Even though we dwell in a cesspool of lies, with no hope for returning to normalcy, times have been grave in the past for God's people, who learned to cope with adversity. Decidedly few have suffered the perils of Paul, who actually resisted to bloodshed. In the first century, the Roman Empire, under the incapable leadership of Nero and other Julio-Claudian emperors, persecuted followers of Christ for being atheists (properly, refusing to take part in the "emperor cult," which deified the Roman emperor). Both Gentiles and Jews persecuted the followers of Christ. Paul considered his persecutions as motivating, situations which drove him more intensely toward his goal. The early churches located in Rome, Corinth, Jerusalem, and Crete were not pleasant venues for God's people. For this reason, Paul appointed resilient, tough men such as Titus to shepherd the flock through the persecution. Throughout the Roman world, the Cretan people had earned the reputation of duplicity on every front; the members of the church at Crete perennially faced the consequences of being tarred with the same brush—sometimes deservedly. Paul instructs Titus to counsel the members at Crete to put aside any duplicity which they may be practicing. Titus, as a full-blooded Greek, Paul's beloved son in the faith, having Paul's drive, but notably more diplomacy, was extremely useful to Paul in helping the Corinthian Church to become properly oriented, and probably argued effectively against requiring Gentile circumcision during the council of Jerusalem. Titus had the capacity to comfort, resolve problems, all the while demonstrating reliability, diligence, strength, and tact—the exact model God's people need today.