The Ohio Independent Baptist, January 1973

Unveiling Ceremony Several hundred Cedarville College alumni, students, and friends were present for the Science Center cornerstone unveiling cerem~ny, held durino Homecoming Week, October 21st. Mr. Dan Trout of Milwaukee Marbie of Wisconsin, who donated the Roman marble stone to the Science Center, joins Dr. Jeremiah, President of Cedarville College, at the ceremony. (Concluded from page 14) and even "do" fall short as an ade– quate rendering of the second par– ticiple, phulassontes. For this word, phi,/asso, means: "guard, keep watch over, to exercise the guardianship of something, to preserve same and un– impaired. " Keeping the Word of God does mean keeping it safel y in our own hearts as our most valuable treasure, and allowing no contradiction, altera– tion, or rejection of it. But plzulasso goes beyond this. It occurs rather com– monly in the papyri, to express the careful protection of an object from damage, or a person from injury or death; the preservation of important documents; and adherence to marriage vov. 1 s and duties. The New Testament use of the word fallows the papyri uses and stresses the sense of ' safe custody, guarding something or someone against assault from without." In II Thess. 3: 3, the Lord Himself is described as faithful, the One who will keep (phu laxei) us from Satan who is the evil one. In I Tim. 6:20, and again in II Tim. 1: 14, Timothy is cl1arged that he must keep (phulaxon) the great Gospel deposit entrusted to his ca.re . The Lord, in His great prayer to the Father, John 17: 12, says: "Those that thou gavest Me I have kept (ephulaxa) and none of them is lost...." Jude closes his epistle with a great doxology vs. 24-25, in which he says: "Now unto Him that is able to keep (phulaxai) you from fall– ing. . . .' ' The meaning of "keep" in these passages is clear. All express the 18 JANUARY, 1973 fact of safe custody , guarding against assault for the purpose of damaging or destroying. Blessed indeed is the child of God who continues faithfully to guard the purity of the Gospel, and always keeps the truth of the Word of God from corruption and alteration. In these days of dreadful apostasy, times of moral disintegration and spir– itual declension-all believers must continue to stand by the Word of God, obeying its commands, guarding it with our very lives, contending for it with all our strength, and remembering that by these Scriptures we are warned, and "in keeping of them, there is great reward" (Psm. 19: 11). It is the prime duty of the children of God to never stop hearing the Word of God with hearing ears, open minds, and expectant hearts which treasure the Scriptures that have given us life, light, and understanding, and which are a lamp for our feet. The Lord said, "He that is of God heareth God 's words' ' (John 8 :47a). Our habit of hearing God's Word is a primary evi– dence that we are truly God's own. The habit of hearing issues in the practice of keeping. The two go to– gether, as the Lord's declaration makes clear. Equally important is our con– stant and faithful guarding of the Word of God as that greatest of all treas– ures, and which God has committed to our special and particular care. We are indeed blessed by the Lord to be entrusted with the charge and admin– istration of the Word in a day when the only hope for the people of this perniciou world-age lies in its eterna 1 iving precepts. Let each of us vow be fore God, " I will keep thy precep1 with my whole heart" (Psm. 119: 69) and ince "through thy precepts I g< understanding, therefore I hate ever fal se way" ( Psm. 119: 104). Moreove1 in these times when we are beset o every hand by those who criticizt question, and attack the Word of Goe and cast doubt on the very existenc of God Himself, while reproaching an scoffing at us for believing in Him– let each one of us assert with cont dence: "So shall I have wherewith t answer him that reproacheth me; for trust in thy Word' ' (Psm. 119:42).1 those who deny the doctrine of Chris and reject the Scriptures as being lade with myth and legend, not inspire and not authoritative, let each of l boldly say: "Depart from me, tl evil-doers; for I will keep the con mandments of my God" (Psrn. 11~ 115) . And let every believer determi1 within his soul, breathing to God th prayer: "Thou hast commanded us keep thy Word .... and I shall ke, it unto the end" , (Psm. 119: 33). ''Blessed are they that hear the Wo of God and keep it." Wadsworth Church In Need of ''Things'' The Lord willing, the Communr Baptist Church of Wadsworth, Oh were to have moved into their nf building by the early part of J anua 1973. They are in need of the usu assortment of things a small chur• needs when moving from a schc location to a new building. Some of these needs, among othe are-a piano, chairs and hymn boo} Any who might be able to assi please contact their pastor, R< Thomas Mize, 3201 Hometown Roa Norton, Ohio - 44203 . Telephon (216) 825-3912. They covet the pra ers of others in our OARBC fella· ship as they move ahead with th, testimony for Christ in the Wa< worth area. Christ-Incomparable He is stronger than the strongest, He's far better than the best; And His love has lasted longest– It has stood the hardest test. And the sinfullest may trust Him And a welcome never doubt, For He's pledged His word of • promise That He will not cast them out. THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPT