Being a Pilgrim

Living the Life

Posted on 14th Jul 202329th Jun 2023 by korgrocker

“And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticised for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
Romans 14:15-19 NLT

Paul now moves on beyond writing about right and wrong foods to what really matters. He wrote that we should live a life of “goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. Rather than look around us at what other Christians are doing, we should instead get our own lives in order. And I’m sure if every believer focused on that, there would not be an opportunity to criticise others. We’d be too busy sorting ourselves out. We should always remember that we are not responsible for another believers’ walk with God. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:12b-13, “ … continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose”. Our journey through life hand in hand with the Holy Spirit is an intensely personal thing.

Paul also wrote the following to the Ephesian church, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). There is a lifetime of activity here. The “old man” within us died with Christ – Colossians 2:20, “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world..?” We are now a new creation “created to be like God”. So with His help that is what we do, casting aside all the things that we used to do and that hold us back.

Paul wrote the following to the Philippine church, “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:8). That’s living the life. By doing so we can guarantee ourselves a life of “goodness and peace and joy“. And the Holy Spirit can live within us, enjoying the experience too. Paul went on to point out that living life in this way will please God. And other people around us will notice someone who is different and someone they will approve of.

It may be a big ask. We’re only human, some will say. Excuses such as “you don’t know what I’m going through”, or “my mental health isn’t good at the moment” will emerge. Did Paul write something that is impossible to keep? Was he setting the bar too high? The key is in the words, “in the Holy Spirit”. In our own strength, we don’t have a hope of always pleasing God. But with the Holy Spirit within us we have a chance. Isaiah 40:31, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint”. That’s really living the life!

Dear Father God. We really want to live a life that is pleasing to You. No “if’s” or “but’s”. Just a life lived in the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Criticising Others

Posted on 13th Jul 202329th Jun 2023 by korgrocker

Perhaps we are by now feeling that Paul is labouring his point about eating, or not eating, food offered to idols. But as we have said, we have to look beyond food to all aspects of our lives that could cause problems for other believers. Remember those early days as a Christian? When everything was rosy? When the worship service was almost angelic? When the words of God leapt out of the Bible every time we opened it? And then something happens and we are faced with a dilemma, because a fellow member in the church has behaved in a way that seems at odds with what we, rightly or wrongly, expect from them.

I can remember in my early Christian days looking up to one of the venerable saints who uttered such gracious God-words, with wonderful prayers infused with Heavenly language. They seemed to be using the words of angels. In my limited understanding I thought it may even be the language of Zion. And I can remember thinking that I would never be able to pray in that way, so apparently spontaneously with words so full of worship that they seemed to penetrate the heavens above and go straight to the throne of God. But then I came across the same person in another setting outside the church and saw a different side of them. The pedestal beneath them crumbled and I was then at a vulnerable point in my early days of faith.

We believers experience a problem. In our minds we develop an ideal for how we should behave, inspired by what we read in the Bible perhaps, and even though we ourselves don’t live up to it, we expect others to. And that can lead to criticism. Jesus taught about this very thing, and we can read His words in Matthew 7, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5). Why is it that we can become blinded to our own faults yet can see them in another person?

In Paul’s letter he was developing the theme that we should not live in a way that invites criticism. Good may even come from what we are doing, but in it there is a danger that another Christian might be upset by our actions. Sometimes criticism of another can result from a misunderstanding. For example, a believer might be seen in dubious company, and end up being criticised for it, without the knowledge that the meeting was for noble purposes. A person’s reputation can be trashed with unjustified criticism.

We pilgrims must remember that we are called to love one another. Perhaps 1 Peter 4:8 applies to what we do. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

Dear Father God. Please help us to replace the critical thoughts that start to well up within us with thoughts of love and the other person’s highest good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stumbling

Posted on 12th Jul 202329th Jun 2023 by korgrocker

“Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall. I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.”
Romans 14:12-15 NLT

Paul continues to write about basic Christian principles, and he focused on food as being at the heart of a problem in the Roman Christian society. Apparently there was much discussion – it may have become quite heated – amongst those early believers involving the interface between the idolatry so prevalent around them, and the purity of a life devoted to Christ. The problem was about food, especially those items that had been offered to idols. Following some idolatrous ritual they would appear in the market place, perhaps sold at a discount, and Christians then had a dilemma over whether or not they bought it to feed their families. Some Christians in those days said they shouldn’t, and others said it was ok to do so.

The same problem still exists today, though probably not with the same focus. It boils down to the question – “How do I live in a way that avoids upsetting other Christians?” We still have the interface between secular and Christian societies. It’s not about food, because items are not available after idol worship any more, but there are other issues. Some years ago, I was involved in a discussion within the leadership of an independent Charismatic church about drinking wine, beer or any other alcoholic drink. We agreed that such a practice wasn’t wrong in itself, as long as moderation was involved, but how does it look to a congregation, some of whom have issues with such beverages, having been part of families destroyed by alcoholism.

Paul wrote that we should “live in such a way that [we] will not cause another believer to stumble and fall”. In Ephesians 4:17-18 he also wrote, “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him”. The Gentile unbelieving life, without any God-knowledge, will always be knocking at the door of a Christian’s heart. It is so hard to resist the ways of the world, particularly when bombarded with secular ideas and practices. The smutty jokes in the workplace. The lunchtime pint. The coarse language at a football match. The TV programmes infused with ideologies that insidiously pollute minds and spirits. The media news reports biased and negatively presented. We must always be on our guards during every waking moment.

At the secular/Christian interface there will be grey areas that vary between Christians. We have mentioned drinking alcoholic beverages. And the question is should I continue to do this if it makes one of my fellow believers “stumble and fall”? There are also other issues that emerge at the margins of our moral universe. I can remember a visiting preacher whose message I think was implying that it was acceptable for a man and woman to live together outside a formal marriage as long as they did so in a way that honoured marriage vows and particularly the one “‘til death us do part”. Most in that congregation were quite upset about what he appeared to be saying, and his unwise comments could have had a devastating effect on some of those present, potentially making them “stumble and fall”.

We pilgrims have a duty to our fellow believers. In the course of loving one another, we have always to assess what we say and be careful if expressing contentious views. Paul continued to write in Ephesians 4 the following, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24). It’s all about the Holy Spirit and allowing him to help us and lead us, renewing us with God-thoughts from within. God knows what is, and isn’t, acceptable in our lives. And by our living we can help others in their daily walk with God.

Dear Father. You love us so much, and You want us to extend that love to others. Please help us to discern Your will over the issues we face today, so that we can do what we should. Please help us to hold our tongues when necessary. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Personal Account

Posted on 11th Jul 202325th Jun 2023 by korgrocker

“So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.”
Romans 14:10-13 NLT

This is a scary thought. Paul wrote, “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God”. Will that mean that over our lifetimes God is keeping a balance sheet of all the good we have done, and comparing it with all the lies and wickedness, and if the total at the bottom comes out with a plus sign, we will be ok? Sorry, but that is not how it will work. Just one negative entry will be enough to condemn us to an eternal life of misery. Jesus said in Matthew 12:36-37, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you”. We read about this judgement day in Revelation 20, 11-15, “And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire”. So on this judgement day, there will be lots of books. Each person will have his own volume, or volumes, detailing every act they had done in their life. Jesus said that every deed includes every idle word spoken, and He also gave a few more details of deeds in the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, that we can read in Matthew 25, which ends, “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life” (Matthew 25:46).

All these Scriptures are enough to make us depressed because the implication is that no-one will be good enough to enter God’s presence. There is no way that we humans can behave in a way that appears righteous to God. But there is a ray of light embedded in these Scriptures. “And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire”. There is a Book that records the names of everyone who is righteous in God’s sight. And the challenge of how we get our names there depends on our individual choice and God’s grace.

First of all we have to say that most people don’t want to be bothered with such a thought, putting it all down to myths or fanciful feelings. After all, they say, no-one has returned to validate these verses in the Bible. Our scientists cannot empirically measure the reality of such a Book, so it can’t be real they say. You won’t find a copy in the local reference library either. Other people have decided that they don’t want to go to Heaven anyway, their thoughts based on mistaken views of God and what Heaven will be like. After all, they think what is the point of spending their time in worshipping a God who they don’t know, and who they have probably wrongly blamed for much of the evil that we can see in the world around us. Not deliberate thoughts logically applied, probably, but that is their intent.

On the first day of Pentecost, Peter preached a powerful sermon and we read this in Acts 2:37, “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter’s timeless and profound answer was, ” … 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” (Acts 2:38). If anyone wants to ensure that their names are written in God’s Book of Life, then this is where they must start. They must “repent of [their] sins and turn to God“. By the way, that must have been some day, because we read in Acts 2:41, “Those who believed what Peter said were baptised and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all“. Modern evangelicals make an altar call, inviting people to “give their hearts to Jesus”. That is in there of course, but, sadly, they often omit the first step – repentance of sins.

We pilgrims follow Jesus because only He is the Son of God. We echo Peter’s words, recorded in John 6:68, “Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life“. Only by following and obeying Jesus will we ensure our future in Heaven. And when we get to stand before God, He will proclaim us “Not Guilty”, because when He sees us He sees Jesus, pure and sinless.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Jesus and all that he did for us. Amen.

Judging Others

Posted on 10th Jul 202324th Jun 2023 by korgrocker

Here’s another sobering thought thrown into the air from Pastor Paul. Have we ever noticed that Christians can sometimes have a tendency to offer unsolicited judgement over their fellow believers, for something that they do? So on occasion, surreptitiously of course, we condemn the other believer and, somehow, in the process, we find that we acquire feelings of smugness and adopt a “holier than thought” attitude. Of course we deny it ever happens, but denial won’t eliminate the reality that we can have a tendency to judge others. Or we can offer judgement over some perceived “crime” and then quickly follow it up with a “of course we cannot judge”. In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus said, “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”. Even the judgemental attitudes we hold within us will be exposed one day. Paul wrote that we mustn’t condemn, judge, or look down on other believers. We don’t walk in their shoes, and instead we must “live in such a way that [we] will not cause another believer to stumble and fall”.

So how do Christians ever get into a situation where they fall into the trap of “judging others”? We know what we should ,and shouldn’t, do and yet we still sometimes, even privately in our hearts, find ourselves comparing others against our own standards, standards which we ourselves fail to meet. It all stems from our journey through life. Step by step the Holy Spirit works within us, cleaning up our lives, slowly but surely. But there are others on a different journey.

So how do we pilgrims avoid the trap of falling into judgement of our fellow believers? Firstly, why do we do it? Are our judgemental attitudes coming out of inner turmoil or insecurities? Perhaps we have in the past been the focus of similar attitudes against us. Or perhaps what we tend to be judging is something we are guilty of as well, and by some distorted sense of logic, we are dealing with it through another person.

Secondly, we need to stand in the other person’s shoes for a moment, and get their perspective. There is an interesting verse in John 7:24, “Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly“. How can we hope to have the right perspective on a fellow believer unless we can empathise with them and their perceived actions.

Another thought we must consider is viewing how God sees us, and them. He accepts us just as we are, and so must we of the other person. To be blunt, who are we to expect acceptance from God, with our warts and all, if we can’t do the same for another person. And finally, we have tasted the love of God. His love and grace has made us what and who we are. Surely we too must share that love and grace in our attitudes to our fellow believers. In John 13:34-35 we read what Jesus said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples“. And so we must do exactly that, and we pray for God to help us love others, replacing any judgemental attitudes with love.

Dear Father God. You have loved us so much. What can we do but love others, to the best of our abilities. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Honour the Lord (2)

Posted on 9th Jul 202323rd Jun 2023 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 8th Jul 202323rd Jun 2023 by korgrocker

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 7th Jul 202323rd Jun 2023 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 6th Jul 202323rd Jun 2023 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 5th Jul 202322nd Jun 2023 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.