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Doctrinal Arguments

Posted on by korgrocker

“Judge for yourselves. Is it right for a woman to pray to God in public without covering her head? Isn’t it obvious that it’s disgraceful for a man to have long hair? And isn’t long hair a woman’s pride and joy? For it has been given to her as a covering. But if anyone wants to argue about this, I simply say that we have no other custom than this, and neither do God’s other churches.”
1 Corinthians 11:13-16 NLT

Paul writes his final words about the head covering debate, pre-empting an argument and further discussion about the right and wrongs of such an instruction. Why did Paul not just provide written instructions, commandments perhaps, instead of the previous eleven verses in 1 Corinthians 11? Some people seem to need dogmatic and clear guidance in their Christian lives because anything else just confuses them. But instead Paul has been round the houses providing the reasons for why men should not wear a hat when they pray, and women should cover their heads to show that they are under a man’s authority. 

In what we refer to as a non-conformist church, few restrictions are considered “doctrinal” but the Anglican and Catholic Churches have many, and over the years people have tended to get very upset if they are violated. Taking the Anglican Church as an example, doctrinal arguments involve differing views on topics like the ordination of LGBTQ+ clergy, the nature of sacraments, and the authority of Scripture versus tradition. These debates are often centred around a tension between the emphasis on tradition and reason, versus the Scriptures and the need for contextual interpretation. Contemporary disputes include the role of same-sex relationships, the authority of bishops, female roles, and the relationship between different parts of the Anglican Communion. Other arguments emerge over customs such as baptism. The Scriptures are clear that a believer’s baptism is by full immersion in water, supported by verses such as Matthew 28:19, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit”. How baptism is carried out can be found in Mark 1:9-10, “One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptised him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove”. However, the Anglicans will sprinkle a few drops of “holy” water over a baby’s head, something not supported in the Bible. I can remember my sister being puzzled when I informed her that I was getting baptised by full immersion in the Pentecostal church where I came to know Jesus, because she said that I had already been baptised when I was an infant, showing her ignorance of what the Scriptures say. In the past, when I have challenged the reason for such customs, the main response has been “We have always done it that way”, with no reference to why and supporting Scriptures.

Paul was perhaps correct in his teaching about head coverings, because in the process he laid down theology that made sense. A wise pastor will from time to time teach the church members about theology and the beliefs of the church denomination or movement of which they belong, reviewing such customs as the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion) by referring to the verses that support them. In the end, doctrines have to be supported by what is written in the Bible, but that still leaves a few customs that are not, and we must review why we do them. There is no place for following a ritual in our worship of God. But we must remember that what matters to God is not adherence to religious laws, customs and doctrines. Pharisees do that. It is what is in a person’s heart that really matters.

Dear Lord Jesus. You went to Calvary to set people free from their sins. That freedom provides us with the opportunity to worship You in a way that is heart-felt and real, giving You all the glory and all the praise. We bow before You in worship today, respecting Your place as God over all. Amen.

Interdependence

Posted on by korgrocker

“But among the Lord’s people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God.”
1 Corinthians 11:11-12 NLT

Good, factual words from Paul in our verses today. He referred back to the Creation story that we can read in Genesis 2:18, 21-22, “Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” … So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man”. So the first woman appeared on this planet without a belly button, it would seem. We also find the account of the first operation performed with an anaesthetic. God did amazing and wonderful things during the creation of this world, and all that is within it, but, sadly, people today choose to overlook or even deny that it happened. When we look at the perfection within the human body and consider the views of the evolutionists, we wonder how they could have ever concluded that it all happened by chance. In the end, I have to admit that I, and many people I know, don’t have the faith necessary to be an atheistic evolutionist. 

But today we are considering the interdependence of men and women. Two distinct roles that are accompanied by all the spiritual and mental resources needed for each. A man has the mental capacity to be a breadwinner and protector of his family. A woman has the emotions to care for her children and husband. And both have the intelligence to be able to make choices, to love and support each other, in a match truly made in Heaven. But as we know, the devil has deeply impacted this relationship by corrupting God’s order and creation, by introducing lies that have confused men and women, bringing them to situations that God never intended. And, worse, society has picked up these lies and used them, through legislation, to exacerbate the devil-introduced corruption, blighting the human race with falsehoods. Firstly, the devil introduced what Paul referred to as “foolish ideas”, as we read in Romans 1:21, 25, “Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. … They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen”. Secondly, the devil introduced thoughts and physical changes that went directly against what God intended for men and women. We read in Romans 1:26-27, “That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved”. Back in Genesis 2:24, we read what God really intended in the relationship between men and women: “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one”. 

In the interdependence between men and women, there is ultimately a “joining” that prevails. However, as Paul previously taught in 1 Corinthians 7, there is a role for singleness as well, should God ordain it. But there is no room in God’s creation for all the societal “wokeness” that has burst into God’s created order. We must pray for the poor people who have been corrupted by the devil’s attacks and who have found no Godly support for their confusion.

Paul wrote that “everything comes from God”. It has to, really, when we think about Genesis 1 and 2. But this is a belief that diverges from the sad secularism that has blighted our societies, with those who deny the existence of God forced to come up with some other explanation for the origins of our world. Men and women, however, have an interdependence that will outlast the attempts of mankind to corrupt God’s order. Such men and women are still getting married today. They are still spending their lives together, raising their children, living in harmony, and bringing glory to God. One day, God will have the last word, and it will be preceded by the devil being consigned to an eternity away from the ability to influence mankind ever again, an existence that will provide him with an opportunity for eternal regrets. The sad thing is that many men and women will ultimately join him there. There will be no defence before God, such as “the devil made me do it”, because men and women were created in God’s image, with the ability to make choices.

Dear Heavenly Father. You created men and women in accordance with Your divine design. We thank You for who we are, and the opportunities that You have provided for us. We repent of our sins today, and cast off the corruption that pushes against us and what we believe every day. We worship You with all that is within us because You are the only true God this world has ever had. Amen.

Under Authority

Posted on by korgrocker

“A man should not wear anything on his head when worshipping, for man is made in God’s image and reflects God’s glory. And woman reflects man’s glory. For the first man didn’t come from woman, but the first woman came from man. And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority.”
1 Corinthians 11:7-10 NLT

Another few verses from 1 Corinthians that, at least at first sight, are incompatible with the views in today’s society, particularly for women. If we did a survey today on any high street in Britain, and asked a woman if she was wearing a hat to show that she is under the authority of someone, what do we think she would say? But this interpretation of authority is not totally accurate. Paul was referring to spiritual authority, which is something very different from secular points of view. Paul was still writing about God’s spiritual order, summarised in 1 Corinthians 11:3, “But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”. But spiritual authority is always displayed as a natural equivalent. Take men, for example. They are unable to say that Christ is their head if they behave in a way that is incompatible with their belief. Such a conflicted man may worship Christ in a Sunday service, but if he denies Christ in the workplace, how is Christ his head? The same principle applies to a wife, who may look to her husband for spiritual guidance, but then runs him down outside the school gates. All believers have an obligation to be under authority, something which ultimately, either directly or indirectly, ends up at God’s throne. Whether we believers like it or not, the authority implied in God’s order applies throughout every facet of our lives. 

Colossians 1:15-16, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 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”. These verses establish the fact that Christ is the authority over all, including men and women, and, although authority may be delegated, Christ is the ultimate Creator and the One to whom everyone is accountable. 

In Romans 13:1, Paul wrote, “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God”. This is a hard one for people, even Christians, to accept, particularly when the government of a country is not a good one. Everyone we meet in the street will have an opinion about how they could do a better job of government. But such thoughts are contrary to what God has established. God is not pleased with those who rebel against a country’s government. But what should Christians do if a government passes a law that is contrary to God’s laws? We have such a situation in the UK, with the law concerning abortion. Some Christians are prepared to stand up and declare that such a law is wrong, even to the extent of practising some form of civil disobedience. However, we believers have a responsibility to obey the government of the day. Still, in the case of a conflict between laws passed by the government and God’s higher laws, God’s laws will prevail, even though that might cause a Christian particular difficulties. We must pray that we never have to face the situation described in Revelation 13:16-17, regarding a law passed by the “beast” – “He required everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name”. 

No matter who we are, male or female, we must have the right attitude towards authority, because one day we will have to stand before God to give an account of our lives. 2 Corinthians 5:10 reads, “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”. I should add that this judgment of Christians does not affect our salvation. This judgment is specifically for believers and is not a judgment of condemnation but one of evaluation for rewards. 

Our example is Jesus, and we look to Him as the Author and Perfector of our faith. Back to Philippians 2:5-6, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to”. Jesus knew all about God’s order. Although He challenged the rulers of His day, He never sinned, and he was ultimately crucified as a result of their decree. Today, we pray in an attitude of humility and submission to God for help in living this life we have in God’s way. 

Dear Father God. Thank You for revealing once again the importance of authority, Your authority, and helping us to evaluate the attitudes of our hearts. We pray for forgiveness for all the times we have got this wrong. Amen.

Head Covering (2)

Posted on by korgrocker

“A man dishonours his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. But a woman dishonours her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.”
1 Corinthians 11:4-6 NLT

Through the lens of 21st-century Britain, we’re on contentious ground, because today men and women have a different perspective from that prevalent in 1st-century Greece. Yesterday, we considered the importance of men honouring their head, Christ, by not wearing any form of headgear while they were praying or prophesying. However, wearing hats was quite commonplace when I was growing up, with no particular religious significance. Although hats of various shapes and styles were worn, they were always removed in the presence of anything considered religious, such as within a church building. This is something that has followed me even to this day, as it has with most men of my generation. And a hat was also “doffed” in the presence of a woman, as a matter of respect.

For women today, wearing any form of head covering, regardless of its style, is mainly considered a fashion statement. However, my mother’s generation always wore a hat or headscarf to church, and failure to do so was not acceptable. 

In both situations, the unwritten rules regarding head coverings were followed in accordance with the verses we read in 1 Corinthians today. We should note that both men and women were allowed, and even expected, to pray and prophesy in a church meeting; however, there were particular rules that had to be applied. This was not a liturgical necessity, but connected to an important spiritual principle, that of respecting a man or woman’s “head”. In the case of men, this was Christ. In the case of women, this was a man, in accordance with 1 Corinthians 11:3, “But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”. 

In 1 Corinthians 11:5-6, Paul uses the word “dishonours”, as applying to a lack of respect, hiding away in a person’s heart, a lack of submission to our God-given order. The order is: God the Father, God the Son, the man or husband, and the woman or wife. The veil or covering on the head of a believing Corinthian wife showed that she was under the authority of her husband, and therefore under submission to God.

In 1 Corinthians 11:10, we read something about angels. “For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority”. The holy angels, who are in perfect and total submission to God, expect that we, as followers of Christ, be the same. I don’t believe it is just women who have been singled out here because I’m sure angels are watching men as well. So from these verses and others, we know that God sees what is in our hearts, and angels see the outward manifestations of our heart attitudes. Hebrews 12:1 reads, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us”. A sobering verse, I think we all agree. 

However, in today’s society, with its more relaxed and permissive attitudes, these verses on the importance of head coverings remain relevant. If there is no outward show of hats, there must still be the inner attitude of submission, whether male or female. There was the story of the small boy whose teacher repeatedly told him to sit down. In the end, he complied but muttered under his breath, “I’m still standing up inside”. This is the sort of attitude that God sees as sinful when accompanying our prayers and prophesies, whether in church or without. Philippians 2:5 opens a door to the right attitude of submission to God – “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”. There is no other way. We read on, “[Jesus] humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honour and gave him the name above all other names” (Philippians 2:8-9). That is true submission to God and His order.

Dear Father God. We understand Your teaching on submission and pray for the grace to implement it in our lives. We confess our sins and pray for forgiveness, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Head Covering (1)

Posted on by korgrocker

“A man dishonours his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. But a woman dishonours her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.”
1 Corinthians 11:4-6 NLT

In the next few verses in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul continued his teaching about headship. To recap, 1 Corinthians 11:3 reads, “But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God”.  The principle that everyone has a “head,” or someone to whom they are accountable, is fundamental to believers, and Paul wrote that men are accountable to Christ, who is their Head. So, how is this to be shown? In the Corinthian culture, there was much importance given to honour and shame, with a person’s behaviour significantly contributing to this. In our societies today, there is little that outwardly shows a man is a Christian. However, for those in leadership or a position of authority in some denominations, there is a dress code. For example, a minister or a priest can be distinguished by something we call a “dog collar”, a white band that goes under a shirt collar and covers up the top button. In a church service, individuals with a particular role can be seen wearing a cassock, a long, black or red-coloured garment. Senior members of the clergy also have a particular style of hat, which is worn in ceremonial circumstances. In the Church of Scotland, an elder can be seen wearing pin-striped trousers with a black jacket and tie, or, in previous years, wearing a suit with tails. But all of this applies in professional religious environments. In non-conformist churches and denominations, there is no such uniform, and leaders are indistinguishable from the laity. 

So, in public, what is there to distinguish a man who is a Christian from the rest of society? There are certain dress codes that a male believer should not adopt, of course, and one of them is the modern tendency for some men to dress as women. In recent years, much has been made in some Christian circles for men to be men, standing up and portraying the role that God has given them. But Paul particularly addressed the situation in a church service, when a man should display his reverence for his Head, Jesus, by not covering his own head. This level of strictness has been abandoned in some contexts, with baseball caps appearing in worship bands, etc., but this probably displays a lack of teaching rather than a deliberate attempt to dishonour Christ. 

Another thing worthy of note is that men had the opportunity to pray and prophesy. Paul wrote, “A man dishonours his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying”. For us men, our head is Christ, and we must have an attitude that is befitting and honouring to Him. Paul wrote to the Philippians, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to” (Philippians 2:5-6). Sadly, today, the attitude of humility before God can be hard to find. Often, there is a matey-ness present in our relationship with God, regarding Him almost as an equal, a friend, but without an attitude of awe and a holy fear. 

It may be a time for us men to do a spiritual check-up, and consider how we honour Jesus with all that we are, our minds, our bodies and our souls. Psalm 96:8-9, “Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in all his holy splendour. Let all the earth tremble before him”. In that context, we should never bother to cover our heads. They would not be seen because we would be on our knees, our heads bowed, worshipping Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus, our Head in the Godhead. Please forgive us for our lack of reverence, we pray, and instead we worship at Your footstool today. Amen.

Headship

Posted on by korgrocker

“I am so glad that you always keep me in your thoughts, and that you are following the teachings I passed on to you. But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”
1 Corinthians 11:2-3 NLT

Paul outlined an important principle in 1 Corinthians 11:3 about headship. However, first, we must define what “headship” means in the context of Biblical teaching, discipleship, and spiritual authority. Paul wrote that the ultimate Head of everything is God Himself. One of the mysteries of the Trinity is the order contained within it, and we read that God was the head of Jesus Christ. But that is obvious to anyone reading the Gospels and Jesus’ time on earth. There was a Father-Son relationship in place, and the first time this emerged into public display was after Jesus’ baptism by His cousin John. We read in Mark 1:10-11, “As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy””. Jesus often made references to His Father in Heaven, and this is portrayed in places such as John 14:31 – 15:1. “But I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going. I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener”. The respect and awe that Jesus demonstrated in His relationship with His Father in heaven were evident for all to see.

Paul also wrote that the head of man is Christ. This means that Christ is the ultimate authority and source of spiritual life for men, something that we male believers need to take extremely seriously. It defines an order that cuts across some popular misconceptions, because it puts the spiritual life of a man centrally in his relationship with God. So a believing man, regardless of his relationship with anyone else, is responsible and accountable to Christ for all that matters in his life. No one else has the authority to usurp that order. 

The last thing that Paul highlighted in 1 Corinthians 11:3 was the principle that a man is the head of a woman. Such a thought is, understandably, difficult for women today to embrace because it is so counter-cultural in its concept and application. In Ephesians 5:21-24, Paul wrote, “And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Saviour of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything”. Once again, Paul wrote that a man is the head of a woman, in this case, his wife, and the word “submit” emerges in the text. But the man’s role in all of this is contained in the next two verses in Ephesians. “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word”. This principle of laying down one’s life for another is central to the relationship between a man and a woman, particularly when they are married. But we should note that the “church” contains both men and women (and children) and there is a need for every believer to nurture their spiritual lives in their relationship with Christ.

What is the impact of this hierarchical order on believers today, and in a society that promotes equality between the sexes? Firstly, male believers have a responsibility to look to Christ as their head, looking to Him for all aspects of their lives. In their decision-making. In their spiritual lives. Being accountable to Jesus for all that they do. Secondly, regarding women, they should not extend the principle of spiritual authority beyond what Paul’s teaching actually says. Men do not have a dictatorial right over a woman, although some men think they do. The principle of loving wives is a sacrificial one, and makes the man responsible for his wife’s well-being. However, there are many single women in society today who are quite comfortable with their singleness and have applied the principle of Christ’s headship to their spiritual lives. Without the opportunity of a male figure in their lives, they perhaps, when needed, should seek out the spiritual advice of their father, or pastor or some other male leader in their church or fellowship. But that is advice that applies to everyone when God’s counsel is required. 

One other thing, some churches have female pastors. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:12, “I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly”. I don’t believe that having a female pastor leading a church is ideal, particularly if the pastor is on their own. However, sometimes, when a male leader is absent from a church leadership, a woman will step into the role, and God will use her to lead His church. God will anoint such a woman for the task of a leader or a pastor. 

Dear Heavenly Father. In this emotive and misunderstood area of Christian relations, we pray for Your guidance and leadership at every step. We love You, Lord, and worship You today, with a grateful heart for all that You have done for us. Amen.

Role Models and Red Lines

Posted on by korgrocker

“I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
1 Corinthians 10:33 – 11:1 NLT

Do we pilgrims have any “red lines” in our lives? Is there anything about what we do, how we spend our time, and govern our thoughts, that is non-negotiable and something that we would not be prepared to abandon? Paul had his faith in Christ and all that that entailed. His “red lines” included his desire to share the Good News about Jesus with everyone he met, his life of prayer and devotion to God, and his pastoral care for the churches he founded. He was not distracted by family needs, particularly by marriage, as we read three or four chapters before in our verses today. Paul was a driven man, totally devoted to his “red lines”, which didn’t even stop when he was imprisoned. His life was structured yet flexible enough to adapt to any situation or circumstance that he encountered. He wrote to the Philippians, “Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13). 

At the start of our new chapter in 1 Corinthians 11, Paul encouraged the Corinthians to imitate him because he was a Christ-imitator. This might have been difficult for some in Corinth, because different preachers there had their own followers. In 1 Corinthians 3:4-5,  Paul wrote, “When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us”. But Paul wasn’t looking for people to follow him, or perhaps even to behave like him. He exhorted the Corinthians to imitate his devotional life and his works of service. Not everyone could preach like Paul. Not everyone had his theological training, refined and powered by a miraculous and personal encounter with Jesus. However, they could establish the structures and principles that would guide them on their journey to Heaven. And regarding the last verse of 1 Corinthians 10, we read about Paul’s desire to introduce everyone he could to God’s saving grace. “I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved”.

Paul developed the same thoughts in Philippians 2, something that we pilgrims would do well to read and re-read. Regarding our relationships with others, this is what he wrote in verses 3-4, “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”. And then he followed it with, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had”. We, too, must imitate Christ in all that we do.

So, back to our “red lines”. Most people need to install some form of structure in their lives as they go about their daily business. There is an observation that I often hear from retired people, in that they never know what day of the week it is. The structure afforded by employment has gone, and unless they put something else in place, the days will merge into a featureless mist of wasted time and opportunities. We pilgrims would be well-advised to spend time in days that otherwise will drift away from us by reading our Bibles and praying to our wonderful Heavenly Father. For me, this is a “red line” so important that, if circumstances prevent me from having a “Quiet Time”, my day loses its lustre. There is something significant about turning our thoughts to the Heavenly realm in prayer and meditation at the start of a day, and asking for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit to empower me for the day ahead. And then I personally try to supplement my morning devotions with a prayer walk when I can bring other issues before God, and look for opportunities to introduce people to Jesus. Another “red line” for me is attending church on Sundays, as well as prayer meetings and Bible studies if available, and if my circumstances allow. But we are all different, and we must all ask God for His guidance and help to establish some spiritual “red lines” in our lives, remembering that there is no condemnation for any of God’s children.

Dear Heavenly Father. There is no substitute for spending time with You, and we are so sorry for the wasted days when our humanity gets in the way. Please help us establish good habits in our busy days, when we can structure our lives around You and Your Word. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Glory Be To God

Posted on by korgrocker

“So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don’t give offence to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.”
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 NLT

In Christ, we are free. Jesus said that in John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free”. A bit later on in John’s Gospel, Jesus also said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (John 10:10). However, there are several considerations that have so far emerged in the 1 Corinthians letter, as we enjoy the freedom we have been granted in our “rich and satisfying life”. 

The first is that everything we do should be done with God in mind. For the Corinthians, this initially focused on food offered to idols, but Paul expanded this to include everything we are involved in, adding a catch-all. In 1 Corinthians 6:12, Paul wrote, “You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything”. This can be true in several ways, as we are adept at forming habits, which can be both beneficial and detrimental. Because of sin, bad habits often prevail, and we must be vigilant to avoid falling into this trap.  

Another consideration is the impact our behaviour has on other believers. Paul particularly highlighted offending Jews and Gentiles, something very sensitive in those days, because the church in Corinth would have had people from both backgrounds in the church there. In modern churches here in the UK, there is no longer the same issue, but we must still be aware of other sensitivities. In the church I attend, there are several lovely Nigerian families, but their culture is very different to mine, and because of that, I have to be very sensitive to their backgrounds. 

Yet another consideration concerns offending the church of God. This is very easy to do, as we mix with other fellowship groups, movements and denominations. There are a plethora of beliefs in Christianity, and some are deeply cherished by their adherents. I used to live near a family with cessationist beliefs that clashed with my own continuationist beliefs, and care had to be adopted as we discussed the things of God. And then there are differences in liturgies and even versions of the Bible, with some Christians including the books of the Apocrypha in their churches, even though most don’t, something that can perhaps cause a conflict in theology.

So Paul’s approach was to try his best to please everyone. But in many ways, this was something that Paul wasn’t very good at, if the physical abuse he suffered is anything to go by. The overriding factor for Paul was the phrase, “I do what is best for others so that many may be saved”. The sad thing was that most people in the Mediterranean lands, as is the case today throughout the world, have a different view of what is best for them. People generally prefer to live their sinful lives without anyone pointing out to them the eternal consequences of such a choice. And so believers will experience pushbacks from the very people who would benefit from their message of the Good News about Christ.

Today, it is the behaviour of Christians that speaks the loudest to the unbelievers in our society. There is an old saying, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary use words”, and although only partly true, this has a point. A common objection heard from those invited to attend a church service is that the congregation there is full of hypocrites. A sad indictment, which unfortunately can be true. But Jesus said, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16). Paul wrote about the connection between our salvation and good works in Ephesians 2:9-10, “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 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”. It is a fact that in the UK, most charities have a Christian influence, as the good deeds being performed by Christians demonstrate their faith in God.

But in all that we do, we do it for the glory of God. This includes not only our good deeds but also the way we conduct our lives. Paul wrote, “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” (Galatians 2:20). A believer who lives their life trusting in God will shine like a beacon in a world that is lost and dying. They will be a beacon that will shine with God’s glory everywhere.

Dear Heavenly Father. Please help us shine for You today, so that Your glory is reflected everywhere we go. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Meat Conclusion

Posted on by korgrocker

“If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience. (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.) For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?”
1 Corinthians 10:27-30 NLT

1 Corinthians 10 is a chapter rich in references to idolatry and the issue of food offered to idols. It even contains a warning about the behaviour of the Israelites as they slowly journeyed to the Promised Land from slavery in Egypt. But in our verses located towards the end of the chapter, we see Paul reaching a conclusion. He said that if the food before him, regardless of its source, can be eaten with thanks for it being offered to God, then the only potential harm in eating it is if, by so doing, it would offend someone with a weaker conscience. We’re back to the principle of loving others, looking out for them, and preferring them to ourselves, a principle that should be deeply ingrained in Christians everywhere. However, the issue of food offered to idols doesn’t impact believers today in the same way it did in First-Century Greece.

To the Jews, however, quite rigid laws apply for the consumption of meat. Such laws determine which types of meat can be eaten and which can’t, and they also apply to how the animal must be slaughtered. Adherents to Islam have a similar set of rules and regulations. So we end up with meats that are “kosher” or “halal”. Jewish dietary laws, known as “kashrut”, were given to the Jews for several reasons, including a divine commandment in the Torah, to maintain Jewish identity and separateness, and to elevate the act of eating into a religious ritual. 

Peter faced a dilemma when he had a vision from God concerning the consumption of animals. Peter was staying in a place called Joppa, a city located on the coast, approximately 40 miles north of Jerusalem. At the same period when Paul had his Damascus Road conversion, Peter was travelling around, eventually ending up in Joppa. During his journey, he performed many miracles and saw many turn to Christ. In Joppa, there was a woman called Tabitha (or Dorcas in the Greek), who became ill and died, and we read in Acts 9:39-40, “So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!” But here was Peter, still staying in Joppa, when he had a vision, which we can read about in Acts 10:10-13. Peter “ … was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them””. Peter’s response was in the next verse, ““No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean”. The voice in Peter’s vision then said, “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean”. Paul must have reached the same conclusion about meat and its origins at some point on his post-conversion journeys, and he was able to advise the Corinthians accordingly. 

“Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean”

We pilgrims can learn a lesson or two from all of this. Sometimes, it is easier for believers to isolate themselves as far as possible from worldly things. Such behaviour may not involve certain types of food, but it will include our relationships with people who aren’t Christians. Therefore, we tend to avoid contact with unbelievers whenever possible. But if we do so, how can we share the Gospel —the Good News about Christ —with those who need to hear it? That was why Peter received the vision. He obviously received God’s intended message, because we read what he said to the Gentile Cornelius, and those gathered with him, in Acts 10:28, “Peter told them, ‘You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean”. And so it is with us. So, when we meet someone today, we do not recoil in case we become corrupted by the encounter, but instead we consider the person before us as a potential child of God. We reach out to them, in any way that we can, looking for an opportunity to tell them about Jesus and His saving grace.

Dear Father. You have ordained our lives of service, and we don’t want to do anything that gets in the way of sharing Your Good News. Please lead and guide us, we pray, to the places where we need to go and in the relationships we need to make. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Earth is the Lord’s

Posted on by korgrocker

“You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.””
1 Corinthians 10:23-26 NLT

In Psalm 24:1, the Psalmist David wrote, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him”. Paul quoted this verse in 1 Corinthians 10:26, with the thought behind it that God has created everything in the world, and nothing in His creation can be considered harmful. But there is another thought here, and that is that the earth belongs to God. Obvious, really, because He created it all in the first place. Starting with nothing, and at the beginning of time, God spoke. We read, “Then God said …,” which appears seven times in Genesis 1, once for each day and twice on the last day, the second time when His words applied to the creation of human beings. They were something special in all God’s creative miracles, because human beings were made in His image, “to be like us”. 

How does that make us feel? When we overlay God’s ownership of the world and all that is in it, including human beings, on top of current world events and activities, we can only feel a deep sense of sadness. Human beings, created by God “in His image,” have sinfully and systematically trashed His creation. And, worse, through that sin, human beings have trashed themselves. What does God feel about such behaviour? The Garden of Eden, a utopia here on earth, a paradise truly lost, has been forgotten by most, but ever since, mankind has tried to create its own equivalent. They tried with the Tower of Babel, as we read in Genesis 11:4, “Then they said, ‘Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky. This will make us famous and keep us from being scattered all over the world””. Ever since, efforts have been made to create a place called utopia, which typically describes an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or near-perfect qualities for its members. Philosophers such as Plato, More, Bloch and many others have described such a place, and successive governments and nations have tried to implement it, but their results have produced nothing more than chaos and confusion. No one can duplicate God’s creation, no matter how hard they try. And it is indicative of the arrogance of sinful man that they would even think about doing so. 

However, there is hope for the future, because God has a plan. Through Jesus, sinful mankind has the opportunity to be redeemed from the consequences of their sins. “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes” (Ephesians 1:4). God’s plan involves creating a new people, and His patience in this season of grace is giving time for this to achieve the numbers He requires. Romans 11:25b, “… Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ”. In 1 Peter 2:9, we read, “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light”. God is creating again, and this time He has begun with human beings who love Him, believe in Him, and desire to spend eternity with Him. 

The climax to God’s plan appears in Revelation 21:1-2, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband”. This has to be a wonderfully perfect world, a new earth to replace the one that sinful man has trashed. And we see how wonderful it will be when we read the next two verses in Revelation 21, “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever””. 

Many unbelieving people today think that they will die and go to Heaven. The ones they have left behind can frequently express their belief that these loved ones look down on them, as though such a thing is a given fact. But nothing can be further from the Biblical truth. Believers will spend eternity in God’s presence and ultimately He will dwell with them in the new Jerusalem, located on the new earth, as described in the Book of Revelation. And we find out the qualifications for the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem when we read Revelation 21:27, “Nothing evil will be allowed to enter, nor anyone who practices shameful idolatry and dishonesty—but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life”. 

We pilgrims, believers in Jesus, washed in His Blood, forgiven of our sins, true children of God, have our names recorded in that most important Book, the Lamb’s Book of Life. We do our utmost to convince others of the importance of this, because once they pass on from this life, it will be too late.

Dear Father God. You own everything in and on this world, and we are so grateful. You are still on Your throne, regardless of the attempts of sinful man to declare otherwise. We pray for our loved ones that they, too, will come to faith in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.