Torch, Summer 2002

D r. Paul Tassell, trustee emeritus of Cedarville University, went home to be with the Lord on June 3, 2002 after a struggle with Parkinson’s disease. Tassell served 30 years on Cedarville’s board of trustees (1965-1995) and was awarded an honorary doctor of letters from Cedarville in 1985. A graduate of Bob Jones University, Tassell served as the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC) national youth representative from 1970-1973 and the national representative for GARBC from 1979-1994. He pastored churches in Georgia, Illinois, and Iowa and wrote several books during his lifetime of Christian service. Tassell’s biography, Just Let Me Preach , was recently published by Regular Baptist Press. We offer our condolences to Tassell’s wife, Doris, and their three children, nine grandchildren, family, and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial gifts be designated to Faith’s 100, a church-based program designed to identify, equip, and send men and women into vocational ministry. Memorial gifts and cards may be mailed to Faith Baptist Church, 2140 Crystal Beach Road, Winter Haven, FL 33880. Trustee Emeritus Home with the Lord Can there be any doubt that the standard for the church is one of commitment to serving the needs of others in the context of love, acceptance, and unity? Not if these passages are to be believed. I believe it is this failure—it is this worldliness—that has diluted the influence of the church as an institution and of Christians as individuals in contemporary culture. It is this reason we must actively pursue the transformation of our culture through the compassion of Christ. The antidote for strife and conflict is peacemaking. If we want to reclaim our culture for Christ, if we want the church to regain its position as the moral compass for our society, then we must seek to create peace within our own community. The importance of this process is made clear in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus speaks to the crowds gathered there about the application of the principles as opposed to the letter of the law. When He speaks to the issue of murder, He says: You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, “Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.” But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca,” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, “You fool!” will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift (Matt. 5:21-24). What Jesus is saying here is that anger and bitterness towards another is the moral equivalent of murder. And, that murderous attitude not only places a barrier between you and the person with whom you are angry, it also places an impenetrable barrier between you and God. It may be that you have reached a plateau in your relationship with God. For some reason, you are unable to worship Him in the way you know you should. You find it difficult to hear from God. May I suggest that the reason may be that you are holding onto anger against and harboring bitterness toward another. Jesus said in the passage above that God does not want your worship until you have placed that bitterness aside and reconciled yourself to that other person. Summer 2002 / TORCH 13 Proposition #4 Photo courtesy of the Baptist Bulletin