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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 46*  November 12,  2006

Overcoming Evil with Good

Noah lived in an immoral time. God himself declared "the wickedness of man was great in the earth". Their wickedness was deep as it permeated all their thoughts. They were bent on evil continually. (Genesis 6:5) Israel was consumed with immorality in the days of the Judges. "And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that hey returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn ways." (Judges 2:19) In the days of the kings of Israel the people were corrupt. "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward." (Isaiah 1:4)

We are also living in a time of great immorality. Pornography is estimated to be a 12 billion dollar industry in the United States. 57 Billion world-wide. 12% of all Internet sites are pornographic…42 million

Mortality Number of alcohol-induced deaths, excluding accidents and homicides: 20,687 * Number of alcoholic liver disease deaths: 12,360 (year 2003)

63% of all sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases occur among people less than 25 years of age.

Homosexuality

Fornication & Adultery

Profanity & Violence

What are we going to do? Will we be able to protect our children from all this ungodliness?

Yes we can. We can start by recognizing that God is in control and is well aware of the evil affairs of men. We must recognize that He is mindful of His children who are living is such wicked times. "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (II Timothy 2:19)

We must abhor evil and CLEAVE to that which is good. (Romans 12:9) That means we will have to be diligent in our efforts to turn away from wickedness and as Paul said, "abstain from all appearance of evil." (I Thessalonians 5:22) Get so far away from evil that we even avoid that which appears to be evil. Latch on to good things. Absorb them into your life and saturate the family in that which is good. Turn off the TV and attend a Gospel Meeting. Let down the easy chair and visit a member. Leave work early to provide a ride to service. There is much work to be done in the Kingdom of God.

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21 1 www.familysafemedia.com ² National Center for Health

Stacy Crim

 

The Betrayal of Once Saved, Always Saved

By Jamey Hinds

"What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him?" (James 2:14). There are those in the religious realm who sincerely believe once they’ve been saved, they’re saved forever no matter how they sin. These people misunderstand the scriptures and twist them to their own destruction.

"And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach — if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard" (Colossians 1:21-23).

"This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men. . . . Let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful" (Titus 3:8, 14).

If once saved, always saved were biblical, then how would it be explained that Simon believed and was baptized (Acts 8:13) to then sin against God because he thought he could obtain the gift of God with money! And not just that he sinned, but that this sin could permanently separate him from God? Why would Peter urge Simon to repent if there were no requirement, if there were no eternal consequences to his not repenting? All the apostle had to do was slap ol’ Simon on the back and say, "Brother — you believed and were baptized, weren’t ya? Then rest assured — once saved, always saved!"

The apostle Peter directly said to him, "Your heart is not right before God. Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity" (Acts 8:20-23).

The word repent that the apostle Peter uses here is also used by the apostle Paul when he addressed the Corinthians, saying, "I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced" (2 Corinthians 12:21). Remember that he is writing to Christians!

As the Lord addressed five of the seven churches in Asia (Revelation chapters two and three), He said,

To the church at Ephesus — "Remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first" (Revelation 2:5).

To the church meeting in Pergamum — "Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth" (2:16).

To the church in Thyatira — "Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds" (2:22, 23).

To the church at Sardis — "Remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you" (3:3).

And, finally to the church at Laodicea — "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent" (3:19).

Once saved always saved wasn’t proclaimed to these various churches by the Lord Jesus Christ or the apostles in any shape, form, or fashion. And these men are the very foundation upon which the church has been built — "Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord" (Ephesians 2:20, 21). This fallacious, demonic doctrine of once saved always saved cannot be found in the foundation nor the rafters!

To balance this out, though, we should remember and assure our hearts that we can have confidence before God "because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight" (1 John 3:22).

In the Lord’s own words — "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. . . . You are My friends if you do what I command you" (John 14:15; 15:14).

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