Bible Verse Lookup
Concluding Remarks
Christians continue to wrestle with questions relating practice or behavior to belief. Christianity, like Judaism, has always emphasized the importance of deeds rather than mere knowledge or doctrine alone. Ministers of the gospel are entrusted with the responsibility to preserve teaching while also presenting exemplary lives. The letter to Titus reminds us of the difficulties, yet the importance, of working with others for the advance of the gospel message.
The challenge of the Pastoral Letters for today's church can hardly be overestimated. The Catholic view of Paul has long been unduly influenced by his portrait in these letters. Catholic Christians in particular have inherited a long tradition stressing the communal dimensions of Christian teaching. We do not receive the Christian message individually nor can we live it in isolation from each other. This emphasis on communal responsibility is part of the legacy of the Pastoral Letters.
