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Revenge

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.””
Romans 12:19-20 NLT

Paul follows on from his previous theme of not responding to evil with more evil. He warns his readers that they should never take revenge, instead leaving room for God to deal with the perpetrators of evil. It should be noted that God will get angry with them, as He does with all sinners. And He has promised to deal with these evildoers. 

Paul quoted two Scriptures in the verses from Romans 12 . The first is from Deuteronomy 32:34-35, “The Lord says, ‘Am I not storing up these things, sealing them away in my treasury? I will take revenge; I will pay them back. In due time their feet will slip. Their day of disaster will arrive, and their destiny will overtake them’”. God may not deal with those who commit evil acts straight away, even though we might want Him to, but He has promised to take a careful note and put it somewhere safe in His “treasury”. There is no escape for those who commit evil acts, because one day they will have to account for their behaviour. No deed ever committed will go unpunished. So that crime committed against an old lady, for example, that roused such indignation in the community, will catch up with the perpetrator one day. The books being stored in God’s “treasury” will one day be opened and the video of what really happened will be replayed before everyone. Imagine the shame! But, worse, will come the verdict – Guilty! 

Some people struggle with the thought that God gets angry. Well, Jesus did. Not often but we read in Mark 3:5, “He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored”. Jesus was angry with the irrational and misguided responses of the Pharisees in the synagogue, but note that, although He had the power to zap them on the spot, He moved on and healed a man with a withered hand. Those Pharisees were in for trouble, because God made a note of their evil response to His Son. Jesus was angry, yet in His anger He didn’t sin. 

The second Old Testament Paul quoted came from Provers 25:21-22, “If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you”. How does that work? In God’s Kingdom, there are a different set of rules applying. Whereas in our earthly kingdoms, our enemies will be locked up, and their malevolent intentions suppressed, in God’s Kingdom, we citizens treat our enemies with respect and compassion. We provide them with the basics of life, food and water, and show them kindness when none is deserved. That’s hard! It goes against everything we feel inside. But that is what God has asked us to do. Imagine a world where every evil act received such a kind, loving and compassionate response. There wouldn’t be much evil remaining for long. 

There is a battle raging against Christians in the West, around the gender ideologies. And the proponents of this evil want to close the churches who resist their wayward demands, demands that are in direct conflict with what the Bible says. We could join or organise the marches, the rallies, and write angry banners, or we could pray for them with compassion for their confusion. We gently make our views known to our politicians, expounding the love that we have. And as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:8b, “ … for love covers a multitude of sins”. I know that this verse was meant for Christians, but the principle remains. 

Paul wrote that there was a partnership between God and His followers. We respond to evil well and without sin. He will bring the punishment on those who sin against us. That is God’s way, and, by following it, we will truly conquer the evil that is so prevalent in our communities and nations. Small steps accumulate. Short prayers are answered. And we pilgrims will one day experience the reward promised us. 

Dear God. You promised to deal with evildoers. That takes a lot of pressure from us, because we don’t have to. Thank You. Amen.

Honour and Peace

Posted on by korgrocker

“Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honourable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
“Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”
Romans 12:17-18, 21 NLT

There is a saying – “two wrongs don’t make a right”. Yet our human nature can demand, even force, us to react against a negative encounter to circumstance. Something within us wants a payback for the wrong that we have experienced, or think we have experienced. Much evil was inflicted on the early Christians. They were ostracised, evicted from their homes, beaten, imprisoned and even killed, all for their faith. And it would have been natural for those early believers to try and get some form of reparation. However, what we might perceive as evil, directed at us, might not be quite as clear cut as we imagine. I think of the zealous Saul, reacting against his analysis of the new Way was all about, thinking that it was an evil attack on God and the traditions of His people. We pick up the story at the end of Acts 7, during the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. And then in Acts 8:1,3 we read, “Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria …. But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison”. Saul thought there was evil around and failed to understand that it wasn’t evil at all. He ended up committing evil against God’s plans and purposes. 

The Amplified version of the Bible interprets Romans 12:17 as, “Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone” (emphasis is mine). Before we react in anger or deed against some perceived injustice, we must stop and think. James 1:19-20 puts it very well, “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires” (emphasis mine). By pausing in our responses we give God a chance to remedy a situation, either in the other person or in us. There is medical evidence that suggests being prone to angry outbursts will shorten our lives. Now, in 21st Century Planet Earth, nothing induces an angry response more than a perception that someone else’s driving manoeuvres are wrong or even downright dangerous. Of course, we cast that opinion from a position of being a perfect driver ourselves! But the problem has increased with the number of drivers on our crowded roads, and a recently introduced phrase, “road rage”, sums up the problem. Be “slow to get angry” James wrote, and that strategy would have fulfilled the advice Paul gave the early Christians in Rome, advice that said responding to evil with more evil might not be a good idea and will probably spawn a situation that wouldn’t end well.

Paul wrote some good advice that we should take on board today. “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” We all meet people in our lives who are prickly, aggressive, and even downright rude. Some seem to be consumed with an inner anger, and are just looking for someone on whom they can vent their frustrations. But because we are not walking in their shoes, we must try and bring peace into the encounter. Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). We pilgrims have a responsibility to be obedient to what Jesus said, and bring peace into our world. We may not achieve a high-profile resolution to a very public and far-reaching war, but as all Christians everywhere strive for peace the effects will accumulatively fulfil our mission.

Paul ends Romans 12 with a warning, “Don’t let evil conquer you”. We will indeed succumb to evil if we respond in the wrong way. Perhaps we pilgrims need to start on our knees and pray for the other person. Even a hurried prayer in a stressful situation will suffice. And the peace of God will flood over us, bringing a remedy to the crisis before us, and lowering our blood pressure in the process.

Dear God. Please help us to let You take on the responses required against evil people. We will have a tendency to just make things worse. Thank You. Amen.

Empathy

Posted on by korgrocker

“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!”
Romans 12:15-16 NLT

What was Paul getting at when he wrote this? Were the Christians in Rome really so insensitive to each other that they failed to share their emotional needs? This simple verse is really an encouragement to empathise with their fellow believers, when they experience good or bad times. But before that can happen they must have a relationship with them, close enough to know them and what they are experiencing. Perhaps the Roman Christians were lacking in the relationship department. But whatever the local situation was, Paul felt the need to remind them of their obligations, and at the root of their relationships must be love, both for God and each other.

Jesus taught His disciples about the importance of loving one another. In John 13:34 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”. Jesus didn’t give His disciples an option. They had to obey this “new commandment”. 

If we consider this verse, Romans 12:15, today, we immediately see that our churches mostly lack the love that was the distinctive feature of the early Christians. Instead we observe that some worldly features and attitudes have replaced it. Other priorities have become more important than loving relationships. Those early Christians would have given their lives for each other, and what they had they shared. They established a movement that was distinguished by love and it attracted new converts in droves. 

What love do we pilgrims experience? How do we love others? And are our love experiences focused on what we can get out of the relationship or the other person’s highest good? Our televisions portray a selfish love, perhaps between a man and wife, resulting in scenes of strife that may make “good” television but they also continue, and extrapolate, the damage that poor relationships can do.

Out of a true loving relationship, based on love the Jesus way, comes caring and empathising, an environment where people will share their hurts and fears, their good experiences, their challenges; in fact they will share life together. That will mean contact with people who we wouldn’t normally meet or socialise with. It will cost us something. Our time and attitudes. Our money and possessions. But we share with people who God created. Because He loves them, so must we. And we extend God’s compassion to those hurting people around us, as they will for us in our times of trouble. There is something precious about living harmoniously with each other. It’s an opportunity worth striving for, and one which will expose us to a relational richness that those in the world just don’t get.

Father God. We thank You for the love that You have shown us, a love so profound that You sent Your only Son to share it with us. We thank You for Jesus, and all He has done for us. Amen.

Bless the Persecutors

Posted on by korgrocker

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.”
Romans 12:14 NLT

In 1955 a man called ‘Brother Andrew” started smuggling Bibles into communist countries, and founded an organisation called “Open Doors”. The work grew, and “Open Doors” has for over six decades supported persecuted Christians all over the world. They maintain a “watch list” identifying the most dangerous places to be a Christian, and their statistics are sobering. They estimate that 360 million Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith – that’s a staggering 1 in 7 believers. In the top fifty of persecuting countries are North Korea, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and far too many others. But , as an aside, we should also note that in many of the countries where Christians are not persecuted, the church is in decline.

Paul echoed the words of Jesus by asking his readers to bless their persecutors. Jesus’ teaching can be found in Matthew 5:10-12, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way”. He also taught His followers to pray for their enemies, as recorded in Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

Christians are counter-cultural in their faith, turning round the expected norms in society, turning them into something that challenges natural human behaviour. There has to be a Higher Power to make this happen because we mortals are wired by sin to respond so differently. How was Jesus able to pray for those Roman soldiers as they hammered crude iron spikes through his hands or wrists. Amidst the normal screaming responses there would be curses ringing through the air. Luke 23:33-34, “When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice” (emphasis mine). The answer was that He was, and is, God and man, but in His humanity He was able to show us the way. What other religion has a God who came to this earth, taking on human flesh, thereby showing how much He loves us? The hardened Roman soldiers were challenged by Jesus’ response to the nails and His death, as we read the comment of the Roman centurion, “When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was innocent”“(Luke 23:47). 

Thankfully, we in the West don’t suffer much for our faith. Not like those in other countries, who spend large parts of their lives in prison. Who experience beatings or rapes. Who lose their homes and jobs. The persecuted Christians are in good company. We read in Hebrews 11:36-39, “Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground. All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised“. 

But we pilgrims can pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters. We can regularly return to the Open Doors website to find up to date information for prayer. And we can pray for ourselves as well, because here in the UK there are dark clouds already forming on the horizon. There is a new ideology emerging with adherents who want to cancel anyone who don’t agree with them and their extreme views. They want to close our churches because what we preach is to them an existential threat, and they are lobbying politicians to get them to introduce legislation that will make it illegal to pray with, or for, someone who, for example, wants to go against God’s order and change gender. Even if the person concerned has asked for prayer. Christian leaders are being pressurised to officiate at same-sex marriages; some have already capitulated. Liberal “Christians” are reinterpreting the Bible to suit society’s increasingly strident anti-God requirements. Christians are being sacked from their employment because they wish to wear a cross or other religious artefact. Persecution is here, folks. But we pray for our societies, and our misguided leaders, that God will bless them. Why? Because Jesus has asked us to. 

Father God. We pray that Your people will rise up and stand firm against the dark forces that are coming against us. Please help us, Lord. In Jesus’ name and for His sake. Amen.

Practice Hospitality

Posted on by korgrocker

“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:13 NLT

Paul’s pastoral heart emerges with the verse we are considering this morning. He was concerned with the social needs of his day, and, in particular, the needs of the early Christians. Note that he didn’t start this verse with an “if”, but rather with a “when”. It was a reality that in the early church there were some who were needy. But what was the “need” that Paul observed?

The counter-cultural faith of the early Christians was considered subversive by the Roman-orientated government and societies of their time. And there was a reaction to them, that made it difficult for the early believers to be in business, or be involved with the non-Christians around them. They were too different, with their Gospel that there is only one true God. Their sexual ethics were distinct, promoting chaste behaviour and monogamic relationships between husbands and wives. They were anti-abortionists.  They refused to worship the  gods of their neighbours, considering it idolatry. They promoted a faith that was based on a love relationship with God, and salvation through grace. They were a community. They were, in fact, so different to the peoples around them that they both attracted and repelled them, and the church growth at that time was dramatic. 

But the reaction against them in their societies resulted in their having “needs”. Social justice was a part of the early church ethos, so why did Paul have to remind them of their obligations? Don’t forget that the church in Rome was an amalgam of Jewish and Gentile Christians, and perhaps some of the rivalry, even dislike, prevailed. Also, within the growing nascent church, it would have been easy to overlook those particularly on the margins. Paul wasn’t specific about which needs should be helped. He was just encouraging the people to look out for them and help them in whatever way possible. The second half of today’s verse mentions “hospitality”. Be eager to practice it, he wrote. Perhaps he was saying to these early Christians, invite God’s people around for a meal. A coffee and chat. )pen up your homes and have a party, he was perhaps saying.

To provide a clue of how the early church started can be found in the last few verses of Acts 2, “And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved” (Acts 2:44-47). Counter-cultural? If that described our local churches today we would be living in a different society.

There are those today, concerned with social justice, who look to the state to provide for people’s needs. The response expected is one of finance. Increase the benefits and eliminate poverty, they demand. More universal credit and state pensions. More housing benefit and council tax concessions. The demands are strident and never seem to end. I should point out that I agree that needy people should be helped, but, sadly, we have become confused between what is a “need” and what is a “want”. The early church made sure that people were fed – Acts 6:1, “But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food”. Note that the need at the time was for feeding those who were unable to feed themselves because of their status in society – widows. And perhaps Paul knew that the same problem between different factions – Jews and Gentiles – in the Roman church was already present elsewhere. But they dealt with it. Needs were met.

So how does Romans 12:13 impact us today? How do we pilgrims respond? The main feature for me is that the early church was growing explosively because it was different. Their morals, their community, their focus on one God, who loved them, cared for them, and had saved them through His Son Jesus, were so counter-cultural that they polarised society. The early Christians upset the idol worshippers around them because they refused to accommodate and recognise their many goods. They were society confronters, and not afraid of the consequences, even being prepared to die for their faith in God. Perhaps we have an opportunity today to confront a new reincarnation of the Roman deities – the gender ideologies. We have to point out to society around us that their “need” is not the ability to change gender at whim but instead it is to embrace the one true God. We have the right and true message. How are we promoting it? Are we hunkered down with our heads below the parapet, hoping the problem will go away? or are we too, like those early believers, willing to face the consequences of being society-confronters.

But back to “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them”. Peoples’ needs are many and often complex. We immediately think of the the basics of life such as food and drink, warmth and shelter. But most of the time in our societies there are many others. In the news this morning there are statistics reported that show a pandemic of mental health issues amongst the young people in the UK. In my community the biggest issue is not financial. It is loneliness. And the community of “God’s people” is not immune from these problems. We pilgrims need to be aware of people’s needs, and not be put off by the “fine” response at the church door. Thankfully, we have the Holy Spirit with us, and He is willing and able to empower us to discern the needs before us. Fulfilling Paul’s entreaty to “be ready” will cost us. Our time and money. OIur reputations and even our careers. Much prayer is needed. We probably won’t see any rewards in this life but one day we will near those precious words, “Well done …”.

Dear Father God. We worship You today. Thank You for Your loving kindness, and always being there for us in our times of need. Amen.

Rejoice in Hope

Posted on by korgrocker

“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”
Romans 12:12 NLT

What do we hope for? The answer will depend on our circumstances. A resident of Ukraine will be hoping for an end to the current war. A young single mum in poor quality accommodation will be hoping for something better. A young man stuck in a dead end job will be hoping for a new opportunity. People hope that they will win the lottery. After another breakdown, a driver will be hoping that they can afford a new car. A student will be hoping that they get a good mark in their finals. An old person lying in a hospital bed will be hoping that they can get home soon. The list of “hopes” is endless, and totally related to our circumstances at the time. But these are all temporal “hopes”, grounded in our humanity and time being spent on Planet Earth. They all refer to a “hope” pinned to a point sometime in the future. Possibly to come to fruition, if at all, in a day or two. Or years away. The “hope” of mankind is a wistful thought, unlikely to happen, but rooted in a fantasy, often totally unrealistic but imagined anyway. Call it wishful thinking.

Paul wrote about a different “hope”. Galatians 5:5, “For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope”. Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see”. Romans 8:23-25, “And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)” Can we see the picture that is building through these Scriptures? Through our relationship with God we have faith that what He has said will come to pass. So our hope is much more than wishful thinking. It is rooted and grounded by faith in the assurance, through the Holy Spirit living within us, that one day we will be in God’s presence, with all that means.

Paul was convinced that the hope he had was going to happen. He started his letter to Titus, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness – in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time” (Titus 1:1-2, emphasis mine). No messing about with Paul. His hope for the future and eternal life was based on something far more tangible than human hopes and wishes. It was based on his faith that what God said will happen will indeed happen one day. 

We pilgrims have a message of hope for this hopelessly dark and evil world. We too have a “hope” like Paul’s, sharing His faith and assurance. And we must tell those around us, in our families, communities, schools, and workplaces, that Heaven is real, and Jesus saves all who come to Him. Living out our hope will not be easy. We will experience ridicule and persecution. Opportunities in this world may be lost to us. We will have to make difficult choices as we live out the hope we have for an eternal future. However, Jeremiah exposed God’s heart when he wrote, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, emphasis mine). Wherever we are in our Christian walk, we have a hope, an assurance even, that one day in the future we will be with God in Heaven. The Holy Spirit who lives within us says so. 

Dear Father God. One day we will be with You in Heaven. You promised us that in Your Word. You said it, so we believe it. We pray that this transformational truth will motivate and empower us as we share the Good News with all around us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Working Hard

Posted on by korgrocker

“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.”
Romans 12:11 NLT
“never lagging behind in diligence; aglow in the Spirit, enthusiastically serving the Lord;”
Romans 12:11 AMP

In this part of Romans 12, Paul set out some quick-fire instructions, to lead and guide his readers in their Christian lives. And they are just as applicable today as they were then. The different translations for this verse bring out the importance of involving the Holy Spirit in what we do, not just as a passive Companion, with little or no influence, but in a way that fires us up, bringing enthusiasm and dedication to the task in hand.

In my contacts in the community where I live, I have met a couple of men who have never worked. Men in their forties and fifties, subsisting on benefits and other state handouts, poorly educated and without hope for the future. It was not as though they started their lives with such a lifestyle as a goal, but due to getting in with the wrong crowds at school, and discovering alcohol as a means to generate some good feelings or whatever, within them, they drifted. And it could be argued that the state benefit system here in the UK contributed to the choices they made, introducing not having to work as an option. But one man said to me recently that he wished he could get a job. There is something within him that knows what he should be doing but he lacks the motivation now to do what it takes to cast off the alcohol addiction and the other negatives in his way of life. Is he a lazy man? I wouldn’t know, but at this stage in his life it is only God who could make a difference, and there are stories of the miraculous transforming power of the Holy Spirit in lifting alcoholics out of their addiction into His wonderful life, bringing self-respect and a wonderful testimony in the process. So I pray and look to God for the opportunity to help him and bring hope to someone who is hopeless, and sadly, written off by society.

Perhaps a similar problem confronted Paul in the Roman church. What we experience today in society has always been around because it is what we call human nature. In Paul’s day there wouldn’t have been the state benefits system that we see today, because a social income was unheard of. But Paul still felt the need to confront laziness, in people perhaps doing the bare minimum to get by. In Paul’s view of society, he introduced his readers to the concept that whatever we do, we do it as to the Lord. 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”. I read somewhere of a quote from Ruth Graham, the wife of the famous evangelist Billy Graham. Apparently she had a quotation pinned above the sink in her kitchen that reminded her that she was washing dishes as to the Lord. Such a view of our working lives is transformational. A bad human boss becomes irrelevant. It is God who we work for.

The story of Joseph in the latter chapters of Genesis is fascinating. Here was a man of whom it was said, “that the Lord was with him” (Genesis 39:3). Because of that, he prospered in a heathen society, bringing salvation to his people in a time of famine. In Genesis 41:41 we read, “So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.’” We know, of course, this happened, not because he worked for Pharaoh, but because he looked higher to Heavenly places and took his instructions from his Lord.

We pilgrims are more than likely employed in some capacity to other. But even in retirement, enjoying state or occupational pensions, we remember that we got here because we worked for the Lord. And we continue to give thanks for all His provision.

Dear Father God. We thank You for looking after us. Please help us to remember who supplies our every need. Amen.

Love and Hate

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Paul wanted to see no false love between the Roman Christians. He made the point that they should “really love” each other. The Apostle Peter, in his first letter, implored his readers to love each other too. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). And he reminds them that sins can be mitigated by loving each other, covering over their impact by a loving response of forgiveness. Peter, of all the Apostles, knew what deep love means. After denying Him three times, Jesus took the initiative and restored the relationship between them, the discourse recorded in John 21.

Paul could see that wrong things – behaviour, attitudes and sin in general – could destroy the relationship between those early Christians, hence his reminder to them that they should avoid doing, or being part of, anything that was wrong because it would potentially destroy them and their fellowship. Paul went even further, strongly emphasising that avoiding wrong was not enough. He implored them to “hate” anything that was even tainted by what was “wrong”. But what is “wrong”? How would we define that? I suppose, as some have found helpful, we could imagine God standing with us as we go about our daily lives. Would He approve of what we are doing, or watching, or saying? Is our behaviour sinful? Hmmm…

The Bible advises believers to hate anything to do with evil, and the writer of Proverbs lists a few. It is a sobering situation when we apply these to life today. Proverbs 6:16-19, “There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family“. Some of these things that the Lord hates are easier to imagine than others. For example, telling lies is obviously wrong. Plotting an evil deed shouldn’t happen. But one thing that grieves me deeply is the practice of abortion, the killing of “the innocent”. In England and Wales nearly one in four pregnancies result in a termination. And I shudder to think of the consequences for those whose “hands” are involved.

But we pilgrims should strive to do good, not letting any possibility pass us by. Paul wrote to the Galatian Christians the following, “Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith” (Galatians 6:10). We look out for ways in which we can bless those around us, and not just our fellow believers. The old lady next door might need someone to do some shopping or a practical repair in her home. A meal cooked and shared. A kind word to someone struggling with depression. We must be proactive in looking out for opportunities. It’s all about developing a mindset where doing good to others becomes a way of life to us. Matthew 5:16 records what Jesus said, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father“. Of course we remember that we are not saved by good works but saved for good works. 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“. 

So we do good and hate evil. A strategy in which we grow in our Christian faith, day by day.

Dear God. Please help us to discern when we are in danger of falling into evil ways. Lead us, we pray, in the ways of goodness. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Loving Others

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other.”
Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Paul takes another breath, pausing while he thinks about what comes next, following his Holy Spirit inspired thoughts about the motivational gifts. We can almost see him with his pen held above the parchment, ink ready to flow. The Holy Spirit prompts his thoughts towards love. Loving others. In his mind is, perhaps, the memory of the strife in Rome, between the Jewish and Gentile believers. And he writes that they should love each other. And not just outwardly, with a false sense of going through the motions, but with real love, coming from deep within them.

This is a theme that he returned to several times in his letters. He wrote the much quoted section in 1 Corinthians 13 about the qualities of love, and how it should be applied. He wasn’t talking about a “what’s in it for me” sort of love. Rather a love that desires the other person’s highest good. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 bears repeating here, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance”. Paul sets out a measure against which we can gauge our success in loving. How patient are we with our husbands or wives? Do we get irritable with them? Do we remember those times when our partners wronged us, failing to forgive and forget, but instead bringing up the issue at every opportunity? Do we get jealous when someone we know and love achieves something that we wish we had achieved? Hmmm…

Jesus taught His disciples the importance of loving each other. We read in John 13:34-35, “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”. Jesus gave His disciples, and us, by implication because we are His disciples too, a commandment to love each other. Such an act will make the world notice us, but, sadly, the strife that so publicly marks differences between Christians tells a different story. Bigotry rears its ugly head frequently in our societies, bringing disrepute to the Christian faith. Inter-denominational rivalries overflow into secular and sectarian environments, and, here in Scotland, even to football matches.

We pilgrims are founded on love. God so loved us that He sent Jesus, so that He could lavish His love on us in Heaven. A sobering yet joyous thought. One which we can only respond to on our knees as we thank Him for His merciful love.

Dear Father God. Please forgive us when we dwell on the differences between us rather than the parts of our faith that bind us. In Jesus name. Amen.

Showing Kindness

Posted on by korgrocker

“In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Romans 12:6-8 NLT

The last of the seven motivational spiritual gifts is the “gift for showing kindness to others”. Other translations refer to this as the gift of mercy. Someone who shows mercy has detected in another person spiritual or emotional needs that others may overlook. We are all very good, most of the time, in covering up what we really feel. So as we walk through the church door on a Sunday morning, we might be asked the usual question – “How are you today?” To which we respond – “Fine”. The questioner doesn’t know that there may be turmoil within us. We may be worried about all sorts of things but to stop at that point and explain why we’re not “Fine” isn’t an option. It would just exacerbate the situation, at least for us. So we adopt a cheery demeanour and push back. The mask holds firm.

But someone with the Holy Spirit gift of mercy has been given a divine insight into the deep and hidden needs of the other person. So they won’t be put off by the “fine” response and will choose a moment when they can show the kindness and love the other person needs. A merciful person won’t be put off by a prickly response. Also, they will always be kind to the underdog, to someone who is different in some way. 

Jesus taught that we should show mercy to our enemies. Luke 6:35-36, “But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. Now that is hard. Show mercy to someone who wants to harm you? But as Jesus said, we have a Heavenly Father who shows kindness to the “ungrateful and wicked”. But isn’t that what we were? Did He not show us kindness when we were far away from Him, living a life of sin? When we deserved punishment did He not mercifully forgive us through Jesus and His sacrifice at Calvary? A merciful person will have a different perspective when confronted by images of our enemies because they will see them as God sees them – with kindness and mercy.

In Matthew 5:7, Jesus said, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy”. The implication is that as we are merciful to others, we too will somehow receive mercy, and blessings. James developed this theme, as recorded in James 2:12-13, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you”. It looks as though acts of mercy are not optional, if we wish to be shown mercy ourselves.

We pilgrims are followers of Jesus. And he was the kindest and most merciful man who has ever existed. We walk in His footsteps, praying for the right opportunities to be merciful to others, and praying for the Holy Spirit to work within us, enhancing and transforming our merciful thoughts and deeds. 

Dear Lord Jesus. We thank You for all You have done, and still continue to do, for us. In these brutal and unloving days, please help us to reflect Your love and kindness to those around us. Amen.