In This Issue

• THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED
• "BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT"
• TODAY I WILL...
• ROCHESTER COLLEGE
• MORE INFORMATION...

THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED

When Jesus told the parable of the wicked vinedressers who mistreated the servants of the vineyard owner, He asked the chief priests and elders of the Jews what the vineyard owner would do to those wicked men. They answered, "He will destroy those wicked men and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers..." (Matt. 21:41).

Then, in the next verse, Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." By rejecting Jesus, the chief priests and elders of the Jewish people were rejecting the foundation, the chief cornerstone, upon which God’s spiritual temple, the New Testament church was to be built. The apostle Paul alludes to this passage again in Eph. 2:19-20, telling Gentile Christians that they are "no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone." In addressing the Sanhedrin, the high court of the Jews, Simon Peter said of Jesus in Acts 4:11-12, "This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." To reject Christ is to reject our own salvation, for God has made Christ the foundation upon which our spiritual service must be built.

Again, in 1 Peter 2:6-7, Peter made reference to Psalm 118:22, connecting it with two statements from the pen of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah had written in Isa. 28:16, "Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.’" Again, in Isa. 8:14, the prophet wrote, "He will be as a sanctuary, but a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, as a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem." It is most likely this latter passage that Jesus had in mind when He said, "Whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder" (Matt. 21:44).

Since there is no other source of salvation than Jesus Christ, it is indeed unfortunate that some have set such priorities that Jesus has become to them a stumbling stone rather than a foundation stone. Truly, the eternal plan and purpose of God centers on Jesus Christ. We say with Paul in Rom. 9:33, "As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

--CRJ

The above title is taken from the words of Moses. He directed it toward the Israelite tribes of Gad and Reuben who wanted to dwell to the east of the Jordan River, rather than crossing over into Canaan for an inheritance. They had agreed, however, to help the other tribes of Israel in their conquest of the Promised Land. But Moses warned, ``But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out'' (Num. 32:23).

This admonition causes us to also realize that no matter how hidden or long ago a transgression might be, it will eventually resurface at the judgment day for one to give an account of and pay the penalty for.

We must remember that it is not time that atones for sin. Let us, therefore, not deceive ourselves into thinking that it would. Regardless of all the years since the transgression was committed, it remains indelibly written in God's record book and can be blotted out by only that precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:18,19). For when to God ''...a thousand years [is] as one day'' (2 Pet. 3:8) or ''...like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night'' (Psa. 90:4), then what would one's lifetime of, say, 100 years be to the Lord? One-tenth of a day (2 hours and 24 minutes)? Of course, we realize that this is not to be taken literally; but the point is, time is irrelevant to God. It has no bearing on God's repugnance toward sin. Whether one day or a thousand years, the Lord's abhorrence toward a transgression would remain the same and not diminish, nor would His remembrance of it wane or become obscured with time.

We need to also remind ourselves that sin doesn't disappear by our simply forgetting about it. Perhaps all the years have caused us to no longer remember the iniquity, but God has not forgotten. Actually, one's sin is not like some type of literal blemish on one's soul that must be cleansed; rather, it is something that remains on record in God's memory until it is blotted out by Christ's atonement; and the Lord will then—for those who will submit to His gospel--''...remember their sins no more'' (Heb. 8:12).

For those, however, who will not follow Jesus, their every sin will be exposed by light--even their very motives (1 Cor. 4:5). The verse that follows Solomon's summation of the whole duty of man--''to fear God and keep His commandments''--states, ``For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil'' (Eccl. 12:14). Wicked men sometimes get away with their crimes when before secular judges, but this certainly won't be so when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ and are judged by God's Son Himself, who knows the hearts of all men (Matt. 9:4).

So trying to simply wait long enough, forget it, or hide it will not eliminate sin in our lives. The only answer for this prevalent problem (Rom. 3:23) is Jesus Christ. We must, therefore, submit to Him by our faith and obedience, if we want to benefit from His atonement at Calvary and be sure that we won't have sin to find us out.

--Tom Edwards, Avondale, PA bulletin

TODAY I WILL...

1. TODAY I WILL NOT STRIKE BACK: If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind.... I will not respond in a like manner.

2. TODAY I WILL ASK GOD TO BLESS MY "ENEMY": If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, I will quietly ask GOD to bless that individual. I understand the "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, co-worker or stranger.

3. TODAY I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I SAY: I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.

4. TODAY I WILL GO THE EXTRA MILE: I will find ways to help share the burden of another person.

5. TODAY I WILL FORGIVE: I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.

6. TODAY I WILL DO SOMETHING NICE FOR SOMEONE, BUT I WILL DO IT SECRETLY: I will reach out anonymously and bless the life of another.

7. TODAY I WILL TREAT OTHERS THE WAY I WISH TO BE TREATED: I will practice the golden rule- do unto others as I would have them do unto you-with everyone I encounter.

8. TODAY I WILL RAISE THE SPIRITS OF SOMEONE WHO IS DISCOURAGED: My smile, my words, my expression of support, can make the difference to someone who is wrestling with life.

9. TODAY I WILL NURTURE MY BODY: I will eat less; I will eat only healthy foods. I will thank GOD for my body.

10. TODAY I WILL GROW SPIRITUALLY: I will spend a little more time in prayer today: I will begin reading something spiritual or inspirational today; I will find a quiet place (at some point during this day) and listen to GOD's voice.

--Author Unknown, from Tim Smith’s list

ROCHESTER COLLEGE

Someone asked brother Ken Johnson, President of Rochester College, Rochester Hills, MI 48307, why he and the Bible faculty object to the statement "baptism for the forgiveness of sins." He gives three reasons:

"(1) The phrase ‘baptism for the forgiveness of sins’ diminishes ‘the biblical basis for baptism’ and disregards the ‘fullness of the baptismal experience.’ Other ‘matters far more remarkable than the forgiveness of past sins occur at baptism.’"

It is true that many remarkable "matters" other than the forgiveness of past sins occur at baptism, but none is "more remarkable" than "the forgiveness of past sins." No one can go to heaven without "the forgiveness of past sins," as Jesus said of some in His day, "You shall die in your sin. You cannot come where I go" (John 8:21).

Peter did not diminish "the Biblical basis for baptism" by announcing that it was "for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:38). Peter would not be allowed on the faculty of Rochester College, for he wrote in an imperishable book that baptism "saves" (1 Peter 3:21).

"(2) To teach that baptism is ‘for the forgiveness of sins’ transfers ‘the healing virtue from God to ourselves.’"

In parallel, Naaman did not think that his seven baptisms in the Jordan River (2 Kings 5:14) transferred "the healing virtue from God to" himself. On the contrary, he attributed "the healing virtue" of his baptisms to "God," saying, "Behold now, I know there is no God in all the earth but in Israel" (2 Kings 5:15).

"(3) To teach that baptism is ‘for the forgiveness of sins’ is to mislead non-Christians, causing them to think ‘that we teach baptismal regeneration.’"

The man whom God sent to Saul, Ananias by name (Acts 9:10-12), would not be allowed to be a faculty member at Rochester College, for he was bold to command Saul to be baptized to "wash away your sins" (Acts 22:16). Moreover, Saul himself, later called "Paul" (Acts 13:9), wrote in imperishable books that sinners were "cleansed" in "the washing of the water by the word" (Eph. 5:26), "the washing of regeneration" (Titus 3:5).

--Hugo McCord via Vigil

"Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out, so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth" (Prov. 26:20)

MORE INFORMATION...