Book Review: Titus For You by Tim Chester
Author: Tim Chester
Publisher: The Good Book Company
Reading Level: Leisure
Pages: 128
“No—we will live the gospel life, the good life, the missional life.” (115)
Titus For You is the newest volume in the God’s Word For You series. Written by Tim Chester, Titus For You is clear that it is not a commentary but a resource to help students of the Bible “to read,” “to feed” and “to lead” (7). With this in mind the language and tone of Titus For You is practical and devotional. Individuals with little to no Biblical knowledge will be comfortable reading through Chester’s textual explanation and personal examples.
Titus For You is written from a strong Reformed position (e.g. 15-16, 22-23). This may be off-putting for some with differing views on God’s sovereignty, but in no regard is Chester guilty of teaching the church to rest on the laurels God’s sovereignty. Quite instead, it is God’s sovereignty that becomes the foundation for the practical working out of the gospel (15-20). Working through Titus, a so-called “pastoral epistle”, Chester provides insights to “a life that touches people in small but decisive ways” (9). With this in mind, Titus For You is littered with excellent passages focused on the practical theology of everyday living (e.g. 80-87, 110-115).
In conclusion, Titus For You is not meant to be a commentary. Many of the theologically interesting passages are dealt with in a shallow manner (e.g. Titus 1:6-9; 3:5). But this is not the purpose of Titus For You. Chester has provided an excellent devotional while studying Paul’s letter to Titus. It is best suited for laymen, class teachers and pastors.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
