“They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.” Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world.”
John 10:33-36 NLT
More clear speech from Jesus. Faced with a situation where the people around Him wanted to kill Him because He claimed to be the Son of God, a blasphemous claim in their eyes, Jesus pointed out what was written in Scripture. Jesus quoted a verse from Psalm 82 – “I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High” (Psalm 82:6). But the Psalmist, under the power of the Holy Spirit, then wrote, “But you will die like mere mortals and fall like every other ruler”. Of course, these references to “gods” were not assigning the recipients some form of divinity, but God was pointing out through the Psalmist that anyone who has some degree of control over another, such as a judge or someone in a position of authority such as an employer or civil servant, has a power that is godly (note the small “g”). And God then included a warning that such “gods” will themselves be accountable for their actions. Such judges were perhaps referred to by Paul in Romans 13:1, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God”. Jesus was saying if those who hold a divinely appointed position can be considered “gods,” how much more can the One whom God has chosen and sent be the Son of God.
The Scriptures, what we believers refer to as the Old and New Testaments, are a rich and limitless source of information, all of which was inspired by the Holy Spirit through over 40 authors and over a period of 1500 years or so. The more we pilgrims read the Bible, the more we find out about God, and what we don’t know about Him. We can read a passage of Scripture one day, and then find more from it at a subsequent reading. Such a divinely inspired book is unique and it connects us to our Heavenly Father, inspiring us, and touching our spirits with His love and grace. Sadly, many theologians over the years have interpreted the Scriptures in certain ways and have veered away from God’s original intentions. This is how cults have developed, and some have even changed the Scriptures to suit their beliefs.
But we pilgrims are committed to the Bible and all it contains. We take seriously the warning at the end of Revelation, “And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person’s share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book” (Revelation 22:18-19). Instead, we agree whole-heartedly with Peter’s words in his first epistle, “Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment” (1 Peter 2:2). The “pure spiritual milk” constitutes God’s complete, special revelation, encapsulated in what we now know as the Bible. So we pilgrims read the Bible and re-read it, feeding our souls on God’s Word. There we will find peace, purity and food for our souls. There is no other religion in the world that has a God who died for us so that we can have eternal life. All the other religions expect works to take place, so that our place in eternity is earned. We pilgrims are saved purely by grace. There is no other way into God’s presence.
Dear Father God. Only You have opened a door into Your presence. Other religions fail to find it, no matter what they claim. So we fall on our knees before You today, in grateful worship. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 