Wake Up

Posted on by korgrocker

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”
Romans 13:11 NLT

The early Christians were convinced that the second coming of Jesus was getting close. Peter asked Jesus about the disciple John’s future, and we can read the question and Jesus’ answer in John 21:21-22, “Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me””. And we read that a rumour started, that John would still be alive when Jesus returned. So throughout the New Testament is the occasional reference or expectation that Jesus was returning “soon”. Jesus taught about being ready for when He came back to this earth, and He told His disciples a story about the Ten Bridesmaids (or Virgins) that we can read in Matthew 25. And then He said in conclusion to this story, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return”. So in effect we must all live our lives as though Jesus was going to appear at any time. I really don’t know whether or not I will finish writing this piece before he returns. It could be as dramatic as that. Yes, we will be able to receive a few hints and signs – read Matthew 24 – and if we look hard enough most of those warning indications have already been fulfilled, in one way or another. As Paul wrote, “time is running out”. 

The challenge for Christians everywhere is the state of our spiritual lives. By that I mean, are we awake or sleeping? Or perhaps dozing somewhere between the two. In the Ten Bridesmaids story, they all started off with a lamp and some oil. But five of them didn’t have enough oil to keep their lamps alight, and when the bridegroom arrived (at midnight), they were caught out, trying to find a shop that was open and where they could buy some oil. In the story we can see that Jesus was the Bridegroom, and His return didn’t come at a convenient time for the young women. It probably won’t come at a convenient time for us either. We might be in the middle of something we think is important. We might be full of good intentions but haven’t quite got round yet to carrying them out. At a time of being caught up in excitement with Jesus’ appearance, perhaps we have some issues with someone that must be put right. But we must have our spiritual suitcases packed, and easily and readily accessible.

At the end of Matthew 25, Jesus told the story of the Sheep and the Goats. We know it of course, but which group of these ruminants do we identify with? Note that it wasn’t a crowd of ordinary people Jesus was speaking to. It was His disciples. Why did He remind them the importance of being counted amongst the sheep? Should that apply to use as well?

We must be living our lives in a state of constant readiness, just in case Jesus returns soon. It may not be long. We must keep our eyes on the horizon because, “For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:27). Jesus’ second coming won’t be as a child in a manger. His return will be there for all to see, regardless of longitude or latitude.

Dear Father. Thank You for Your Son Jesus. We look forward to His return with anticipation. Please help us keep ready and waiting with loving expectation. Amen.

Love One Another

Posted on by korgrocker

“Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbour, you will fulfil the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfils the requirements of God’s law.”
Romans 13:8-10 NLT

In these days of mortgages, car loans, credit cards and other forms of debt, this verse, at least at first sight, would seem to be a problem. Was Paul saying that we should save our money so that we can pay in advance for what we need without taking out any form of a loan? If he was in fact saying this then we Christians would be unable to live in our societies in the same way as our neighbours. 

In my Christian life I have been taught that we should always be able to pay our financial debts should that be necessary. In other words, we should be able to realise the equity in our possessions to clear the debts. But that principle needs to be overlaid and reconciled with the basic needs of life, such as a roof over our heads. Paul had already dealt with the need to pay taxes in the previous verses in Romans 13, and this should also be applied to our “taxes” of interest payments when we need to borrow money.

But perhaps “owe nothing to anyone” is more concerned with spiritual debts, particularly the debt of loving God and each other. When asked about which commandment was the greatest, we can read Jesus’ reply in Mark 12:29-31, “Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these””. Paul wrote that it is our love for our neighbour that is the only significant debt. 

The old Apostle John, the disciple who was probably the closest to Jesus, had a heart so soft that he couldn’t stop writing about the love of God. I can just picture him, with tears in his eyes, writing, “Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:7-8). The word “love” appears over nine times in the next chapter where we read, “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us” (1 John 3:23).

The message we pilgrims must glean from the years since Jesus died is the importance of loving one another. Paul wrote that it is a debt so strong that it is not an option, and it will never be repaid in this life. We go on loving, and loving, knowing that we are doing is what Jesus exampled and commanded. 

Dear Father. We confess our love for You this morning. Please help us find opportunities to love those around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Paying Taxes

Posted on by korgrocker

“Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honour to those who are in authority.”
Romans 13:6-7 NLT

Well, here are an unpopular couple of verses. The civil authorities have the right to impose taxes on their citizens, and these can be a constant source of tension between the governments and the people. Paul wrote that “government workers need to be paid” but things have gone a lot further than that, with taxes extending into supporting welfare payments, health, defence and so on. In the UK tax year just finished, over £1000 billion was raised across every tax source, an extraordinary amount I think we can agree. But Paul’s writings were clear – pay your taxes. And the reason he gave was that the “government workers” are “serving God in what they do”. 

We pilgrims, living in a 21st Century society, can get caught up with the perceived injustices of a system that has gone far beyond what Paul ever considered. I wonder what he would have written today? But, then, I think his letter wouldn’t have changed one jot. In John 17 we can read Jesus’ prayer for His disciples and in it He made it clear that we are part of the world, the societies, where we live. In John 17:15 Jesus said in a prayer to His Father about His disciples, “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one”. To me, Jesus was saying that we are entrenched within the world system, with all its implications, including the need to pay our taxes. Earlier in His prayer, Jesus said, “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are” (John 17:11). To Jesus the important principle for His disciples was unity and love for each other, joy, righteousness and holiness, all principles of the Kingdom of God but considered less important in the secular societies in which we live. God knows that we are obliged to pay our taxes, and that is part of what constitutes our “needs”, something that Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:19, “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus”.

Over and above our obligation to pay taxes, we are encouraged to present our offerings to God. This usually means giving money so that our spiritual leaders can be supported and encouraged as they devote their lives to caring for their flock, their congregations of God-followers. Our money also supports the buildings and other necessities that go to form our churches (though, sadly, in some denominations the buildings and infrastructure seem to have become more important than the people). But our offerings to God can also include our time and possessions. We hold all that we have in open hands, making what we have available to God. 

Father God. Everything that we have belongs to You. Please help us to be good stewards. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Authorities

Posted on by korgrocker

“The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.”
Romans 13:4-5 NLT

What is right and wrong? God has wired us with a conscience, and wrongdoing, any act violating it, will initiate feelings of guilt. But how do we know objectively what actions are acceptable and what aren’t? Adam was the first man and, until the episode with the forbidden fruit, he had done no wrong. Was his perfect, sin-free life before the fall governed by his conscience? But because of the Fall, and the introduction of sin into this world, we have to be taught the difference. This comes, initially, largely from our parenting. As babies, we soon picked up the difference between right and wrong from our mums and dads, and as we grew up in our societies, our consciences became fine-tuned to do what is good. Well, that is the ideal. But Paul wrote the verses today perhaps as a catch all, reminding his readers that if the authorities find they have been misbehaving, there will be consequences. 

In every walk of life, there is an authority somewhere. In our employment, we have our employers. In Paul’s days, slaves were common, and they had their masters and mistresses. The civil authorities are there ensuring the cohesion of society. There is spiritual authority to take into account as well, for those of us who are God-followers. We read in Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit”. 

We pilgrims also have authority. Controversially perhaps in these “enlightened” days, in a marriage context, we read, “For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Saviour of his body, the church” (Ephesians 5:23). Jesus gave His disciples authority, as we read in Luke 10:19, “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you”. 

In Paul’s writings, he emphasises that submitting to the authorities will leave us with a clear conscience. But that is where issues could emerge. What if the civil authorities are imposing something that is in direct conflict with God’s Word, in the Bible? In that situation we have to follow what God says, because He is the higher authority. That is something that gets many people in our persecuted world in a lot of trouble. In North Korea, just to have a Bible, or even a portion of it, could result in imprisonment. In many countries, to worship and pray, if discovered by the authorities, could result in all sorts of sanctions or even punishments. The first person martyred for his faith, Stephen, was murdered because he dared to stand up to the religious authorities of his day.

But when Paul wrote that the Roman Christians must obey the authorities, I’m sure he had in mind the routine, hum-drum, subservience to ordinary laws, that were there to keep them all safe and functioning in their society. I don’t know about you, but there are some I don’t like. Others I don’t feel comfortable about. But we pray for the authorities, that God will help them get it right. And looking at recent events in the UK, I’m sure He is working behind the scenes, bringing answers to our prayers.

Dear God. Thank You that You listen when we pray, and bring good, and a resolution, out of apparently hopeless situations. But in those times when things don’t work out as we would like, please give us the grace to obey the authorities. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Rebellion

Posted on by korgrocker

“So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honour you.
Romans 13:2-3 NLT

Paul continues in his theme of being obedient to the civil authorities because God put them in place. But these days it is fashionable to rebel against our leaders and lawmakers. Not us Christians of course – we tend to be passive and stoical people. Mostly putting up with injustices that take place against us and what we believe. Although that in part reflects the teaching of Jesus, to love our enemies, to go the second mile, we tend to be afraid to stick our collective heads over the parapets, preferring to leave any dissent with the civil authorities to our leaders. But even then, Christians don’t rebel against  the authorities that “God has instituted”. 

Those in our society who are the rebellious ones tend not to be Christians, although there are exceptions. In the UK just now, many disagree with government policy on oil and gas exploration and a very small minority are causing inordinate amounts of disruption in London. Is that rebellion against the authorities, or a legitimate form of protest? There is also a minority who are trying to change society’s attitude to gender and related matters around sexual ethics, to the extent that it is almost becoming a new religion. That is rebellion against Bible-based morality, but rebellion against the authorities? Probably not, unless they behave in a way that is outside the law. In other parts of the world though, totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are very proactive in stifling the least hint of what could become a threat to state’s existence. Christians suffer unjustly in such nations, and their very act of continuing to worship God is considered rebellion.

So was Paul promoting a passive Christianity that would comply with all laws and governments, even if they are unrighteous? Such circumstances introduce difficulties for Christians because there is a higher Power, God Himself. We pilgrims have to constantly be on our guard, always weighing up the society and its laws with the principles and precepts of God’s Kingdom. We of course abide by the laws introduced for the benefit of our society, and even, as was the case in Paul’s day, we do our best to live in a society that may not fit in with our ideals. Here in the UK, society is now largely secular. People are saying we live in a post-Christian world, and the moral compass provided by the Bible and underpinned by centuries of Christian doctrine and customs is being abandoned and replaced by a new morality that doesn’t look as though it will end well. 

But we pilgrims obey our authorities, as Paul taught, because by doing what is right in accordance with the established laws and regulations, we will be allowed to live in peace. We mustn’t get caught up with the rebellious people in our midst, as we read in Proverbs 24:21-22, “My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the king?”

Paul ended the verse today with the thought that if we do what is right we will be honoured by the authorities. For most people this will not be public recognition, but just the opportunity to continue to live our lives in peace. Honour enough for me!

Father God. Thank You that You have appointed and ordained our secular leaders. We pray for them today, that Your will and purposes will be worked out through them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Government

Posted on by korgrocker

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Romans 13:1 NIVUK

The page turns, the subject matter changes. A new chapter emerges. Paul now looks outside of the bubble that surrounds the Roman Christians towards the government of their day. The governing authorities in place within the Roman Empire were not renowned for their kindness and compassion. They brutally suppressed any form of dissent, and Christians were sometimes perceived as a threat to their rule. So Paul would not have been very popular when he said that everyone “should be subject to the governing authorities”. He made things potentially worse when he wrote that “The authorities that exist have been established by God”. I can imagine those early Christians wondering if Paul really knew what they had to endure. Could God really be behind the civil persecutions?

In those early days, and with a number of Jews, now Christians, in their midst, there would still perhaps have been a belief that there was no ruler except God Himself, and because of that they would be released from an obligation to be under the authority of the local civic rulers. The local government set the laws that provided cohesion in the society of that time. So thieves would face punishment if caught. Civil unrest would be dealt with. All the usual safeguards would have been in place to prevent the society descending into anarchy. The early Christians may have not liked the situation all that much, certainly from the perspective from how they were treated, but Paul told them to get over it and move on in their faith.

But there would have been those in Paul’s day who rejected this earthly kingdom and its laws, the society in which they lived, and it was to those that Paul was directing his teaching. We mustn’t forget that just a few verses earlier, Paul had written to the members of the church in Rome advising them to “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). So the early Christians had to really work out their role of being in the world but not of it.

What about today? Are we pilgrims subject to our “governing authorities”? Do we cherry pick the laws and customs that we want to follow and reject the rest? It is easier to follow laws that are in harmony with what we believe and what the Bible sets out. But what about those customs and laws that are in direct contradiction to Biblical teaching? In our Western societies, the legislators have brought in laws that must upset God deeply. Laws, for example, that legalise abortion or allow same sex marriage. But as we read just a few verses ago, God will deal with such evil in the fullness of time. However, at the present time, there is no law that forces a Christian to make a choice between God’s way and society’s way, causing them to personally disobey the authorities, but the trend is ominous. Though Christians can worship today without breaking the law, there is legislation being discussed that would make it illegal for pastors to pray with, or for, anyone around issues such as gender. Such a law has already been passed in Australia. How can we be subject to such a law that flies directly in the face of what God has ordained?

There will come a time when Christians in the West will be subject to the same draconian suppression that can be found in places like North Korea, where Christians are locked up, mistreated and even killed for their faith. Christians there are subject to the governing authorities and suffer the consequences if they choose to have faith in God. But God knows what they are suffering, and one day they will receive a reward for their faith. 

We pilgrims pray, and continue to be obedient to both God and the authorities. But when there is a conflict, God is the higher power. The authorities have been established by God, but when they go against His Word and will, there will be consequences. Paul wrote in the previous chapter in Romans, “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord” (Romans 12:19).

We can choose to be subject to the government, a choice made easier because that is what God wants us to do. So the next time we see a politician on TV and feel rebellious thoughts arise, we must remember that, objectionable that they may be, God put them there. Hmmm…

Father God. You have blessed those of us who live in the West with stable societies. They are not perfect we know, but You have ordained them, for which we thank You. Please help us to remain in Your will, honouring and obeying those You have placed in authority over us. Amen.

Revenge

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.””
Romans 12:19-20 NLT

Paul follows on from his previous theme of not responding to evil with more evil. He warns his readers that they should never take revenge, instead leaving room for God to deal with the perpetrators of evil. It should be noted that God will get angry with them, as He does with all sinners. And He has promised to deal with these evildoers. 

Paul quoted two Scriptures in the verses from Romans 12 . The first is from Deuteronomy 32:34-35, “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things, sealing them away in my treasury? I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them’”. God may not deal with those who commit evil acts straight away, even though we might want Him to, but He has promised to take a careful note and put it somewhere safe in His “treasury”. There is no escape for those who commit evil acts, because one day they will have to account for their behaviour. No deed ever committed will go unpunished. So that crime committed against an old lady, for example, that roused such indignation in the community, will catch up with the perpetrator one day. The books being stored in God’s “treasury” will one day be opened and the video of what really happened will be replayed before everyone. Imagine the shame! But, worse, will come the verdict – Guilty! 

Some people struggle with the thought that God gets angry. Well, Jesus did. Not often but we read in Mark 3:5, “He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored”. Jesus was angry with the irrational and misguided responses of the Pharisees in the synagogue, but note that, although He had the power to zap them on the spot, He moved on and healed a man with a withered hand. Those Pharisees were in for trouble, because God made a note of their evil response to His Son. Jesus was angry, yet in His anger He didn’t sin. 

The second Old Testament Paul quoted came from Provers 25:21-22, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you”. How does that work? In God’s Kingdom, there are a different set of rules applying. Whereas in our earthly kingdoms, our enemies will be locked up, and their malevolent intentions suppressed, in God’s Kingdom, we citizens treat our enemies with respect and compassion. We provide them with the basics of life, food and water, and show them kindness when none is deserved. That’s hard! It goes against everything we feel inside. But that is what God has asked us to do. Imagine a world where every evil act received such a kind, loving and compassionate response. There wouldn’t be much evil remaining for long. 

There is a battle raging against Christians in the West, around the gender ideologies. And the proponents of this evil want to close the churches who resist their wayward demands, demands that are in direct conflict with what the Bible says. We could join or organise the marches, the rallies, and write angry banners, or we could pray for them with compassion for their confusion. We gently make our views known to our politicians, expounding the love that we have. And as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:8b, “ … for love covers a multitude of sins”. I know that this verse was meant for Christians, but the principle remains. 

Paul wrote that there was a partnership between God and His followers. We respond to evil well and without sin. He will bring the punishment on those who sin against us. That is God’s way, and, by following it, we will truly conquer the evil that is so prevalent in our communities and nations. Small steps accumulate. Short prayers are answered. And we pilgrims will one day experience the reward promised us. 

Dear God. You promised to deal with evildoers. That takes a lot of pressure from us, because we don’t have to. Thank You. Amen.

Honour and Peace

Posted on by korgrocker

“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”
Romans 12:17-18, 21 NLT

There is a saying – “two wrongs don’t make a right”. Yet our human nature can demand, even force, us to react against a negative encounter to circumstance. Something within us wants a payback for the wrong that we have experienced, or think we have experienced. Much evil was inflicted on the early Christians. They were ostracised, evicted from their homes, beaten, imprisoned and even killed, all for their faith. And it would have been natural for those early believers to try and get some form of reparation. However, what we might perceive as evil, directed at us, might not be quite as clear cut as we imagine. I think of the zealous Saul, reacting against his analysis of the new Way was all about, thinking that it was an evil attack on God and the traditions of His people. We pick up the story at the end of Acts 7, during the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. And then in Acts 8:1,3 we read, “Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria …. But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison”. Saul thought there was evil around and failed to understand that it wasn’t evil at all. He ended up committing evil against God’s plans and purposes. 

The Amplified version of the Bible interprets Romans 12:17 as, “Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone” (emphasis is mine). Before we react in anger or deed against some perceived injustice, we must stop and think. James 1:19-20 puts it very well, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires” (emphasis mine). By pausing in our responses we give God a chance to remedy a situation, either in the other person or in us. There is medical evidence that suggests being prone to angry outbursts will shorten our lives. Now, in 21st Century Planet Earth, nothing induces an angry response more than a perception that someone else’s driving manoeuvres are wrong or even downright dangerous. Of course, we cast that opinion from a position of being a perfect driver ourselves! But the problem has increased with the number of drivers on our crowded roads, and a recently introduced phrase, “road rage”, sums up the problem. Be “slow to get angry” James wrote, and that strategy would have fulfilled the advice Paul gave the early Christians in Rome, advice that said responding to evil with more evil might not be a good idea and will probably spawn a situation that wouldn’t end well.

Paul wrote some good advice that we should take on board today. “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” We all meet people in our lives who are prickly, aggressive, and even downright rude. Some seem to be consumed with an inner anger, and are just looking for someone on whom they can vent their frustrations. But because we are not walking in their shoes, we must try and bring peace into the encounter. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). We pilgrims have a responsibility to be obedient to what Jesus said, and bring peace into our world. We may not achieve a high-profile resolution to a very public and far-reaching war, but as all Christians everywhere strive for peace the effects will accumulatively fulfil our mission.

Paul ends Romans 12 with a warning, “Don’t let evil conquer you”. We will indeed succumb to evil if we respond in the wrong way. Perhaps we pilgrims need to start on our knees and pray for the other person. Even a hurried prayer in a stressful situation will suffice. And the peace of God will flood over us, bringing a remedy to the crisis before us, and lowering our blood pressure in the process.

Dear God. Please help us to let You take on the responses required against evil people. We will have a tendency to just make things worse. Thank You. Amen.

Empathy

Posted on by korgrocker

“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!”
Romans 12:15-16 NLT

What was Paul getting at when he wrote this? Were the Christians in Rome really so insensitive to each other that they failed to share their emotional needs? This simple verse is really an encouragement to empathise with their fellow believers, when they experience good or bad times. But before that can happen they must have a relationship with them, close enough to know them and what they are experiencing. Perhaps the Roman Christians were lacking in the relationship department. But whatever the local situation was, Paul felt the need to remind them of their obligations, and at the root of their relationships must be love, both for God and each other.

Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of loving one another. In John 13:34 Jesus said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other”. Jesus didn’t give His disciples an option. They had to obey this “new commandment”. 

If we consider this verse, Romans 12:15, today, we immediately see that our churches mostly lack the love that was the distinctive feature of the early Christians. Instead we observe that some worldly features and attitudes have replaced it. Other priorities have become more important than loving relationships. Those early Christians would have given their lives for each other, and what they had they shared. They established a movement that was distinguished by love and it attracted new converts in droves. 

What love do we pilgrims experience? How do we love others? And are our love experiences focused on what we can get out of the relationship or the other person’s highest good? Our televisions portray a selfish love, perhaps between a man and wife, resulting in scenes of strife that may make “good” television but they also continue, and extrapolate, the damage that poor relationships can do.

Out of a true loving relationship, based on love the Jesus way, comes caring and empathising, an environment where people will share their hurts and fears, their good experiences, their challenges; in fact they will share life together. That will mean contact with people who we wouldn’t normally meet or socialise with. It will cost us something. Our time and attitudes. Our money and possessions. But we share with people who God created. Because He loves them, so must we. And we extend God’s compassion to those hurting people around us, as they will for us in our times of trouble. There is something precious about living harmoniously with each other. It’s an opportunity worth striving for, and one which will expose us to a relational richness that those in the world just don’t get.

Father God. We thank You for the love that You have shown us, a love so profound that You sent Your only Son to share it with us. We thank You for Jesus, and all He has done for us. Amen.

Bless the Persecutors

Posted on by korgrocker

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.”
Romans 12:14 NLT

In 1955 a man called ‘Brother Andrew” started smuggling Bibles into communist countries, and founded an organisation called “Open Doors”. The work grew, and “Open Doors” has for over six decades supported persecuted Christians all over the world. They maintain a “watch list” identifying the most dangerous places to be a Christian, and their statistics are sobering. They estimate that 360 million Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith – that’s a staggering 1 in 7 believers. In the top fifty of persecuting countries are North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and far too many others. But , as an aside, we should also note that in many of the countries where Christians are not persecuted, the church is in decline.

Paul echoed the words of Jesus by asking his readers to bless their persecutors. Jesus’ teaching can be found in Matthew 5:10-12, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way”. He also taught His followers to pray for their enemies, as recorded in Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

Christians are counter-cultural in their faith, turning round the expected norms in society, turning them into something that challenges natural human behaviour. There has to be a Higher Power to make this happen because we mortals are wired by sin to respond so differently. How was Jesus able to pray for those Roman soldiers as they hammered crude iron spikes through his hands or wrists. Amidst the normal screaming responses there would be curses ringing through the air. Luke 23:33-34, “When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice” (emphasis mine). The answer was that He was, and is, God and man, but in His humanity He was able to show us the way. What other religion has a God who came to this earth, taking on human flesh, thereby showing how much He loves us? The hardened Roman soldiers were challenged by Jesus’ response to the nails and His death, as we read the comment of the Roman centurion, “When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent”“(Luke 23:47). 

Thankfully, we in the West don’t suffer much for our faith. Not like those in other countries, who spend large parts of their lives in prison. Who experience beatings or rapes. Who lose their homes and jobs. The persecuted Christians are in good company. We read in Hebrews 11:36-39, “Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised“. 

But we pilgrims can pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. We can regularly return to the Open Doors website to find up to date information for prayer. And we can pray for ourselves as well, because here in the UK there are dark clouds already forming on the horizon. There is a new ideology emerging with adherents who want to cancel anyone who don’t agree with them and their extreme views. They want to close our churches because what we preach is to them an existential threat, and they are lobbying politicians to get them to introduce legislation that will make it illegal to pray with, or for, someone who, for example, wants to go against God’s order and change gender. Even if the person concerned has asked for prayer. Christian leaders are being pressurised to officiate at same-sex marriages; some have already capitulated. Liberal “Christians” are reinterpreting the Bible to suit society’s increasingly strident anti-God requirements. Christians are being sacked from their employment because they wish to wear a cross or other religious artefact. Persecution is here, folks. But we pray for our societies, and our misguided leaders, that God will bless them. Why? Because Jesus has asked us to. 

Father God. We pray that Your people will rise up and stand firm against the dark forces that are coming against us. Please help us, Lord. In Jesus’ name and for His sake. Amen.