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 The Cornerstone 

This is the Stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the Chief Conerstone." Acts 4:11

Pulbished to Support the Work of the West End Church of Christ, Richmond, Virginia

Volume 6 *   Number 25*   June 18,  2006

Compassion for a Cow

David W. Garrett

North of Starks, Louisiana, on the road to Merriville, there is a small community called Gambrel. Just to the west of Gambrel, the Sabine River takes a northerly meander for about a quarter mile before flowing south again. The bend in the river has washed a deep ravine into a lush pasture. Some eighteen to twenty feet below the pasture, the river’s swift current continually curves and undermines the bank.

When I was fifteen years old (many years ago), I walked along the river and was saddened to discover a red heifer, which had grazed too close to the edge and fallen into the ravine when a part of the bank collapsed. The cow, lying at the river’s edge with its back broken, was unable even to lap the swift water a few feet away. The hot summer sun baked down in the mid-morning heat upon this mass of twisted life. Her eyes were wide with anguish, but I could do nothing. My only thought was to put her out of her misery. No one could save her! As I was retrieving the rifle, Dad asked what I

was going to do. I explained my intentions; but he said, "David, don’t do that. The cow does not belong to you; and it will appear to the owner that the cow fell into the ravine because you shot her."

The next weekend I went back to find the fly-ridden carcass, bloated and no longer in need of compassion. I can still see her pleading, agonized eyes. My purpose for relaying this story is to share the thought that because of sin, we are all like that helpless heifer. Sin has eroded our foundation, it has broken our back, it has left us unquenchably thirsty, and we are dying.

Unlike my compassion, which saw no solution but death, my Lord has a greater compassion. Observe Matthew’s account of Isaiah 42:3 (in Matthew 12:20) — "A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench, till He send forth judgment unto victory."

That bruised reed is the Dallas weed stem I used to snap when I was a child; it could not be straightened again. It is the bamboo fishing pole that I crushed in the car door; it could not be repaired. That smoking flax is the birthday candle that I blew out before "Happy Birthday!" was sung; and without matches, Momma could not relight. It is to our shame that we see others as so mired in sin, so past any hope, and so broken that we feel no solution is possible. In our minds addictions, multiple marriages, prodigal lifestyles, criminality, and academic arrogance are some barriers too formidable to assault. We see only the smoking candle, the broken reed, and the crushed pole. But thanks be to God, Jesus sees the mended whole:

Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4-5).

Paul speaks of the marvel of Christ’s mending in Romans 7:9-11. Prior to his knowledge of right and wrong, Paul was a bright, burning flame of pure light; but once sin entered his life, the flame was smothered, the smoldering ember was dying.

Who could deliver him from that body of death? Some would say, "No one! He’s a Jew. He’s an overeducated, arrogant Pharisee and a murderer of Christians!" Like the cow fallen off the bluff, like the candle blown out, like the crushed pole, we believe that the inevitable outcome will be death. But Paul says that Christ saw what it could be; and because of that, Christ became the solution. Christ became the remedy by bringing forth "judgment unto victory" (Matt. 12:20). The verdict of guilt and the sentence of death had already been levied against Paul, but Christ arranged Paul’s freedom. He satisfied the righteous judgment against Paul by offering to pay the penalty Himself because His solution paid the penalty — and not just for Paul, but for all other "worthless cases." Jesus asks that we come to Him (Matt. 11:28-30) and be zealous to sacrifice our time and efforts all to Him ( Jn. 15:8). It takes compassion, and faith in the remedy. Are you ready?

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"Being Past Feeling"

O.C. Birdwell

The apostle Paul warned the Ephesians about the danger of walking as the ungodly people walked (Eph. 4:17). He said that they (the Gentiles), "being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness" (v. 19).

These people, "being past feeling," walked in ignorance, alienation, and vanity of mind because of the hardening of their hearts. To such people God will send "a working of error, that they should believe a lie; that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness" (2 Thess. 2:11,12).

One "past feeling" is pathetic indeed. There is hope for one as long as he has not reached spiritual insensibility. But when he has become callous and hardened in heart to the extent that no response whatsoever is given to the preaching of the gospel of Christ, a sad and almost hopeless situation exists. Do you suppose any today are "past feeling"?

"Being past feeling" may cause continuation in worldliness. Many love the association of the devil and his servants more than God and His people.

Sectarianism is the result of men "being past feeling." They feel no restraint in relegating the New Testament to the back seat. "Will worship" is prevalent and replaces the will of Christ. Men's names are worn; their doctrines are obeyed. Hearts are hardened against the truth.

Some at Corinth were "past feeling." They were "puffed up" concerning sin (I Cor. 5). Demas loved the "present world" (2 Tim. 4:10). The Laodiceans were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Rev. 3:17). They were so far "past feeling" that they could not see their actual condition.

In the nineteenth century men in the church of the Lord contended for missionary societies and instrumental music in worship because they were "past feeling" any respect for the authority of the scriptures.

Modern day innovators are "past feeling" that anything is wrong when churches donate to missionary and benevolent societies. They see nothing wrong with church camps, socials, dining halls, recreational facilities, or a church chorus (they are still opposed to a choir!). One can get no response from such people with an appeal for an open investigation of the scriptures. They are "past feeling" that the scriptures are a complete guide and feel free to encourage the church to act in areas where the Bible is silent.

Our plea is for men to feel a proper respect for the authority of the scriptures. Let the church be what Christ intended it to be, and let it do what the New Testament authorizes. Let us again call upon all men to speak as the "oracles of God" (I Pet. 4:11). -- Via Truth Magazine XV: 18, p. 2, March 11, 1971

 

 

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