paul’s apostolic commission. Titus was to speak with confidence, knowing that he was conveying God’s truth, not his own opinion. Today, pastoral authority must remain grounded in Scripture. A preacher has no authority in himself, but only insofar as he faithfully teaches God’s Word. When pastors proclaim Scripture, they speak with divine authority.

Finally, Paul tells Titus, “Do not let anyone despise you.” Paul knew Titus would face opposition, but Titus must not allow himself to be disregarded or intimidated. He could do this by living and teaching in such a way that respect was earned. Integrity, consistency, and courage would silence critics. The same applies today. Pastors and leaders must not allow fear of criticism or cultural pressure to silence them. They must teach faithfully, encourage lovingly, rebuke courageously, and carry themselves with integrity. While some will still despise them, the weight of God’s truth will stand.

We as believers all need sound teaching. We must embrace both encouragement and rebuke. We should respect Godly authority and live in a way that commends the gospel message of Jesus Christ, never compromising Biblical truth.

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