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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 9 * Number 12* March 25, 2007
Newness of Life
Do you remember when the Coca Cola Company tried to introduce "New Coke"? It was a disastrous decision to change the formula of a product that had been around for years. People rebelled, protested (over a drink mind you) and refused to drink the new product. Coca Cola changed back quickly.
I have observed a few conversions to be of the same nature. One is converted, but shortly thereafter there is protest, rebellion and a refusal to continue the new walk of righteousness. Unlike "New Coke", the change is to be permanent.
New Creature
II Corinthians 5:17 "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new."
Dead to the World
Galatians 6:14 "But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world."
New Man Ephesians 2:15 "having abolished in the flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace;"
Created in Righteousness & Holiness
Ephesians 4:24 "and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth."
After the Image of God
Colossians 3:10 "and have put on the new man, that is being renewed unto knowledge after the image of him that created him: "
Stacy Crim
Great Evangelistic Tool
Scott Smelser
I think it works better than radio, better than auto-dialers, better than showings of Jule Miller filmstrips, better than mailing out a bulletin, better than Dial-a-bible-reading, better than debates, better than cable tv.
What is it? It’s brethren not being conformed to the world.
If a church is made up of people who understand 184 current and past issues correctly, but their lives do not show superior conduct, servitude, and holiness, don't expect an auto dialer, computer, printer, broadcast antenna, or cable outlet to compensate for the failure.
When church members think like the world, dress like the world; talk like the world; and chase money and status symbols like the world, it is the world that is winning them, not the other way around.
When church members are selfish, egotistical, arrogant, and shallow, then they are not in a position to help the world to a higher plane.
If our families are splitting up, our children are dropping out, and our homes are little different from our neighbors then our "light" gets rather difficult to notice.
But if people learn self-denial (Luke 9:23), learn submission to God and care for neighbor (Matthew 22), learn to be servants (John 13), learn to be content (1 Timothy 6:8), learn to invest in family (Titus 2:5; Ephesians 6:4, Proverbs 22:6), and learn to clean out the inside of the cup, not just the outside (Matthew 23), then bright lights will shine.
"Ye are an elect race, a royal preisthood, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the execellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light...having your behavior seemly among the gentiles; that ... they may glorify God." (1 Peter 2:9-12).
"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God … and be not fashioned according to this world, but be ye tranformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:1-2)
We are not called simply to know some things different from the world-we are called to rise above the world, and to "be holy" (1 Peter 1:15). And when people become that kind of light, it creates a great evangelistic tool.
And it will far exceed the effect of debates, radio, tv, and mail outs.
~ via Wildercroft Bulletin; Riverdale, Maryland.
Come With Us and We Will Do You Good"
Charles "Skip" Sebree
Today’s Christian should be able to extend the same invitation that Moses offered to his father-in-law, Hobab. "Come with us and we will do you good", Moses promised (Numbers 10:29). Each of us would do well to imitate the same kind of faith and hope.
Moses knew where they were going. The burdens of slavery were behind them, the promised land was before them, and they were headed that way. Moses was confident of their destination because "the Lord has promised good things to Israel." The Christian knows that there is a far better place than this earth awaiting the faithful. As expressed in the well known song, "This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through, My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue." This great hope should motivate the Christian to encourage others to join him in the redemption march. John wrote about the motivating power of hope when he wrote concerning the faithful Christian who will not only be "like Him, but shall see Him as He is," 1 John 3:2. John then says because of this hope one purifies himself, just as he is pure.
People whose goal is to live with God learn from God how to deal with life, its blessings, its problems, and its frustrations. There is no better solution to dealing with life than learning from God. Going through this life with people who have this mindset can be a genuine joy and needed help. It is wonderful to see people realize their problems can be solved by putting into practice principles from God’s word. Things can get better. There is help. There is encouragement. There is hope. "Come with us and we will do you good."
Sadly, there are Christians who do no good for anyone. They are absorbed in themselves. Their focus is on themselves and the fulfilling of their desires. This is in direct conflict with Paul’s admonition in Philippians 2:3-5, "Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus," Christians who argue and fuss fail miserably to do good for anyone, including themselves. Who would want to journey with such people?
As Christ captains His people toward the glorious presence of God, He gives them all that’s needed for the journey. With an abundance of provisions and the assurance of a victory, the Christian should be able to say to anyone, "Come with us and we will do you good."
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