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Proving Ourselves

Posted on by korgrocker

“In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.”
2 Corinthians 6:4-6 NLT

Paul the Apostle gives us a powerful portrait of authentic Christian ministry. But it is not a picture that correlates well with modern, worldly ideas of success. True servants of God are recognised not by comfort, applause, or influence, but by endurance, character, and purity of heart. Paul wrote that he and his colleagues “patiently endure” things that would have destroyed many lesser people. How convinced are we of our mission in life to put up with the things that Paul did? Look at the pressures he endured. Beatings, imprisonment, exhaustion, sleeplessness, and hunger were listed in our verses today, but there are many others in his list of persecutions. How was Paul able to endure such things? How far would we have got if we were one of Paul’s colleagues? 

In 2 Timothy 4:10a Paul wrote, “Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. …” and I suspect we would have been hot on his heels, had we been facing into the situations that Paul seemed to attract. Jesus said to His disciples, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Paul experienced “many trials and sorrows” on steroids, but he was prepared to endure such a life because of His Lord, Jesus. Paul wrote, “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!” (Philippians 3:10-11). So Paul declared that “true ministry” is not delivered in an absence of suffering but faithfulness in it. We pilgrims have not, and will not, be guaranteed a trouble-free life, but those producing the fruit of endurance are those who faithfully stay the course and don’t abandon the ship at the first hint of a storm. It may mean we have to make decisions that reduce our employment opportunities. It may mean that we have to live somewhere other than our preferred postcode. It may even mean we have to walk away from a relationship because it was becoming toxic to our fellowship with God. The troubles we have to endure may not be of the physical variety experienced by Paul, but we have to persevere in them anyway.

Paul continued to write, “We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love”. Taking these qualities in Paul in turn, we firstly consider “purity”. This is living a life of integrity in all we do, in the public things and the hidden things. Psalm 24:3-4, “Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies”. Paul’s next quality is “understanding”. This is having spiritual discernment and wisdom. James 1:5, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking”. Some situations require us to be patient and kind. But in all of this, regardless of any hardship we might experience, we must persevere, enduring what comes our way. So, when criticised, do we respond with kindness? Or if we are misunderstood, do we act with patience? And a big one – if under pressure, does purity remain?

Paul finished verse 6 of our reading today with “by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love”. In his own strength, Paul would have been unable to survive the hardships. But within Him lived the Holy Spirit, empowering him to bridge the gap between God and man through his love for both. We remember what Jesus experienced, and yet He didn’t lash out when He was abused. He loved people with the love of God, even asking forgiveness for those who hammered the nails home. Paul wrote, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good” (Romans 12:9). He was a living example of doing just that.

We pilgrims may face workplace opposition or family misunderstandings, but how do we respond? Everything within us may want to walk away, but there is a higher goal at stake. Often, people are looking to see whether our faith is genuine and able to withstand the opposition we face. Is our love for another person able to press through the bad stuff to finally find the good in them? “He who is within us is greater than he who is in the world”, is a great verse to remember when the going gets tough.

Father God. Please help us when troubles come our way. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflecting Christ: The True Marks of Ministry

Posted on by korgrocker

“We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.”
2 Corinthians 6:3-4 NLT

The Apostle Paul writes with deep sincerity about the responsibility carried by those who serve Christ. Ministry is not merely about words spoken or positions held; it is about lives lived in such a way that the message of Christ is never discredited. This is a sobering and beautiful picture of true ministry. It is not self-promoting, self-protecting, or self-serving. Instead, it is marked by integrity, endurance, and a life that reflects the character of Christ. That has to be a challenge for any Christian today, not just ministers. Can we pilgrims honestly say that we, too, tick all the boxes that Paul did? 

Paul’s first concern was that nothing in his life would become a stumbling block. True ministers understand that people often encounter Christ through what they see in His servants. Conduct and attitudes matter. How often do we see Christians mouthing off about the government, or about the local council not picking up litter, or something similar? There is also the question about what goes on in secret behind closed doors, perhaps on a computer, then no one is watching. Faithfulness in hidden places matters. 

In the Beatitudes, Jesus 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” (Matthew 5:14-16). There was a famous quotation attributed to St Francis of Assisi – “Preach the Gospel and if necessary use words”. Whether this was something he said is not the point. The question for ministers and Christians everywhere is whether our words and deeds align. Is there a disconnect between what goes on in a Sunday service and around the office coffee machine on a Monday morning? A common criticism aimed at Christians concerns hypocrisy, and, sadly, it is true sometimes. Whether we like it or not, people generally will carefully watch someone who claims to be a Christian. If a Godly character shines out, then something will happen through the Holy Spirit. Part of my testimony concerns watching how Christian husbands and fathers at a Christian conference behaved toward their wives and families. Their Godliness could be seen.

Paul continues by describing how true ministers reveal their authenticity: “…by patiently enduring troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind” (2 Corinthians 6:4). The mark of a genuine servant of God is not a comfortable life but endurance. Trials do not disqualify ministry, but they often validate it. Faithfulness under pressure shows that a person serves not for comfort, recognition, or reward, but for Christ Himself. There is a scripture in the Epistle of James that applies here. He reminded us, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy” (James 1:2, NLT). We may think that we are not ministers in the sense of church leadership, but equally, Christians everywhere have been commissioned to preach the Gospel, and by so doing, there will be opposition and troubles. Some people even maintain that if we, as Christians, are living lives of comfort, free of troubles, then we are not bothering the devil too much in what we say and do. 

We pilgrims will be known not simply by what we say, but by who we are. Paul consistently points to character as evidence of authentic service. He wrote in Ephesians 5:10, “Carefully determine what pleases the Lord”. Peter put his finger on the issue when he wrote, “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbours. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honourable behaviour, and they will give honour to God when he judges the world” (1 Peter 2:12). We pilgrims are true ministers of the Gospel, but that is not just about preaching. The Gospel is a whole-life matter. For example, a church treasurer who handles finances transparently and honestly reflects godly character. Or a Christian business leader who treats his customers and staff with fairness and integrity demonstrates ministry in the world of commerce. A politician who stands up for Godly principles even when ridiculed by his peers will demonstrate the importance of integrity in government. And a pilgrim like us, who refuses to bow to the pressures of life by taking a shortcut at the supermarket checkout by “forgetting” to scan a bar code, brings a smile to God’s face. 

Ultimately, we pilgrims reflect the One we serve. Paul understood that ministry was not about building his own reputation but about representing Jesus faithfully. A few days ago, we read,  “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Jesus Himself modelled perfect ministry by serving, loving, enduring suffering, and remaining obedient to the Father. He said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). 

True Christians are known by lives that commend the gospel with lives of endurance, integrity, humility, and Christlike love. Our goal is simple and profound: that no one would stumble because of us, and that in everything we do, Jesus can be seen clearly. Whether in a pulpit, a workplace, a home, or a hospital room, true ministry happens wherever Christ is faithfully represented. May we each pursue this calling, which is to live, serve, and endure in such a way that our lives quietly and powerfully declare that we belong to Him, our wonderful and amazing Saviour.

Dear Father God. In all that we say and do, may You be honoured, this day and every day. For Jesus’ sake. Amen. 

Embracing God’s Grace: Today is the Day of Salvation

Posted on by korgrocker

“As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLT

Have we pilgrims ever considered ourselves as “God’s partners”? Surely there’s too big a gulf between us for that. After all, God is the Creator of the universe that includes the populated world on which we live, hidden away in an obscure corner of a galaxy called the Milky Way. But this is just one galaxy amongst hundreds of billions, and the extent of the universe has not yet been defined because we lack the technology to plumb its limits. So how can we be “God’s partners”? To go the other way, scientists are finding smaller and smaller particles that make up the matter of which we are made. The smallest particles discovered are called Quarks, but our scientists might discover even smaller particles, once the technology to detect them is developed. So how can we be “God’s partners”?

It is only when we consider who we are in God’s grand scheme for His creation that we realise how privileged we are. How can the God of all love and care for you and me, pilgrims allotted a life span at this point in history? It is mind-boggling but we have to face the reality and truth of who we are, who God is, and accept that we are His partners. And it has all happened because there was a time when God said, “Let Us make man in Our image …” (Genesis 1:27). And ever since He has been pursuing the men and women He has created because he loves us. God was never going to be satisfied with lumps of rock forming countless celestial objects. He has created human beings, putting His Spirit within those who call out to Him with love and respect. And He has gone so much further by sending His Son, Jesus, through whom all things were created. Colossians 1:16, “for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him”. The amazing thing is that Jesus has called us His brothers and sisters, “So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters” (Hebrews 2:11). 

We pilgrims are not spectators in God’s story. We are participants. Through Christ, we have been reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18–20), and now we join Him in the ministry of reconciliation. Grace is not just something we receive. It is something we value and look after with awe and grateful hearts.

Paul begged the Corinthians not to “accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it”, meaning to receive salvation outwardly but to resist transformation inwardly. It would be like receiving a present from someone at Christmas, thanking the person who gave it, and then leaving it unopened in a drawer somewhere. That present was given to us from God Himself in the person of His Son, Jesus. Behind the wrapper is the gift of eternal life, but until we open it and embrace and accept the contents, we will still be heading for a lost eternity.  Other people open up the present and say, “That’s nice”, after which they put it on a shelf somewhere, where it gathers dust, and it tarnishes with neglect. But we pilgrims have opened the present, taken out the contents and have then bowed before a Cross to call upon the Man being crucified to forgive us for all our sins. Eternal life with our wonderful Saviour will never be ignored. God’s grace is not passive. It calls us to respond.

In Isaiah 49:8 we find the Scripture quoted by Paul to the Corinthians. “This is what the Lord says: “At just the right time, I will respond to you. On the day of salvation I will help you. I will protect you and give you to the people as my covenant with them. Through you I will reestablish the land of Israel and assign it to its own people again”. Although originally written to the Israelites, the message is just as valid for people today. God’s grace will not be present forever. Paul continued, “today is the day of salvation”. Salvation is not merely a past event or a future hope; it is a present invitation. The trouble with people is that they tend to live as if they have unlimited tomorrows, saying things like, “I’ll forgive later” or “I’ll get serious about faith someday”. But Paul’s message insists on urgency. Today is when repentance happens. Today is when obedience begins. Today is when hearts are softened. Delaying spiritual response dulls sensitivity. Immediate obedience strengthens it. Yes, God will still save people with their dying breaths if they repent and reach out to Him, as the story of the thief on the cross records. 

The “marvellous gift of God’s kindness” is something we call grace. But gifts such as grace can be neglected. How do we ignore grace? By hearing the truth but refusing to change. By receiving forgiveness but withholding it from others. By celebrating salvation but resisting sanctification. Grace saves us, but it also shapes us. To truly receive grace is to let it transform priorities, relationships, and purpose. Paul, in his letter to Titus, wrote, “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, will be revealed” (Titus 2:11-13). 

Can we pilgrims pause for a moment before we embark on the busy day ahead? Should we be asking ourselves some difficult questions? How about, “Am I postponing something God is prompting me to do”? Or, “Have I grown comfortable with grace instead of being responsive to it”? Is there anything significant that we need to do today that is spiritually significant? Paul’s plea is loving but urgent. God has acted by sending His Son into this world. The invitation to the “day of salvation” stands open. And the clock of our lives is not ticking toward anxiety. Instead, it is ticking toward opportunity.

O Lord, thank You for Your marvellous gift of grace. Please keep us from treating it casually and instead help us to respond quickly to Your voice. Teach us to live with spiritual urgency, without fear, but full of faith, on this day, another day of opportunity for us, as we are graciously called to be Your partners. Amen.

Exploring God’s Plan: Reconciliation Through Christ

Posted on by korgrocker

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT

Paul wrote that “God was in Christ”. There is a pivotal moment recorded in the Gospel of John, one that we know very well. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. This verse sets out how God, in the presence of His Son, reached down into humanity to bring reconciliation with Himself. I never tire of reading this verse because it provides us with a glimpse of the wonderful God we worship, our Heavenly Father, who loved us so much that He was prepared to take the initiative and bring Heaven to earth and salvation for sinners. But what makes this verse so powerfully poignant is that He did this while we were still sinners. Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners”. 

But what does “reconciliation” mean? It represents a healing process following a relationship breakdown. So a husband and wife will go to sessions with a therapist, intent on reconciliation to save their marriage, perhaps after a partner has been unfaithful. Following reconciliation, the relationship is restored. In Colossians 1:19-20, we read, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross”. 

The wonderful thing about the reconciliation between God and man is that sins are no longer recorded. Paul wrote that after this reconciliation, God “no longer [counted] people’s sins against them”. This does not mean sin doesn’t matter. It means that in Christ, the penalty has been addressed. Romans 6:10-11, “When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus”. God’s justice was satisfied at the cross. Because of Jesus, believers stand forgiven, not because sin was ignored, but because it was paid for. No matter how hard they try, people can never atone for their own sins. Only Jesus could do that, and His atonement is only possible through God’s plan for the salvation of mankind.

Paul continued with, “And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation”. The next verse starts, “So we are Christ’s ambassadors”. An ambassador represents the authority and heart of their king. As believers, we represent Christ’s heart to a divided, hurting world. We carry the news that people are not too far gone to be saved. No sin is ever too bad that it cannot be forgiven (Yes, I know about the “unpardonable sin”, but that was something focused on things the Pharisees were saying to Jesus at the time). Our message to the lost also declares that God is not holding their past against them and that peace with God is only possible through Jesus. He said, “ … I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

We pilgrims have been forgiven much. In fact, if we could weigh up on the scales of eternal life all the sins that we have committed, there would be no balancing weight heavy enough to tip the scales in our favour. And yet, Jesus balanced the scales by removing the pile of sins, saying that He would take them on Himself. To do so would require a humiliating and very painful death on a Roman cross, but no balancing weight required. Reconciliation with God should produce reconciliation with others. When we understand how much we’ve been forgiven, we become agents of forgiveness. When we’ve received peace, we pursue peace. Hebrews 12:14, “Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord”. Paul continued, “God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”” Do we plead with others to accept His grace and love? We must, because it is only through Jesus that reconciliation with God is possible, and we pilgrims are here on earth at this time in history to “speak for Christ”. We have around us a generation who have never heard about what God has done for us. How will they hear if we don’t tell them?

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for reconciling us to Yourself through Christ. Help us live as grateful ambassadors, reflecting Your grace and sharing Your message of peace with the world, as we invite our friends and families, and anyone we meet, to be reconciled to You. Amen.

Embrace Your New Life in Christ

Posted on by korgrocker

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.”
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 NLT

One of the most hope-filled promises in the Bible is found in today’s verses. They remind us that, through Christ, we are not merely improved but completely transformed. Paul wrote, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person”. The transformation described here is not an external behaviour modification, because it is a spiritual rebirth. When we place our faith in Jesus, our identity changes. A verse well known to us is the one that records what Jesus said to Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Being “born again” means just that, starting a new spiritual life. In His conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus compared a natural birth to a spiritual birth, both of which are necessary for a new believer. A baby has to be born into this world, after which they will go through many stages until they leave it, the process of the “womb to the tomb”. Similarly, a person’s spirit must be born into God’s world, His Kingdom, but with a big difference. A reborn spirit never dies. Instead, it inherits eternal life.

We are no longer defined by our past sins, failures, or shame. Instead, we are defined by Christ. We read another verse from Paul yesterday in Galatians 2:20, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”. In Christ, our story does not end with our past. It begins with His grace. Our old lives were represented by our separation from God, because they were ruled by sin and self. Our new lives represent a restored relationship, guided by the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, “For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives” (Romans 6:4). But what are these “new lives”? Well, we find that we have a new heart. Ezekiel 36:26, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart”. We will also find that we have a new mind. Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect”. And pew-warming is not an option for us pilgrims because we have a new purpose. Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago”.  Impatient people like me want all these good things right now, but thankfully, God is patient and kind, and He has given us His Spirit to renew and empower us to grow. 

Paul wrote, “all of this is a gift from God”. Becoming a new person is not earned. It is a gift of God’s grace. Paul emphasised this in 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”. We don’t clean up ourselves before we can come to God. Too many people say they are unworthy to come into God’s presence. But through His love and grace, He cleans us up when we come to Him. This truth keeps us humble and grateful. Our salvation is not the result of our efforts. Instead, it is the result of Christ’s finished work on the cross.

We are God’s children

“God … brought us back to himself through Christ”. In other words, we are reconciled to God through Jesus. I always picture in my mind two sides of a deep chasm, too wide to be bridged, or too deep to be scaled. On one side is God and His Kingdom, the place where we want to be. But we find ourselves on the other, too far away to cross the gap through our own efforts. Even the Redcoat soldier in 1689, being pursued by Jacobites, and who was reputed to have jumped across the raging River Garry at Killiecrankie in the Scottish Highlands, would never be able to jump the gap. There is only one Person who can connect us to God across the chasm, and that is Jesus. Colossians 1:19-20, “For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross”. Because of what Jesus did for us, we are no longer enemies of God. But it gets better, because God adopted us as His children. 1 John 3:1, “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognise that we are God’s children because they don’t know him”.

In 2 Corinthians 5:18, Paul wrote, “And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him”. Paul reminded his Corinthians readers that this is what they were tasked with. I write much about our mission as pilgrims because we contain within us the treasure of knowing Jesus. So what else can we do but tell others? We share the message of reconciliation with those around us at every opportunity. Walking through my local city centre this morning, I was struck by the apparent looks of misery and hopelessness imprinted on people’s faces. They, too, are stuck on the wrong side of the chasm, without hope and any vision for the future, but we have the message of the Good News about Jesus. We pray for opportunities to share it. Our new life is not meant to be private. It is meant to reflect Christ to others. So we live differently, we forgive freely, we love boldly, and we speak the truth gently. Our changed lives become living evidence of God’s grace.

There are some practical things we pilgrims can do in the light of our now being a “new person”. Firstly, we need to stop defining ourselves by our past. We have a natural tendency to say things like, “I’ve always been like that”. Or assume that what we do is the way we always do things. But by doing so, we forget that if we belong to Christ, we are a new creation, set free from the shackles of the past. Secondly, we must remember that salvation is a process we call sanctification. We renew our minds daily by reading the Bible, spending time in prayer, and being obedient to what God asks of us. Our verses from 2 Corinthians today remind us that Christianity is not self-improvement but divine transformation. God takes what was broken and makes it new. He restores what was lost, and He invites us to participate in His redemptive work. The old life is gone, and the new life has begun. And the amazing thing is that it is all a free gift from God.

Dear Father God. Thank You for making us new. We are “ransomed, healed, restored and forgiven”, and it is all because of Jesus. We reach out to You today in praise and worship. Amen.

Seeing Others Through Christ’s Eyes

Posted on by korgrocker

“So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
2 Corinthians 5:16-17 NLT

As we look around us at the people we see, how do we view them? Being human ourselves, we use our own value system to assess and review who they are. So, in the office, we might see one person as an irritation or another as a threat. In the street, we might approve or otherwise of a person’s dress code or behaviour, particularly if it doesn’t align with our own perspectives. Humans tend to categorise values such as success, looks, and other external factors, but Paul wrote, “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view”. The Bible consistently reminds us that God sees deeper than we do. In 1 Samuel 16:7, we read, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart””. When we adopt Christ’s perspective, we begin to value what God values—character, faith, and potential. 

Paul admitted that even his understanding of Jesus was once limited. He wrote, “At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view”. There was a time when Paul saw Christ from a purely human standpoint, perhaps as a controversial teacher or threat. But after encountering the risen Lord on the Damascus Road, his perception was radically changed. Paul later wrote in Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect”. The way we view other people happens in our minds, and Paul taught that it is there that we are transformed. As God renews our thinking, we learn to see life differently. This includes viewing people as image-bearers of God (Genesis 1:27), recognising potential rather than just problems, and offering grace rather than quick criticism. When we truly know Christ, our relationships begin to reflect His compassion.

Paul continued, “How differently we know him now!” The exclamation mark is very telling. Paul’s encounter with Jesus totally transformed his life. His perspective of Jesus went from Him being a threat to the Jewish traditions and faith that he knew and loved, to one of Him being the Son of God, here on Planet Earth, on a mission to save mankind. 

Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me”. We are new creations, so if our identity is no longer defined by our past, then neither is anyone else’s. Every person becomes someone Christ died for, someone capable of renewal. The Apostle James went further. He warned, “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favour some people over others?” (James 2:1). In God’s kingdom, human distinctions lose their power. Wealth, background, and reputation cannot determine a person’s worth. But it’s hard trying to see others through the eyes of Jesus, perhaps because that means treating them with dignity before it’s earned, or offering mercy before judgment. Qualities that Jesus extended to us when we bowed before Him on the cross of Calvary. Perhaps we must call upon the help of the Holy Spirit within us at every human encounter.

Christ died for us
while we still sinners.

So, how do we pilgrims view 2 Corinthians 5:16? Transforming our thinking to God’s thinking is a life-changing event. We will never succeed overnight; instead, it will take a lifetime of application. As we look at people, whatever the occasion, we must ask ourselves: Am I seeing this person through my biases or through Christ’s love? We remember our own story, our own encounter with the risen Jesus. Romans 5:8, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners”. We will meet many people who have been damaged by their life choices. The beggars sitting outside our supermarkets. The lonely person sitting on a park bench. The divorcee regretting their selfish ways. But in each case, God has not written them off. Through our witness, God can plant His seeds of restoration. There was a thief who was finally being executed for his lifetime of crime, and yet with his dying breaths He was restored to the man God intended him to be. 

Our churches and fellowships are, or should be, communities where believers work out their Kingdom relationships. However, all too often we evaluate others from a human point of view. But when we begin to see people not as labels, but as lives in progress, people loved by God, pursued by grace, and capable of transformation, we find a glimpse of how God sees them. And perhaps most importantly, we remember how differently we now know Christ. That changed vision becomes the foundation for how we see everyone else.

Dear Lord, please renew our vision. Help us to see people as You do, through Your eyes of grace. Teach us to look beyond appearances and recognise Your image and Your work in every life. In Your precious name. Amen.

Shining as Believers: A Call to Action

Posted on by korgrocker

“If we are ‘out of our mind,’ as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
2 Corinthians 5:13-15 NIVUK

Paul wrote that Jesus died for all. Not just the Israelites, the Jews living in the First Century, but also for the Gentiles, people like you and me. Jesus died the death that we were supposed to have died because He took on the punishment we deserved for all our sins. What are they? Anything that is in opposition to God. There are no “little white lies” or half-truths. Every wrong thought and deed has been brought under the cleansing blood of Jesus. Isaiah wrote, ““Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool” (Isaiah 1:18). The Bible has a theme running through it, about God pursuing people everywhere because He loves them. Peter wrote, “ … He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9c). And He achieved that aim through Jesus, “that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life”. Jesus died our death so that we would be able to live His life. What a Saviour! 

We pilgrims, therefore, have an obligation to live our lives God’s way, without self-centred ambition and in a way that hides our spirituality from those around us. We are not monks shut away from the world behind the walls of a monastery. We are out there, shining like a beacon in a dark and hopeless world. We must live in a way that is Christ-centred, and no longer focused on our self-centred ways. Paul wrote, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:3-5). In it all, we must each consider the question, “Who is at the centre of our lives, me or Jesus?” But what does “shining like a beacon” look like? It is a counter-cultural manifestation of human qualities soaked in the Holy Spirit, not the spirit of the world. So, we pilgrims will not join in with the negative talk amongst friends. We will not join in with the office gossip or smutty jokes. We will not rubbish the government (read Romans 13). We will not get involved with worldly ideologies. Instead, we will speak the truth about God and all He has done for us.

“Because He lives
I can face tomorrow”

Paul wrote, “that those who live should no longer live for themselves”. Of course, everyone “lives” until the day they die, but that is not the “live” that Paul was meaning. Peter wrote, “For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). To a Jewish leader called Nicodemus, “Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” … “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life” (John 3:3, 5-6). Our bodies will one day wear out and die, but our spirits will continue to live forever. There are men and women who claim to be Christians but who deny that it is necessary to be “born again”. The term has somehow been associated with a fundamental minority who have become radicalised into believing something more associated with sects. But we pilgrims “live” a spiritual, born-again, life, the Jesus way, following in the steps of the Master.

Jesus died on that Roman cross, and if that was all that there was, then we are a sad people. 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” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). But he went on, “For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world” (1 Corinthians 15:13-19). Indisputable logic from Paul, emphasising the importance, the cornerstone, of our faith. Jesus died and rose again, and through Him we can also look forward to our resurrection one day.

The Cross is validated by Jesus’ resurrection, and through Him we have victory over death. The grave no longer has any hold over us, because we pass through it into eternal life. We pilgrims serve a living King, victorious and glorious. Jesus said, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me” (John 15:4). Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, we remain connected to the Vine, who is Jesus, living the life that He has granted us through His grace and mercy. 

We serve the risen Jesus. He is alive today, tomorrow, and forever. So today, we must turn up the wick on our beacons, shining brighter and brighter, bringing Jesus’ life into the lives of those around us. 

Father, we pray for forgiveness for our sins, in deep gratitude for Jesus and His death and resurrection. With His life within us, we share the Good News, the truth about our faith, to those we know and even to those we don’t. We pray for our friends and families that the light and life of Jesus will illuminate their lives as well. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Compelled by Christ’s Love: A Call to Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“If we are ‘out of our mind,’ as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”
2 Corinthians 5:13-15 NIVUK

That was a bit harsh, calling Paul mad. Well, isn’t that what “out of your mind” means? Apparently, some in Corinth thought Paul was mad, and they were members of the Corinthian church. What must the unbelievers have thought? Those outside the church who knew Paul, perhaps the local Jews, were intent on doing him harm, as we read in the first chapter of Paul’s first letter, treating him as being mad because of his alleged blasphemy. Paul didn’t have much going for him in Corinth. But Paul certainly wasn’t mad. In fact, he was arguably more sane than any of them in Corinth, because he had discovered the truth. The truth about Jesus being the Son of God. The truth that Jesus left Heaven and came to this world to die on a cross so that mankind could be saved from the consequences of their sin. The truth that he shared at every opportunity with a passion that some considered irrational. Paul wrote that his apparent madness was proclaiming truth for the benefit of the Corinthian church, because if they hadn’t believed it, they were heading to a lost eternity. 

Today, we pilgrims might be considered a bit unhinged if we passionately promote the Good News about Jesus. Having strong opinions is something more associated with those on the fringes of society. Talking about Jesus is not the sort of conversation starter you find in a secular social gathering or in the office. The presence of a “dog collar” immediately puts someone in a box labelled “slightly mad”, but for those without ecclesiastical clothes, talking passionately about Jesus is not considered to be acceptable and good form. People will avoid us, talk disparagingly about us, even insult and abuse us, but as with Paul, we stand for the truth at every opportunity. 

Why was Paul so passionate and fanatical about the Gospel? Well, verse 14 in our reading today provides an explanation. “For Christ’s love compels us” is why. Paul wrote in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”. This can be difficult to fully understand because we are wired by sin for self-preservation, in a selfish way that puts our own safety and lives above those of others. And yet there are rare stories of people who, when faced with extreme danger, put aside their own lives to save another person. But we should note that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, chose to leave the comfort and glory of Heaven and become a human being, born into a peasant family. He became a man, although still God, and preached messages that opened the door into the Kingdom of Heaven for everyone. He provided the gift of salvation for all who believed in Him, through what was ultimately a humiliating and excruciatingly painful death. That’s love. That’s Christ’s love. We didn’t ask Him to die for us. In fact, in our sinful natures, we probably didn’t even give the Son of God any thought. He died for people who were shouting for His death. They abused Him, spat at Him, and rejected Him. And yet He still died for them. In Peter’s Acts 2 sermon, we see the people’s response as they finally understood the enormity of what they had done. We read, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” (Acts 2:37). 

Paul was one of the Jews who actively tried to silence the new believers. Paul was there when Stephen became the first Christian martyr, holding the coats of those responsible for stoning Stephen to death. That obviously had a dramatic effect on Paul, because he next appears in Acts 9:1-2, “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem”. But his encounter with the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road refocused his passion and fanaticism and we read, “At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20). The present Labour government in the UK has been accused of many “U-turns” with regard to its policies, but Paul’s “U-turn” made them all pall into insignificance. So what caused Paul’s dramatic conversion? It was because Jesus loved and cared for him so much that He met Paul that day in an indisputable way. What else could Paul then do, other than be compelled and motivated to tell others about his Lord? This is not a guilt-driven ministry, pandering to an ego or a religious obligation. This was a ministry driven by love, God’s love, eternal love.

What about us pilgrims? Are we so sure and responsive to Jesus’ love that we, too, feel compelled to tell others what we have experienced? Or are we more blasé, paying lip service and no more? We need to remember that our pasts do not define us. Neither does our old life control us because we are no longer who we used to be. We may prove unpopular when we share our testimony and confront people with the truth about their future. But from the perspective of eternity, such fears are groundless and insignificant. The Lord loves us, and we love him. What more is there to consider?

Dear Lord Jesus. Thank You for Your love and grace. What else can we do other than share what You have done for us with others? Please help us, we pray. Amen.

The Urgency of Sharing the Gospel

Posted on by korgrocker

“For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.”
2 Corinthians 5:10-12 NLT

The Bible is full of verses on many topics. There are those that we like to read because they give us that warm glow inside, that God loves us and is looking after us. Look at Psalm 121, for example. Some great verses there of God’s protection, and the Psalm ends with “The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever”. And a Psalm much favoured for funerals ends with “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). I love this translation because it uses the word “pursue” rather than “follow”. Our God is far from being passive. But there are other verses that make us feel a bit less comfortable. In fact, they may even make us squirm a bit in our seats. James starts his Epistle with, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow” (James 1:2-3). We hope and pray that our faith never has to be tested by “troubles of any kind“.

But in the verses we are looking at today, Paul wrote, “Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others”. This is an action verse, one that demands that we do something. The word “fearful” doesn’t imply some form of terror but rather a great sense of awe about God, who He is, and what He has done for us. We do have a responsibility to Him because of Jesus, who took on the punishment we deserved on a cruel Roman cross at Calvary, and what He has asked us to do for Him since then. When we truly understand, we realise that our lives matter eternally and what we choose to do or how we live will have a spiritual impact. And as we recently considered, one day we will give an account of our lives before the Bema seat of Jesus. So the “fearful” bit must never paralyse us with fear, but rather it provides a reverence that mobilises us to do something for Jesus. 

Paul then wrote, “We work hard to persuade others”. Many Christians choose to keep their faith private. It’s their choice, of course, but that was never Jesus’ intention. Such people should be a bit worried about the third servant in the parable of the Talents. The servant who was given the one talent and didn’t put it to use. Instead, he buried it. He dug it up and gave it to the master when he returned from his journey, but received quite a rebuke. “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it’” (Matthew 25:26-27). Sadly, the parable ends, “Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”. Our faith has never been meant to stay private. Paul didn’t casually mention Jesus. He reasoned, explained, pleaded, and engaged hearts and minds. Paul was driven by a sense of loving urgency because the Gospel proclaims that eternity, either in Heaven or hell, is real. But because of Jesus, he knew that people have the opportunity to be reconciled to God through His grace and love. And because human lives are time-limited, urgency is required. Paul tried to persuade people because he had compassion for them. Why? Because Christ first loved him. 2 Corinthians 5:14a, “For Christ’s love compels us, …”. 

The next part of 2 Corinthians 5:10 is “God knows we are sincere”. Paul never considered human accolades. What mattered to him was God’s approval. He knew that God could see his motives, his struggles and his obedience. He wasn’t concerned about his reputation before men, but rather about doing God’s will. He knew that one day he would hear those marvellous words, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. As we emulate Paul’s mission, God too sees our hearts and motivations, and with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, even our stumbling, imperfect words can carry a weight far beyond their syllables. Paul goes on to write that he hopes the Corinthians could grasp that he was truly sincere. Paul’s life matched his words. He “walked the walk and talked the talk”. 

For us pilgrims, we must follow Paul’s example when it comes to sharing our faith. There are many people around us, not just our friends and families, who need to hear the life-saving words of the Gospel. Jesus did so much for each one of us, so how can we keep our testimonies to ourselves and not share them with others?

Thank You Lord for saving us from perishing in a place where we would never want to be. Please help us find opportunities to share the Good News about You and Your death and resurrection, to save mankind from the consequences of their sins. Amen.

Understanding the Bema Seat: Rewards and Judgments in Faith

Posted on by korgrocker

“Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.”
2 Corinthians 5:8-10 NLT

Paul wanted to please Christ. Don’t we all? But Paul’s drive and commitment to sharing the Gospel came from the assurance that, regardless of what happened to him in this life, he would one day be in Heaven with Jesus, his Lord. When he wrote these verses, we get the sense that Paul was feeling a bit weary and really wanted to leave his earthly body behind and put on his new Heavenly body. I’m sure many Christians feel the same, although there are also many who are perhaps not so sure of the future beyond the grave. Yes, they say all the right things and read the Scriptures, but perhaps there are a few doubts. It is natural to feel a bit wobbly about the future. Generally, people want to be in control of their lives and struggle to put their faith in God and His promises. But Paul had no doubts, and wrote, “Yes, we are fully confident”, not a little confident, or confident on every Sunday, but completely assured of his future.

Paul went on to write, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body”. It is not a nice thought that we will one day be called to give an account of how we have spent our lives. Every moment of our lives will be rolled out before Jesus, both good and bad, after which will come the words of His judgement. Note that there will be no exceptions. Paul will be there as well as you and me. However, we should note that this is not the “Great White Throne” judgement of Revelation 20. The judgement on this occasion is for believers, and we sometimes call in the Bema seat of judgement, bema being a Greek word describing a raised platform. We also know that Jesus will be the Judge. John 5:22, “In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge”. Paul said to the High Council in Athens, “For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). His statement didn’t go down very well with the Council members, although one or two joined Paul wanting to know more.

Paul is clear in his letters that this judgment is not about salvation. Christ will not declare in that moment whether someone will go to heaven or hell. In no sense is this verse implying that this judgment, or the deeds it examines, are what decide someone’s eternal fate. Salvation is a gift given to everyone who trusts in Christ. We all know the verse John 3:16, “… for whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life”. We also know that “We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, but through Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary and our belief in Him and the confession of our sins, we are redeemed from the punishment we deserve and are counted as righteous before God.

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul addresses the importance of what we build as followers of Christ. Much of what we do will not survive the “fire” of judgement day. Paul wrote, “Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames” (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). If we really took our Christian lives seriously, we would perhaps pay less attention to the church roof and more to applying Christ’s teachings in our daily lives. Another couple of verses worth noting are in Colossians 3:23-24, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ”. 

Note that Paul wrote that we will all receive a reward, or otherwise, for the things we have done while on this earth. Living in our earthly bodies is a preparation for eternity to come, and our stewardship in how we conduct our lives is important. The time we have is short compared to the eternity ahead of us. Paul mentioned the reward is connected to the good and bad things that we have done. The “good” things are those that are spiritually valuable and profitable in the Kingdom. And as we expect, the opposite of those things is worthlessness and unprofitability. But we do have the assurance of our salvation. The Bema seat of judgement is all about reward or otherwise.

“Well done, good and faithful servant”

So, how should we pilgrims live our lives? We must live daily with the awareness that one day we will leave this life and this earthly body and find ourselves in Heaven. In all that we do, we should bear in mind that we are doing it for Christ. I think it was Billy Graham’s wife who had a sign above her kitchen sink that said, “Worship services held here three times a day”. We must align our priorities and perspectives with the values of the Kingdom of God. Another thing we should consider is the motives behind what we are doing. If it is for human applause and affirmation, then it has no value at all. Above all, we must invest in what is of eternal value. I once asked someone I knew, who attended the Abbey Church in Dunfermline, if they thought all their hard work in looking after their building, wonderful and magnificent as it is, would get them into Heaven. It is a shame that the heavy burden borne by the fabric committee will have no value at all when they stand before Jesus. In the end, the one thing we aspire to hear is Jesus saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. That’s all that will matter.

Dear Lord Jesus. Please lead us and guide us in our commission as we work for You. We confess our sins and ask for Your forgiveness. In Your precious name. Amen.