: ,-,:a'c ,., • , ....... :-', ..i.,. :i,J:iL iEW:', - IJECEMBER 10, 1999
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Pastor"s C 00rner
Is The Virgin Birth Important?
The houses are decorated,
the lights are shining, the orna-
ments are hung and the stores
are full. These are obvious signs
that Christmas is quickly
approaching. Trees, lights and
garland have become the pop-
ular means to show one's sup-
port for Christmas. But, as the
trees hang with ornaments, the
houses shine with lights, and
the stores burst with shoppers,
the real meaning of Christmas
Hank White
Attorney-At-Law
117 Main Street
Suite 2
LaGrange, GA
706 - 845-8084
Fax 706 - 884-3994
wemy
is the celebration of Christ's
birth. This birth is no ordinary
birth, just as Jesus Christ is no
ordinary person. The birth of
the Christ-child brought to
Earth the very living God of
glory. In the manger lay God
robed in human flesh - 100Q
man and 100% God.
Isaiah 7:14 says about that
birth these words, "Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you
a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and
shall call his name Immanuel."
Hallelujah!
h Hallelujah,
.... Mom Can
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4 East Lafayette Square
LaGrange, GA
(706) 884-7334
Since 1946
(4th Generation, Same Family)
General Practice
Criminal Law, Accidents
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Hankwhite @mindspring.com
i
Southern Treasures
In this verse we have a wealth
of information regarding the
first coming of the king of
kings. What catches our atten-
tion today is the fact Jesus was
born of a virgin. To many peo-
ple that fact is a trivial one. Even
some Bible "scholars" have
questioned the strength of the
word virgin. Some have tried
to replace the word virgin with
'young woman.' Is it that impor-
tant that Jesus was born of a
virgin? The answer is a
resounding, definite yes.
We read in Genesis that
Adam was created in the image
of God. Among other things,
that means Adam was created
innocent, pure, holy, without
sin. Then we know that Adam
sinned and because of that sin,
Adam lost his innocence and his
purity. Adam was no longer
holy. In Genesis 5, when Adam
had children, those children
were begotten in the likeness
of Adam, not God. The human
race was now being continued
in the likeness of Adam, mean-
ing that all have Adam's fallen
nature. Because of that fallen
nature, all men need a Savior.
Galatians 4:4 says, "But
when the fullness of the time
was come, God sent forth his
Son, made of a woman, made
under the law." When Jesus
came into this world, he came
only of a human woman, he had
no human father. Because he
had no human fathen he did not
have the fallen nature of Adam.
Because he did not have the fall-
en Imture of Adam, he was born
sinless and perfect. Because he
was born sinless and perfect,
he could be our Savior. The vir-
gin birth is important because
it was the only means Jesus
could become a man without
inheriting the fallen nature of
Adaln.
The bottom line to all of this
is, as a result of the virgin birth,
fallen humankind is provided
with a Savior that paid the price
of redemption on the cross of
Cah'ary. In Adam all the world
became guilty before God, in
Christ all the world can be made
right before God. The virgin
birth is beyond human expla-
nation or reason, but thanks be
unto God, the virgin birth is not
beyond the wisdom and power
of God almighty.
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il I Wasn't 0000,tng to write
I have told myself .............................................
November not to write this
column, and maybe what I am
going to say would be best not
said. There will surely be folks
who will disagree, and that's
alright because we all are enti-
tled to our opinions. So here
goes my opinion for the week.
Without a doubt, churches
are for sinners. Everyone
surely agrees with this state-
ment, because we all are sin-
ners whether we be church
goers or non church goers. If
we were all perfect, which we
certainly are not, there would
be little need for the church,
except for a place to fellow-
ship with other people.
Let's go to the next level.
Churches should seek out all
sinners and invite them to into
the fellowship. Most would
probably agree with this state-
ment. Should not the number
one priority of the church be
to reach out to the lost?
Level number three. If the
church is suppose to seek out
the sinner, at what point
should it decide what type sin-
ners should they seek out, or
better yet, what type sinners
should be excluded? Things
seem to be getting somewhat
more cloudy now, wouldn't
you agree?
By my mentioning
November and you staying
with me thus far, you have
probably figured out where
I'm going. Yes, let me discuss
with you the issue of the two
Atlanta area churches that
were voted out of the Georgia
Baptist Convention over their
policies and practices con-
cerning homosexuality.
Messengers at last years
Georgia Baptist Convention
approved a constitutional
change stating that "a cooper-
ating church does not include
one which knowingly takes, or
has taken, any action to
affirm, approve or endorse
homosexual behavior." This
years vote come on the heals
of that constitutional amend-
ment after considerable dia-
logue with both churches.
It was voted on the floor of
the convention that both
churches allow gay and les-
bian members to hold posi :
tions of lead#rship, and that a
commitment service for two
gay men was held at one of the
churches.
Alright, I hear you. You are
saying we very well could
have adulterous people in
positions of leadership in our
Baptist Churches. We could
have liars, cheaters, thieves
and so on in these positions.
Sin is sin what is the differ-
ence?
Level number four. This is
where it really gets cloudy.
What is the difference? Let's
see if we can determine the
answer to that question in an
intelligent fashion, not being
judgmental, and remember-
ing that we all are sinners of
some sort.
The Bible is very clear that
homosexuality is a sin. It is
also very clear that the other
things mentioned are sins.
Surely, we all can agree on
that, so where do we draw the
line as Christians?
The line has to be drawn
with the word repentance. God
forgives all sins, but first we
must ask for forgiveness and
repent of that sin. A Valley,
Alabama man wrote in a let-
ter to the editor, "How many
adulterous people do you know
who go to church and say, I
commit adultery, I am going
to continue to commit adul-
tery, but I want you to let me
join your church and not point
out the scriptures to me that
say it is wrong, or to tell me
to stop.
I also want you to tell
everyone in the Church that
adultery is alright." He could
"How many adul-
terous people do you
know who go to
church and say, I
commit adultery, but
I want you to let me
join your church..."
have added, "and allow
serve in leadership pos
or marry me and my
partner."
Baptist are not
denomination
the homosexual
The Methodist are
a push by
only to be admitted to!
bership and leadership
tions but also to be
as pastors.
The Bible refers
condition in both the
New Testaments as
nation, and in my
Georgia Baptist
showed great coura
standing firm on the
tures, while encourag
churches to minister to
pie, no matter what tJ
grounds are.
Communication
Fax machines, E-mail and all
the modern ways of communi-
cation have changed the way we
communicate today. It's fast and
easy. For the most part it's a
wonderful thing. Then there are
times I wish we could return to
the days of pencil and paper.
It never seizes to amaze me
the things you can find on the
fax machine and your E-mail
address. In a week's time, we
receive hundreds of pieces of
communication here at Star-
Mercury Publications, Inc.
Some are needed pieces of infor-
mation, the others I refer to as
junk. Actually I call it some-
thing else, but I'm cleaning the
statement up a bit for print.
I don't know how all those
people get your fax number and
E-mail address. Those sending
us the information we don't need
are smart as well. They don't
give you their fax number or E-
mail address so you can contact
them and tell them to never send
you the worthless junk again.
I'm sure everyone who has
E-mail and fax machines know
what I'm talking about. Take this
past week for instance.
Our office received enough
information on the fax machine
that could make .... everyone
empl0Y6dhere a millionaire b,
20617
We must have received 100
different ways to fill our mail-
boxes with checks from people
we don't know.
One of the items received
this week claimed they could
make me a millionaire in a year,
and it was guaranteed and "not
against the law."
They claimed I could
receive dozens or hundreds of
money orders delivered to my
home daily. I could make
$333;300 •fast. They had testi-
monials from many people who
claimed they had earned
$20,000 in less than a month by
using their program.
What's the catch? I'm not
sure. I called the number given
because I wanted to find out just
how these people were making
all this money.
I quickly disconnected the
call when I learned there was a
small up front charge for this
money making miracle and I
would get more than my money
back in my first week.
I could get started immedi-
....
Fax md
mail and all the
ern ways
nication have
;ed the way we
municate today.
ately if I wanted to give
my
If not it would take at
days after I mailed
money order to the
and I would miss out
dreds of dollars while
waiting.
Oh yeah, I just fell
turnip truck. I'm
someone I don't know
number over the
trust them to only put
time cost of $500 on
.... :M fcirfte'his
one containin
about a topic i was,
to hear about.
This one informed me,
ten men who were
having the best hairstyles '
century.
It seems Elvis
the top spot with his
pompadour and long
that sent women
men trying to achieve the
'do."
Others named with
plete descriptions of
selected included: The
Jim Morrison, Jimi
Sperling, Rod Stewart,
Ice, Brandon and D
"Beverly Hills 90210",
Jordan and George
They had me right
Michael Jordan and
Clooney.
any hair and Clooney's
to begin with.
Yes, modern
great. However,
are probably better left
Don't
more
shopping
flays left
Chris00as!
iYou'd better[
