ACC ~ Titus 1 v4

THE COMMON FAITH. CHRYSOSTOM: After Paul had called Titus his own son and assumed the dignity of a father, hear how it is that he lessens and lowers that honor. He adds, “After the common faith”—that means: with respect to the faith I have no advantage over you. It is common to us both. You and I were together born by it. Why then does he call him son? Either wishing to express his affection for him, or his priority in the gospel, or to show that Titus had been enlightened by him. In a similar way he calls the faithful both children and brothers. They are brothers because they were born by the same faith. They are children, because it was by his hands. HOMILIES ON TITUS 1.

THIS SONSHIP IS BY CHOICE. CHRYSOSTOM: For in children by nature, the true and the spurious are determined by the father who begot and the mother who bore them. But it is not so in this case, but it depends on the disposition. For one who was a true son may become spurious, and a spurious son may become a true one. For it is not the force of nature but the power of choice on which it depends, whence it is subject to changes in time. HOMILIES ON TITUS 1.

DISTINGUISHING NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL SONS. THEODORET OF CYR: Natural generation does not operate by the assent of the one who is born, whereas the birth that comes from faith requires such assent. Although the one who preaches may sincerely believe, he who hears, unless he takes to himself what he learns with faith, cannot be called the son of the preacher. INTERPRETATION OF THE LETTER TO TITUS.