The Dangers of Comparing Ourselves to Others

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“For some say, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” Those people should realise that our actions when we arrive in person will be as forceful as what we say in our letters from far away. Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!”
2 Corinthians 10:10-12 NLT

There were a group of men full of their own importance in Corinth, men who had emerged as leaders in the congregation and were hostile to Paul’s ongoing involvement in the church there. They subversively undermined Paul and his teaching and preached their own version of the Gospel. They may even have attempted to include some of the Gnostic or other erroneous teachings in their messages, although there was no evidence of that from Paul’s letters. Perhaps Paul gave a hint of concern when he wrote, “You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us” (2 Corinthians 2:17). But regardless of what really was the situation in Corinth, Paul was pulling no punches and he had some hard words about “these other men who tell you how important they are”. 

About “these other men”, it seems that their self-declared importance came from “comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement”. Straight away, we can see the danger in this, because a human being is no proper standard of measurement. Yes, we can get out the tape measures and the bathroom scales, the blood pressure monitor and the thermometer, and make certain physical measurements, from which a comparison can be made with others. For example, a person’s temperature can be compared with the temperatures of many others, and a good idea can be obtained about their health from that, with an elevated temperature indicating some form of infection. But when it comes to spiritual matters, then there is a problem. There is no final arbiter of the state of a human being other than God Himself, because He is absolute truth, whereas people are not. A person with all the Bible knowledge in the world, even a professor of theology or an expert Bible scholar, can fall short in the comparison stakes. 

“These other men” in Corinth were comparing themselves with each other, but what was the criterion they were using in the comparison? Was it their ability to pray in public? Was it their knowledge of the Gospel? Was it their ability to preach and bring a message that everyone could understand? Or was it their boasting about how good or rich they were, something supported by their material status in the Corinthian society? That latter question exposes the human problem of comparing oneself with others, using the physical or external attributes of their appearance in the comparison. So today, young girls can end up in trouble by comparing themselves with film stars or catwalk models and making decisions based on diet or clothes. Men can suffer the same from their prowess on the golf course, in the gym, or from the car they drive. 

But how do we pilgrims consider ourselves? Are we comparing ourselves with anyone? If so, what criterion are we using, and anyway, why are we doing it? Paul wrote about this in Philippians 2:3, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves”. Paul continued, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 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. …” Philippians 2:5-7a). So we pilgrims aspire to being humble, but what does that look like? This can be applied too far, so that the person shies away from offering an opinion or praying in public, lest they be considered boastful. In Romans 12:3, Paul provided some light on the situation. “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us”. We pilgrims must honestly do and say things in accordance with our faith that we have in the gift God has provided for us. How do we reach this point? Through prayer and, in the end, trial and error, perseverance with humility and the willingness to say we were wrong if necessary. 

There is no merit in comparing ourselves with others because their gifting and faith will be different to ours. All God asks us to do is in accordance with how He has made us and resourced us with His Spirit. In the Kingdom of God, the worldly rules don’t apply, and most of the time carry the caption “sin”. The Psalmist wrote, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked” (Psalm 84:10). That is where I want to be. Many around us may claim to have a good life, something they conclude by comparing themselves with others, but all we must aspire to is a life of service to God. As we look up into Heavenly places, there will be no time to look to others.

Dear Father God. What can we say but “sorry” for the time we spend comparing ourselves with those around us. Please forgive us, we pray, and we ask for help when we get trapped in such a way. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Understanding Spiritual Authority in Christianity

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. For some say, ‘His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.’ Such people should realise that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.”
2 Corinthians 10:9-11 NIVUK

In Corinth, it appears that some leaders had emerged who were preaching a different Gospel, one at variance with what Paul had taught the church there. Perhaps there was some confusion in these leaders’ minds concerning God’s grace, something that emerged when Paul wrote to the Romans, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning, so that grace may increase?” (Romans 6:1). But the same leaders were trying to exclude Paul as far as possible, and were undermining his letters and teaching in the process. So they were spreading the thought that Paul wrote “weighty and forceful” letters, but when he was with them in person, he was “unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing”. A personal attack that perhaps revealed the immaturity and wrong motives of his critics. However, Paul was the Apostle who established the Corinthian church, and he felt personally responsible for their spiritual well-being. 

In a way, we pilgrims today are very grateful that these issues have ended up recorded in Paul’s letters, because they have shaped the theology of our faith. Today, the same issues have emerged, exposing problems with spiritual authority within some denominations. This was different in Paul’s day, when the Christian faith was new and dependent on the Apostles for its authenticity and theological accuracy. Today, we have the Bible, but issues still come to light because sometimes a difference of opinion emerges among church leaders, with human and sinful factors creeping in, and, as a result, a church divides. As I have said before, in the city where I live, 14 churches were established in the 18th and 19th centuries, most of them Presbyterian by persuasion. Church splits sometimes come when a charismatic leader attracts a group of followers and moves away with them to a new location. Sometimes this is necessary, when the original leadership were unable to reconcile different beliefs and interpretations of the Bible. One example of this is between the liberal and traditional wings of one denomination I can think of. 

But spiritual authority is something that all believers must settle in their own minds. Far too often, a believer will follow a leader rather than follow Jesus, because it is sometimes easier that way. They don’t have to think about the rights and wrongs, the nuances and emphases, that emerge from the pulpit and instead rely on someone else to work all that out. That is fine when the leader is a sincere man or woman of integrity, well-versed in the Scriptures and preaching the truth of the Gospel. But what happens when he or she moves on to heed another call somewhere else? Do they leave behind a congregation of dependent people who fall apart and end up with a shipwrecked faith? And then we think of sects such as the JW’s and see how error can creep in and result in the people following a different god than the God of the Bible. 

Spiritual authority always starts with Jesus. We read in Matthew 28:18, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. James wrote, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. …” (James 4:7a). Our church leaders are themselves under God’s authority and are accountable to Him for what they preach and teach. Hebrews 13:17, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you”. In Luke 10, we read about the time when Jesus sent out 72 disciples, their authority in spiritual matters delegated to them by Jesus. He said, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:19). 

For us pilgrims everywhere, there is good advice in the first two verses of Hebrews 12, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne”. We fix our eyes on Jesus, because anywhere else will lead to disappointment and disillusionment. Yes, God will appoint men like Paul, or our church leaders, to help us along in our journey of faith, but ultimately we must look upwards to our Heavenly Champion, because there is no other Source of spiritual authority worth considering.

Dear Heavenly Father. We look to You this morning as the Source of all we need to live the Christian life. Thank You for Your grace and guidance. Amen.

The Meaning of Belonging to Christ

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Look at the obvious facts. Those who say they belong to Christ must recognise that we belong to Christ as much as they do. I may seem to be boasting too much about the authority given to us by the Lord. But our authority builds you up; it doesn’t tear you down. So I will not be ashamed of using my authority.”
2 Corinthians 10:7-8 NLT

A summary of these two verses indicates that Paul challenged the Corinthians to look beyond outward appearances and recognise the true basis of his authority. He reminded them that if anyone claimed to belong to Christ, they should acknowledge that Paul belonged to Christ just as much. His authority as an apostle did not come from human approval or impressive appearance, but from the Lord Himself. Paul also explained that the authority given to him was not meant to dominate or harm them, but to build them up spiritually. Even if he spoke boldly about this authority, he was not ashamed of it, because it was God-given and intended for their strengthening, not their destruction. We also remember that Paul’s authority was apostolic, emphasising that it came from Christ and was meant for the spiritual growth and encouragement of believers, not for control or intimidation.

Paul made an obvious point, though. Belonging to Christ is a label that applies to all saved Christians who have placed their trust and faith in Jesus, the Saviour of the world. We can never belittle our favoured state, because when we consider what Jesus did for us, in its universal application, what conclusion can we otherwise reach? God had a plan for the salvation of mankind, and He revealed it to His prophets throughout the Old Testament, as in Isaiah 53, which sets it out exclusively. Isaiah 53:10-11, “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins”. Jesus was clear about His mission, as He implemented the plan, and John 3:16-17 succinctly summarises it. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him”. The “world” is not a word that allows a selection for some people and not others. It is an all-encompassing catch-all that promises salvation for anyone who believes in Him, with all that that entails. 

So we pilgrims all belong to Christ, whether we are the minister or pastor, or just a new Christian sitting in a pew. One day, we will all find ourselves with Jesus in Heaven. Because we now belong to Christ, we live in such a way that honours Him. Paul wrote, “Don’t you realise that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honour God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Belonging to Christ is a state that determines how I live, because “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). 

Paul seemed to have some critics in Corinth who perhaps claimed that they belonged to Christ, and he didn’t. Today, some may make similar claims, even if they are not spoken aloud. Perhaps we do it ourselves when we look at other believers who perhaps are not so committed as we are. Other believers who perhaps only make the occasional Sunday service or who neglect to attend the monthly or weekly mid-week meetings. We forget in our criticisms that they, too, belong to Christ, and they are probably in a different place in their journey than we are. Our salvation does not depend on the number of meetings we attend or how many chapters in the Bible we read each day. The thief next to Jesus at Calvary claimed none of these things, and yet was promised a place in Paradise “that very day”. All that matters is what Paul wrote, “we belong to Christ”. From that favoured place, we worship Him today and every day. We were lost but are now found. We are secure in Jesus.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your plan for our salvation. We confess that we have looked at others and not at Jesus when it comes to matters of our faith. Please forgive us, we pray, and help us on our journey to the Promised Land, our ultimate home with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Capturing Rebellious Thoughts: Paul’s Spiritual Warfare

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.”
2 Corinthians 10:4-6 NLT

It seems that there were some in Corinth who were trying to undermine Paul’s authority. These people accused him of being someone who would be bold when far away and through his writings, but when with them in person, he was timid. Isn’t that an accusation of hypocrisy? How did things come to this? Obviously, sin was rooted in their response, and Paul mentioned their rebellious thoughts. There was also no New Testament as we know it that set out the Gospel and the teaching that we know and love. There was also no formal hierarchical structure, such as the established denominations have today. So, in this cosy corner in Greece, there was a church, established by Paul, but preferring to go its own way, probably into error, but nevertheless wanting to continue without any external input, particularly from Paul. Thankfully, there were still people in the Corinthian church who looked to Paul for guidance, giving him a platform to address their errors.

What was Paul’s goal in this? He wrote that through the use of “God’s mighty weapons”, he would “capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ”. Obedience to Christ was Paul’s goal. It wasn’t a personal thing. It wasn’t motivated by anger because some dared to disobey his instructions. Paul knew that if the Corinthian church followed the rebellious contingent, who were teaching things against the purity of the Gospel, they would soon descend into error and disappear. God will not be in a church that is against Him. We remember that the First Century was full of erroneous teaching, such as that of the Gnostics, and some Jews were trying to reintroduce legalistic practices, such as circumcision, back into the church.  When considered across all the churches established at that time, it was almost as though Paul was trying to play a game of “wack-a-mole”, preventing churches from descending into error. It seems that as soon as an error was corrected in one, news of a problem somewhere else reached him. Paul must have had some form of success because there are still Christian churches in Corinth today, although of an Eastern Orthodox persuasion, and there is a cathedral there dedicated to Paul.

Today, we pilgrims are blessed by having a Bible, which, although established many years ago, provides the basis for our faith. In it, we find the teachings of Jesus, written down by His faithful disciples. We find copies of many of Paul’s letters, as well as those of James, Peter, and John, and the books of Hebrews and Revelation. Powerful, Holy-Spirit-inspired and encouraging theology, containing Scriptures that are just as alive today as they were when they were written. Through them, we have the means to demolish the strongholds that caused problems in the Corinthian church.

Paul’s spiritual weapons, however, were powerful and sufficient to “capture [the] rebellious thoughts” present in Corinth. He had prayer, the power of the Holy Spirit, the Old Testament, and one or two letters circulating at that time. Paul and his companions were fully equipped to destroy the impressive-sounding arguments of his opponents, who seemed to be preaching a different Gospel. Through his spiritual weapons, Paul wrote that he would capture their “rebellious thoughts”, and in the next verse, Paul said that he was ready to confront those among them who remained disobedient to Christ. What did this mean, because punishment options would have been limited in their scope? Probably, this meant that Paul’s first priority was to see the majority of the Corinthian believers obeying Christ in all things, including Godly direction through Christ’s representative: Paul. He may have been referring to the false teachers among them, but if necessary, punishment would, of course, not involve any form of violence. Instead, it would have followed the model Jesus established in Matthew, where the ultimate sanction was, “If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). Effectively this would have meant evicting the rebellious faction from the church. Sadly, as history records, such a person and people, treated in this way, go down the road and establish their own church. In Dunfermline, where I live, there were at some time over the last two hundred years or so, about 14 churches, mostly Presbyterian, in the centre. As soon as there was a falling out, regardless of the cause, many in the congregation followed a rebellious leader and established another church just down the road.  

We pilgrims follow Christ in obedience to His Word and with the faith we have learned. There is no other way. At a time when some disciples left Him, Jesus asked the Twelve if they wanted to leave as well. We read, “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68). In John 14:6, Jesus said, “ … I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me”. The road to Glory is clear and unequivocal, but even today, some churches and sects still prefer to follow their own ways and whims. But not for us pilgrims. As Joshua said, “But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Our faith is as simple as that – we will serve the Lord. 

Dear Father God. Thank You for all that You have done for us, and especially for Jesus. We praise and worship You today. Amen.

Spiritual Warfare: Understanding God’s Mighty Weapons

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NLT

If the word “war” is mentioned to a random person we meet in the street, they will immediately associate the word with conflicts such as the current wars between Russia and Ukraine, or the war between the US and Iran. A veteran might refer to a more recent spat, such as the Falklands war, and there are even a few brave men who can remember the Second World War. The earliest mention of such a human conflict in the Bible occurred in Genesis 14, and was between four Mesopotamian kings and five Canaanite kings, and it took place in the valley of the Dead Sea. The account was recorded in Genesis because Abram’s nephew Lot was involved, and we find the first mention of Melchizedek, “the priest of God Most High”, who blessed Abram with bread and wine. 

But these are all human conflicts waged by humans against humans, and such wars have been a feature of human life since the beginning. Paul was careful to point out, however, that the wars he waged were not like these. Instead, his weapons were not of the worldly variety but were “God’s mighty weapons”. And the foe was not another army or nation, but strongholds such as “human reasoning” and “false arguments”. Paul’s account in 2 Corinthians 10 began with the addressing of false conclusions about him being considered by the church in Corinth. Paul appealed, even begged, the Corinthians to sort themselves and their thinking out because he didn’t want to have to be bold with those who thought he was driven by human motives. False thinking, he was going to address, if he had to, using “God’s mighty weapons”, weapons that would be totally foreign to worldly people. 

Those of us familiar with Ephesians 6 will know that Paul wrote about items of armour and their spiritual equivalents, no doubt inspired by the Roman soldier he was chained to in prison. These items are mostly defensive, but they all have their place in God’s armoury. We read about truth and righteousness, the Gospel, faith, and salvation, and the one offensive “weapon”, the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God”. The next verse in Ephesians mentions another weapon – prayer – and it adds another thought about being alert and persistent with the prayers offered. A soldier for Christ, equipped in this way, will be able to overcome even the strongest enemy in heavenly places. But echoing the words in 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). These were the “soldiers” of a foreign “army” but without any strategy or power capable of overcoming the well-equipped spiritual soldiers, pilgrims such as ourselves. 

“The human heart is the
most deceitful of all things“

When he returned to Corinth, Paul was prepared “to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments”. The human mind, as we know, has a tendency to delude itself with wrong thinking, driven by a false logic, or human thoughts. After all, we know the Scripture from Jeremiah 17:9, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” A human “heart” is the seat of thinking, emotions, and all the “false arguments” and “human reasoning” mentioned by Paul, and many people can be found who delude themselves in this way. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, warned them of something similar: “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires” (Romans 13:14). 

So, when next in Corinth, Paul warned the believers there that he had spiritual weapons at his disposal that would be able to resolve the wrong thinking about him that had developed there. We pilgrims, too, have the same weapons available to us, and by prayer and God’s Word, we have the ability to destroy the strongholds in which our enemy thinks he is invincible. Isaiah wrote, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Isaiah 54:17). That day is with us now. With the spiritual weapons at our disposal, we are overcomers in the Lord.

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your many blessings and for Your Word, the Bible. We turn our thoughts today to Heavenly places and not to the worldly and sinful ways we can so easily lapse into. Please help us to be overcomers today and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Gentleness and Kindness of Christ

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Now I, Paul, appeal to you with the gentleness and kindness of Christ—though I realise you think I am timid in person and bold only when I write from far away. Well, I am begging you now so that when I come I won’t have to be bold with those who think we act from human motives.”
2 Corinthians 10:1-2 NLT

The Corinthians apparently thought that Paul was “timid in person and bold only when” he wrote to them. Perhaps they gained that impression because all the good work straightening out the Corinthians’ faith and behaviour was achieved by the two letters, so perhaps when Paul eventually travelled there, there was nothing left for him to be “bold” about. He could then be more pastoral and display the “gentleness and kindness of Christ” in a way that suited both the congregation and him. 

But before we look further into Paul’s next visit to Corinth, and to put the situation into context, Paul had previously been in Ephesus, establishing a church there, and he stayed for a couple of years, holding daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. In Acts 19:11-12, we read that “God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled”. As a result, “… A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honoured” (Acts 19:17b).  But a man called Demetrius stirred up trouble because he feared his business venture making silver idols would soon be in decline because of Paul’s preaching. He instigated a riot, and it was only when a wise official intervened that it calmed. We then turn the page to Acts 20, and read, “When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them. Then he said goodbye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then he travelled down to Greece”. Going back to the origins of the Corinthian church, in Acts 18 we learn that Paul established the church, meeting in the home of Titius Justus, next door to the Jewish synagogue, and that he stayed there for 18 months, “teaching the Word of God”. Paul then apparently made a “painful visit” at some time between writing the two letters, which we can infer from 2 Corinthians 2:1, so after the second letter had been delivered, here was Paul making a third visit “where he stayed for three months …” (Acts 20:3a). So the Corinthians would have soon found out if Paul was a timid or bold man.

That Jesus was a gentle Man was indisputable. The saying, “Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,” comes from a Charles Wesley hymn written in 1767 and captures that side of His character, appealing to a little child. In the Buble, we read the verses in Matthew 11:28-30 and see God’s heart coming through His gracious words, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light””. Isaiah prophesied about the gentleness of the coming Messiah, “He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young” (Isaiah 40:11). What a picture of God’s love, so carefully looking after His flock, the people who follow Him, and with such gentleness. That was Jesus. But isn’t it so sad that so many of His people, especially those of a more liberal persuasion, push Him away because of some misunderstanding over the validity of scripture? And then there are so many people who don’t believe in Him at all, even denying that He exists. But the picture remains of the Good Shepherd, “humble and gentle at heart”. That’s my Lord!

“He saved us … because of His mercy”

We know how kind Jesus must have been because of what He did for us by coming to this world. Who can ever get their minds around the fact that the Creator of the Universe would humble Himself to the extent that He cast aside His eternal life in Heaven, and instead took on the form of a man, born a baby in very humble circumstances, growing up as a normal Jewish boy and ministering as a travelling rabbi, before suffering a cruel death at the hands of the people He came to save? No other religion can claim anything even close to the kindness of the real and true God we follow and worship. Paul wrote about this kindness of Christ in Ephesians 2:7, “So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus”, and in Titus 3:4-5, “… When God our Saviour revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit”. 

Paul appealed to the Corinthians with the “gentleness and kindness of Christ“. He could, of course, confront sin when it was necessary, and he did, as we read his first letter. And I’m sure the confrontation continued during his “painful” visit between the letters. But on his third visit and during his three-month stay, I’m sure Paul presented the attitude of an under-shepherd, following in his Master’s footsteps with the “gentleness and kindness of Christ“. We pilgrims, too, must have such an attitude. There are times when our blood starts to boil as we observe the injustices that believers suffer in this world. But then we turn to Jesus, and I can just imagine Him smiling as He assures us that He has all under control. He will sort out the rights and wrongs of a situation. He will bring judgement at just the right time. But in the meantime, all we have to do is extend the “gentleness and kindness of Christ” to those around us. Like Paul, we too are under shepherds, following in our Shepherd’s sure and unwavering footsteps. And as we bring the concerns, worries, and cares in this life to Jesus, His peace will flood over us, What a wonderful Lord nd Saviour He is!

Dear Lord Jesus. You told us to take upon us Your yoke, and we will find rest for our souls. Thank You for Your peace and love, so precious and yet so freely given. Amen.

Obedience to Christ: A Call to Transformation

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the overflowing grace God has given to you. Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!”
2 Corinthians 9:13-15 NLT

Being obedient to the Good News of Christ, at first sight, would seem to refer to responding to the Gospel message of salvation. We come to the Cross with our burden of sin, and leave it there as we repent of our sins and believe in Jesus and His power to forgive us. It is where our faith buds and blossoms, as we adopt the righteousness of Jesus as a cloak, leaving us free to come into God’s presence, enabling us to call Him Abba, Father. It is a wonderful occasion as we commence our journey to glory, working out our salvation as He leads us day by day. But it is there that we discover repentance from sin requires a life change. So many of our old ways have to change. No longer can we practice the lifestyle that had us bound in a life of sin. Our worldview has to change. Our relationships have to change. And our response to the promptings of the Holy Spirit’s nudges within us takes us along a road totally different to the one we were on before. And a new thought starts to form in our minds as we realise that being obedient to Christ is more than camping at the Cross; it involves being proactive in a life of service and selflessness.

We pilgrims came to such a place when we submitted our lives to Jesus. It was there when we learned to say “Yes, Lord” rather than “No, I’ll go my own way”. It was there that we discovered what “dying to self” really meant. Jesus “… said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me”” (Luke 9:23). But here is a puzzle. What did Jesus mean about taking up our crosses? Thankfully, Paul gave us the answer in Galatians 2:20, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. Paul again wrote about what cross-living really means in Romans 12:1-2, “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect”. The impact of Jesus’ message was that following Him means that we cannot follow our own selfish, and often evil, desires. We have to nail all of that to a cross and leave it there. We then live our lives by being obedient to Christ. The reality for believers everywhere is that we cannot have one foot in the world and the other in God’s Kingdom. It is one or the other. A person who flip-flops between the two must have been at the back of James’ mind when he wrote, “But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do” (James 1:6-8). Jesus also had some hard words for the Laodicean church. He said, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16). 

Back in Corinth, Paul commended the church there for being “obedient to the Good News of Christ” by giving an offering to help the poor in Judea. How is that connected to the Gospel message of salvation through Jesus alone? As we have seen previously, the response to the Gospel leads to a life of love and service to God, in which obedience is key. Their old selves must have been trying their best to reduce the amounts they gave, or to conveniently lead them to other business outside the church on the day the offering was taken. But Paul then referred to another Kingdom word – grace. If God had been so gracious to them by forgiving them for their sins, how could they not extend that grace to other brothers and sisters in need? 

Today we pilgrims are living a new life devoted to God in love and obedience. Our lives are all about love, trust, and faith, all tangible and real elements of the Christian life. From the perspective of our old, selfish, and Godless ways, much of what God asks us to do makes no sense at all. But in our new Kingdom life, where we live by the Spirit, the old ways don’t apply. Instead, we once again say “Yes Lord”, no ifs or buts, and just do what He has asked us to do. What else can we do in response to such love and grace?

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Your grace and love, so freely and lavishly given to us. We worship You today. Amen.

Joyful Generosity: A Biblical Perspective

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:9-12 NLT

The poor people in Jerusalem and the surrounding area were in need, and the offering to be collected from the Corinthians, and added to that from the Macedonians, was going to make a big difference to their lives. It would enable them to get back on their feet and provide freedom from the worry about where the next meal was going to come from. Famine is a terrible condition. It was then and still is now, and according to the latest estimates, in 2024, 673 million people (1 in 11 globally) went hungry. The statistics are even more alarming because the world generates sufficient food to feed everyone, and we have the bizarre situation that in the affluent West, people are having to receive injections and pills to counter the effects of overeating, and in the least affluent parts, people are starving. In many parts of the world, conflict is the main cause, affecting over 20 countries. But there are other factors include corruption and failure of the aid programmes. 

However, imagine the joy, back in Judea, when the offering eventuallt arrives, taken there by the trustworthy men of integrity from Macedonia. There was in place in Jerusalem an aid programme, administered by faithful and trustworthy men, as we read in Acts 6:1, “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food”. To make sure there was fairness for all, the Apostles said to the church, “… select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility” (Acts 6:3). Regarding the Judean offering, and although I have no information to support this, I’m sure to start with the poor and needy would have been given food parcels, purchased from the funds received, but there would then have been a process where the farmers would have received seed supplies for planting, giving them a crop for the following growing season. 

The thanks of the Judeans would have been joyful, an understatement, I’m sure. Paul wrote, “the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God”. The cynics perhaps claim that the offering had nothing to do with God and instead was just an offering collected from a few individual churches. But God was in the giving because 2 Corinthians 9:10 reads, “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you”. Christians then and now know that their food supply is due to God’s grace, which we call “common grace,” because God has fed the world regardless of whether or not people believe in Him. The fact that people go hungry is because of sinful practices in the supply chain, and judgement will apply one day. 

We pilgrims have much to thank God for, and not just for the food on our tables. It is sometimes a good practice to sit down with a pen and paper and write down all the things that God has done for us. In my devotions, I remember the big things that God has done in my life, but there are many small things as well. In Deuteronomy 4:9 we read, “But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren”. Even today, the Jewish people widely practice the Passover meal, known as a Seder. It is one of the most observed Jewish holidays, held on the first night of Passover to commemorate the Exodus from Egypt. Families gather to read the Haggadah, eat matzah (unleavened bread), and consume symbolic foods. But the Exodus took place thousands of years ago, yet is still rememberd and celebrated.

There are many Scriptures that encourage God’s people to offer their praise, worship and thanks, and all with a spirit of joy. The first two verses of Psalm 100 are, “Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy”. Or the first two verses of Psalm 95, “Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him”. Psalm 9:1-2, “I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvellous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O Most High”. And from the New Testament, “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! … Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:4, 6). 

In these war-torn days, buffeted by rises in the costs of living, being worried for the future of our families, it is easy to start sliding down the slippery slope into a world of despondency and hopelessness. It is a place where we find many of our fellow citizens, those who don’t know Jesus. Just walk along any High Street and see the looks on people’s faces, frozen and etched with the lines of misery. But we have within us the joy of the Lord, and we know what He has done for us. More than that, we don’t keep it bottled up within us, and we share that joy with others, bringing God’s light into their darkness. Whenever we can. At every opportunity. We have the words of eternal life, words that will bring joy and hope into any miserable and hopeless situation. Come on, folks. If we don’t tell people about God and all that He has done for us, who will? 

Dear Heavenly Father. You are the Source of joy, and the Light that illuminates this dark world. Please help us to act as reflectors of Your light, so that others will come to know You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Power of Generous Giving in Faith

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 NLT

The ultra-cautious among our society struggle with the idea of giving money away. Or there are the miserly and mean people, hoarders who feel the same. It is easy for them to get into the mindset of putting the blame for a person’s or a family’s poverty onto them for not having done something that they should have done. In Charles Dickens’ famous book, “Scrooge”, he was once approached by charity collectors, asking for a donation for the poor and destitute, to which he asked several questions: “Are there no prisons?” “And the Union workhouses? “The treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” His final callous refusal to donate any money was accompanied by, “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population”. Thankfully, today, people like Scrooge do not represent the majority of the British public, with nearly £14 billion given to charitable causes in the last year of records, 2023. There’s more, because “stuff” donated to charity shops raises a net profit for the charities they represent of a further £300-£400 million or more. Not everyone, of course, is in a position to give to charities, but those who do give generously, it seems. 

Begging has become something of a blight in Britain’s High Streets, and the difficulty for those willing to give them something is discerning who is in genuine need and who isn’t. The same discernment is required when giving to charitable organisations, as some are more efficient, with lower overheads, than others, but reputable charities publish the proportion of donations that end up funding the good cause. 

So, after having written all that, we turn to Paul’s helpful advice regarding financial giving. The first thing that strikes us is that God is in the giving. So when faced with a need, the first thing a believer must do is to pray about whether it is a need they need to support, and, if so, how much should be given. Some years ago, I can remember attending a series of Christian camps, where there was no charge made, but the administration was to be supported by a donation from those attending. Year after year the financial needs of running the camp were met, as God spoke clearly to the people who attended, people who were obedient in giving what God had told them to give. In Galatians 5:25, Paul wrote, “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives”. 

In God’s economy, there is an association between the amount given and God’s provision for the giver. 2 Corinthians 9:10, “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you”. Believers who are generous in their giving find that they still have sufficient resources to continue their lives. Paul also wrote, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully”” (2 Corinthians 9:7). God’s provision will not necessarily involve a manna situation where God’s benevolence is graciously resourced from heaven itself. He will use believers to bless others in dire need, and be a blessing to the givers in the process. This was the case with the Macedonian and Corinthian believers collecting an offering for the poor in Judea.

“God is the one who provides seed
for the farmer and then bread to eat“

There has been much abuse by unscrupulous individuals and organisations who promote what has come to be known as the “Prosperity Gospel”. This is a belief among some Christians that financial blessing and physical well-being are always God’s will for faithful believers. It emphasises that positive confession, faith, and donations (seed-faith) lead to material wealth and health as divine favour, often focusing on “living your best life now”. However, the prosperity gospel is widely criticised by mainstream Christians and other denominations as a “false gospel” because it contradicts the Bible’s teachings and focuses on material possessions rather than spiritual growth. It also ends up exploiting people who are poor. In that respect, I remember one elderly lady in my church who had only a small pension to live on, yet was caught up in giving money she didn’t have to an American evangelical organisation that promised her much in return.

Occasionally, an appeal is made from the pulpit of our churches for a special need, such as for a missionary or an overseas project. There may also be needs closer to home, and I remember, at a Christian conference a couple of years ago, how a member of the worship team confessed to being in a dire financial situation, which prompted an outpouring of generosity, with the stage being covered in banknotes after the meeting. We pilgrims must always be ready to provide financially for those in God’s family who are in need. And we give cheerfully, knowing that God is in the giving. 

Is there anyone today who we know is in need? Then pray to God for guidance and provide for the need as He directs.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your provision for our needs and pray that we can supply money for the needs of others, in our families and fellowships. Please lead us we pray. Amen

Understanding Paul’s Call for Integrity in Promises

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.”
2 Corinthians 9:3-5 NLT

Taking these verses out of context may give the impression that Paul sent the bailiffs to collect the Corinthian offering for the poor in Jerusalem. But the last part of verse 5 reads, “But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly”. Paul just seems to be putting a little pressure on in case what they had said wasn’t what they had meant. Were they in danger of backtracking on a promise made previously? Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 9 with some instructions about voluntary giving that have helped countless Christians ever since, but more on that later.

Paul was obviously a little unsure about the state of readiness with the Corinthian offering. It was one that they had apparently promised to collect, because we read in a previous verse, “For I know how eager you are to help”. In fact, Paul was sure that they had been ready to send in their offering a year before. Perhaps because of the communications problems and the distances involved, Paul seemed to have a little niggle of doubt in the back of his mind. Paul had spent most of the previous chapter in 2 Corinthians also writing about this offering, but the situation was coming to fruition, and a party of “brothers”, fronted up by Titus, carrying Paul’s letter, were on their way to collect it.

Had the Corinthians made a promise to collect an offering, or was it just something they had discussed as a possibility, without any firm commitment? That they were going to make a collection did not seem to be in any doubt, so I suspect that there was a promise involved. Paul was just including a reminder that it was time to start the journey to Jerusalem with what had been collected, in case there were any stragglers still to give, and fulfil their part of the promise. 

The Bible says much about making promises, because they reflect a person’s character. We all know about disappointments that come from believing a promise that doesn’t materialise. A father might promise his child that a certain present will be in their Christmas stocking, only for the child to find that he didn’t keep his promise. So, Scriptures emphasise the importance of integrity, caution, and reliability when making promises. Apparently, in Jesus’ day, vows or promises were made by referring to something sacred to lend them weight. Jesus taught about this in Matthew 5. In fact, Jesus said that we shouldn’t make any vows at all in these verses, finishing the example He gave with “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). James repeated this instruction, “But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned” (James 5:12). From these verses we gain the picture that promises should be made with care, and, once made, the promise is an important part of a person’s integrity, and to break a promise goes against what God desires. The one legacy of making promises in a public setting can be found in our law courts, where witnesses are asked to swear an oath with their hand on a Bible or another holy book. But Jesus taught that a person’s character should be so reliable that elaborate oaths are unnecessary.

God’s faithfulness is beyond dispute, and He always keeps His promises. In Numbers 23:19, we read, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Joshua had no doubts about God’s integrity, as we read in Joshua 23:14, “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!” As we read through the Bible, we find, time and again, that God’s promises come true. The greatest of them all was the coming of Jesus, and Jeremiah prophesied, ““For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety”” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Whenever we find a verse that includes “Says the Lord” we sit up and take note, because what God says will come to pass.

We pilgrims must be a people of integrity. There is no other way. He or she “breaks a promise” must never appear as a statement in a pilgrim’s list of character attributes. And whenever we find ourselves in a situation that calls for a promise, we make it with care and integrity, carefully considering the consequences. 

Dear Heavenly Father. You have made us in Your image and because You have never broken a promise, then neither must we. We pray for Your help when faced with situations requiring a promise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.