Torch, Summer 1995

.. ' The Dure Lamb I n Old Testament times, God sent Moses to lead the Jewish people out of Egyptian slavery and into a place of blessing. But Pharaoh refused to let the people go. On the night appointed by God for the deliverance to take place , all the Jews who believed God's promise gabhered together in their homes. They sacrificed a lamb for a final meal , putting the blood on the posts of their outside door as a public display of their faith . The Passover lamb was to be without defect- pure and spotless- the best of the flock . For those who obeyed, God spared the life of their firstborn children. And after Pharaoh and all of Egypt suffered God 's judgment, Pharaoh commanded the Jews to leave. In the New Testament, we read about the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. He gave up His life so that anyone who believes in Him will not have to suffer the judgment of God. Jesus was perfect. He was a pure person who never sinned in thought , word, or action. His death as a sinless sacrifice to cover our sins was predicted in the Old Testament, by the prophet Isaiah. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all , like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way ; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth (Isaiah 53:4-7) . Today, we all are enslaved by sin. Our sinful nature makes us impure, preventing us from enjoying the blessings of God and prohibiting us from going to heaven. But, like the Jewish believers of old, we have been told of a way of deliverance. As John the Baptist said when introducing Jesus to the public, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! " (John l :29) We need simply to believe in Jesus Christ. Jesus ' death , burial , and resurrection are historical events. Believing in Him means accepting those events to be true, but also placing your life in His trust- recognizing that you have sinned and need Him to deliver you . For more information, please contact: Robert Rohm Vice President for Clu·istian Ministries Cedarville College P.O. Box 601 Cedarville, OH 45314 513 -766-2211 Pursuing A Passion For Purity by Dr. Paul Dixon 2 Campus News 4 The Pure Heart by Tom Hutchison 6 A Household Of Discernment by Doug Miller 10 Forgiven And Cleansed by Robert Rohm Editor Dr. Martin Clark Managing Editor Doug Miller Associate Editor Manha Baldwin Proofreaders Irene Gidley Mark Kakkuri Graphics Mike Bieniek Photo2raphy Scott HuCK Dara Fraley 14 Cedarville Torch Vol. 17 No. 2 Summer Issue, 1995 Published by Cedarv ille Col lege Dr. Pau l Dixon. President NO PAID SUBSCRIPTIONS Cedarville Torch is published for alumni and friends or Cedarville College. Direcl comments and requests for extra copies to: Managing Editor Cedan·il/e Torch P.O. Box 601 Cedarvil le. OH 453 14 5 13-766-7808 Cedarville College is an accredited Baptist college of arts. sciences. and professional programs. enrolling approximately 2.400 students. Its purpose is the same today as al its chartering in 1887: to offer an education consistent with biblical truth . The Cedarville experience seeks lo develop in students professional expertise. a love for learning. a heart for God, and a mind-set of ministry. A solid and rigorous curriculum offers 75 areas of study which arc imegrated with biblical principles. Through the campuswide computer network. students use the latest technology for academics and for accessing information around the world. Each year. many hundreds of Cedarville students volunteer for Christian ministry locally and around the world as they learn to serve the Lord by serving others. Torch 3