Honour the Lord (2)

Posted on by korgrocker

“Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honour him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honour the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honour the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honour the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.”
Romans 14:6-9 NLT

Paul continued to write about how we honour God. This time He was pointing out that we honour God in the way we live. And he added the rider, “if” to the “we live”. But often do we consider that our lives should be honouring to God? In all that we do? In our leisure, in our schools and workplaces, while we are awake and while we sleep. 24/7. A big ask surely? 

The first challenge is that Paul wrote that “we don’t live for ourselves”. That is so counter-cultural a statement! It drives a huge wedge between the way the world says we should live, and the way of a God-follower. A sinful person’s thinking is dominated by “what’s in it for me” or “I‘ll do it my way”. A redeemed person’s thinking is unselfish and focused on what and how God wants him or her to behave. Jesus said that we pilgrims should, “ … love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Our love of God transcends all thoughts of sinful selfishness.

Paul went on to write “if we die …”. This is an uncomfortable place for most people. We don’t talk about death, particularly our own. As someone once said, “I don’t have a fear of death – I just don’t want to be involved”. But the fact that one day we will leave this life is one of the few certainties that we have to consider. And Paul said the manner of our passing is “to honour the Lord”. A good friend of mine had to face into several health issues during his life, and his final battle was with cancer. But his last few weeks and days were truly honouring to God. Even in the pain he was experiencing, he was gracious and considerate to those around him. He didn’t give up his church duties until the very end, and could always be found reading his Bible, or listening to worship music. A look into his eyes revealed a glimpse of eternity. And on his last day, from a hospice bed, he was able to talk with his children and pray with them. His death was truly honouring to the Lord and one that shone like a beacon to those around him.

Paul wrote that in life and death we honour God, something we should consider daily in our humanity, in our journeys to glory. But it’s not too hard an ask. With such a loving Heavenly Father how else can we live except in a way that honours Him. After all, He has done so much for us in this life, and His love and care won’t finish the other side of the grave. In Philippians 1:20-24, Paul wrote, “For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honour to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live”. Even in the privations of a Roman jail, Paul could only think about others. 

One day someone will engrave a message on our tombstones, literal or metaphorical. Will “He (or she) honoured the Lord” be there? I pray that this will be the case for pilgrims everywhere, and one day it will be followed by a “Well done …”. 

Dear Heavenly Father. With Paul we set our eyes on the life to come, encouraged and refreshed in these weary days. We thank You for the companionship of Your Spirit, helping us step by step. Amen.

Honour the Lord (1)

Posted on by korgrocker

“Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honour him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honour the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honour the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honour the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.”
Romans 14:6-9 NLT

Paul wrote that ”those who eat any kind of food do so to honour the Lord”. Is that not a strange concept because surely we eat food to sustain our lives? There are some basics in life that are absolutely necessary, like food, water, air, and shelter. So what was Paul meaning when he wrote that? Perhaps there was a hint when he said that it is to “give thanks to God”. 

There is so much that we enjoy through God’s provision, but so many things we take for granted. But do we thank God for them? And thank Him all the time? Take food for example, it was a custom to say grace before a meal, but it only happens rarely these days, and then usually only in Christian company. Sadly, the secularisation of our societies rolls on incessantly. But when was the last time we thanked God for the water we drink, and the air we breathe? We also fail most of the time to appreciate that the planet on which we live has been established with a delicate balance of all the physical attributes needed to sustain life. The gravity is just right. The constitution of the atmosphere is just the right balance of gases. The angle at which the earth spins is precise. Forgive us, God, for not giving You the praise and glory, the thanks and worship, for all You have done for us.

Psalm 107 is a really positive Psalm about giving thanks, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts”. (Psalms 107:1,9,22). The Apostle James wrote that all the good we receive is a gift from God, “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow” (James 1:17). All that we receive depends on the grace of God. Theologians talk about “common grace” because He makes available His wonderful provision to all mankind, not just His people. Jesus spoke about it, as recorded in Matthew 5:45, “In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike”. In Psalm 145:9 the Psalmist records, “The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation”. But as he said in the next verse, only His followers offer God thanks and praise, “All of your works will thank you, Lord, and your faithful followers will praise you” (Psalm 145:10).

We pilgrims know the Source of all we need, physically and spiritually. His absolute provision holds us together in this life, as it will in the next. How can we not thank Him, honouring Him, from the very bottom of our hearts. There is no limit to what we can offer Him, but it will never even get close in response to what He has done for us.

Dear Lord. Thank You for Your amazing provision for us Planet Earth dwellers. We honour You today, offering You the worship You deserve. Amen.

Holy Days

Posted on by korgrocker

“In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.”
Romans 14:5 NLT

In many ways this verse today is very applicable to Western cultures. For example, our retail industry demands a 7-day working week, with shop assistants, delivery drivers and others having to work on a Sunday, which is considered by many people to be a “holy day”. In the Western Isles in Scotland, Sunday is still considered to be a day of rest, a Sabbath, and in recent years there have been protests and much opposition to anything considered to be “work”. It is only in the latter half of the twentieth century that shops, for example, have been allowed to open here in the UK, and Sabbath principles are still clinging on with restrictions on the sales of certain items. Traditional Presbyterianism has demanded that the Biblical principle of a day of rest is followed strictly. 

Our society has become a 24/7 merry-go-round of work, more work, little play and even less of a focus on having a “holy day”. Global communications and universal internet availability facilitate remote working for the white-collar professions. Economic demands encroach into what should be leisure time. But right at the beginning of time as we know it, God set an example for mankind to follow. We read in Genesis 2:2-3, “On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation”. By convention, God followers, whether Jewish or Christian, have encouraged the implementation of a “holy day”. The Jewish sabbath. The Christian Sunday. God’s blueprint for mankind followed – until recently that is. In the secular West, a “holy day” has been displaced to become a leisure day, for golf, gardening or some other pastime like shopping or visiting friends or relatives. Human beings, like God, need to rest from labour. We know that working 7-day weeks will wear us down quite quickly, leading to burn out and ill health.

But is it necessary to have a “holy day”? Shouldn’t everyday be dedicated to God? That is right, of course, but a day spent in fellowship with other Christians, corporately worshipping our Heavenly Father, is a time when our spirits are recharged and refilled once again with the Holy Spirit. A time when we take time out from the mundane and briefly look upwards into Heavenly places. A time when we look over the parapets of Heaven and get a glimpse of the Glory lands beyond. A time when we receive some dimly-lit ideas, even visions, of what eternal life will be like. A time when we hear a preacher explore the Word and sing spiritual psalms and songs together. A time when the Holy Spirit has room to minister God’s love and grace amongst us. And as the sun sets on a holy day we look into the week, refreshed and re-equipped to make a difference in our jobs, our schools, our families, and our communities. 

Father God. We thank You for Your example of taking a day of rest and the opportunity of spending it in worship to You. May we turn our pews into altars of praise and worship to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Feeling Free

Posted on by korgrocker

“Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.”
Romans 14:3-4 NLT

It should be noted that Paul didn’t advise his Christians friends in Rome which foods were right to eat, and which weren’t. He was quite comfortable to leave that decision to something worked out between the individuals concerned and God Himself. There is a principle at work here that extends far beyond matters of what we should, and shouldn’t, eat. 

Before we even enter the Christian culture, there are lobby groups and ideologues, vocal minorities, who want to impose their own particular ways on society. So we have the vegans and vegetarians. There are those who promote particular diets, some high on protein, some high on something else, that their fans think everyone should adopt. Then there are some who are teetotal, others who are wine drinkers, and so on. There is a tendency for these “enlightened” people and groups to look down on everyone else, those who have not adopted their own particular cause. And in recent years the ideologies and their adherents have become increasingly strident, wanting to “cancel” those who don’t affirm that their way is the only way.

This was no different in Jesus’ day. The Pharisees were a group who had very fixed ideas about what was right and wrong when it came to culinary matters. They even made accusations against Jesus. We can read His response in Matthew 11:19, “The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results”. 

Sadly, Christians can also get caught up in trying to convert fellow believers to their own particular life styles. We pilgrims can offer a tut-tut when we see a Christian behaving in a way that doesn’t apply to us anymore because we have already sorted it out between God and ourselves. We may have been set free from certain lifestyle choices by the power of God working in our lives, but that doesn’t give us the right to look down on those who are still bound up. Jesus accused the Pharisees of focusing on the wrong priorities. Jesus said in Luke 11:42, “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things“. In the way we regard our fellow believers, it is easy to adopt pharisaical attitudes.

Paul was pointing out to the Roman Christians that God has accepted people just where they were at. And that principle applies today, just as it did 2,000 years ago. When we made that commitment to follow Jesus, we gave the Holy Spirit permission to start to clean up our lives and help us remove all unholiness from us. It is a lifetime’s commitment, and the work won’t be completed until we get to Heaven. By the way, it is not just about food. Romans 12:1, “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”. Following Jesus is a whole life experience, and also a very personal one. Of course we may feel we can help those around us, but Jesus was quite scathing about looking critically at those around us. Matthew 7:1-2, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged“. I think we have enough to do sorting our our own lives. But thankfully the Holy Spirit is there within us, gently helping us clean up our messy lives, and encouraging us along the road to Glory.

Father God. Thank You for Your love and grace. Without You in our lives by the power of Your Spirit we have no hope for the future. So with sober humility we worship You today. Amen.

Vegetables

Posted on by korgrocker

“For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.”
Romans 14:2 NLT

Food is a necessary part of life. Without it we waste away and won’t last very long. In Paul’s day, as there is a today, there was an issue with what constituted right or wrong foods, but for different reasons. First century Christian had a dilemma, because there was a practice of offering food to an idol, an inanimate lump of wood, stone, or metal, after which it was made available for others to eat. Some Christians had no problem with eating such food at all, but others shunned it because of the association with idolatry. Paul wrote that’s those in the latter category had sensitive consciences. Placed in the same situation what would we do?

There is a constant theme about food that runs through the Bible. It seems from Genesis 1 that God intended mankind to have a diet of vegetables and fruit. Genesis 1:29, “Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food”.  Then we have the instructions provided through Moses of how food should be treated, and what should and shouldn’t be consumed, for example in Leviticus 11. And then at the end of the Bible, in Revelation 22, we seem to have gone full circle, back to eating fruit, Revelation 22:2, “ … On each side of the river grew a tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, with a fresh crop each month. The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations”. 

The issue today in our societies is not the worship of idols through eating food offerings, but another challenge has emerged. Scientists tell us that some foods are good for us, and others are not.  We also have a wide divergence of food availability, with some countries having too much food and others not enough. So does Paul’s advice in Romans 14:2 apply to 21st Century Christians or is it outdated and can be ignored?

As someone who manages his diabetes by diet, I know that there are some foods that won’t be good for me. Carbohydrates, especially sugar, have to be carefully controlled, even avoided. I also know that meal sizes have a bearing on my blood glucose readings. But other people I know have different challenges. Lactose or gluten intolerance, peanut allergies, and many other seemingly modern day phenomena determine what we can or cannot eat. But none of this was what Paul was writing about.

In Philippians 3:18-19, we read, “For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things”. Paul pointed out that worldly people can become idol worshippers, not to lumps of stone or carved statues, but with their sensuality, affecting all of them, not just their stomachs. 

The principle of right and wrong foods extends into other areas. For example, some think certain leisure activities on a Sunday should be avoided. Others have no problems. I know people who brought up their children to respect Sundays, not allowing them play or watch TV. In the past, dancing has been acceptable to some but not to others. And nowhere has this dichotomy been more prevalent than in the church.

We are each guided by our consciences, but we also be careful not to impose our world-view on others. What other Christians believe is acceptable is between them and the light God has given them. We commit our consciences into God’s loving hands, asking Him to keep our hearts soft and pliable.

Dear God. You have wired each one of us with a conscience. We know that if we violate it then it will become less and less sensitive. So we pray for a Holy Spirit sensitivity to infuse our hearts and minds. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Weak in Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong.”
Romans 14:1 NLT

We are all at different stages in our Christian lives. In a functioning fellowship there will be some who are the elder statesmen and women, who have lived the Christian life for many years. But there will be others who are spiritual toddlers, taking their first steps bravely into a new world. Of course, those who have been journeying in the faith for many years will have advice for the baby Christians. In fact, the Bible encourages it. 

But you will perhaps notice my use of the word “functioning”. Sadly, so many of our church fellowships are populated by older people, and the family life they should represent lacks the younger people, teenagers, and children. In fact, some of our churches seem to be more like departure lounges at an airport. The Church of Jesus Christ is not supposed to be like that but, thankfully, it isn’t. There are many vibrant and active, Bible-believing, fellowships in the UK, and elsewhere in the Western countries. Jesus said He would build His church, and He is doing just that.

A church family, made up of people of all ages, physical and spiritual, is a lively and exciting place to be. Multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic, families combine to demonstrate the rich nature of life in Christ. But inevitably there is a clash sometimes, and Paul addressed that problem in his writings that we consider today. At the point of making a decision to follow Christ, the Holy Spirit will start to gently expose the new Christian to what is right and wrong. For example, people who smoke usually, sooner or later, come to realise that it might not be fully compliant with how Christians behave, even though there is no specific guidance in the Bible. This realisation might take just a few weeks or months, or might never happen, but there will always be those who are quick to point out the problem of addiction to tobacco. In Paul’s day there was the issue of foods offered to idols. Some thought it perfectly acceptable to eat such food. Others didn’t. We need to remember that in our Christian journeys, the Holy Spirit fine-tunes a growth package just for us individually, and the interference from other Christians can get in the way.

In the fellowship family life, there are roles for everyone, and Paul gave some good advice in his epistle to Titus about how, for example, older women should help those younger. “These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God” (Titus 2:4-5). In that culture, internet and Google-free as it was, principles of parenting and family life were shared and encouraged in a church setting. The next verse in Titus involves younger men, “In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely” (Titus 2:6). 

But in all of this Paul gave a warning. He said, “don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong”. There is a fine line, a balance, between encouraging and arguing. We need the Holy Spirit to help us discern issues and help each other to overcome them. I was very fortunate to be born again into a church where the pastor very patiently helped me through my first early steps in the faith, and I was never conscious of other more mature Christians arguing with me. But that may not be the case with everyone. Personally, I was helped most by conversation that piggy-backed on a normal task, like car maintenance, or mixing concrete. Decorating a room, or some such activity as that. A conversation is much more effective than a confrontation. And the best way to help those who Paul called “weak in faith” is by example.

The final arbiter for right or wrong comes from the Bible, with interpretive assistance from the Holy Spirit. The act of loving and nurturing each other is something that sets Christians apart from all other religions. And the bond that builds between us is a bridge over which God can often deliver the help that we all need from time to time.

Dear Father God. We thank You that because of all the love that You have poured out upon us we can love one another. Please help us to build each other up and not tear others down. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Belonging

Posted on by korgrocker

“Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.”
Romans 13:13-14 NLT

We mustn’t forget that Paul was writing to the Roman Christians, early trail-blazers of the movement that has changed the world. The followers of Christ found themselves in a place that was totally incomprehensible to the pagans around them, and they would have been under constant pressure to join the customs prevalent around them. Paul lists a few of the darker attributes of this society, and he mentions “wild parties” and “drunkenness”, “sexual promiscuity and immoral living”. And the early Christians would have been invited to join in with the practices of their neighbours and previous friends. Only a strong person filled with the Holy Spirit would have been able to stand firm and give a resounding “NO!”. 

For those in our Western societies, Paul’s admonition is just as valid. I know from my own experiences in the workplace of the pressure to join the after-work drinking sessions, or the invitations to join in with the special functions to places of dubious morality. There was always the office banter that had its roots in the darker sides of life, and that merged with reality when guards were down. Inevitably I found myself on the outside of the social life promoted in the office environment, but that was ok for me. Unfortunately, I have known Christian friends who were less resilient.

Paul’s admonition to those early Christians, and to us, was and is clear. Because we are Jesus people we live in the light of His presence. Not for us the cohabiting with deeds of darkness. We belong to Jesus, a daytime experience that is there for all to see. Jesus Himself preached about living in the light. In Matthew 5:14-16 He said, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father”.

In our societies, our workplaces, our schools and colleges, and anywhere else where we find ourselves, what message are we portraying? Are we a Jesus-beacon, bringing His light into an otherwise dark place? Or is our presence not very illuminating? That is the challenge to Christians everywhere. To whom or to what do we belong? Paul’s message was clear – because we belong to the light we have to act in that way. So we don’t get involved in activities more suited to the dark places of life. We keep away from places of temptation. We shun promiscuous opportunities. If we have a predisposition to the love of alcohol, then become teetotal. If internet pornography is an attraction, then we block the websites, or even turn off the router. Paul wrote, “Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ”. And as we look into His face we will see Him clearly, and as a result “the things of earth will grow strangely dim”. We pilgrims belong to the light. With God’s help we can stay that way.

Father God. We thank You for Your help in righteous living. Please help us to stay away from temptation. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Dark and Dirty Deeds

Posted on by korgrocker

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armour of right living.”
Romans 13:11-12 NLT

Paul was writing here to the Christians in Rome. These were people who had been through much for their faith – it wasn’t easy being different in the culture of the first century AD. But Paul felt the need to write to them about the way they were living, because he was expecting the return of Jesus imminently. He compared the period in which they were living as “night”, a time period of blackness followed by the dawn. 

Here in the UK there is not a sudden transition from night to day. The sky starts to lighten in the East, and objects around us become less indistinct. A couple of years ago I was standing on the foreshore of a Scottish fishing village just South of Aberdeen, watching the sun rise. The sky was clear and the hint of a beautiful dawn was followed by the appearance of the sun. It rose over the horizon as a large red disc that gradually but perceptibly rose above the sea. It was an almost magical moment and one shared with appreciative early morning walkers.

But when Jesus appears there will be a sudden transition from the “night” of His absence to the “day” of His arrival. We read in Luke 17:24, “For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other, so it will be on the day when the Son of Man comes”. Jesus won’t appear gradually, giving people time to sort out their lives. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17,  “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever”. We get a picture of the sudden appearance of Jesus accompanied by “a commanding shout”, “lightning flashes” and the “trumpet call of God”. It will be an awesome experience, accompanied by some strange happenings as believers appear from wherever they had been buried, land or sea, coffins or urns, followed by those who are still alive finding themselves being “caught up in the clouds”. And as Jesus comes, He will be met by this huge gathering of His people, who “will be with the Lord forever”. A fairy story? Many may think so, but at their peril. Paul believed it would happen this way because He received a direct revelation from the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:15, “We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died” (emphasis mine).

So Paul warned his friends in Rome about what was to come, telling them to get their lives sorted out. He compared their behaviour as being like “dirty clothes”. A graphic illustration of how we must look to God. Would we behave as we do if we really thought God was looking on? Imagine turning up to a wedding wearing old and dirty clothes covered in paint and oil! In John’s Revelation, he quoted Jesus, who said, “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed” (Revelation 16:15).

But then we remember His grace, and His offer of cleansing power through Jesus, constantly available to us. After David’s disastrous encounter with Bathsheba, where he broke several commandments all on the same day, we read his Psalm of contrition. he wrote, “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). We desperately need to allow God to cleanse us from all our sins, and he will, as we repent and turn from our “dark deeds”.

We have a choice about the way we live. God’s way or the wrong way. Which way will we choose? There is no time for complacency. “The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here“.

Father. We thank You for Your patience with us. We pray today for more of Your cleansing love and grace, removing the soil and dirt that so easily sticks to us from the societies in which we live. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our Salvation

Posted on by korgrocker

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armour of right living.”
Romans 13:11-12 NLT

I’m sure we have all been in a church meeting at some time when a testimony is given, about someone who was saved on such and such a day and what an impact that had had on their lives. But Paul wrote here in Romans 13:11 that “our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed”, implying that the original assumption of claiming to be saved might be flawed. So which is right?

We first have to consider what we mean by “being saved” or “salvation”. The dictionary definition is “deliverance from sin and its consequences, believed by Christians to be brought about by faith in Christ”. And that is indeed the case, because one day, at some time in the future, we will enjoy bring able to enter God’s presence. Through our faith in Jesus, we believe that He dealt with our sins at Calvary. No sinful person can ever enter God’s presence, so through His grace, He provided a way in which our sins can be forgiven. So we are saved. And Paul reminded his readers that the time when they will enter God’s presence was getting nearer. 

But there are in fact three phases in what we call “salvation”. The testimony from a person claiming to be saved is the first step in a process, that starts with their faith being placed in Jesus and ends with the receipt of a resurrection body when we enter God’s presence. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. Note that Paul didn’t say you are saved, but “you will be saved”. God’s grace in accepting a sinner who turns to Him is life changing and incomprehensible to many. But it’s all about His gracious love for His human creation. Warts and all, everyone has an opportunity to be accepted by God. We should note what Peter said in his Acts 2 sermon. In Acts 2:38 we read, “ … “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””. The first step that all Christians must take involves repentance from sins and turning to God away from their old sinful lives. 

The second step is what the theologians call sanctification. A long word meaning that we are being made holy. God won’t accept anything that is unholy in Heaven. But through a growing up process, the new Christian learns how God wants him or her to live. In 1 Peter 1:14-15, Peter wrote, “So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy”. Such a process would be impossible in our own strength, but God sent the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to help us. Romans 8:11, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you”. Note that Peter told his listeners in Acts 2:38, that by turning to God, they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. One follows the other. We cannot turn to God but deny access to the Holy Spirit. 

The third and final step is the wonderful realisation that we will one day be glorified. This is when we will receive a resurrection body just like Jesus’s. Romans 8:30, “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified”. Colossians 3:1-4, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honour at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory”. Paul wrote to the Thessalonian Christians, “We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

We pilgrims made a decision to follow Jesus, taking the first steps in our journey to glorification. It’s a lifetime commitment, and the wonderful thing is that God will never reject a repentant sinner. We may be a few minutes away from glory, or many years, but God will accept all those who repent.

Sadly, there are many who have decided that they don’t want to be with God for eternity. Foolishly, they think that they can continue their sinful ways after death, if they even believe in an afterlife. One of my neighbours thinks that he will join, what he calls, “the big party downstairs”. Others think that death will bring oblivion, so why not just enjoy the sinful lives they live while they can. But Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, warning them to wake up. He knew what would happen to those who refused to accept God’s wonderful and gracious of salvation through Jesus, and he didn’t want his friends in Rome to be counted among them.

Dear Father God. How can we thank You enough for Your grace and love, so freely given. we worship You today. Amen.

Wake Up

Posted on by korgrocker

“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.”
Romans 13:11 NLT

The early Christians were convinced that the second coming of Jesus was getting close. Peter asked Jesus about the disciple John’s future, and we can read the question and Jesus’ answer in John 21:21-22, “Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me””. And we read that a rumour started, that John would still be alive when Jesus returned. So throughout the New Testament is the occasional reference or expectation that Jesus was returning “soon”. Jesus taught about being ready for when He came back to this earth, and He told His disciples a story about the Ten Bridesmaids (or Virgins) that we can read in Matthew 25. And then He said in conclusion to this story, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return”. So in effect we must all live our lives as though Jesus was going to appear at any time. I really don’t know whether or not I will finish writing this piece before he returns. It could be as dramatic as that. Yes, we will be able to receive a few hints and signs – read Matthew 24 – and if we look hard enough most of those warning indications have already been fulfilled, in one way or another. As Paul wrote, “time is running out”. 

The challenge for Christians everywhere is the state of our spiritual lives. By that I mean, are we awake or sleeping? Or perhaps dozing somewhere between the two. In the Ten Bridesmaids story, they all started off with a lamp and some oil. But five of them didn’t have enough oil to keep their lamps alight, and when the bridegroom arrived (at midnight), they were caught out, trying to find a shop that was open and where they could buy some oil. In the story we can see that Jesus was the Bridegroom, and His return didn’t come at a convenient time for the young women. It probably won’t come at a convenient time for us either. We might be in the middle of something we think is important. We might be full of good intentions but haven’t quite got round yet to carrying them out. At a time of being caught up in excitement with Jesus’ appearance, perhaps we have some issues with someone that must be put right. But we must have our spiritual suitcases packed, and easily and readily accessible.

At the end of Matthew 25, Jesus told the story of the Sheep and the Goats. We know it of course, but which group of these ruminants do we identify with? Note that it wasn’t a crowd of ordinary people Jesus was speaking to. It was His disciples. Why did He remind them the importance of being counted amongst the sheep? Should that apply to use as well?

We must be living our lives in a state of constant readiness, just in case Jesus returns soon. It may not be long. We must keep our eyes on the horizon because, “For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 24:27). Jesus’ second coming won’t be as a child in a manger. His return will be there for all to see, regardless of longitude or latitude.

Dear Father. Thank You for Your Son Jesus. We look forward to His return with anticipation. Please help us keep ready and waiting with loving expectation. Amen.