Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

wine."accusers."works."world."you."about feminine character, and feels qualified hereto offer counsel to them, "The aged women likewise,that they be in behavior as becometh holiness." Ifsanctification is the work of God's Spirit, and a gradto muchual approach towards holiness, it stands to reasonthat the aged should be closer to the pattern of holiness than the younger, if they have followed theSpirit's leading all their lives.Paul continues, "not false It seemsthat the women then had the reputation of beinggossips, and Paul said that such conduct was notbecoming a child of God. Paul goes on, "not givenThe women, too, were to exercise selfcontrol;many authorities have pointed out that awoman that drinks can be a greater problem thana man.Then Paul tells us that they are to be "teachersof good things." Where was Pastor Titus going tofind teachers for the Sabbath School? Among theelders, of course, but also among these aged women.Ever since, as the Psalmist wrote, "The women are amighty host to make the tidings known." The womenhave a responsibility in the home to train the children ; the women have a place in the church to teachthe younger generation ; and in v. 4 we see that theyare to teach the younger women.3.Paul believed in the Christian home ; he was notanxious that any of the mothers in the congregationshould be career women, for he counseled the youngto lovewomen "to be sober, to love their husbands,their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers athome, good, obedient to their own husbands, that theword of God be not blasphemed."Once again, the course of study centers aroundself-control. How could the Christian young womenon Crete show their love for Christ? Through awholesome family life, and a refusal to enter into theheathen feasts of drunkenness and immorality. TheChristian mother has a responsibility to her husbandand to her children. Her place is in the home. She isnot instructed to work in an office while a maid or anursery minds the children, but at home. She is noturged to go to the bridge club when her children arecoming home from school. Certainly, there are situations where it is necessary for the mother to work,but it should be done only as a necessity, not just tofulfill a mother's desire to express or emancipate herself. One reason that some of our young people arenot maturing in the faith is the failure of modernmothers to follow this advice.In the class for the young men, they are also exhorted to be sober-minded to have self-control.You notice how self-control is the theme of thelesson in each class ; one thing that goes along withself-control is consecration. No matter how well theyknew the doctrines, if they could not apply them todaily life, they were of little value. The same is trueof each of us; we may be proud of the history andstandards of our church, but if we cannot apply toour everyday living the doctrines which the Bibleteaches, what good are they to us ? Self-control, consecration, is necessary for the life of the church.Verses 7 and 8 are addressed to Titus himself.If Titus was teaching the members of the congrega-November 23, 1955tion to be more consistent in their conduct, it waseven more imperative that he should show himself"a pattern of good The Pastor is no betterthan his people, but because of his position, his conduct can more easily bring honor or reproach uponthe church.In Cambridge, Mass., there is a church wheresome years ago the minister ran off with one of thechoir girls ; for several days headlines of all the leading newspapers gave the details; now many yearslater, that church still suffers some from the stigmaof that one evil deed.As pastors, elders, as members, it behooves usto live consecrated lives that we may not bring reproach upon the church of Jesus Christ, or as Paulputs it, "that he that is of the contrary part may beashamed, having no evil thing to say ofslaves'Now we turn to the Bible Class. Paul exhorts them "to be obedient to their own masters, andto please them well in all things; not answeringagain; not purloining (that is, not stealing), butshowing all good fidelity; that they may adorn thedoctrine of God."Why should Paul make such a statement toslaves? The fact that Christianity accepted slavesand sinners was one of the objections which manymade to it, but Paul knew that when Christ transformed an evil, thieving, disobedient slave to be gentle, kind, and honest, that it would be a powerfultestimony to their masters of the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The slaves were to "adorn" thedoctrine of God. We seek to adorn that which is goodand beautiful ; we put a nice frame around a beautifulpicture ; we put a coat of paint on our houses. What isthe result of this adornment ? It enhances the beauty,and also it advertizes the beauty; it makes it morenoticeable. That is true when we put on the doctrineof God and let it fill our hearts and determine ourconduct; it makes us better people, and it advertizesthe Gospel. Even the slaves had their place in thechurch of Christ.We might imagine that following the SabbathSchool hour all the age groups gathered for thechurch service; verses 11-15 were the text thatTitus used. Here in a few short words is a summaryof the Gospel.Paul speaks of the grace of God which makespossible our salvation; he speaks of Christian conduct in this life many of you will recognize thatpart of our Young People's Pledge is taken from thistwelfth verse, "Teaching us that denying ungodlinessand worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously,and godly in this present Once again we find"Self-Control."the same themeIn verse thirteen Paul speaks of our blessedhope, the second coming of Christ. During the meetings of the World Council of Churches at Evanstonthey took as their theme, "Christ the Hope of theWorld"; but throughout that meeting they couldn'tdecide whether it is through His teachings that Heis the hope of the world or through His coming again.They couldn't agree whether the purpose of theChurch is to get people into Heaven or to make aheaven here on earth. The tendency on the part ofthe liberal is to try to improve social conditions, and(Continued on page 344)341