Excelling in Faith: Lessons from the Church in Corinth

Posted on by korgrocker

“Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. I am not commanding you to do this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the eagerness of the other churches.”
2 Corinthians 8:7-8 NLT

From all accounts, and regardless of the issues Paul raised, this was a very gifted church in Corinth. The believers there were blessed in so many ways. But Paul was introducing them to some harder challenges that would test them a bit. What about your giving? he asked. Paul effectively asked, “Do you really love the Christians in other places who perhaps are not as financially blessed as you are?” Such questions often expose the love and commitment that believers have, and even today, some churches collapse because the congregation is either unwilling or unable to support the work. 

The church in Jerusalem was struggling financially, as we read in Acts 11:27-30, “During this time, some prophets travelled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem”. As far as the timeline of events goes, Claudius reigned from 41 to 54 AD. Paul wrote his second letter to the Corinthians around 56 AD, so the Judean believers must still have been in difficult times and desperately needed assistance.

The believers in Corinth excelled in their faith, Paul wrote. When we think about our faith, we consider it as a name for our Christianity, in the context that it is the one faith amongst many. Our current King, Charles III, holds the traditional title of Defender of the Faith as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, but he has expressed a desire to be a “defender of faith” (or “all faiths”), acting as a protector for all religions in a multicultural Britain. While he retains the traditional, formal title, he has emphasised a broader, more inclusive approach to religious diversity, which was reflected in his coronation ceremony. Sad, really, because his mother was definitely a defender of the one true faith. 

We pilgrims also think of “faith” in the Hebrews 11:1 context, which starts, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see”. In this context, faith is perhaps more objective and far enough away not to bother us too much. But further down in Hebrews 11 we read verse 6, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him”. Such a faith is more immediate and personal and is a reflection on how we live our Christian lives. The question is, “How does our faith in God impact our daily lives?” Do we attend church on a Sunday, and yet fail to uphold Godly principles in the office on a Monday morning? Or do we fall apart when a problem arises and our faith is then soon forgotten? Excelling in faith means consistently growing beyond basic belief into an overflowing, active, and Christlike life, characterised by deepened love, knowledge, and dedication rather than complacency. So we diligently seek to glorify God in all that we are and do, acting in ways that demonstrate our faith. Most of the time, we are not talking about a faith like Noah’s, a big faith that persevered for a hundred years, building a boat large enough to take all the animals. Or a faith like Abraham’s. Romans 4:3, “For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith””. Our personal faith is worked out in our day to day lives, as we journey on to glory, meeting the problems, troubles and challenges that all people experience, but applying our faith-filled lives with a Godly faith.

Paul also commended the Corinthians for their gifted speakers. These were not just the up-front preachers, but all the believers, as they spoke out their wisdom, knowledge and prophetic words, all for the edification of the church. This was a thriving fellowship devoted to growing in numbers and their faith, and they applied themselves enthusiastically to living their lives together. Don’t forget, this was a church at the cutting edge of Christianity in a hostile world, and they needed all the faith and other resources that they could muster. Paul and his colleagues loved them dearly, and I’m sure did their best to encourage them in their lives as believers.

What do we pilgrims excel at? The fact that we are here so far along the trail is a testimony to our growing faiths. We have been Christians for varying lengths of time, and we will all have been facing a unique series of events as we go about our daily lives. School and further education, the workplace, family matters like marrying and having children, and then on to retirement and a new twilight season with perhaps some health challenges. But these are generalities which we will encounter, but within them, there are the hard times when our faith is really tested. It may have already been tested severely, but in it all, we are overcomers. That is where our faiths excel. 

Paul wrote to the Roman believers, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? … No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us”(Romans 8: 35, 37). We pilgrims see beyond the short-term troubles to the time when we will give God the Glory He deserves, to the time when He will reward us for our faith. Our faith connects us with the Source of all that we need to be overcomers in a world that seems to lurch from one disaster to the next, disasters driven by sin and wickedness. Jesus said, “ … Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33b). Our faith is taking us on an exciting journey, and the Corinthian believers seemingly were excelling in walking by faith through the difficulties of their times. Are we as well?

Dear Father God. You are the Source of all our faith, and nothing will separate us from Your love. We thank You for Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, and we praise You today. Please help us in our walk of faith, as You have done on so many occasions. Amen.

Giving Ourselves to God: Understanding True Sacrifice

Posted on by korgrocker

“Not only [did they give materially] as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His representatives] by the will of God [disregarding their personal interests and giving as much as they possibly could]. So we urged Titus that, as he began it, he should also complete this gracious work among you as well.”
2 Corinthians 8:5-6 AMP

There is an order of priority to be followed in our Christian walk, an order that may not always align with our own desires and inclinations. We can experience a degree of conflict between our sinful natures and the Spirit of God within us. But in our verses today, Paul writes that they seem to have got the order of priority correct. The Corinthians were eager to give money to help the poor in Jerusalem; in fact, they were quite insistent. However, Paul could see that their first priority was to give “themselves to the Lord”, and, as well, give themselves to “us” – Paul and his colleagues, as God’s representatives. 

Any human being starts life not thinking about others but instead thinking about themselves, motivated by a desire to please themselves. As we grow, that usually doesn’t change much. Our focus can become more dispersed among areas that are important to us, such as relationships, careers, or goals. But the bottom line is almost always a desire to please ourselves. The quest for happiness is a universal journey. But that is not how God created us, as we know from Genesis 1:27, “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”. So, comparing ourselves to God (if that were even possible!), Do we think He would be so selfish as to focus solely on himself? We know otherwise, because he sent His Son to die a sinner’s death, but even more, he took on the sins of the world, from everyone who has ever lived, past, present and future. Would we have been so concerned by the plight of others that we too would forget ourselves and instead shift our thoughts and actions to them and their needs? Being made in God’s image perhaps highlights where our true focus should be.

So, giving ourselves to God means adopting His ways in living our lives. It is said that within us is a God-shaped hole that has to be filled by God Himself. The French philosopher Blaise Pascal wrote, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ”. As we said earlier, human beings are more interested in filling this “hole” or “vacuum” with created things, human relationships or ineffective and useless philosophies. There is a plethora of “things” available for those who seek self-gratification, such as alcohol and drugs, pornography, and similar dark devices, but we mustn’t forget sports and hobbies, all of which can attempt to fill the void inside. Others seek a remedy on a psychiatrist’s couch or pursue religions and philosophies that pander to the ”me” inside us, rather than look upwards to God Himself. It is amazing the lengths to which human beings will go to avoid contact with their Creator. 

The Shorter Westminster Catechism starts with the question, “What is the chief end of man?”, to which the answer is “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever”. Paul wrote, “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This immediately shifts the human focus to God, but provides a problem for those who do not believe that He exists. They continue to live with a vacuum inside that can never be filled, no matter how hard they try. Some people dream of unimaginable wealth, believing it would make a difference, but research shows that lottery winners are among the unhappiest people in the world. Nothing in this world can get close to what God intended.

When we come to the place of recognising life is not about ourselves, we are ready to stop running from God and allow Him to take over. The only way any of us can have a relationship with a holy God is to admit that we are sinners, turn away from that sin, and accept the sacrifice that Jesus made. There is no other way. Picture an altar dedicated to the only true God. Then imagine crawling onto it, lying down, and saying, “Here I am, God. I’m a sinner, but you love me anyway. Thank you for dying for me and rising from the dead so my sin could be forgiven. Cleanse me, forgive me, and make me your child. Take me. All of me. I want to live for you from now on”. 

Paul wrote, “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” (Romans 12:1-2).

Before the Corinthians could give to the poor, they had to give themselves to God. There are nominal Christians today who go through all the motions and even generously give of their money to their church and its ministries, but without first having that relationship with God, it is all pointless. Following a liturgy won’t get them to Heaven. A pass to gain entry through the pearly gates cannot be purchased with human gold. There is only one way to Heaven, and that is to believe in Jesus. Simple but profound. We pilgrims today perhaps are looking inwards instead of upwards, but there is a remedy: once again, we turn our eyes upon Jesus and look into His wonderful face. We then find that all the created objects and methods come to nothing “in the light of His glory and grace”. 

Dear Father God. Our lives are here to provide You with the glory You deserve. Please forgive us for our waywardness, as we dip into the things of the world rather than into the things of Your Word. We worship You today. Amen.

Understanding Free Will in God’s Image

Posted on by korgrocker

“For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.”
2 Corinthians 8:3-5 NLT

The first Adam was created by God “in His image”, but what does that mean? We don’t see God walking around in human form today – well, I don’t think we do, although He came to this world as a man two thousand or so years ago in the form of Jesus. Genesis 1:26a has few words with enormous implications: “Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us …”. Apart from the obvious plurality of God (“us”), there is this question mark over what it means to be like God. In three persons, the Trinity, God is a family. A loving family. The perfect family. And human families share the same bonds, sadly corrupted by sin, but they are there. And as we read on in the Genesis account, we see how God created the family, adding Eve to make this happen. But there was potential for things to go wrong, because one attribute of God is the ability to think and choose. Mankind has “free will”. Such a characteristic is fine for a perfect being, but for a human being corrupted by sin, it is a recipe for disaster. In Genesis 3 we find that the ability to choose can be subverted by evil, initially in the form of a serpent. Using their free will, Adam and Eve specifically went against God’s instructions, and human beings have been using their free will for sinful purposes ever since. 

The power to choose has both good and bad potential. We know the good, as we live our lives God’s way. This does not mean never leaving our church buildings, spending our time there in continual prayer and praise. It means living our lives as Adam was instructed. Genesis 1:28, “Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground”. Adam had work to do, tending God’s creation. Just in this verse, we see that families were to be created, societies were to be governed, and the world was to be looked after. All good in a sinless environment, but as we can see, it all went horribly wrong after Genesis 3. That was the bad outcome from being like God with free will. Mankind has chosen to sin, and that has enslaved and corrupted them in a way that must break God’s heart. The Bible is a Book that has a theme running through it – God’s love for His creation. Jesus was the main part of His plan to reconcile sinful men to Him, restoring the relationship that depended on free will. 

Moses set out before the Israelites a series of instructions designed to ultimately restore them to God. One significant verse is Deuteronomy 30:19, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” Can we hear God’s heart in that appeal? A consequence of choosing life is just that – eternal life with God in His presence, just as He had ordained in His act of creation. It gives God no pleasure to see that so many people are going to spend eternity without Him. In John 1:4, we read, “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone”.  A few verses on, we read, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God”. 

Today, the society around us is largely secular, though growing pockets of churches and fellowships have chosen life through Jesus. People there have exercised their God-given created gift of free will to make the right choice and follow Jesus. But in our own small way, have we too made that right choice? We are living stones engaged in building a house fit for Jesus. 1 Peter 2:5, “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God”. With our free will, that is what we desire – pleasing God. There may be a scarcity of “stones” around us, but nevertheless, God sees us and is pleased. 

“But as for me and my family,
we will serve the Lord“

In our verses today, Paul commends the Corinthians for their sacrificial giving of resources to help the believers living in poverty in Jerusalem. It was an act of their free will, Paul said. They didn’t have to do it, but by so doing, they were living their lives God’s way. Are we pilgrims aware that we are made in God’s image with the freedom to choose? Joshua knew it. We read, “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 25:15). 

What choices today are we pilgrims making that will have eternal consequences? We have a commodity called “free will” that we can use to ensure our choices are the right ones. Moses wrote this, “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2). There then follows a list of blessings all tied to obedience to God. Further down the chapter, we read, “But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you” (Deuteronomy 28:15). The ensuing list of curses does not make for comfortable reading because they come as a result to disobeying God. Wth our “free will” we can make the right choice, to obey God in all we do.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Your many blessings, none of which we deserve. We choose today to follow You forevermore. Amen.

Lessons from Macedonian Churches: Joy Amid Trials

Posted on by korgrocker

“Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will.”
2 Corinthians 8:1-3 NLT

There were three significant congregations in Macedonia in the First Century, all established by Paul on his second missionary journey. In Acts 16:9-10, we read, “That night Paul had a vision: A man from Macedonia in northern Greece was standing there, pleading with him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” So we decided to leave for Macedonia at once, having concluded that God was calling us to preach the Good News there”. So off Paul and Silas went, boarding a boat at Troas, and then made their way to Philippi. There, they met a businesswoman called Lydia, and the Philippian church was subsequently established, although Paul and Silas suffered much pain in the process (Acts 16:22). 

Their next stop was in Thessalonica, where Paul preached in the local Jewish synagogue, reasoning with the people. His efforts were not universally accepted by a long way, but we read, “Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women” (Acts 17:4). But more troubles followed, and Paul and Silas left the city “that very night” and headed for Berea. As usual, Paul headed for the synagogue there and once again preached the Gospel. We read, “And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Acts 17:11). As an aside, there is a principle here that believers do well to follow. Whenever somebody delivers a message that doesn’t seem to sit right, the Scriptures, the Bibles we have, should be consulted to check out what has been said. In Berea, we see the result of Paul’s persuasive words, “As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men” (Acts 17:12). 

So the main churches in Macedonia were Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea, and their birthing troubles continued. The Gospel, the Good News about Jesus, His death, His resurrection and His Ascension, was life-changing, and the power of the Holy Spirit accompanying the preaching really shook up the religious, and particularly Jewish, status quo. The devil wasn’t going to concede ground without a fight, and he leveraged the instabilities of the Macedonian societies to his advantage.

The three churches were also very poor, Paul wrote, but they were also “filled with abundant joy” to the extent that they were insistent in giving sacrificially of their limited resources to support the poor in other places. Paul noted that they were not obliged to be so generous. No one had asked them to give that much of their money, but they gave “of their own free will”. There is a principle in going that is contrary to the ways of the world, and Jesus spoke about it. Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back”. The graphic illustration was one His audience would understand, as it referred to seed, a common commodity in His day. 

So the Macedonian churches were experiencing many troubles and much persecution in a society hostile and resistant to the early Christians, and their countercultural teaching about Jesus. Paul wrote that they were being “tested”, a benign way of saying that people in the society around them were attempting to get them to revert to their old ways and abandon being followers of Jesus. The testing might have included being ostracised from their circle of friends, being hassled in the workplace, and other forms of pressure, but in it all, they stood firm, the troubles and testing producing within them the Holy Spirit fruit of joy, and abundantly at that. 

We pilgrims are a joyful people, aren’t we? No matter what comes against us, we turn to Jesus, who is the Source of all that we are and want to be. We might have difficulties and challenges with our health, our wealth (or lack of it), in fact, anything that is going on in our daily lives, that conspires to give us trouble and testing. We might be tempted to say, “What’s the point?” and turn away from our Christian lives in the hope that the hassles would evaporate. New believers often find that when they make a decision for Christ, their problems don’t go away. But they do find that through Jesus, they have a new hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope”. Instead of having no purpose in life, they find that they will eventually be admitted into Heaven to be with Jesus. Such a perspective is a factor in the “abundant joy” experienced by the Macedonians, and experienced by us pilgrims as well. We are now citizens of the Kingdom of God. We are His children, adopted into His family. Joy is the norm and not the exception.

For those believers struggling with their troubles, we glimpse God’s provision or grace and love in verses such as 1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you”. A verse short and succinct, but loaded with God’s care and provision for His children. Psalm 91 starts, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him”. And it ends, “The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation””. God doesn’t give empty promises. He does what He says, and we pilgrims can be assured that whatever we are facing, nothing will take away our joy, and His love for us. We end with Paul’s words to the Romans, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). 

Dear Father, thank You for Your love and care for us. We will experience troubles in this life, we know, but we also know that You have us earmarked for a new life, free from all that causes us angst in this one. We pray that You protect us from the evil one, and don’t let anything steal away our joy. In Your precious name. Amen.

Overcoming Apprehension: Lessons from 2 Corinthians

Posted on by korgrocker

“We have been greatly encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease. I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect. I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.”
2 Corinthians 7:13-16 NLT

It must have been the case that Titus was a bit apprehensive about going to meet with the Corinthians, because Paul wrote that their welcome for him “set his mind at ease”. I think any of us would have been a bit unsure of the reception we would receive, carrying in our pocket the missive that Paul had penned. To add to his concern was the long journey to reach Corinth from where Paul was at the time. It is thought that Paul wrote his first letter while at Ephesus, meaning a 290-mile sea journey would have been required to reach Corinth. A land journey was possible, although much longer, so it would have taken weeks at the normal walking pace of 15-20 miles per day. But all that time dwelling on the contents of the letter throbbing in his pocket would have weighed on Titus’ mind. I expect Paul was relieved as well, hearing that his letter had been so positively received, having achieved its purpose, which was to bring the Corinthian believers back on the “straight and narrow” path. 

It would have been much easier for Paul to have delivered what he had to say in person, because by doing so there would have been a feedback mechanism in place, allowing for the optimisation of the delivery. He began his first letter by addressing the quarrels that had been occurring. “For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters” (1 Corinthians 1:11). It would have been easier for Paul to gather together the quarrelling parties and work with them to resolve their differences. In that process, his love and compassion for them would have won them over and brought about a reconciliation. But just to point out the problem and leave it to them to sort out would not have been very efficient, if it even worked. So Titus’ apprehension was understandable.

What about for us pilgrims? We have, I’m sure, encountered times when a problem or difficulty has to be confronted. It could be a parent to a child, or a manager to an employee. Even, perhaps, between friends. And I’m sure that the build-up to the day the encounter was to take place would have been full of apprehension, even with a sleepless night involved. We would have prayed and asked God to help in the meeting, but there would still have been that unease niggling in our minds. “I wish it were all over” was a thought probably in our minds. To the Galatians, Paul wrote, “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” (Galatians 6:1). Such advice, valuable as it is, requires a face-to-face encounter to be able to communicate with gentleness and humility.

In today’s internet-enabled world, it is sometimes easy to just fire off an email or message to another person, or make a comment on a social media platform, to avoid personal contact. But in the process, sight is lost of the innuendo and interpretation of the message by the other person. We may write the message from our perspective, but when it’s received by the other person, it means something totally different to them. Such a thought must always have been in Paul’s mind as he wrote his letters. In 3 John 1:13-14, we read, “I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face”. Some things have to be said person to person, and not by “pen and ink”. 

The message from our verses in 2 Corinthians today is clear and affects both the giver and the receiver. If we have a message to deliver, particularly if it is of the importance that Paul could see, then we must carefully think through the process to avoid unnecessary or unintended consequences, such as a permanent schism resulting. If we are in receipt of the message, then we must not react in anger, rejecting both the message and the messenger, but must carefully take it away and consider it through prayer, asking for God’s help in discerning what has been said. Some unease on the part of either party is to be expected, but with God’s help, the problem is resolved, and apprehension dissipated.

Dear Father God. Human interaction can be difficult sometimes, but we each pray for ourselves today, praying “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer”.  Thank You for Your grace and love. Amen.

Understanding Loyalty in the Christian Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us. We have been greatly encouraged by this. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease.”
2 Corinthians 7:12-13 NLT

After Paul’s first letter, there would have needed to be loyalty on the part of the believers in Corinth, if they were going to take on board what he had written. It is true to say that some issues can only be addressed when there is a relational bridge between people, and in the issues Paul raised in his first letter, some form of loyalty had to be established. Otherwise, the believers would have just rejected what Paul wrote. Loyalty is a word that has fallen into much disrepute in British society because of the many different people groups present. A definition of “Britishness” has become confused because recent research suggests it can mean several things, depending on geography, ethnicity, human rights, respect for the law, and so on. So loyalty to the nation of Britain has become a thing of the past, at least to the extent that my parents, who came through the war years, would have understood. Our nationalities or origins are occasionally requested on NHS or government forms, and there is usually a long list of options, which perhaps pushes people away from “British” towards more fragmented societal and loyalty options.

But here in Paul’s second letter, the issue is simpler: the loyalty of the Corinthian believers to the Apostle, Paul, who established the church there in the first place. And Paul wrote, “We have been greatly encouraged by this”. Perhaps, when Paul put the final full stop on his first letter and sealed it for dispatch, he must have experienced mental gyrations, wondering whether he had been too hard or too soft in his comments and advice. Wondering if the Corinthians would reject what he had said and, in the process, reject him as well. Those early church days were fraught with so many attacks and issues, and Paul confessed, “Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28). He hinted at his anguish in Galatians 4:19-20, when he wrote, “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labour pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. I wish I were with you right now so I could change my tone. But at this distance, I don’t know how else to help you”. And that was Paul’s dilemma. In an age without denominational structures to address grievances, well-trained ministers, the Canon of Scripture, and internet-enabled instant communication, problems could fester for far too long. And that is without even mentioning the plethora of false teaching and prophecies, such as Gnosticism and Docetism and others, all conspiring to draw the early believers into error and back into the clutches of the devil. 

As we read the Bible, we find that loyalty is a virtue that involves steadfast commitment to God, family, friends, and responsibilities. It is often synonymous with “faithfulness” and is considered a reflection of God’s own unchanging character. First and foremost, there is loyalty to God. Deuteronomy 6:5,  “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength”. Any believer, not just a new one, who is unable to sign up to that needs to reflect on their salvation. Jesus also taught, in relation to the subject of money, that “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money” (Matthew 6:24). Jesus went further in His letter to the church in Smyrna, when He said, “Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). How many of us would stay the course if we were staring death in the face because of our faith? 

“You have the words that give eternal life“

Regarding friendships, the Bible also offers some advice on loyalty. Proverbs 17:17, “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need”. We have the poignant scene in Ruth where we read, “But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God” (Ruth 1:16). Ruth was only related to her mother-in-law by marriage, and yet she promised to remain loyal come what may. As we read the rest of the Book of Ruth, we find that her faithfulness resulted in her becoming an important part of Jesus’ bloodline, even getting a mention in Matthew 1:5b, “ … Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). … ”, something unusual for a woman in those days. Peter and the disciples were very loyal to Jesus. When the teaching Jesus was delivering became too hard for some of the more peripheral disciples, resulting in them leaving him, we read, “Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God”” (John 6:67-69). As we know, Peter and the rest of the disciples (with the exception of John) all died violent deaths through their loyalty to their Master and Lord. 

What about our loyalty, fellow pilgrims? Are we loyal to our families and friends? And above all, are we loyal to God? The Christian life is a journey along a narrow and difficult path, but there is no option to occasionally rest for a while “on the broad way that leads to destruction”. When the journey gets tough, we dig even deeper into the resources God has made available to us, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). 

Dear Heavenly Father, we pledge our loyalty to You today, in the assurance that You have a plan reserved for us in Heaven. We thank You for Jesus and all He did for us, and continues to do for us, in every day of our lives. Amen.

Understanding Godly Sorrow: Path to Healing and Salvation

Posted on by korgrocker

“For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.”
2 Corinthians 7:10-11 NLT

Continuing with Paul’s theme of Godly sorrow, we look at the impact Paul’s first letter had made in the lives of the Corinthian believers. If we remember, it was quite hard-hitting, revealing issues that needed courage to expose. But then, some things are better delivered remotely, as in a letter. Paul must have been sure of a positive reception when he wrote the things that he did, because otherwise it might have done more harm than good. In the end, Paul must have received a positive response because he wrote, “Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way” (2 Corinthians 7:9). A bit further down in this chapter, we see that it was probably Titus who delivered the letter and then he stayed awhile, probably explaining and helping with the issues Paul had raised.

The first letter caused a sorrowful reaction in Corinth, but it was a Godly sorrow that “leads … away from sin and results in salvation”. And the positive result was to make everything right, and Paul listed some of the actions and emotions that emerged as the exhortations contained in the letter were applied in the church. Paul was assured that they had done everything necessary. 

We pilgrims come across situations in our lives where things need to be put right. It is not uncommon for a family falling out, usually over something trivial, to lead to a lifetime of estrangement and no further contact. In my family, many years ago, there were four siblings, a brother and three sisters, who had a row over wedding invitations. Now, nearly forty years later, they have all died, and they made no attempt to put things right. The brother never spoke to his sisters again, and he died a bitter man. But such an event is not unusual in families; friends can be chosen, but siblings and cousins cannot, leading to much grace and determination to resolve issues before they become irresolvable. 

Have we upset anyone? Have we stopped speaking to a family member or friend? Have we fallen out with someone, and are harbouring feelings within us that are corrupting our Christian lives? Is our conscience pricking away, nagging us to sort this out, but we’re at a loss to know how to start? Well, the words of Jesus will help, I’m sure. Matthew 5:23-24, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God“. We need to apply this to our lives today, remembering that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. So we need to take action and reconcile the situation. If someone has upset you by what they have done, we remember Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others“. That’s a big one because our pride will get in the way, but we sometimes see news reports of a parent of a child who has been attacked choosing to publicly forgive the attacker. That’s how we should be, walking in forgiveness to all. There is no point in harbouring bad feelings; someone has said that resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die. Resentment is a kind of narcissistic bargaining, an insistence that our pain should matter enough to reach across time and consequence and punish the person who caused it. It usually does not. The other person may be oblivious, gone, or thriving, but our bodies keep the score anyway. Paul also wrote, “Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). There is no point in unforgiveness and resentment, because Jesus forgave us for far worse. We also need to recognise that we live in a moral universe and that we will all, one day, be held to account for what we have done in this life. God will address the harm that people have done to us. Isaiah 61:8, “For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering and make an everlasting covenant with them”.

Paul referred to “Godly sorrow”, which “leads us away from sin and results in salvation“. Ultimately, no relational troubles in this life are worth keeping alive. In the context of eternity, putting things right with another person is a very small requirement.

Dear Heavenly Father. Please forgive us for our stubbornness and pride. We pray David’s prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life”. Amen.

Embracing Sorrow: The Path to Spiritual Growth

Posted on by korgrocker

“I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death”.
2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NLT

Paul’s first letter must have had quite an impact on the Corinthian believers. Paul considered it to be “severe”, and the feedback he received indicated that they were hurt by it. I wonder how we would have reacted, had we been there in the congregation. But Paul was quite right in pointing out some of the issues that they were experiencing. There was the man sleeping with his stepmother, a blatant issue that apparently everyone knew about, and, worse, they boasted about it. There were divisions in the church, as people claimed allegiance, each to their preacher. They quarrelled with each other. They considered themselves superior to those in the society around them. There was a situation where one Christian took another to a secular court to decide a difference between them. Then they seemed confused about what to do with food that had been sacrificed to idols. Some were happy to eat it, but others said they shouldn’t. The list goes on, but we shouldn’t be too surprised. This was a cutting-edge church established by Paul in a hostile society, trailblazing in living the new life in Christ. It was important that the Corinthians experienced all the issues that they did, because as a result of Paul’s letters, they have helped countless believers ever since. 

Paul’s first letter caused them pain, but that was a good thing because it led to repentance and a change in their ways. But that’s the thing about sin. It creeps up on people, and before they know it, problems arise. The case of the man and his stepmother probably began with a genuine display of Christian love, both by the couple and by the believers who knew them. One thing led to another, and before long, a sinful relationship had resulted. I like to think that as a result of Paul’s letter, the situation was resolved redemptively, with both parties being restored to a right relationship with Jesus. I also like to think that as a result of Paul’s letter, the believers saw the impact their divisions were having on their spiritual lives, and decided to resolve the situation with loving reconciliation. A hard-hitting letter from Paul resulted in restoration and resolution. 

What about us pilgrims? Have we in some way allowed sin into our lives and suffered spiritually as a result? The problem is that we are good at keeping our behaviour hidden. Take, for example, the issue of men privately watching things on the internet that they shouldn’t be watching or getting involved with prostitutes. A sin that very soon destroys their spiritual lives. Most of the time, only those in public ministry get found out, as we know from an example from the 1980’s. But most continue to do things in secret that no one ever discovers. In such situations, the Holy Spirit brings conviction of the sin taking place. God, in His grace, engineers a series of situations that bring the sinner face to face with his sin. One way is through discipline. Hebrews 12:5-6, 11,  “And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child. … No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterwards there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way”. We thank God that He loves us too much to leave us in a life of sin. Painful correction is transitory, but it is necessary to keep upon the right path to glory.

“I have sinned against the Lord”

At other times, the Holy Spirit will give a word personally or publicly to bring about a change in behaviour. Perhaps God will give a prophetic word to one of His servants, and they deliver it to the person involved in sin. In 2 Samuel 12 we read about the prophet Nathan telling King David about two men, one rich and the other poor. The rich man owned many sheep, but the poor man owned only one. It was a lamb hand-reared by him and his family, and much loved by them, but one day the rich man took the poor man’s sheep to feed his guests. David was outraged that such a thing had happened and said so, but then Nathan delivered the bombshell. We read in 2 Samuel 12:7-9, “Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife”. Nathan took his own life in his hands when he delivered his prophecy because such a forthright confrontation usually didn’t end well for the prophet. But we read in verse 13, “Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin”. I’m sure we have all read David’s prayer of contrition, Psalm 51. It starts, “Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins”. In verses 10 and 11 we read, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me”. David restored. Sin confessed. But as we read the rest of David’s life, we find that there were still consequences.

We hope as believers that we are never confronted in such a way when we fall into sin. Come to that, we hope we never reach such a sinful stage in our walk of faith. But always at the back of our minds must be the thoughts that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us too much to allow us to live a life of deceit and sin. If we turn a deaf ear to our consciences, God will take more direct action to grab our attention and, consequently, save our souls. He loves us too much to leave us.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your love and care. We, like lost sheep, have a tendency to go astray. Please help us to live our lives Your way and no other way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Source of True Comfort in Christian Life

Posted on by korgrocker

“For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn – conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.”
2 Corinthians 7:5-7 NIVUK

Three mentions of the word “comfort” in our verses today. Paul had already shared about being harassed and conflicted, with “fears within”, and he was obviously feeling pretty depressed about it all. Sometimes we look at a spiritual giant like Paul and think that they will never suffer the troubles in life that we do. Reading Paul’s letters He seems to have such a grasp of the Christian life, even establishing much of today’s theology, that we forget he was human like everyone else and needed comfort. 

Elijah was another one. In the middle of a drought, and after the Mount Carmel event where God sent fire to consume the sacrifice and Elijah “slaughtered” the 450 prophets of Baal, we read about the drought coming to an end. But Elijah then ran into the wilderness after a threat from a woman. We read, “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, Lord,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors’” (1 Kings 19:3-4). How could that have happened? But we read on to find that Elijah was fed by “the angel of the Lord” before his long 40-day journey to “Horeb, the mountain of God”. It was there that God restored him, giving him the comfort that he needed.

Then we have Peter, devastated and depressed after denying Jesus three times. In Luke 22:61-62, and after Peter’s third denial, we read, “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” What followed was that poignant conversation with Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, after a breakfast of barbecued fish. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him, one time for each of Peter’s denials, and He gave Peter the comfort and assurance to put him back on track in his mission. 

We tend to think that the men of God like Paul, Peter and Elijah were somehow supermen in the faith, far too holy to suffer from the kinds of troubles we do. We also sometimes think the same of our pastors and other church leaders, somehow putting them on pedestals set apart from ordinary folk like us. But nothing could be further from the truth. We, too, need comfort from time to time, and we enjoy our needs being met by those loved ones closest to us, but unfortunately, there are many lonely people in our societies who lack family or friends and instead suffer in silence, lacking the comfort that all human beings need. Paul wrote that he was comforted “by the coming of Titus”, his needs being met in his hour of need.

“He comforts us in all our troubles“

The Bible bulges with verses and passages about comfort. And they all major on the one fact that God is the source of the comfort we need. He cares for us in all circumstances. Psalm 23 is a good place to start if anyone needs to be comforted today. Read it and re-read it if necessary, and in the process, we feel the comfort of God flooding over us. We get to verse 4 and read, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me”. The rod and staff were the shepherd’s tools to encourage and direct the sheep before him, and as we look to our loving Heavenly Father, we will find the same willingness to keep us on the right paths, no matter what we are going through.

Of course, from our position of being comforted, we can comfort others. We read in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us”. I envisage a merry-go-round, with each believer encouraging and comforting another, while God pours His love and grace into the mix, bringing comfort to all. This is what living the wonderful Christian life is all about. So who do we know who needs comforting today?

In my walks, I often meet people who are totally devoid of the comfort they need. Depression and loneliness abound. Worry and anxiety are endemic emotions. People without God lack hope and vision for the future. But we pilgrims have a Source of comfort, and sometimes we have the opportunity to bring just a glimmer of that comfort into the lives of those we meet, wherever that is. We must never neglect an opportunity to share the “words of eternal life” that God has so graciously given us.

Dear Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your comfort and grace. Through Jesus, we have come into a favoured place, where we find Heaven on earth. Please help us to bring comfort to others whenever we can. Amen.

Finding Peace Amidst Global Turmoil

Posted on by korgrocker

“For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn – conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.”
2 Corinthians 7:5-7 NIVUK

Do Paul’s words sound familiar? He was “harassed at every turn”, something we ourselves feel at times. A young mum with demanding children, tired and near the end of her tether. An old person struggling with mobility issues but needing to get to the shops for food. A worker in the office, bombarded with demands from their boss, and unable to see how they were going to complete them all. The list of possible forms of harassment seems limitless. But being harassed seems part of everyday life for humans on Planet Earth. However, something that really strikes a chord within us concerns “conflicts on the outside, fears within”. As I am writing, the war between the US and Israel, and Iran rages on with missile exchanges and bombing continuing. But it doesn’t have to be this particular corner of the globe. Battles and wars keep cropping up all over, and the devil rubs his hands with glee, looking on at all the mayhem that he has caused, directly or indirectly. “Conflicts on the outside”? Definitely. But we shouldn’t be surprised, because Jesus warned us of these times. Jesus said in Matthew 24:6-7, “You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places”. Doom-mongers make claims that this is World War 3, with claims that Armageddon is close, but Jesus was clear in Matthew 24:8, “All these are the beginning of birth-pains”. As we read more in Matthew 24, we can see that there are still events about to happen, and one significant thing that Jesus said is in verse 14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”. Note that the Gospel has to be preached, and not just the translation of the Bible into all the world’s languages. The End of the Age clock is ticking but it still has a while to go, I believe. We don’t know the hour and the day, but we can be assured that God will not bring about the end of the world until the time is right.

At the time of writing, and regarding the current war in the Middle East, a few church leaders have posted on social media, citing a passage in Jeremiah 49 about Elam, an ancient kingdom located in what is now a corner of Iran, and speculating whether it is the fulfilment of Jeremiah’s prophecy. Of course, Elam no longer exists, having been subsumed into Persia, which became Iran, a long time ago. So, although there are similarities with current events, enough doubt remains to question some of the conclusions being drawn. Another YouTube video has emerged from an American pastor who claims the Doomsday clock has already reached midnight, but as I look out of the window, the sun is still shining. Whenever someone crops up and makes such claims, we pilgrims proceed with caution, waiting for God to confirm if necessary. 

But the point is that the “conflicts outside” bring “fears within”. The headlines in newspapers and other news media platforms scream about the cataclysmic events unfolding. There are even reports that AI-generated videos are circulating, stoking further fears and providing misinformation to mislead people even further. People everywhere are becoming anxious and worried. Even so, many miles away, the effects of the wars will bring inflation and increase the stress of living for those, most people in fact, on limited budgets. It is at times like these that we pilgrims reach for our Bibles to see what advice and encouragement God has for His children. Scriptures provide profound encouragement during times of war by shifting focus from temporary, chaotic circumstances to the eternal sovereignty, protection, and peace of God. They emphasise that while conflict is a reality of a broken world, God remains a refuge and ultimate victor. Psalm 46:1-3 is a great scripture in times such as this. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging”. These verses reaffirm God’s sovereign rule over His creation and set a baseline from which we can draw comfort and hope. Regarding all the horrors of the “what if’s” Psalm 91:7 provides more assurance about God’s protection, “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you”. This verse was a particular comfort to me many years ago, when the company I worked for began consulting on redundancies, and a few weeks later I learned that my job was secure. God looks after His children.

We remember the time when the Israelites stood on the shores of the Red Sea, unable to go forward, but behind them, the Egyptian army was getting closer and closer. We read in Exodus 14:13-14, “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still’”. God will fight for us when there seems to be no way out. He has our backs, and if we look back over our lives, I’m sure we will remember times when He came through for us when problems seemed insurmountable. 

There are also verses that bolster our mental strength and help us remain calm amid stress caused by fear and societal instability. For example, John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”. John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”. For Christians everywhere, we look at world events with concern, but we remember what Jesus said – “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”.

We are not citizens of the kingdom of the world. Our passport says we are citizens of God’s Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. In Philippians 3:20, Paul wrote, “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ”. So we pray about world events. For the preaching of the Gospel. And for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). And when world events tempt us to look at them and be worried, we instead lift them up in our spiritual hands to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He knows what’s best and He will lead and guide us, giving us the security of His love and grace.

Dear Heavenly Father. As world events descend into chaos once again, we pray for Your peace and love to smother us. We pray that wars and rumours of wars will cease, and ask that You protect Your people. We thank You for all that You have done for us, and will continue to do in the days, months, and years ahead. Amen.