Covenanter Witness Vol. 55 - Rparchives.org

me."press."supply"BIBLE MASTERY MONTHJanuary, 1956Remo I. Robb, D.D.With Synod's approval, the Evangelistic Committee has once again named January, 1956, as BIBLEMASTERY MONTH. Those of you who have joinedin this project before understand its purpose and itsworking.The book for 1956 is Paul's Letter to Titus. Ithas but three brief chapters. The plan is to read theentire epistle through every day through the monthof January. By the end of the month, not only willyou have Titus, but Titus will have you.Titus was among the earliest of Paul's youngGentile converts. Apparently Paul met him on thefirst missionary journey and he became a regularfollower. He first appears in the Bible as Paul's companion to the great Jerusalem Council. This is mentioned in Galatians 2:1, where Paul writes "Thenfourteen years after, I went up again to Jerusalemwith Barnabas, and took Titus withFrom other verses of the same chapter, we learnthat Titus was a Greek, and that Paul had not required him to conform to the old Jewish customs inorder to be classed with the Christians.He seems to have gone with Paul on the secondmissionary journey, but was not with him at Troaswhen he received the call into Macedonia (2 Cor.2:13). Later, however, he was sent by Paul to Corinth with those who took the first Corinthian letter,and he comforted Paul by bringing their reply (2Cor. 7:6, 7, 13, 14). Then he was sent back to carrythe second letter and to lift the offering of the Macedonians for the Jerusalem poor.Sometime thereafter he went with Paul to theisland of Crete, where Paul left him in charge of aninfant church (Titus 1:5). Nothing more is mentioned until Paul's last letter, where he tells Timothythat Titus is gone to Dalmatia (2 Tim. 4 :10). We cannot think of Titus as among those who "forsook"Paul when he was brought to trial, but conclude thathis mission away from Rome was at Paul's bidding.Titus seems to have been an earnest and carefulman (2 Cor. 8:16, 17), whom Paul openly"partner"(2 Cor. 8:23). He was one of the earliestcalled histo join Paul's company, and continued with him, evenlonger than did Timothy,until near the time of hisdeath.This letter was written to Titus when he wasleft in Crete. This is a long irregular island in thenorthern Mediterranean waters, directly below themaze of islands between Greece and Asia. "Its peoplewere akin to the Philistines, thought to have beenidentical with the Cherethites (1 Sam. 30:14). Daring sailors and famous bowmen with a very badmoral reputation. In New Testament times a goodmany Jews were there" (Halley's Bible Handbook).Among the people in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost were Cretes (Acts 2:11), and from theseChristianity may have received its start in Crete.Paul, however, must have done much of the work instarting a church, for he did not build on the work ofothers. The authority which he assumes in appointing Titus to effect a church organization there in-390dicates that this was another of Paul's fruitful fieldsof labor.Among the rough and utterly dishonest citizens(Titus 1:10-12) and among the ever pressing Jewishinfluences that insisted on circumcision as a sign ofbelonging to God, what would you have written tothis young "stated ?After he had left Crete and returned to Macedonia, Paul wrote back to Titus telling him of thehigh standards of church membership and churchorganization to which he should hold.Briefly, Paul wrote as follows :CHARACTER STANDARDS FOR CHRISTIANCHURCH-MEMBERS1. Salutation, 1:1-4."Promised before the world began."2. Character Standards for Church Officers. Chap. 1.a. Nature of the Standards. 1 :5-9.b. Purpose of High Standards. 1:10-16.3. Character Standards for Church Members. Chap. 2.a. Range of the Standards.(1) The Aged. 2:1-5.(2) The Young. 2:6.(3) "Thyself." (2:7, 8)(4) Servants. 2:9 10.b. The Motive for the Standards. 2:13-15.4. Good Works and Church Members. Chapter 3.a. Subjection to Secular Authorities. 3:1-3.b. Good Works Not the Source of Salvation.3 :4-7.c. Good Works an Expression of Belief. 3:8-11.5. Conclusion. 3:12-15."Grace be with you all."Before the end of December four-page leafletswill be distributed to the congregations in numberssufficient for every member. It will be good to havea leaflet in your Bible for daily reference and record.Also for all who are anxious to do Bible Memorywork, I recommend that through the month of January you commit to memory the letter of Paul to Titus. Can you think of a better way to "master" theletter ?May God speak to the membership of the Covenanter Church through the letter to Titus.(GLIMPSES Continued from page 386)But we would like to ask whyno mention is made of theone totalitarian system that has done more to suppress freedom of the press, religion and the rights of man than allother systems put together? We refer of course to theRoman Catholic Church. It has stifled freedom in everyrealm through the centuries, not alone in the press, but inliterature in general and has sought to prevent in everyway any statement being published detrimental to her interests. She has sought to keep books from public librariesthat tell the truth aboutRomanism, she has placed on theIndex some of the world's classics, and even in this day bythe weapon of intimidation andboycott, dares any newspaper to point out her errors or expose her shams and sins.In Roman Catholic countries where the Church rules, theban works effectively, but even in Protestant countries sheseeks to impose her malicious rule. Colombia is a shiningpresent-day example of a Romanist country and stifledCOVENANTER WITNESS