Insults

Posted on by korgrocker

“For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:3-4 NLT

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In Romans 15:3, Paul quoted the second half of Psalm 69:9, “Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me”. He was of course referring to Christ. We saw how Jesus dealt with corruption in the Temple in Jerusalem –  we can read the story in the Gospels, but but after the event His disciples remembered this prophetic verse from Psalm 69, “Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me”” (John 2:17). Jesus was truly counter-cultural and suffered insults from those around Him as a result. 

We believers too will discover that society will throw insults at us. And the availability of social media has amplified the vitriol that is aimed at Christians. If you want to find out what it might be like, just type “Jesus was crucified for me” on a Facebook page. Or even a Bible verse that confronts some of the current ideologies around sex and gender. The world is full of keyboard warriors ready and waiting to hurl insults at counter-cultural Christians, especially those who are willing to stand up for what they believe the Bible says. But the insults that Jesus experienced didn’t even end even when He was dying on the cross. We read what the soldiers did and said in Luke 23:36-37, “The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself“”! And even the crucified criminal on the next cross had a go at Jesus. He said, “One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it“” (Luke 23:39).

In 1 Peter 4:14,16, we read, “If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. … But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name“! In our Christian journeys there will be a lot of opposition, because what we believe confronts a sinful and evil world he’d on. Insults are at the minor end of what we could suffer. Jesus warned His followers what would happen to them, “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers” (Matthew 24:9). John’s vision recorded in Revelation tells us much about the Last Days, the times in which we are now living. Sober reading, and we pray for ourselves and our families. 

But those who shake their fists at God and insult Him do something pointless and damning. Don’t people know that, at a stroke, God could eliminate them, and cut short their time on earth? But we know His patience, His grace and mercy, won’t last forever, and there will come a time when the fist-shakers will find out that their insults and bad mouthing will have an outcome too horrible to even think about. Jesus received the insults of His people, and so will we, of ours. But we know that one day all the negatives in this life will be eclipsed by the positives in the life to come. Worth a “thank You God”?

Father God. Please give us patience and forbearance when we are abused and insulted by those in our societies. And please help us respond well, honouring You in the process. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Unselfishness

Posted on by korgrocker

“We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. … For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”
Romans 15:1, 3-4 NLT

It is worth repeating Romans 15:1, because Paul appealed to his audience to “not just please [them]selves”. There is something that seems to be ingrained within us and that is the thought, the practice, that we should look after our own interests above all others. We call it selfishness. But Paul also appealed to the Philippians with the same instruction, “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (Philippians 2:4). And as an example he used the truth that even Jesus “didn’t live to please Himself”. As well as living a sinless and selfless life, Jesus taught His disciples about their relationships with each other. He said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35). By loving each other we will put the needs of others above our own needs and we will not live just to please ourselves. 

In Philippians 2, Paul summarised how Jesus lived. In Philippians 2:6-8, Paul, writing about Jesus, said, “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross”. How could the Creator of the Universe cast all the comforts and wonder of Heaven aside and instead become a human being, with all the mortal limitations that such an act would bring? Something incomprehensible and unique among all other religions, until it is discovered what God’s plan would be. Mankind, polluted and corrupted by sin, was at a dead end, and God had a plan to resolve the situation. It involved Jesus, God’s Son, and the whole Bible has a thread of God’s love running through it, with a crescendo of grace and mercy erupting at Calvary. What an example to mankind! What a Saviour! 

In Romans 12:10 we read, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another“. We will have plenty of opportunities to be unselfish in this life. It may be something trivial, like allowing some one else to have the last sandwich at a picnic. Or giving way to another car in a traffic jam. There are many stories of unselfish acts carried out by soldiers on a battlefield. examples and opportunities are endless. Jesus showed us what unselfishness looks like. He devoted His life to helping others. As far as we are able, so must we.

Dear God. Looking out for others is at the heart of our faith. Please help us to make good use of every opportunity that comes our way, to prefer others over our own needs. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Helping Others

Posted on by korgrocker

“We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.”
Romans 15:2 NLT

To put this verse in context, Paul is provide some instructions for how Christians should behave, particularly in relation to each other. It must be fairly obvious that helping “others do what is right” may not be the easiest of tasks. If one of our friends is doing something illegal we can, of course, try and warn them. Or if a random stranger is behaving badly, we can attempt to intervene. But in both cases we might find that our interferences and good intentions are rejected, with varying degrees of push back. 

Back to our verse context. Paul here is referring to fellow believers, and we have a relational bridge with them because of our common belief in Jesus. He is the One who has united us and who leads and guides us. So if we see a fellow believer in some sort of difficulty, we can offer to help. It may be through some practical assistance, such as doing a bit of shopping or giving someone a lift. But it may also be something spiritual, offering comfort or direction in times of stress. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:1-2, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ”. If we have a good relationship with one of our brothers and sisters, and we see them doing something that is unwise or even bordering on sin, we may have the opportunity to help them to deal with the issue. Or the other person might be struggling with, what is for them, an impossible situation. So we help them with this – we might just have the key that unlocks the burden they are carrying.

An important part in our lives of being a Christian is helping one another. We will all need help at one time or another. Natural or spiritual, it is all the same in God’s eyes. And in the process of helping others, Paul wrote that we should “build them up in the Lord”. There is nothing more encouraging than a kind word, or a loving touch, in building someone up. The thought they might have that they are just rubbish evaporates in the light of a comment that tells them the opposite. A person never singing because they think they are out of tune is transformed by someone telling them what a lovely voice they have. A mother struggling with a difficult child is encouraged by someone telling them that they are doing a good job. The list of opportunities to encourage one another is endless – we just need to discern the other person’s needs and pop in the right words. In Proverbs 25:11, we read, “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the right time”. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage and comfort one another and build up one another, just as you are doing”. 

It’s an important part of the Christian life, to build up others in the faith. And by so doing, as Paul said to the Galatians, we “obey the law of Christ”. What could be better than that?

Father God, You taught us about the “one another’s” in our lives. Please help us to find opportunities to help our fellow brothers and sisters. Day by day. Amen.

Be Strong

Posted on by korgrocker

“We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves.”
Romans 15:1 NLT

‭Paul continues to write about the importance of considering others, particular other Christians. But we pilgrims know that, of course. But what about ourselves? Are we the “strong” people in this verse? Believers strong in the faith and able to withstand shocks in times of stress and difficulty? People who are not impacted by what others say or do in our presence? In Matthew 24:9, Jesus said, “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me”. Or would we react as Jesus described in the next verse – Matthew 24:10, “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other”? A thought that must put fear into the heart of even the strongest believer. 

But I think Paul was making the point that the strength we have in God, through our faith relationship with Him, transcends all the mayhem and temptations that surround us. Another believer behaves in a way we think inconsiderate or even sinful, but we are not affected in ourselves by that. Instead we look for an opportunity to gently and lovingly help the other person. Paul wrote in Galatians 6:1-2, “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ”. 

Being “strong” as Paul expects, applies to our own behaviour. We are strong enough to control our lives so that what we do is not to please ourselves but to be pleasing to others. We pilgrims do not behave in a way that will have a negative impact on a fellow believer. We watch our speech, and the words we use. We are careful with the relationships we foster. The way we act in our families is beyond reproach. We make sure our emotions don’t take over our lives, particularly when we are provoked. 

Paul wrote about the tools we have at our disposal to make sure we can in fact be strong believers. Ephesians 6:10, “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power“. And Paul goes on to list the items of spiritual armour that God has supplied. We can read about them in Ephesians 6. We must also realise that the perhaps overly sensitive brother or sister will be fighting their own battles against the forces of darkness that Paul wrote about. Those evil spirits in heavenly places. We are all on a journey through life, slaying our own “dragons” on the way. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit walks with us, helping us to stand firm, strong and unmoved in the face of the enemy’s onslaught. At the end of Jesus’ temptation, we read in Luke 4:13, “When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came“. A strong believer will find that the enemy and his minions will leave us if we stand firm. But we mustn’t forget, he’s always on the prowl, looking for an opportunity to oppress us some other time. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:13, “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong“.

Dear Father God. We thank You that we are on the winning side, strengthened by You and Your Spirit, that lives within us. We stand firm in our faith, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Blessed Are Those …

Posted on by korgrocker

“You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Romans 14:22-23 NLT

Paul wraps up his discourse on food offered to idols with another word of encouragement. In it he appeals to our consciences. Perhaps a glass of wine might illustrate the point he is making. As a Christian, I might decide that a glass of wine with a meal is not a problem to God, or me. A second or third glass might be, but one on its own is not. But we know that another Christian thinks that all glasses of wine are from the devil, thoughts probably initiated by being brought up in a family where their father regularly got drunk and came home to beat up their mother. So drinking that glass of wine in front of the other believer would cause them difficulties in their faith. The result is that, knowing the sensitivities of the other believer, I will not drink a glass of wine in his or her company, instead sticking to fruit juice or plain water. But Paul said that I am blessed to be able to think there is nothing wrong with that single glass of wine, because I have satisfied myself that, through my relationship with God, I am doing nothing wrong. 

However, if I now venture to having a second glass of wine with my meal, that might be something that I know I haven’t settled with God. Or, for a change, I might take a liqueur with my last coffee. Both situations where my conscience might kick in, because my previous conversations with God haven’t resulted in His approval. So I have now ventured into the realm of committing a sin. The doubts I may have about adding to my alcohol input have become sin. 

There are areas of the Bible where we don’t have a clear black and white set of rules. But neither should there be because we walk with the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16-18, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses“. 

If I am tempted by that second glass of wine or the end of meal liqueur then I might feel a prompt, a nudge, from the Holy Spirit. This is because when I became a Christian, I gave God permission to place His Spirit within me. Yes, I can overrule Him. But it wouldn’t be very wise. My conscience will only allow me a single glass of wine, and no more. Anything else wouldn’t be right and I’d be sinning. Paul wrote, “Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right”. We are blessed indeed to have a conscience and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. There is no other religion that can claim their adherents have God Himself living within them. Something precious. Something unique. How can we violate something as wonderful as this?

Priorities

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble.”
Romans 14:20-21 NLT

Paul is still writing about acceptable foods but he widens the context. His priority for believers is for them to behave in such a way that they don’t “cause another believer to stumble”. He used the word “stumble” three times in this chapter, and it relates well to the idea of a believer walking through life, living out his or her faith, often in difficult circumstances, and then finding an obstacle in their path that causes them to “stumble”.

In modern times, what causes us pilgrims to “stumble”? To come across something that makes us feel a bit unsteady or wobbly. There is much that challenges us in the secular societies and cultures in which so many of us live. It is often difficult to hold fast to our faiths when even the denominations to which we belong to adopt policies that perhaps we feel are a bit suspect, or that don’t sit easily with us, appearing to be the thin end of a wedge of compromise. Sometimes it is far from easy being a Christian.

Much strength is found in the Christian life by being with fellow believers walking the same path. Taking the same journey. I often wonder how Christians I have met, and still know, persist in saying that they don’t have to go to church to be a Christian. They maintain that they can hold fast to their faith on their own, thank you very much! The writer of the Hebrews epistle recorded the following, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Throughout the New Testament there are references to the “one another’s”. It was never intended that Christians should journey alone.

But as we all journey together, it is important that we help each other, encouraging those who are weaker in the faith as we go along. They will be finding the journey hard enough. They will have been through times when they think that it would be easier to give up. And the last thing they will need is to see a brother or sister doing something that they think is wrong. Paul widened the scope away from food that might have been offered to idols, first to wine, and then he included “anything else”. It’s a responsibility on us pilgrims that our conduct is beyond reproach. We must not engage in behaviour that will upset fellow Christians. Paul graphically uses the phrase, “don’t tear apart the work of God”. Our behaviour is that important. And so we pray constantly, both for ourselves and for our fellow believers. We can’t journey through life without God being there with us.

Dear God. Thank You for Your presence with us as we walk through the highways and byways of life on Planet Earth. We can’t do it without You! Amen.

Harmony

Posted on by korgrocker

“So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
Romans 14:19 NLT

Harmony in the church? Whatever next! Whoever heard about such a thing! One thing I have concluded during my Christian life is that “harmony in the church” is an elusive thought or outcome, and something not supported by actions. But was Paul meaning just the local church or the global movement of Christians, regardless of race or denomination? 

Let us consider the global situation. There are so many denominations, each believing in something slightly different, that harmony between them seems non-existent. The word “harmony” implies something melodic, with a sound pleasing to our ears. Like playing a major chord on a guitar or piano. The opposite would be a discord, formed by random notes not related musically to each other. A musical harmony builds with complementary notes and develops into a richness that we enjoy and appreciate. To take this analogy into the church globally across all denominations, we find something different. We could be excused for thinking that each denomination within itself would be acting together in harmony. We would perhaps expect that the richness of different cultures would combine with a unity of belief to provide a harmony pleasing to watch and be a part of. Such a thought might be the case in the smaller denominations or independent fellowships, but those outside the traditional churches, the Anglicans for example, sadly observe strife and dissension over basic stuff like the authority of the Bible. The liberal wing want to absorb the ways of the world into the church against Scriptural teaching, whereas the traditional wing want to hold fast to what God said through His Word.

And that is within a denomination. Across the denominations there are even more examples of strife and dissension. For example, some denominations believe that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit died out with the early Apostles. Others believe that the Gifts are still here for the encouragement of Christian’s today. Some believe in speaking in tongues. Others don’t. Some believe in infant christenings, others believe in adult full immersion baptisms. Some believe that women should not be in a position of church leadership, others believe that they should. It is so sad that expediency sometimes trumps the Word of God, as expressed in the Bible.

Turning to the local church, the local expression of a group of like-minded Christians who meet together in their neighbourhood, harmony between them is essential. But again, strife can develop, and church splits occur from time to time. Division can occur due to differences of opinion between leaders, or sometimes doctrine. At other times disunity within a church is tolerated by keeping the two factions apart. I know of an Anglican church that holds two separate services on a Sunday morning – one for the more “charismatic” members, using the church hall, and the other for the traditionalists who use the original form of service, and which takes place in the main church building.

But whatever we believe, we need to remember what Jesus said to Peter. In Matthew 16:18, we read, “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it”. The church of Jesus Christ will be built. It started with Peter and will continue throughout the ages until God calls time on this world. Another Scripture that we need to remember is in John 10:14-16, Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd”. 

I’m sure Jesus isn’t fazed by all the mayhem that goes on in our churches and denominations. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He is there building His church. It may be full of imperfect people. It may lose its way every now and then. But one day, there will be a glorious coming together of Christians everywhere. We read in Revelation 7:9-10, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”” Worship in Heaven will be amazing. There will be no more disunity and strife. The Heavenly harmonies will be nothing like we experience in this human life. At the end of the Bible we read, “He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). Worth an Amen?

Dear Lord. We look forward to the Heavenly harmonies that we will experience one day. But with our feet firmly planted on Planet earth we aim to live in harmony now with our fellow believers. Please help us! Amen.


Living the Life

Posted on by korgrocker

“And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticised for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
Romans 14:15-19 NLT

Paul now moves on beyond writing about right and wrong foods to what really matters. He wrote that we should live a life of “goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. Rather than look around us at what other Christians are doing, we should instead get our own lives in order. And I’m sure if every believer focused on that, there would not be an opportunity to criticise others. We’d be too busy sorting ourselves out. We should always remember that we are not responsible for another believers’ walk with God. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12b-13, “ … continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose”. Our journey through life hand in hand with the Holy Spirit is an intensely personal thing.

Paul also wrote the following to the Ephesian church, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). There is a lifetime of activity here. The “old man” within us died with Christ – Colossians 2:20, “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world..?” We are now a new creation “created to be like God”. So with His help that is what we do, casting aside all the things that we used to do and that hold us back.

Paul wrote the following to the Philippine church, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). That’s living the life. By doing so we can guarantee ourselves a life of “goodness and peace and joy“. And the Holy Spirit can live within us, enjoying the experience too. Paul went on to point out that living life in this way will please God. And other people around us will notice someone who is different and someone they will approve of.

It may be a big ask. We’re only human, some will say. Excuses such as “you don’t know what I’m going through”, or “my mental health isn’t good at the moment” will emerge. Did Paul write something that is impossible to keep? Was he setting the bar too high? The key is in the words, “in the Holy Spirit”. In our own strength, we don’t have a hope of always pleasing God. But with the Holy Spirit within us we have a chance. Isaiah 40:31, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint”. That’s really living the life!

Dear Father God. We really want to live a life that is pleasing to You. No “if’s” or “but’s”. Just a life lived in the Holy Spirit. Amen.


Criticising Others

Posted on by korgrocker

“And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticised for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
Romans 14:15-19 NLT

Perhaps we are by now feeling that Paul is labouring his point about eating, or not eating, food offered to idols. But as we have said, we have to look beyond food to all aspects of our lives that could cause problems for other believers. Remember those early days as a Christian? When everything was rosy? When the worship service was almost angelic? When the words of God leapt out of the Bible every time we opened it? And then something happens and we are faced with a dilemma, because a fellow member in the church has behaved in a way that seems at odds with what we, rightly or wrongly, expect from them. 

I can remember in my early Christian days looking up to one of the venerable saints who uttered such gracious God-words, with wonderful prayers infused with Heavenly language. They seemed to be using the words of angels. In my limited understanding I thought it may even be the language of Zion. And I can remember thinking that I would never be able to pray in that way, so apparently spontaneously with words so full of worship that they seemed to penetrate the heavens above and go straight to the throne of God. But then I came across the same person in another setting outside the church and saw a different side of them. The pedestal beneath them crumbled and I was then at a vulnerable point in my early days of faith.

We believers experience a problem. In our minds we develop an ideal for how we should behave, inspired by what we read in the Bible perhaps, and even though we ourselves don’t live up to it, we expect others to. And that can lead to criticism. Jesus taught about this very thing, and we can read His words in Matthew 7, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5). Why is it that we can become blinded to our own faults yet can see them in another person? 

In Paul’s letter he was developing the theme that we should not live in a way that invites criticism. Good may even come from what we are doing, but in it there is a danger that another Christian might be upset by our actions. Sometimes criticism of another can result from a misunderstanding. For example, a believer might be seen in dubious company, and end up being criticised for it, without the knowledge that the meeting was for noble purposes. A person’s reputation can be trashed with unjustified criticism.

We pilgrims must remember that we are called to love one another. Perhaps 1 Peter 4:8 applies to what we do. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

Dear Father God. Please help us to replace the critical thoughts that start to well up within us with thoughts of love and the other person’s highest good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stumbling

Posted on by korgrocker

“Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.”
Romans 14:12-15 NLT

Paul continues to write about basic Christian principles, and he focused on food as being at the heart of a problem in the Roman Christian society. Apparently there was much discussion – it may have become quite heated – amongst those early believers involving the interface between the idolatry so prevalent around them, and the purity of a life devoted to Christ. The problem was about food, especially those items that had been offered to idols. Following some idolatrous ritual they would appear in the market place, perhaps sold at a discount, and Christians then had a dilemma over whether or not they bought it to feed their families. Some Christians in those days said they shouldn’t, and others said it was ok to do so. 

The same problem still exists today, though probably not with the same focus. It boils down to the question – “How do I live in a way that avoids upsetting other Christians?” We still have the interface between secular and Christian societies. It’s not about food, because items are not available after idol worship any more, but there are other issues. Some years ago, I was involved in a discussion within the leadership of an independent Charismatic church about drinking wine, beer or any other alcoholic drink. We agreed that such a practice wasn’t wrong in itself, as long as moderation was involved, but how does it look to a congregation, some of whom have issues with such beverages, having been part of families destroyed by alcoholism. 

Paul wrote that we should “live in such a way that [we] will not cause another believer to stumble and fall”. In Ephesians 4:17-18 he also wrote, “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him”. The Gentile unbelieving life, without any God-knowledge, will always be knocking at the door of a Christian’s heart. It is so hard to resist the ways of the world, particularly when bombarded with secular ideas and practices. The smutty jokes in the workplace. The lunchtime pint. The coarse language at a football match. The TV programmes infused with ideologies that insidiously pollute minds and spirits. The media news reports biased and negatively presented. We must always be on our guards during every waking moment.

At the secular/Christian interface there will be grey areas that vary between Christians. We have mentioned drinking alcoholic beverages. And the question is should I continue to do this if it makes one of my fellow believers “stumble and fall”? There are also other issues that emerge at the margins of our moral universe. I can remember a visiting preacher whose message I think was implying that it was acceptable for a man and woman to live together outside a formal marriage as long as they did so in a way that honoured marriage vows and particularly the one “‘til death us do part”. Most in that congregation were quite upset about what he appeared to be saying, and his unwise comments could have had a devastating effect on some of those present, potentially making them “stumble and fall”. 

We pilgrims have a duty to our fellow believers. In the course of loving one another, we have always to assess what we say and be careful if expressing contentious views. Paul continued to write in Ephesians 4 the following, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24). It’s all about the Holy Spirit and allowing him to help us and lead us, renewing us with God-thoughts from within. God knows what is, and isn’t, acceptable in our lives. And by our living we can help others in their daily walk with God.

Dear Father. You love us so much, and You want us to extend that love to others. Please help us to discern Your will over the issues we face today, so that we can do what we should. Please help us to hold our tongues when necessary. In Jesus’ name. Amen.