Sept-Oct 2006

  1. CHRISTIAN GUIDELINES
  2. WEB OF EVIL
  3. MAILBOX
  4. ANNOUNCEMENTS

CHRISTIAN GUIDELINES

“You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine...”
Titus 2: 1-15

THE APOSTLE Paul penned the words of our lesson, instructing Titus, an elder of the Church—ministering to the believers in the island of Crete located off the coast of Greece in the Mediterranean. The instructions are not intended for, nor applicable to others than consecrated believers, and refer specifically to six classes in the congregation at Crete. (1) The older men—not merely in years, but rather the advanced, the matured, who doubtless would be also advanced in years. (2) The mature women—advanced in the knowledge of the Word. (3) The young women. (4) The young men. (5) Those who, though freemen in Christ, were bondmen according to the flesh—servants. (6) To Titus himself. Titus, as a preacher, should have before his mind a certain standard or ideal in respect to each congregation of the Lord’s people, and should, as the minister of the Lord, labor to the attainment of that ideal which the Apostle here brings clearly to his attention—intimating that instructions along the lines here laid down are in fullest accord with “sound doctrine.” It has been claimed by some that the people of Crete were specially degraded and lacking of good character, and that this thought was necessary for the Apostle to give this exhortation to those who had 1eft the world and joined themselves to the Lord as His consecrated people. We shall see, however, that every word of the exhortation is quite applicable to the Lord’s people today, even though they live under the most enlightened conditions.

MATURE MEN

The Men, who are advanced, sober, grave, temperate (moderate)—not superficial in understanding. Not only their years of natural life, but also their years of experience in the Christian life, should bring them to conditions of maturity and sobriety. These three qualities would belong to a large extent to them as persons who are exercised and influenced by their new minds; but in addition to these there should be three other graces characteristic of their preparation for new positions in the Kingdom, which would be soundness in the faith, in love and in patience. It is of intention that the Apostle here emphasized (in the Greek) the faith, the love and the patience; for there are various faiths, various loves and various kinds of patience, and he meant to be understood as referring to the faith, the love and the patience which are of God, and respecting which, He is instructing His people through His Word, as it is written, “They shall be all taught of God.” It was not by accident that the Apostle placed “sound in the faith” before “sound in love,” for since love is one of the fruits or graces of the spirit of the truth, and since one cannot receive much more of the spirit of the truth than he receives of the truth itself, the two are dependent on each other for development and therefore the importance of the truth, in having a sound faith.

Often we are told that it matters not what a person believes, but that it is more important what they do; but to this we answer that a sound faith is all-important, not only in shaping conduct, but also in cleansing our entire being, physically, mentally, morally and religiously. It is only in proportion as we have the truth of the Word and its sanctifying power, received into both our intellects and our hearts—the inmost feelings and motives, that we can resist the directives of the adversary and his schemes. Therefore, in proportion as we hold errors which vitiate or nullify the truths which we hold, in that same proportion we will be lacking and deficient in the sanctifying power of the Scriptures; and hence deficient also in sanctification. We should ever remember and co-operate with our dear Redeemer’s prayer to the Father on our behalf, “Sanctify them by your truth; Your word is truth.” Neither was it by accident that the Apostle placed love before patience; because, although patience may be cultivated from a natural standpoint, as, for instance, in the interest of worldly aims and desires; nevertheless, such patience does not affect the heart, but is merely a forcing or curbing of the outside life, and when the force is removed, it is like the rebound of an extended spring to the original condition of impatience. The patience which will last and become an integral part of character must result from a change of the motives that rule the heart: love must do this work by replacing the mainspring of selfishness. How grand the characters thus portrayed! We could not wish for more amongst the Lord’s people of any place today than that the matured brethren should be sober minded, dignified and moderate, with their new minds well supplied with the sound faith of God’s Word, and their hearts full of love, manifesting forth all of the various good qualities represented by this Word—kindness, meekness, gentleness, all of which might briefly be summed up in the word patience. We exhort all of the advanced brethren in the truth everywhere to note well this likeness of a matured person of God, grown up into Christ, our living Head, and well conformed to His character; and we exhort that we all keep this image well before our minds, and make it our ideal in our Christian course.

MATURE WOMEN

The Mature Women have also a model set before them by the Apostle. They should be “reverent in demeanor.” (R. V.) They are to have holiness—not perfection, but right living that is manifested in a full consecration to the Lord—the complete desire to know and to do His will, and such consecration is to shine forth in their lives. The Apostle proceeds to mention a few of the ways in which it would be manifest. They will not be “slanderers” (R. V.)—neither false accusers or accusers in any sense of the word. On the contrary, as the Apostle shows further on, they will be examples in the matter to “mind your own business.” They will not be enslaved to much wine, but be teachers of that which is good, by precept as well as by example, to all with whom they have an influence. Naturally their influence will be greatest over the young women, and it should be exercised as becomes women professing godliness; professing to be guided by the Word of the Lord, the spirit of the truth.

YOUNG WOMEN

The Young Women should find examples in their elder sisters, the influence of whom will not be in the direction of insubordination and a fostering of a battle between the husband and wife in the home; and their advice will very rarely be, “Stand up for your rights”; “Give him a piece of your mind,” etc. On the contrary, they will be peacemakers, and assist the younger women with such advice as will help to make the home happy by obedience to the directions of the Divine Word. Instead of helping to cultivate in the young women the spirit of selfishness, which inheres naturally in every human being through the fall, they will assist them, by both word and example, to cultivate the opposite spirit, the spirit of love—“to love their husbands and to love their children.” If love is fixed in the mind as the first law of every home, as the chief of the Christian graces to be developed and practiced, it would indeed make a wide distinction between Christian homes and others; and better than in almost any other manner, the Christian mother can preach the glorious gospel of salvation, and illustrate in her own life and home its power to deliver from the bondage of sin and selfishness, even in this our present imperfect state. They will learn from them also to be discreet, and sober-minded; to do some sober thinking along many lines, and thereby to cultivate both heart and head, and to increase their own joys in the Lord, as well as, to prepare themselves the better for their own family duties and privileges. Chastity, modesty, purity, should also be learned—an instruction deep and powerful in its influence for good; not only to the young women themselves, but also in their families. They should seek to be “keepers of the home,” as well as workers outside the home, as the need might warrant. The home is her workshop and the children need her while in their early years, and it is there where her influence should be great and most valuable. They also should learn to be “obedient to their own husbands,’’ or, as the Diaglott renders this, “submissive”— this means not attempting to usurp the place of the husband in the home; nor for the husband to seek to displace his wife in her position. Neither spouse should keep up a continual strife and battle about life’s affairs in or outside the home. By “obedience” and “submission” we do not understand the Apostle to mean blind obedience or dumb submission, nor in any sense of the word that either the wife or the husband shall not enjoy fully all proper liberties and privileges; but that while enjoying these, let them both use them with propriety, so as to make life a blessing and not a burden to themselves or to each other. Remember that they are a team working for the best interests of all in the family. Yet the chief responsibilities of control of the home lie with the husband, according to both Divine and human law, though often disregarded.

Christian wives should have a discernment respecting the Lord’s will, as presented in His Word, respecting the affairs of the home, outside employment, and all the interests of the family, and these views she should express, in love and moderation, and kindly, however emphatically, but having expressed her judgment respecting the Lord’s will in the matter and the reasons therefore, she should be “submissive” to the decision of the husband (in all matters not involving her conscience); because, according to Divine arrangement, the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church—the final arbiter respecting family affairs. Should the Christian wife at times find that the pursuance of this Scriptural course has brought her disadvantages or was about to work ill to the general interests of the family, let her protest kindly, and point out to her husband, without “harping” or “nagging” what she foresees to be the results, and urge a change; pointing out (especially if the husband be not a Christian) that the responsibilities of the transaction lie wholly in his hands: and let her then console herself with the thought that she, at least, is following the Divine direction, and that the ultimate result is sure to be a spiritual blessing, in harmony with the Lord’s promise that all things shall work together for good to them that love Him—and who demonstrate their love by obedience. This is where the saying, “Hindsight is better than foresight” and is appropriate; for the tendency among young men and women is to ignore or they may not be aware of the Scriptural admonition “to marry only in the Lord.” As the Apostle puts it “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” This advice is meant to prevent the disharmony that can result from a marriage between the consecrated and the world. If either partner has entered into a relationship, contrary to the Lord’s direction, with one in the world, let them take the matter to the Lord in prayer and leave the results with Him. As the Apostle points out, this course is the one least likely to bring reproaches upon the cause we love and to which we have consecrated even life itself.

YOUNG MEN

To the Young Men of the congregation the Apostle sends an exhortation that they be sober-minded—not rash, thoughtless, conceited—that they exercise self-control. And then, in view of the fact that Titus himself was a young man, he exhorts that he shall be a pattern to all the young men of the class, and he exhorts all of them to note carefully and to be exercised by the qualities and considerations then urged upon Titus.

The Apostle urges Titus to be a pattern of good works and soundness of doctrine; not permitting his instruction to be corrupted either with vain imaginations of his own or those of other people. He urges him, and all young men, to sober thinking, the opposite of frivolity, levity: as Christians they have something to occupy their minds that the world has not; they have the greatness and grandeur of hopes vested in the earthly phase of the Kingdom. So our positions set forth in the Divine Word, should give to all, young and old, a general conduct and weight which, like a substantial cargo in a vessel, would keep us from being mentally top-heavy (heady) and prepare us to ride out the storms and difficulties of life through which we must pass to reach the Kingdom. Sound speech, with which no fault could be found, is another of the qualities that Titus and all of the Lord’s people, especially the young men, are to strive for. Not merely sound speech in the sense of accurate and grammatical in expression, but sound speech, especially, in the sense of having their conversation and the influence which they exert through conversation, of a truly helpful, strengthening kind—to mind and heart and character.

Alas, how much of the conversation of even Christian young men is anything but sound, anything but helpful to themselves and their companions. Young men in Christ are to be copies of God’s dear Son, so that in their everyday use of language, as well as, by their general demeanor they shall continually preach Christ and properly represent before the world His noble characteristics—truth, righteousness, purity, gentleness, goodness, love. Sound speech cannot be condemned by anybody, friend or foe, heathen or Christian, saint or sinner; and, as the Apostle suggests, such a course will be a constant reproof to those, who, in the face of such noble living must surely be put to shame—“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom” Jas. 3: 13.

DUTIES OF SERVANTS

To workers the Apostle sends a message also; and it was a very different message from what some of God’s dear children, less wise than the Apostle in their understanding of the Divine plan, would have given. Many of God’s people of today, instead of being peacemakers are peace-disturbers, because of a failure to see properly the principles which underlie the Gospel and their proper application in the present time. They exhort the worker to “strike,” to “stand up for their rights,” to see that they are not “put down,” to “demand justice,” and see that they get it. The Apostle, on the contrary, understanding God’s plan, knew better than to expect full justice, not to expect human rights or any other rights to be upheld in the present time, because we are still in what he designates, “this present evil world” or dispensation; because “the prince of this world” is Satan, and because his kingdom of the present time is not based on love or righteousness, but upon selfishness (Gal. 1: 4; John 14: 30). The Apostle understood that he should not expect all the wrongs to be righted and justice to be dispensed under Satan’s administration, and hence in all of his teachings, he points the believers to the coming time when the Lord, the righteous King, shall take possession of earth’s governments, and fulfill that petition of our prayer, “Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.” In that day justice may be expected, because justice is done in heaven; then all rights will be respected, as all rights are respected in heaven; but before that glorious condition shall be manifested, Christ’s Kingdom must be established and Satan, the prince of this world, must be bound, that he should deceive the nations no more, and that his rule of unrighteousness and selfishness shall be set aside; Isaiah speaking of Christ’s Kingdom, “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line”; (Isa. 28: 17; Rev. 20: 1-3; Dan. 2: 44).

EXHORTATIONS TO SERVANTS

The Apostle’s exhortations to servants are in harmony with the proposed justice of the coming Kingdom, that they be obedient to their masters, and seek to please them. These words would also apply to workers and their relationships to their employers. These brethren should not be shiftless, careless, and indifferent as to the prosperity of their masters’ interests and the care of the employers’ goods. They are to take as much interest in those things as though they were their own—as the Apostle elsewhere expresses it, they are to do their work as though they were doing it for the Lord Himself (1 Cor. 10: 31). Such service should be rendered to an earthly master “as unto the Lord,” because of a desire to please the Lord, and because of the indwelling of His truth, and its spirit. This work will undoubtedly be accepted of God through Christ, although it is not presented in a more desirable form of service done directly in the interest of His cause. Not only as servants and employees who endeavor to please their masters and employers in the little duties, but also as well, in large projects; and thus Christian workers would be recognized, wherever they might be, as different, distinct from others, too many of whom are “eye servants,” faithful merely under the eye of their employer.

We, as Christian servants, will come to be recognized as jewels even by those who have no sympathy with our religious convictions, and possibly our good work ethic would constitute the weightiest sermons we could deliver. Some might obey their masters and yet continually protest and complain; hence the Apostle adds a word on this point, saying, “Not answering again”—not contradicting nor quarreling with your employer over his methods and ways of business; not complaining or sharing the common ill will of your fellow employees, whatever that might be; preferably, indeed, letting others complain, and you holding your peace, rather than stirring up strife—and having your service discerned by others as wrong.

YOUR NEIGHBOR’S BIBLE

Not stealing—secretly appropriating to yourself or to your associates the goods that are owned by your employer and that are under his control, contrary to his known wishes. It is important here for us to remember that if our employer should desire us to engage in some work that would be dishonest, morally wrong, this would be a proper ground upon which we should refuse to engage in evil. Our conscience must be preserved in every matter that properly belongs to justice; but we may not busybody ourself into the company’s affairs in matters which are not our concern. By our own strict integrity even in the smallest things we shall do our silent preaching, not by Bible exhortation in this situation but by merely doing the assigned job and thereby exercise the Christian influence upon our supervisor or employer and others, “showing all fidelity,” and faithfulness to the one in charge. The effect of this information is to put the true Christian under restraint to do those things only that are just, true and pure. It emphasizes the thought that however widely different the conditions between the king and the peasant are as respects people and earthly things, they really are on a par as respects God’s law—on the same level from the standpoint of Divine justice.

This thought, once received into the mind, puts to naught the idea of exaggerated veneration which otherwise might be felt toward those in earthly authority. It is an uplifting thought to the common person, that, before the great King of all the earth, they stand on the same footing with the richest, the most learned and the most powerful of earth—that, whether rich or poor, a person is a person. It causes them to realize that a human being has certain rights, and that these are more than the human rights that center in the body, that they include liberty of mind and conscience and certain liberties of conduct. It is this very enlightenment which Christianity has brought to the world that is causing the great convulsion and revolution of this great Time of Trouble which is in process of overthrowing all present institutions in anarchy.

OUR LORD’S RETURN

It has been the teaching of mainline churches in this last century, that when the tribulation features of the Time of Trouble start, Jesus is to come in the flesh and gather His faithful and whisk them to heaven and safety, while the earth itself is going to be destroyed by fire and or nuclear catastrophe. It is becoming more apparent every day that this philosophy is being proven wrong. First of all, we believe that Jesus is not going to return in a body of flesh for He gave His humanity as the ransom price for Adam and the race, in Jesus words: “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20: 28).

The Apostle further states: “yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” (2 Cor. 5: 16). Since His resurrection He is a spirit being and, as such, is invisible to human sight (Phil. 2: 7-11; John 6: 51; ). This is the reason why the disciples asked Jesus for a sign whereby they might know of His Presence (Matt. 24: 3). If on the other hand, He is to come in a body of flesh with the blaring of a literal trumpet and everyone seeing Him with their literal eyes, why did He give signs in the Bible that we might know of His Presence? Don’t you see, the signs of the Bible are symbolic, not literal, and the world will eventually come to recognize Christ in His Second Presence, by the manifestations of wrong-doing in the “great tribulation” operating within today’s human society—in the areas of religion, government, business, and finance—all wreaking untold havoc and accompanied by world war, world revolution and worldwide anarchy. Adding to this sad state of affairs, is the imperfections of our planet, with innumerable calamitous situations brought on by floods, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, avalanches etc.

As servants of the Lord, we are to be more than merely enlightened people: We are consecrated to God as well; who have surrendered our “rights” to the will of God, and have placed ourselves in the Lord’s hands and are being taught of Him, and recognize that we are being fitted and prepared for our place in His Kingdom. We should not confuse the Heavenly Calling with the earthly inheritance which is still future. Many do not realize that the Divine program has progressed way beyond those things which occurred at Jesus’ first coming. That the call for the Church was open for nearly 1900 years but has now closed. The spiritual elect classes have all been gathered and those of us who remain are now in line for Christ’s earthly Kingdom soon to be installed on the ruins of Satan’s empire.

If we are true Christian workers and servants like our Master—Phil. 2: 7 we are consecrated as was He, and that we, being under Divine providence, should not expect our rights during the time of this present evil world, nor to strive for them; but that on the contrary, we capitulate to the will of God—to the doing of the Lord’s will so far as we may have opportunity, and to the having of the Lord’s will done in us according to the Lord’s wisdom and providence. If oppressed and dealt with unjustly, let us look to the Lord for deliverance, and in whatever way it shall come, we will accept it as of Divine arrangement; and however God does not provide in the way of deliverance along reasonable and just lines, we will accept as the rulings of His providence, and render to the Lord thanks for His watch-care and seek to learn the lessons of patience and experience and long-suffering, which these trials may inculcate; recognizing in such a case that these trials, from whomsoever they come, are permitted of the Lord, if not ordered by Him, and intended for our welfare and spiritual development.

True Christians, in every walk of secular life, are the only ones who know what contentment really is. Others are striving for the attainment of rights and for the correction of wrongs, and are only cultivating more and more the spirit of selfishness in their own hearts, and generally causing themselves the more trouble and discontent. Only the Christian can say, “Content, whatever lot I see, since ‘tis God’s hand that leadeth me”; and he can take this position only by the exercise of a living faith, and can exercise such a living faith in life’s affairs only after he has made a consecration of himself to the Lord, and can make such a consecration of himself only after he has come to some knowledge of the Divine character and plan.