Volume  2    Issue   45    September 15th, 2002

A publication of the:
Butler church of Christ

Our meeting location is:
201 5th Ave.
Butler, PA 16001
724-287-0628 (building) / 724-282-9417 (home/office)

Assembling Times:
Sunday Bible Class - 9:30 AM
Sunday Worship – 10:30 AM
Wednesday Bible Class – 7:00 PM
 

Editor / Preacher –
Brian A. Yeager
 

Check out the web site:

http://www.wordsoftruth.net

When a student of the Bible begins to study the Holy Writ, they find that God knows even the thoughts of man (Psalms 139:1-4, Luke 16:15, and Ezekiel 11:5).  God’s wisdom and knowledge is unattainable for man (Psalms 139:6).  Yet, with all of His power and wonderful knowledge there is one thing that God forgets.  There is one thing that God has the ability to erase from His memory.  That one thing is sin that has been repented of.  While men and women of the earth have a difficulty in forgetting the wrongs a person has done to them, as they are commanded to do (Matthew 6:12; 14, and Matthew 18:21-35), God does not have that problem.  God made a promise through the pen of Jeremiah that He will keep.

(Jeremiah 31:31-34) “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man
his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more". (cf. also Hebrews 9:5-13)  When God makes a promise, it is a promise that will be kept (Titus 1:2).  God’s promise was for the days of the New Covenant.  That is the dispensation we live in now.  We are currently under the New Testament Law of Jesus Christ (John 12:48, Romans 7:1-6, and Hebrews 9:15-28).  When Christ died His blood was shed for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28).  We obtain the remission of sins and the washing away of our sins through the blood of Christ when we complete God’s plan of redemption and are baptized (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, and Revelation 1:5).  At that point we are new creatures (II Corinthians 5:17).  However, in our Christian lives we will sin (Romans 3:23).  When we sin we do not need to enter once again into the watery grave of baptism, but simply confess our faults to the Lord and He, once again, will forgive [and forget] those sins (I John 1:9).  That is the beauty of God’s promise.  We are able to be pure and clean.  So, it is no matter to God how many sins one has committed, He will forgive and forget those sins if a child of God repents, and then confesses those sins to Him.  Of course, God is also clear that if one does not repent they will perish (Luke 13:3; 5).

We serve a God that does not want anyone to perish (II Peter 3:9).  For this reason He sent His son to die for us (Romans 5:6-10).  God’s request in return for His gift to us is for us to obey His will (Matthew 7:21-23).  His love for mankind was displayed in the giving of His Son.  Our show of love towards God is our obedience (John 14:15).  While God wants to forgive and forget our sins, He won’t, if we do not do the things He told us to do to get Him to forgive and forget our sins.  So, ask yourself if God has forgiven and forgotten the things you have done to sin against Him.  Ask yourself if you have followed God’s word to obey Him so that you can be a partaker of the great and precious promises God has given to us.
 
 

Quick Notes

Those Serving Today:
A.M. Song Leader – Mike Lockwood
Lord’s Table – Jay Wagner
Assisting – George Papp and Bill Graham
First Prayer – Mike Lockwood
Closing Prayer – Brian Yeager

Those In Need of Our Prayers:
Joan Croyle, and Goldie Buterbaugh (Carol’s mom).

Ladies Class:
September 22nd – see Kim L. for more details.