The Price of a Pure Gospel

Introduction

On September 14, 2025, Frantz Galland, a member of the church council at Momentum in Grenoble, opened a new series on Paul's letter to Titus. Why now? A church still finding its structure, a provisional council for two years, and no elders yet installed. The question on the table was simple but pressing: what qualities should you look for in an elder, and how does the whole body of members discern the ones God is calling?

The text read that morning was Titus chapter 1. A chapter about the requirements for those who take on responsibility in the church, but also about how the whole church should respond to those who stir up trouble. Frantz Galland named the message right from the start: "The Price of Keeping the Gospel Pure." A price paid through two inseparable realities, establishing credible leadership, and confronting rebellious voices.

If you're a member of a church, if you serve it, pray for it, carry it on your heart, this message is for you directly. Because keeping the gospel pure isn't only the leaders' job. It belongs to every redeemed person.

Outline of the Message

1. Why Paul Writes to Titus: The Wide-Angle View of the Gospel

Paul opens his letter introducing himself as "a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God's chosen ones, and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness" (Titus 1:1). His mission isn't vague. It's twofold: to bring believers to a mature faith in the truth of the gospel, and to see that faith produce a way of life that glorifies God, what Scripture calls godliness.

What Paul describes is a sweeping vision of God's whole plan. He traces this gospel back "before eternal ages" (v. 2). He fits the pieces together like a puzzle: election, faith, eternity, godliness, eternal life, preaching. It all holds together. It all answers to itself.

And facing this big picture, one conclusion is unavoidable: this gospel must be maintained and it must be defended. Because in the churches Paul planted in Crete, there were troublemakers (Paul literally calls them "rebels"), whose teaching was throwing believers into confusion. Hence the agenda of chapter 1: establish credible leadership, and confront those who threaten the truth.

2. Part One: Establishing Credible Leadership in the Gathering

Paul writes to Titus out of a specific situation. After his first imprisonment in Rome, he likely planted the churches of Crete with converted Cretan Jews (think of Pentecost, Acts 2) and with Christians who had come from elsewhere. He leaves Titus behind "to set in order the things that were lacking" and to "appoint elders in every city" (v. 5).

One important detail: this letter isn't only for Titus. It was meant to be read to the whole assembly. Paul confirms it at the end, in chapter 3 verse 15: "Grace be with you all." In other words, discerning the requirements for an elder is the concern of the whole church. It isn't a decision for a closed circle, it's a discernment the whole body shares.

3. Three Areas of Blamelessness for an Elder

In verses 6 through 9, Paul sets a clear standard: the elder must be "blameless." The Greek word doesn't mean "perfect" or "sinless", otherwise no one could ever qualify. It means "unassailable," free of any charge that could stick after public scrutiny. Living in a way that's consistent with the grace the gospel grants.

This blamelessness covers three areas, and Paul refuses any compartmentalized life:

a) The family sphere (v. 6). "The husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior."

On "husband of one wife": Paul is probably not targeting polygamy here, since the same Greek expression is used in 1 Timothy 5:9 to describe a widow. What Paul is looking for is a man wholly devoted to his wife, faithful, committed to marriage as God instituted it.

On "children who believe": the Greek word points to children still at home, which limits the elder's responsibility to his minor children. And the word "faithful" doesn't necessarily mean "converted"; some translations speak of "believing" children, but placing on a child the burden of conversion, on pain of forcing their father off the council, is a heavy thing to hang on anyone. A better rendering captures the idea of children who are "trustworthy," not open to accusation of wild living or rebellion. This lines up with 1 Timothy 3:4-5: "ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all reverence."

As Charles Nicolas puts it, the home is the first place a leader's character is put on display. There's no point proclaiming truth in church if there's a mess left dragging behind the front door.

b) The personal sphere (v. 7-8). Paul first lists what an elder must not be: "not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain." Five traits that undermine credibility and wound the church's witness.

He must not be a self-centered man, domineering, always needing to be right. He must not be touchy, quick to blow up. Frantz Galland said it plainly: there are always people who use their charisma to promote their own ego and mask their flaws among God's people. We've seen it recently in evangelical circles, very gifted, well-respected figures who turned out to be arrogant. And the damage done to the church's witness is serious.

Then Paul lists the positive qualities: "hospitable, a lover of good, sober-minded, fair, holy, self-controlled, holding to the faithful word."

On hospitality (literally "a lover of strangers"), Frantz Galland shares a personal testimony. He and his wife Nellie carried a ministry of hospitality for twenty years, welcoming young people into their home. It isn't always easy, especially given cultural differences. But they've housed some real "gems." Sam was one of them; Kalma closed out this latest season. Hospitality is a trait that starts being lived out right inside the church.

On sober-minded (also translated "sensible," "self-controlled," "prudent"), the Greek word carries the sense of mastery over oneself, a serious and conscientious spirit. A number of commentators note this word also carries a sexual connotation, since it was used in Stoic ethics as the standard term for self-mastery over sexual appetite. In a hyper-sexualized society like ours, a leader must genuinely master himself, hold his passions on a tight rein, resist constant temptation. How? By God's grace and the work of the Spirit, but that work has to be visibly present.

On holding to the faithful word (v. 9): the word "holding" is a strong one. It's the same verb Jesus uses when he says no one can serve two masters, that one will hold fast to one and despise the other. And "as he was taught" points back to the apostles' teaching, the very teaching the early church devoted itself to (Acts 2:42) and that the Didache would later pick up. The elder, then, is a man anchored in the Word, fed on sound doctrine, able both to pass it on and to refute those who contradict it.

c) The doctrinal sphere (v. 9). This is the charge to teach and defend. "That he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and to convict those who contradict him." Two directions: feeding believers in the truth, and standing in the way of error.

4. Three Closing Remarks on the Qualities of an Elder

Frantz Galland closes this first part with three observations that concern you, whether you're a leader or a member:

First remark: the family is the first place character gets revealed. When Frantz Galland was called to serve as an elder, his wife Nellie and their son Jonathan were the first ones asked (through a questionnaire), to speak about the husband, the father. A wise approach. Because if the people closest to you can't testify to a consistent character, what good are fine words spoken in public?

Second remark: what's at stake is the credibility of the message through the credibility of the messenger. A reputation is built over the long haul, but it can be destroyed in very little time. Your witness is never separate from who you are.

Third remark: no one perfectly fulfills all these qualities except the Lord Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit, in all its facets, doesn't grow overnight. So the right question isn't, "Is he perfect?", it's, "Is he clearly on the way to embodying these qualities? Are the first fruits already showing?" Here again, the church's collective discernment is needed.

5. Part Two: Confronting the Rebellious

Keeping the gospel pure also means confrontation. Titus had to deal with legalistic false teachers, coming out of Judaism, who were trying to mix human traditions with the gospel of grace. Paul describes them bluntly in verses 10 through 16: "For there are also many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision."

Paul even goes so far as to quote a Cretan prophet (Epimenides), who said of his own people: "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons." And Paul adds: "This testimony is true." He isn't endorsing a caricature; he's stating a fact he stands behind, to tell Titus not to be intimidated by local maneuvering.

Titus's mission is clear: silence these troublemakers. The Greek word literally means "to muzzle", to shut their mouths, to reduce them to silence. He must rebuke them sharply, because their conduct and their teaching are turning believers away from the truth (v. 16).

Why such intensity? Because keeping sound doctrine within the gathering is a priority. Your understanding of the gospel shapes the response of a life that glorifies God. Bad doctrine, sooner or later, produces a life that's gone off track.

6. The Price of Confronting the Rebellious

Let's not fool ourselves: confronting troublemakers costs something. Titus was going to be criticized, opposed, maybe even slandered. There's a price to pay, and that's exactly why a leader needs a solid reputation and the capacity to honor God even in confrontation.

Frantz Galland shares an image drawn from current events. On Friday, he was watching a televised debate after the assassination of Charlie Kirk. On set, four people shouting, flaring up, talking over each other. The result: ideas that might have had merit became unintelligible, leaving a sour aftertaste. Discipline within the assembly is one of the hardest things a leader has to exercise, but it's necessary, even when the easy way out would be to play it safe and avoid rocking the boat.

The goal of confrontation is never to crush someone. The goal is to bring people back to sound doctrine, to keep the sheep from danger, to preserve the purity of the gospel for the whole body.

Key Takeaways

1. The gospel must be maintained and defended. Titus 1 says it plainly: the gospel is too precious to let it be worn down by twisted teaching.
2. An elder's blamelessness covers three areas: family, personal, doctrinal. No compartmentalized life is acceptable for a leader.
3. Discerning the requirements for an elder is the whole church's business. It isn't a decision for an inner circle, it's collective work.
4. The family is the first place character gets revealed. Your credibility in ministry is built at home first.
5. Confronting the rebellious has a cost. But not confronting them costs more: the slow infection of the whole body.

Personal Application

Take a moment before God and let these questions search you:

1. Do I regularly pray for the leaders of my church, or do I expect them to hold everything together on their own?
2. Is there a gap in my life between what I show at church and what my family actually experiences? What would my family say about the servant I am?
3. Am I able to receive words I don't like, or do I always defend myself when I'm corrected?
4. When I face teaching that unsettles me, do I check it against the Word, or do I get swept along by the personality of the one speaking?
5. Have I become a root of bitterness in my church, carrying around a chronic discontent? Do I need to come back to the gospel?

Scripture Referenced

• Titus 1 · the main text of the message: appointing elders and confronting the rebellious.
• 1 Timothy 3:4-5 · an elder must rule his own house well.
• 1 Timothy 5:9 · the expression "wife of one husband" used for a widow.
• Luke 12:53 · the gospel as a source of division within families.
• Acts 2:42 · devoted to the apostles' teaching.
• 1 Timothy 4 · watching over yourself and your teaching.
• Hebrews 12:15 · the root of bitterness that infects others.

FAQ

Does "husband of one wife" rule out a divorced and remarried man from serving as an elder?

The text probably isn't targeting polygamy, since the same Greek expression is used for a widow in 1 Timothy 5:9. Paul is looking for a man wholly devoted to his wife, committed to marriage as God intended it. Every particular situation (divorce, remarriage, singleness), calls for pastoral discernment that takes into account the person's journey, their growth, and the credibility of their witness today.

What should I do when my church lets teaching slide that contradicts sound doctrine?

First, check it against the Word, humbly, without assuming the worst. Then bring it to a trusted leader, not as a public complaint, but out of concern for the truth. Titus 1 reminds us that the responsibility to correct rests first with the leaders, and their solidity is exactly what protects the church. Praying for them and for collective discernment is the right place to start.

Why does Paul ask Titus to be so firm with the troublemakers?

Because twisted teaching is never neutral: it turns believers away from the truth of the gospel (v. 16). Paul echoes Hebrews 12:15 in the background, the root of bitterness that infects others. Failing to confront it just lets the infection spread. Titus's firmness isn't harshness; it's love for the body of Christ.