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An
Outreach Publication of the Church of Christ at
Creekwood |
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A
New Person The program committee for a national barber's convention devised a graphic means of demonstrating the effectiveness of their profession. They found a social derelict on skid row with long, dirty hair. His face was unshaven and his clothes were ragged and filthy. His body reeked with odors of cheap liquor and filth. The barbers cleaned him up. They gave him a bath, shampoo, shave, haircut and manicure. They liberally sprinkled talcum powder on him and added spicy cologne. He was dressed in a new suit and was presented before the convention as a changed man. He certainly looked the part. However, within a week the man was back on skid row, back in the gutter, back in his former pattern of living. The barbers had altered his appearance, but their tonsorial services had not changed him on the inside.* Due to our sin, each of us is on “skid row,” destined to die (Romans 6:23). But God loves us so much that He gave His only Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16) so that we might have forgiveness, transformation, and the hope of eternal life (Ephesians 1:7; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:7). “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 The change that Christ desires to bring about in our lives is not superficial. Rather, we are transformed by Christ from the inside out! Our HEARTS
are changed by faith, placing our trust in
Jesus (Acts 16:30-31).
Our PRACTICES
are changed when we turn from sin in repentance
(Acts 17:30-31), committing ourselves to the intention
of refraining from sin.
Our COMMITMENTS The Apostle Paul explained the change that occurs in the penitent believer when he is baptized into Christ: “Or
do you not know that as many of us as were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into
death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk
in newness of life.” – Romans 6:3-4 Anyone
who has the money to spend can put a man in a new
suit, but only Christ can put a new
man in the suit. Won’t YOU allow Christ to change you from the inside out as you trust and obey Him?
David
A. Sargent, Minister Church
of Christ at Creekwood For information on ministries collecting funds to help in Haiti, click this link: http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158985 * From the Illustrations file of www.thecorner-stone.org To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:
HTML version: subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchzip.com Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org
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