In This Issue

• STATE OF THE CONGREGATION, 2005

• “THEY CRUCIFIED HIM”

• HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN RECEIVE FORGIVENESS FOR SINS OF IGNORANCE?

• MORE INFORMATION...

 STATE OF THE CONGREGATION, 2005

The year 2004 is now history and we are into 2005. We will take a moment to review a few highlights of the past year in our work for the Lord. January of last year was fairly uneventful.

In February, Art and Lori Driedger and their four children came to us, knowing that in a few months they would be moving back to the Exton area. I have known Art since 1984, and worked with him for over seven years in the Exton congregation.

In March, we lost the Maness family (Tim and Paula and their three children). I had also known them for more than 15 years. When I was preaching in Exton, Pennsylvania, they were members of the church in Philadelphia, but since that congregation did not have Sunday evening services, they attended at Exton on Sunday nights. They have moved to Bellefonte in central Pennsylvania and are now worshipping with the Hillcrest Avenue church in State College. Our loss is gain for the brethren in State College.

Also in March, Mark Russel from the Vale church in Valparaiso, Indiana, was with us and preached for us one service, and Jon Focht from Washington, New Jersey conducted a class for our young people in the home of David and Karyn Hoffman, and spoke to the congregation one Sunday evening.

Betty and I made a quick trip to the Austin, Texas, area for the funeral of long-time friend and brother, W.B. Simons. He is greatly missed, but we hope someday to be reunited.

In April, Rhonda Schupp was baptized into Christ.

In late May (and into June), Betty and I flew to Texas where I conducted two gospel meetings – one in Jonestown and one in Liberty Hill. On that trip we also took time to visit with other congregations with which we have worked in times past, and also to visit congregations that have fellowship with us in the gospel. On that trip, in addition to the two gospel meetings, I also preached at La Porte, Burnet, Mexia, Tyler, Alief, Bryan (Benchley) – all in Texas, and also preached one Sunday evening in Springhill, Louisiana.

In June two of our young people obeyed the gospel: Nick Hoffman and Tim Long.

In July, Danny Hinkle of Morgantown, West Virginia, visited with us and preached one Sunday morning.

In August, Michael Miozza obeyed the gospel. On a less happy note, the Driedger family moved away and is now working with the church in Exton, Pennsylvania. Our loss is their gain. The Exton church needed the boost that the Driedgers have provided, and in the past few months, the work there has made good progress.

In September, Daniel and Teresa Mosely moved to our area from Florida and began to worship with us. Also Lessie Shaefer, who lives south of York and had been worshipping in Maryland, has begun to worship with us regularly.

In October, Jon Focht was with us for a Friday through Sunday gospel meeting. Jon works with James Finney in the congregation in Washington, New Jersey. His lessons were very good and encouraging to us.

The months of November and December were mostly uneventful. All in all, 2004 was a good year for the Susquehanna church, and we look forward to new opportunities and challenges as 2005 proceeds. 

-Clarence R. Johnson

“THEY CRUCIFIED HIM”

Pilate gave the order for Jesus to be crucified. “Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head, and began to salute Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him. And when they had mocked Him, they took the purple off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him. Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross. And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. And when they crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them to determine what every man should take. Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him (Mark 15:16-26). Thus Mark describes the awful ordeal of Jesus’ crucifixion.

Before Jesus was actually crucified, He was ridiculed, mocked, belittled. The soldiers pretended to “worship” Him. They “played like” they were honoring Him. They briefly dressed Him in the fashion of a king as part of the mocking process. Then, after they had their “fun,” they led Him on to the place of crucifixion.

It was customary for the person being crucified to carry his own cross to the place of execution. In John 19:16-17, we learn that this custom was followed in the case of Jesus, yet Mark tells us that a man named Simon was compelled to carry the cross for Jesus. The usual explanation of the scholars is that Jesus started out carrying the cross, but weak from the night-time trials with no rest, and further weakened by the scourging, “fell beneath the load” (as one of our hymns says) and thus the soldiers compelled Simon to carry Jesus’ cross the rest of the way to Golgotha. Luke says that Simon bore the cross “after Jesus” (Luke 23:26). Mark identifies Simon as the “father of Alexander and Rufus,” who evidently were Christians known to Mark and to those who would initially read his account of the gospel. One wonders if perhaps this stirring incident was instrumental in leading Simon, his wife and his sons to become disciples of Jesus. See Rom. 16:13.

Having arrived at Golgotha, the soldiers offered Jesus a drink of wine mingled with myrrh. The Pulpit Commentary suggests: “This was a kind of stupefying liquor, a strong narcotic, made of the sour wine of the country, mingled with bitter herbs, and mercifully administered to dull the sense of pain. This was offered before the actual crucifixion took place… But he received it not. He would not seek alleviation of the agonies of the crucifixion by any drugged potion, which might render him insensible. He would bear the full burden consciously.”

Just before they crucified the Lord, the Roman soldiers gambled for His clothing, fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 22:18. And then they nailed Him to the cross.

-Clarence R. Johnson

HOW CAN A CHRISTIAN RECEIVE FORGIVENESS FOR SINS OF IGNORANCE?

If repentance and prayer are the conditions of pardon for the child of God who sins (Acts 8:22), what about sins of ignorance? The Bible certainly teaches that sins of ignorance may be forgiven, but nowhere does it affirm that forgiveness precedes or excludes repentance and prayer as conditions of pardon.

The sacrificial system of the Old Testament provided forgiveness of sins for sins of ignorance. Consistently, however, subsequent knowledge of these sins and repentance preceded atonement by means of sacrifice. Notice what is said: 

· "If the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance… when the sin…is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for sin" (Leviticus 4:13, 14, KJV). 
· "And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance…or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering" (Leviticus 4:27, 28, KJV). 
· "If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: {16} And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him" (Leviticus 5:15-16, KJV). 
· "And if any one sin, and do any of the things which Jehovah hath commanded not to be done; though he knew it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity" (Leviticus 5:17, ASV).

Obviously the daily burnt offerings did not automatically cover these sins, otherwise why have to offer a sacrifice for them when they are brought to one's attention. 

Frequently 1 John 1:7 is cited as evidence that God automatically cleanses the Christian from imperfections, provided his life is characterized by general fidelity. The passage reads, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin." After establishing the fact of pardon in verse seven, however, John goes on to state the condition of pardon in verse nine: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from ah unrighteousness." This is precisely the same sentiment expressed in Leviticus, except that Christ's blood makes possible full pardon, whereas the blood of animals merely pointed the way to his supreme sacrifice.

Brethren, I am afraid our desire to excuse a Christian's shortcomings may be leading us down a dangerous track. Lately I have heard numerous persons vocalizing the opinion that if a Christian, whose general disposition is to do God's will, dies before he has a chance to pray, Jesus' blood will cover whatever sins remain unconfessed. What difference is there between saying this and saying that if an alien who fully intends to obey the gospel dies of a heart attack just before he is immersed, God will pardon him anyway. It is my conviction that man must obey the letter of the law and recognize God's prerogative to exercise clemency. Our opinions about such cases will in no way affect God's decision on the Judgment Day, so why not keep them to ourselves. Certainly we must not affirm anything that encourages weakness rather than strength, or that crystallizes erroneous views where they are.

–Melvin Curry, The Exhorter, Athens, AL

Every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity an obligation; and every possession a duty.  --Guthrie Dean

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