Word Pictures in the New Testament – Titus

According to the faith of God's elect [kata pistin eklektOn theou]. Here [kata] expresses the aim of Paul's apostleship, not the standard by which he was chosen as in Php 3:14; a classic idiom, repeated here with [epignOsin, eusebeian, epitagen], "with a view to" in each case. For "God's elect" see Ro 8:33; Col 3:12. The knowledge [epignOsin]. "Full knowledge," one of Paul's favourite words. For the phrase see 1Ti 2:4. Which is according to godliness [tes kat' eusebeian]. "The (truth) with a view to godliness." The combination of faith and full knowledge of the truth is to bring godliness on the basis of the hope of life eternal.