What is Truth?

Posted on by korgrocker

“We pray to God that you will not do what is wrong by refusing our correction. I hope we won’t need to demonstrate our authority when we arrive. Do the right thing before we come—even if that makes it look like we have failed to demonstrate our authority. For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth. We are glad to seem weak if it helps show that you are actually strong. We pray that you will become mature.”
2 Corinthians 13:7-9 NLT

In His trial before Pilate, Jesus was asked a question: “Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognise that what I say is true”” (John 18:37). Pilate’s reply was timeless, and it starts the next verse with “What is truth? …”. Truth is something that has two facets – absolute and relative. Most of what goes on in our world that is defined as “truth” is relative, because it is only through God that absolute “truth” can be realised. 

A secular view on “truth” prioritises empirical evidence, scientific inquiry, and human reason over divine revelation or dogma. It holds that truth is discovered, not revealed, and is constantly updated through investigation and doubt, focusing on verifiable facts and human welfare rather than supernatural explanations or absolute religious certainties. But this definition of “truth” is purely relative, and it is liable to change, making it unreliable. Something that is defined as being true today can be found to be not true, or false, tomorrow. 

But before we get sidetracked into a philosophical discussion about Pilate’s statement, “What is truth?” it is far more rewarding to obtain God’s perspective. Paul said in our verses today, “For we cannot oppose the truth, but must always stand for the truth”. That is our position as pilgrims because, along with Paul and countless others, we believe that God is truth. Famously, Jesus said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). About the Holy Spirit, Jesus also said, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future” (John 16:13). About God, the psalmist wrote, “The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever” (Psalm 119:160). So, for us pilgrims, it is a safe assumption to believe that any words that emanate from the Bible are words of truth. Come to that, Jesus said, about God’s Word, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth” (John 17:17). Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16). 

To us believers, we look at Jesus and know in our hearts that He is truth, embodied in Him as a Person. No one can find a word spoken by Jesus that was false. No one can find any sin in Him, or any action that would prove to be sinful. And because He was God, His statement that He is the truth is immutably correct. So anything that God says, or has said, is absolute truth and cannot be changed, and will always happen as He has said. 

God’s truth is trustworthy but in our world system, there is a person who embodies the opposite of truth, the devil. Of him, Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees, said, “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). In Scotland, and as I write this, we are in the run-up to the Scottish parliamentary elections, and when this blog is posted, the outcome will be known. But one thing we electors remember is that little trust can be placed in the statements our wannabe politicians make. To garner votes, they will make all sorts of outlandish statements, most of which are unachievable and, therefore, can be labelled as “lies”. If we enter the world of social media, we will soon find many posts that purport to be truthful statements, but which are based on the poster’s false or skewed interpretation of events. Truth is a scarce commodity in our world, but that is not surprising because Jesus referred to the devil as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31). 

We pilgrims know about the truth because we believe in Jesus. John 8:31-32, “Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free””. We have been set free from the bondage to lies and the relative “truths” that abound in this world. We carefully consider all “truths” presented to us by referring to the Word of God, which is the only Source of truth that this world will ever possess. By looking at the world around us through God’s Biblical lens, we can make right decisions when necessary, discard the half-truths and lies, and keep our feet firmly established on the narrow way that leads to Glory. But there will be many seductive statements that will attempt to throw us off course. Remember what the serpent said to Eve – “Surely God didn’t say …”? If something that is said to us sounds right, but nevertheless seems at odds with God’s Word, then we discard it. The devil will never give up trying to lure us into sin until we are home, safe and sound, in the arms of our wonderful Saviour.

Dear Father God. You are truth. So we pray for protection from the lies of the evil one – “deliver us from evil” – and help for our journey in the years ahead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What It Means to Be Born Again in Christianity

Posted on by korgrocker

“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognise that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.”
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 NLT

In a previous blog we asked the question, “Who or what is a Christian”? And to start with, we defined some basics such as “A Christian is someone who belongs to Jesus Christ, by trusting in Him, following Him, and being transformed by Him”. We also mentioned the importance of being “born again”, understanding what that means and reading what Jesus Himself said in His conversation with Nicodemus. John 3:5, 7, “Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. … So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again’”. There are some “Christians” who deride the “born again” element in believers, whom they assign to a fringe element of fundamentalism populated by bigots and right-wing extremists. But being “born again” is that wonderful moment when a new believer suddenly bursts into a new experience where they find a spiritual world they didn’t know existed before. Some people take a long time to make the transition from spiritual darkness into the wonderful light of God’s Kingdom. Others have a Damascus Road experience, but whatever the process, Jesus said that being “born again” is necessary to become a Christian. It is so sad that there is a schism in the Christian faith, in the same way that there is a schism between those who believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and those who don’t. 

A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ, someone who tries to align their lives with the teachings of Jesus. It is a hard road to adopt because there is much opposition from society around us and more from within us, as our sinful person (our “old man”), rebels against living the Jesus way. Luke 9:23, “Then he 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””. The Cross to which Jesus referred was His own, a place where He laid down His own life in obedience to His Father. We pilgrims also have crosses, where we have laid down our lives in following Jesus wherever He takes us on our journey to Glory. 

A Christian is someone who has been redeemed from slavery to sin. Through Christ, a Christian is justified—declared righteous—not by their own works, but by grace. Romans 5:1, “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us”. Ephesians 2:8-9, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it”. These self-revealing verses mark the start of the Christian neophyte’s journey through life and form the basis of faith in God.

A born-again believer is a person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Acts 2:38 describes how the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. “Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit””. 1 Corinthians 6:19, “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? …”. Paul also wrote, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God” (Romans 8:14), with the implication that those who are not led by the Spirit are somehow not part of His family. 

A Christian goes through a process of sanctification in their lives, as they become and behave more like Jesus and start to display the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” 

Finally, a Christian is adopted into God’s family. John 1:12-13, “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God”. What a wonderful privilege it is to be a child of God. But as with all families, there are times of difficulty, and children will wander off and get into danger. We read the parable of the Prodigal Son, and become deeply touched by a picture of the Father waiting for the wayward child to return into His arms. God, our Father, is always there for us, the perfect Parent, who sadly but willingly lets His children follow their own ways, but who is always ready to welcome them home.

We pilgrims are children of God, followers of Jesus and a part of His family, both in this life and the life to come. We examine ourselves regularly, praying as David prayed, “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” (Psalm 139:23-24). God is faithful, and He will answer that prayer, because He loves us too much not to.

Dear Loving Heavenly Father. Please forgive us for our waywardness and rebellion. We are Your children, and we live our lives as representatives of You in our families and communities. Please help us to grow up and become more like Jesus, Your loving Son and our elder brother. In Your name we ask. Amen.

What It Means to Be a True Christian

Posted on by korgrocker

“Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. As you test yourselves, I hope you will recognise that we have not failed the test of apostolic authority.”
2 Corinthians 13:5-6 NLT

Something here in our verses today will bring us up short and cause us to pause our lives while we ask ourselves a question. Am I a Christian with genuine faith? But before we can answer it, we have to define what it means to be a Christian. Many think being a Christian is all about following Christian morals and being a “good” person. Such people can go to a church on a Sunday, listen to the sermon, sing the hymns, and say the prayers, but somehow there is a lack of any connection with God. No relationship there, in the way that we pilgrims know God. Occasionally, a crisis will drive them to their knees, but for most of the time, they live their lives as they always have, sinful and unchanged. But being a Christian is more than that, as we shall see.

Paul asked the Corinthians to “examine themselves to see if [their] faith is genuine”. He went on to define genuine faith by saying that if they fail to understand that Jesus is among them, then they “have failed the test of genuine faith”. It’s all about Jesus. Paul implied that it was all about knowing Him and sensing His presence with them day by day. 

So, back to our question. Who or what is a Christian in the way that Paul was implying? From our verses today, Paul used the word “faith” twice, and that is a central principle in answering the question for ourselves. Unfortunately, the word “faith” has become corrupted today because it is used to define a number of different religions, by calling them “faiths”. So, according to the authorities, we live in a “multi-faith” society that includes Muslims, Hindus, and others, as well as Christians. There have even been ”multi-faith” services held in our churches, and our current King in the UK considers that he is the defender of “faiths” rather than being the traditional head of the Christian church, the defender of the faith. The University of Edinburgh goes further and offers not only “multi-faith” support for students but also offers seminars in fringe topics unfamiliar to us pilgrims, such as Yoga, mindfulness, and Tai Chi. Confusion reigns, therefore, over the use of the word “faith”. 

A Christian is someone who belongs to Jesus Christ, by trusting in Him, following Him, and being transformed by Him. So straight away, the Corinthians had a measure for their belief. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-10, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved”. Is that something the Corinthians were doing, or had done? We don’t know, but we can apply this to ourselves. Jesus said that true believers in Him are “born again”. John 3:5, 7, “Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. … So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again’”. This is a divisive verse amongst Christian communities today, because many fail to understand what this really means about their faith. The wording “being born again” even causes offence to some people because it implies a radical experience of salvation. But it is a spiritual process, sometimes rapid, as it was with Paul on the Damascus road, or gradual over a period of time, as it was with C S Lewis. Regardless of the way we pilgrims came to believe in Jesus, the reality of our faith in Him prevails. 

For the Christians in Corinth, it appears that some subversive elements had crept in, something that was probably not unheard of in those days. The Apostle John wrote, “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. This is how we know if they have the Spirit of God: If a person claiming to be a prophet acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in a real body, that person has the Spirit of God. But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here” (1 John 4:1-3). These verses from John complement the verses that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, and again the word “test” appears. And straight away, we can think of churches today that fail this test. For example, I can think of a cult that only believes that Jesus was a prophet, and yet they call themselves “Christian”. 

There are other characteristics of Christianity that we must continue at another time, but in the meantime, we declare that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour. We love Him and worship Him because of who He is and what He has done for us.

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Jesus and His sacrificial death on Calvary’s Cross. We fall on our knees before Him today, in love and adoration. Amen.

Understanding Human Weakness and God’s Power in Our Lives

Posted on by korgrocker
A fallen log entwined with glowing, luminescent vines and leaves over a small forest patch

“I will give you all the proof you want that Christ speaks through me. Christ is not weak when he deals with you; he is powerful among you. Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.”
2 Corinthians 13:3-4 NLT

Human weakness and the power of God. Opposites mentioned by Paul in our verses today, as he encouraged the Corinthians with a warning that unless they dealt with their sin, his impending third visit was going to be painful, both for them and for himself. We are all aware of the first, our weakness as human beings, with limitations that get in the way of our pilgrimage to Glory. Those times when we do something we shouldn’t, or when we don’t do something we should. Those times when we echo what Paul experienced when he wrote, “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong” (Romans 7:21). And he continued, “Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” We believers are still slaves to the sinful nature that is alive and well within us, and at times we seem powerless to do anything about it. 

But that brings us on to the second of Paul’s opposites. The power of God. We read the first two verses of Romans 8 and find a link that bridges the gap between our weakness and God’s power. “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death”. We now live the Spirit-filled life, a Christ-centred existence directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit rather than our human strength. But it is a hard and difficult road to walk, because it involves a daily, conscious and sanctifying surrender to God’s control, resulting in transformed character, spiritual growth, and the ability to produce the fruit of the Spirit. 

The problem for the Corinthians was summed up in another Romans 8 verse, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). Paul’s fear was that when he arrived in Corinth he would not like what he found and they wouldn’t like his response. He wrote, “For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behaviour” (2 Corinthians 12:20). These qualities are all symptomatic of their sinful natures being allowed full reign. But Paul was coming to them with God’s power, willing and able to deal with the sin amongst them and bring them back to living in the right Kingdom in the right, Spirit-filled way.

But what is the “power of God”? First and foremost, it is the Gospel, the “Good News about Christ”. Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile”. That is the starting point with God’s transformative power, and for all who respond positively, they receive the promise of spending eternity in God’s presence. That is power indeed! But there is more. In Ephesians 1:19-20, we read, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms”. Just think about it for a moment, or longer if necessary. We pilgrims have access to the power of God, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. And with that power, we have the ability to triumph over sin, bringing a new life, both now and forever. In our places of weakness, that same power will give us strength. Referring to his “thorn in the flesh”, Paul wrote, “Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

We receive a glimpse of Paul’s motivation in Colossians 1:28-29, “So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me”. What was there within Paul that enabled him to endure the beatings, abuse, shipwrecks, imprisonment, even stonings, as he journeyed bringing the Gospel to the lost? Here we have the answer – “Christ’s mighty power that works within me”. 

But there is one further verse that never fails to excite and challenge me. Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think”. We earthbound pilgrims have within us the potential, through “God’s mighty power”, to achieve infinitely more than we can ever get our minds around. God’s power is limitless.

So Paul would soon be at Corinth, and the Holy Spirit would empower him to challenge and resolve the problems in the church there. Somehow, having been forewarned, I would have taken his warning seriously. Did they respond positively to this letter? We don’t know, but the warning that Paul wrote down still hangs over Christians and congregations, even to this day.

Dear Father God. We who are Spirit-filled are indeed a blessed people. We pray for Your power to work within us, making us more like Jesus, as You desire. And we pray, too, for the same power to reach out to those who are lost, so that the Good News about Christ will penetrate their thinking and transform them into new children of God. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Paul’s Third Visit: Testimony and Warning

Posted on by korgrocker

“This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”). I have already warned those who had been sinning when I was there on my second visit. Now I again warn them and all others, just as I did before, that next time I will not spare them.”
2 Corinthians 13:1-2 NLT

We begin the last chapter of 2 Corinthians considering what Paul is intending to do in this, his third visit to the church in Corinth. The sinning amongst the believers will be his focus when he arrives, and he issued a warning in advance, probably in the hope that all would be sorted out by the time he gets to Corinth. Paul had obviously heard things about the goings-on in the church and reassured them that he wouldn’t act just on one person’s testimony. Paul quoted Deuteronomy 19:15, “You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”. This common-sense principle still underpins our legal system today, and the prosecution of anyone in the “dock” accused of a crime will need evidence that is backed up by a variety of factors, one of which is the importance of multi-witness testimony.

There were twelve men who spent three years of so in the company of Jesus, and in that time they were convinced that Jesus was who He said He was, the Son of God. And they continued through the rest of their lives suffering greatly for their testimony about who he was. Before the Sanhedrin, Peter said, “Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead” (Acts 4:10). This was a testimony that silenced the High Council, and we read, “But since they could see the man who had been healed standing right there among them, there was nothing the council could say” (Acts 4:14). In this case, Peter was the witness and his testimony was boldly proclaimed and backed up by the miracle that had taken place. We can just imagine the religious hierarchy staring at Peter open-mouthed, for once silenced by such indisputable evidence. There was nothing in their law book that could cope with this. And Acts 4:33 recorded “The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all”. 

The Gospels are full of the works and sayings of Jesus, and they were witnessed by His disciples and many others at the time. Paul wrote, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:3-7). Lawyers today have examined the available evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus and have concluded that there was sufficient to meet the threshold of achieving a positive confirmation of the truth of it. So why is it that people still won’t believe in Jesus? Evidence from far more than the required “two or three” exists.

People don’t believe in Jesus because it is a deliberate act of their will to deny the truth. They know that if they do believe in the evidence, then they will have to make some changes in their lives. Big changes for some, if not most, and in the verses we are considering today, the biggest issue is that of sin. Sin is defined as rebellion against God and His ways, but mis- and disinformation conspires to cover it up, or call it something else. Blame for sinful behaviour is apportioned to a number of factors, such as upbringing, social circumstances, or a popular one today – mental health. These are all valid to a greater or lesser degree, and they play a big part in defining who a person is, but they only mask the fundamental problem. I met a man the other day with a bright yellow sweatshirt emblazoned with the strap line “ADHD is not a lifestyle choice”. It probably isn’t – I’m not qualified to express even an opinion – but I worship a God who is bigger than any human condition, and we pilgrims know that He can take the weakest human being and turn them into a mighty man or woman of God. Paul wrote, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). God uses people who are weak, powerless, inadequate, uneducated, even sick, physically or mentally, to witness for Him. I have a dear friend who was hospitalised for some weeks recently with a heart condition, but even in his distress, he made sure that all the doctors and nurses knew about his faith in Jesus.

We pilgrims are counted amongst the “two or three” swelling the numbers who witness for Jesus into an uncountable multitude. And yet there are many more who do not know Him, and we have to tell them that they will perish in their sins unless they make the right choice to follow and believe in Jesus. What else can we do, other than tell people about God’s love and grace, about how he sent His Son, Jesus, to die for everyone, taking on their sins and taking on Himself the punishment for what was legally ours? 

Dear Heavenly Father. We understand that we are Your witnesses here in this sad and dying world, and we pray that we will get opportunities to declare “the resurrection of the Lord Jesus” whenever we can. In Your precious name we pray. Amen.

Confronting Sin in the Corinthian Church

Posted on by korgrocker

“Perhaps you think we’re saying these things just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as Christ’s servants, and with God as our witness. Everything we do, dear friends, is to strengthen you. For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behaviour. Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.”
2 Corinthians 12:19-21 NLT

The Corinthians must have been a rowdy lot, if Paul’s fears were realised. In fact, it is a surprise that there was a church there at all. Perhaps they were trying to realise the best of both worlds, the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world, but as we know, the two are incompatible. Earlier in this letter, Paul wrote, “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). Perhaps they had heard about the Laodiceans, suffering from the same apostasy, and we read what Jesus said about them, “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). The same incompatibility was in Jesus’ mind, I’m sure, when he said, “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). If the Corinthians were in fact trying to still live in their old, sinful ways, as well as pursue the things of God, then they were in for a shock, because Paul would have to confront it when he arrived for his third visit. 

Of course, in our churches today, the people would not have the same dichotomy, being “nice” people not guilty of any of the “crimes” Paul wrote about, such as “quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behaviour”. I’m sure the believers in Corinth knew that such behaviour was wrong and sinful, just the same as we would, but there it was bubbling away in the background, under the surface, but still visible to the Spirit-led gaze of Paul and his colleagues. One of the behavioural problems Paul wrote about was sexual immorality. In those days, without access to pornographic material, either in print form or internet-based, sexual sins would have been very visible, although largely accepted, or even encouraged, by the pagan societies in Greece. Today, the same sin exists, even within men of God, either in leadership or in the pews, who act out their secret lives, hoping that they will never be caught. So on a Sunday, the “nice” people worship together, but terrible things can happen when no one else is around. 

Another sin Paul mentioned was gossip. The sin of talking negatively about another person, criticising them, and even making up things about them that aren’t true. And gossip is not just a thing between people who know each other. It also takes place on social media, with sad people hiding behind a keyboard and the relative anonymity offered by pseudonyms and hidden accounts. 

So, in a nutshell, the problems Paul feared in the Corinthian church were no different from the problems that lie beneath the surface in our modern churches today. I have been in a public meeting when sinful behaviour was called out from the pulpit, but it is a rare occasion today. 

Paul’s complaint was that many of the Corinthians “[had] not given up [their] old sins. [They] [had] not repented of [their] impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure”. As believers in Jesus, there was a time when we came to the foot of the Cross and repented of our sins. So started a journey we call sanctification, as we gradually, and painfully slowly at times, cleaned up our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit, and under God’s Fatherly gaze. It was the same with the Corinthians, but it seemed that their journey was having a problem getting off the starting blocks. I’m sure that this was not a universal problem with the Corinthians, but there was still a worldly element in the church there. 

Today, there are some denominations that have allowed worldliness to enter their churches, as they preach a liberal doctrine that, in some cases, even denies the truth of Scripture. We pilgrims all know what that is and how it is leading to the decline of once-proud and effective beacons of light for the Gospel and our wonderful Jesus, with worldly doctrines that are dividing and destroying fellowship and subverting the purity of the Word and the Good News about Jesus. 

Paul had no choice other than to confront the sinful behaviour of the Corinthians, and through the Holy Spirit gifts that he had access to (as we all do), he would have been able to put his finger on those who were the culprits, not with a view to putting them out of the church (even though that had happened before), but with a view to restoring them back into the fellowship of believers. Paul’s advice to the Corinthians in his first letter was in fact to evict a blatant sinner from their midst: “Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns. … God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, ‘You must remove the evil person from among you’” (1 Corinthians 5:5, 13). But Paul was after restoration and repentance, so that the church could be strengthened and able to continue in the way of the Lord. 

Today we pilgrims must always try to align our lives to that of Jesus, adopting the Biblical truths that set out God’s ways rather than man’s. There is no other way. Liberal doctrines and worldly practices have no place in our churches and fellowships; all that matters is God’s truth.

Dear Father God. We proclaim Your Gospel message of repentance in a world of sin and evil. We want to be pure and holy in Your sight, now and forever. Amen.

Walking in Forgiveness

Posted on by korgrocker

“Now I am coming to you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you. I don’t want what you have—I want you. After all, children don’t provide for their parents. Rather, parents provide for their children. I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me. Some of you admit I was not a burden to you. But others still think I was sneaky and took advantage of you by trickery. But how? Did any of the men I sent to you take advantage of you? When I urged Titus to visit you and sent our other brother with him, did Titus take advantage of you? No! For we have the same spirit and walk in each other’s steps, doing things the same way.”
2 Corinthians 12:14-18 NLT

Were Paul’s concerns and feelings about the Corinthians church real or imagined? Did the believers in Corinth really think about him in the way he described? Paul was preparing for his third visit to them, and he expressed his love for them, sacrificial love that put them above his own needs. Paul was sad that the love he had for his friends in Corinth was not reciprocated, and he was looking for a reason as to why that should be the case. He wasn’t “sneaky” or involved in some form of “trickery”, he said. He wasn’t a burden to them. The men he sent to visit them were honourable men who didn’t take advantage of them. It is almost like reading a letter from a mother to a wayward son, setting out her love for him and appealing to his better nature. What had gone wrong?

There are times in relationships when there is a falling out, and the situation can soon develop into a permanent schism. The news media only rarely don’t have a story about a celebrity marriage that has gone sour and ended up in divorce, and lower down the social scale, the same weary story repeats itself as a relationship breakdown works its way through the courts, far from the glare of publicity. There was the time when the relationship between David and his son Absalom broke down. The background started with the rape of Absalom’s sister by one of her half-brothers, and Absalom eventually killed the man responsible. After this, he fled the family to live elsewhere and we read that, “… King David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom” (2 Samuel 13:39). But as we read on in the following chapters we find out how Absalom conspired to take over his father’s throne, and how it all came to a tragic end, with Absalom killed in battle. We finally read David’s response when he heard the news of Absalom’s death, as recorded in 2 Samuel 18:33, “The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son””. What went wrong in the relationship between father and son? The initial sinful act between another half-brother and sister ended up with the mobilisation of the entire army of Israel and we read that 20,000 men lost their lives in the ensuing battle. Finally, Absalom himself was killed. What a tragedy! At the root of the relational breakdown was sinful and selfish behaviour. 

In Psalm 55:12-14, David lamented the behaviour of someone he once considered a “close friend”. He wrote, “It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you—my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God”. Human nature hasn’t changed over the years since Adam.

There was an occasion when Paul and Barnabas parted company, as we read in Acts 15:36-39, “After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus”. 

We pilgrims have most likely had a falling out with another person, with a friendship coming to an end. In some cases, such a breakdown is never healed. There is nothing wrong with the demise of a friendship. It is the aftermath that is important. In the Lord’s prayer, we read, “and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” (Matthew 6:12). In God’s eyes, forgiveness for, and by, a believier is mandatory, as Jesus said in the next few verses, “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins”. We must always walk in forgiveness to other believers and beyond, and even extend our forgiveness to those such as politicians, government organisations, and all, who we feel have caused us harm. We may not know them personally, but we must still forgive them for the way they have treated us. In extreme cases, we must even write a letter to them explaining what they have done, how it has harmed us, and that we forgive them anyway. We can then move on in God’s grace, secure in the knowledge that our sins are forgiven. 

Heavenly Father. There are times when it is difficult behaving in the way You require. Yet, through Jesus, You provided forgiveness for all our sins. We know that we are not responsible for others, but we are responsible for ourselves. Please help us, we pray, and “search our hearts” and “point out anything that offends You”. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Signs and Wonders: Biblical Insights for Today

Posted on by korgrocker

“You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. When I was with you, I certainly gave you proof that I am an apostle. For I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles among you. The only thing I failed to do, which I do in the other churches, was to become a financial burden to you. Please forgive me for this wrong!”
2 Corinthians 12:11-13 NLT

You can’t help feeling sorry for Paul, as he was forced to write uncomfortable truths, both for him and the Corinthians, in this letter. He was a humble man, never wanting to promote himself, and certainly not in the way the Corinthian “super-apostles” did. In his first letter, Paul wrote, “When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). That was Paul in his comfort zone, preaching about Jesus so that the focus was on Him, not Paul. Preaching in a way that pointed to God, in a way that encouraged the early believers to look up and not at the messenger or each other. But word had reached him that there were some in Corinth who had a different approach, with a focus on their gifts and preaching rather than the Jesus whom Paul preached. 

There was no substitute for a simple sermon by those early Apostles, backed by signs and wonders. They had been with Jesus and had seen with their own eyes what their Master had done through the power of God. And they had heard Jesus say, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father” (John 14:12-13). In Acts 19, we read about the signs and wonders Paul performed in Ephesus. We read, “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” (Acts 19:11-12). This happened after his first visit to Corinth, so it can be assumed that “God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles” there as well. 

In Mark’s Gospel, we read the Great Commission, and Jesus said, “… Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptised will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed” (Mark 16:15-18). It was an expected phenomenon that the preaching of the Gospel was confirmed by signs and wonders, and we read that this was the case in Acts 14:3: “But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders”. 

What has happened to “signs, wonders and miracles” after the preaching of the Word today? There are a number of possible reasons. Firstly, in the first Century, the Apostles were preaching mainly to unbelievers and through God’s grace, He gave them the power to validate the Gospel message of Jesus, and Him crucified, in a way that convinced their hearers of the truth of the message. Peter’s great Acts 2 sermon followed a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and we read that three thousand men were saved after believing the message. Secondly, the signs and wonders followed the preaching of the Gospel, something that only rarely happens in churches today, with sermons being focused more on discipleship than conversion. Thirdly, in some denominations or movements, the general belief (unbelief?) is that miracles were for the early Apostles only and died out with them. But “miracles, signs and wonders” have continued right up until modern days, confounding this view. Fourthly, perhaps the lack of signs and wonders is more about a general lack of faith than God’s willingness to provide them. The Holy Spirit will distribute gifts as He sees fit, and to fulfil His purposes. 

We pilgrims today are a counter-cultural people who challenge the status quo with an expectation that God is alive and well, and He wants to bless His people, with spiritual gifts if necessary, and see others come to faith. We are the key to that happening, and so we put aside our pre-conceived thoughts, and instead we look up, saying to God, “What do You want to do through me today?” A dangerous prayer to pray, as we see from Isaiah in his reply to God. He wrote, “Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” I said, “Here I am. Send me”” (Isaiah 6:8). That question is still hanging in the air today. Are we a “Send me” generation? We have to be, because God desires no other.

Heavenly Father. We pray that prayer today, that You will use us to fulfil Your purposes in our communities today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Strength Found in Weakness: Paul’s Message

Posted on by korgrocker

“even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NLT

Is there any benefit in continuing to speculate about Paul’s thorn in his flesh? In a previous blog, we considered some of the possibilities, referring to Scriptures that might have provided a hint or two. We considered his sight, or a tremble, but the description of a “thorn in the flesh” implies a bit more of a physical affliction, perhaps one that is painful or debilitating in another way. Perhaps Paul had some form of mental illness, such as depression, which is a terrible place to be. There is a hint of this in 2 Corinthians 1:8, “We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it”. It may have been another person, causing him constant grief, and there are several examples of this, such as in 1 Timothy 1:20, “Hymenaeus and Alexander are two examples. I threw them out and handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God”. Lastly, some scholars think that Paul was battling with a specific sin, basing their thoughts on what he wrote in Romans 7. But we have to admit that, in the end, we do not know what Paul’s “thorn in the flesh” was. And it is perhaps just as well, because if we knew the specifics, it could become something people could have blamed ever since for their spiritual state, even presenting themselves as “super-spiritual” and boasting about it.

The Lord’s response to Paul, every time he pleaded for it to be taken away, was “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness”. And that’s the thing, because it’s all about doing God’s work in His strength, not in our own. We pilgrims have a tendency to battle on in our own strength whenever burdens and obstacles get in our way on our journeys to Glory. Perhaps we experience some difficulty in a relationship or suffer a setback at work. The car breaks down, and we are facing an expensive bill. All situations that are not unusual, but instead of looking to God for a remedy, we jump through mental hoops trying to fix the problem in our own strength. Paul discovered that whenever something got in his way, God had the solution to his problem. His “thorn in the flesh” was an ever-present reminder of God’s strength and his weakness. 

Paul went even further than just being reminded of the power of God. He took pleasure in his weaknesses, “in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that [he suffered] Christ”. His affliction was a constant reminder that God was with him, whatever he was facing, and, let’s face it, Paul had to face some horrendous situations. 

We pilgrims spend too much time living our lives without giving God and His power a second thought, or is it just me? There is so much we take for granted. The basics we receive for life just don’t receive a second thought. We live in our warm homes, enjoying a meal, a warm and soft bed, but do we take time to thank God for His provision? Do we give any thought to those who are homeless, who are hungry, persecuted and in distress? And then when problems do come our way, is the first port of call the doctor’s surgery, or the bank manager? We pilgrims are weak and helpless, when it comes to many things we find in this life, and too often we forget that God is all-powerful and we are all-weak. He is a loving Heavenly Father, who has set a course before us in this life and we must never forget that in our weakness we are yet strong through His power that is within us. Paul wrote, “For when I am weak, then I am strong”. It is the spirit-filled life that he described, and the one that we should be following.

Dear Heavenly Father. Please forgive us for the times when we fail to offer our thanks for Your provision. For the times when we do things in our own strength rather than looking to You. You are the almighty God, but we are overwhelmed that You would adopt children like us. Thank You. Amen.

Understanding Paul’s Thorn: Lessons in Humility

Posted on by korgrocker

“If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.”
2 Corinthians 12:6-8 NLT

I wonder what Paul saw and heard in Heaven. We don’t really have a clue about what is there, although Jesus called it Paradise. Revelation gives us a few glimpses of what John saw there, with a door opening for him to reveal a throne with the One sitting on it, appearing as brilliant as gemstones. There was a sea of glass, an emerald rainbow, flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder. Elders, 24 of them, wore gold crowns and white robes. Living creatures were there constantly singing a hymn of praise to God. But this was all that John could describe in a brief glimpse of Heaven. Paul had a similar experience, being “ … caught up to paradise and [where he] heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell” (2 Corinthians 12:4). John was told to write down his experience, but Paul was commanded not to. It’s possible that Paul saw what eternity would be like and now knew things the rest of humanity could never know. Such an immeasurable gift would have given Paul seemingly limitless confidence to keep preaching, despite terrible suffering. It also gave him the perspective that such suffering in this life was not worth comparing to the glory of eternity. 

A lesser person than Paul would have become puffed up with pride and would have gone through his life boasting about his experiences. After all, if someone today meets a special person, such as a royal, or a famous actor or actress, they make sure everyone knows about their experience. So just in case, Paul “… was given a thorn in [his] flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment [him] and keep [him] from becoming proud” (2 Corinthians 12:7). What would this have been? The imagery Paul creates here is that of a sharp object, like a sharp piece of wood, stabbed into his body, unable to be removed, bringing chronic pain and discomfort. Paul attributed it to it being a “messenger of satan”, and we read that he begged the Lord to take it away from him. It was something that he was constantly aware of, but it was not so debilitating that his ministry was affected. 

There has been much speculation by scholars and theologians about what Paul’s thorn was, with suggestions that it was his eyesight. We know from Galatians 6:11 that his writing had to be enlarged to make it visible to him. We also know from Acts 23 that Paul had a problem in trying to discern who the high priest was amongst the gathered members of the Sanhedrin, perhaps due to his poor eyesight. Then there are some who think he might have had a tremor of some kind, such as a friend of mine has. 1 Corinthians 2:3, “I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling”. Perhaps Paul had a problem articulating his words in a way that could be easy to listen to or understand. 2 Corinthians 10:10, “For some say, ‘Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!’”. But this is all speculation, and we won’t know what his “thorn” was until we can ask him ourselves one day. 

But whatever the cause, Paul had a physical condition that kept him from becoming proud about his wonderful experience in the Third Heaven, a place he referred to as paradise. Paul was therefore continually in a state of humility, knowing that God had allowed something to happen to him for a purpose. We should also note that Paul attributed his condition to satan, meaning that God had given him permission to cause him some distress. We know that this can happen, because of the story of Job. We read in Job 1:10-12 the account of a conversation between satan and God about Job, and satan complained, “You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence”. Nothing happened to Paul by the devil without God’s permission, and we can assume the same. Why would God allow such an attack from the enemy? If it were against us, we could assume it was for our higher good, as it was with Paul. In Hebrews 12:6 we read, “For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child”. It is possible that the devil would be allowed to assist in this process.

If any of us pilgrims are living with a physical condition that is debilitating or unwelcome, we must never assume that it is a “thorn in our flesh” as it was in the case of Paul, or given to us by satan. We live in a fallen world, and sin will sometimes be manifested through illness or disease. But whatever the situation, we learn to look up rather than inward, because it is only as we see God and perhaps catch a glimpse of the Third Heaven that we can find the strength to continue in our lives here on Planet Earth. 

Dear Father God. We confess our sins before You today. Please forgive us for our moaning and complaining. Instead, we pray for a glimpse of Heaven to sustain us through Your Spirit, in our years ahead. Thank You. Amen.