Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus 1:1-4

The way Paul describes himself to Titus if full of meaning, for both of them.

He is a servant of God.   Servants serve.  God’s servants serve Him.  Paul delights in the fact that he is accepted by God himself, as a happy servant.  This is how Paul saw himself.  I think all believers are at the same point on this, we see serving God as privilege and a joy.

He is an apostle of Jesus Christ.  The word, apostle, is full of meaning.   It implies being chosen for a purpose and then acting on it.  Paul knew without a doubt that God called him – Paul, once Saul, the Pharisee – for a specific assignment to encourage those whom God has called, to establish them in the truth, a truth that produces godliness and hope.

An apostle is sent to declare, in the name of God, that through faith in Christ one is ushered into eternal life.  Time is not a factor in that.  God promised eternal life before time began as far as our earth is concerned, and those who embrace the Gospel experience life eternal.

Paul is an apostle, now appointed to bring to light the offer of Christ, the Savior.  Paul is commanded by God to do this.

That is a long and profound introduction, but it spells out who Paul is, not in himself, but as one caught up by the Lord to be transformed to preach the Gospel of salvation, open to all.

Paul is a Jew; Titus is a Gentile. They are now brothers in the Body of Jesus Christ on the earth.  This is shocking at first, but upon reflection, it is exactly what is happening and what will continue to happen until the end of time.  We do not choose our brothers and sisters in Jesus, He does that.  Then he gives us grace to blend with all believers in all ages, in all cultures in our world.  That is not only good news, it is life-changing news.