A Timely Reminder?

Posted on by korgrocker

“Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.”
2 Peter 1:12-13 NLT

We all need Peters in our lives. Faithful men and women who are diligent in reminding us about the wonderful truths and promises in the Bible, and how we must be equally as diligent in applying them to our lives. But do we know a “Peter” who has a spiritual input into our lives? Are we listening when a fellow believer provides some encouragement? Or have we cut ourselves off from contact with other Christians, adopting an “I’ll do it my way” attitude? Peter said to his readers that they, of course, know the truths he is reminding them about, and that, although they probably don’t need any reminders, he is doing so anyway.

We pilgrim believers in our journey through life are constantly dealing with conflicts between two kingdoms. The Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of the world. God has provided all the resources we need in these situations, but sometimes we get a bit wobbly in our faith. The enemy will seek out our weak spots and try and capitalise on them to destroy our faith. The Holy Spirit will guide us to the right truths and promises of course, but we have to go and look for them, examining the Scriptures if we are not sure about something. And sometimes the Holy Spirit will use a “Peter” to help us, particularly if we have gone a bit spiritually deaf.

At the present time, with war in Eastern Europe and, as I write, the conflict in Palestine, we can lose sight of the fact that God is in control of His creation, His world. To think that human beings can destroy something that He created is arrogance in the extreme. In our community Bible Study yesterday we read Psalm 2, and came across verses 4-6, “But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them. Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.”” This is the reality – God will rebuke the nations who fight against Him, and He will one day in the future instal Jesus in His rightful place as ruler of the world. 

We pilgrims must always be open to the “Peters” who cross our paths. Our loving Heavenly Father is very faithful and He will often lead us to green pastures where we can find the spiritual nourishment we need. A word from a brother or sister at just the right time will often help us when we need help, but we must keep our spiritual ears open. One practical help is the use of a notebook. When we hear a sermon, write down what we are hearing and go over it afterwards. If the preacher quoted Scriptures, check them out. and the truths and promises we find may be just what God wants us to hear. And we must pray for discernment, to filter out the noise that so easily can divert us from the course. If we find a “Peter”, we may want to journey with him for a bit. But in it all, God loves and cares for us, just as He did for the people who read Peter’s message all those years ago.

Father God. Thank You for the faithful men and women who so often provide a word of encouragement when we need it. We pray today for them, and ask for Your blessings to be with them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Work Hard

Posted on by korgrocker

“So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT

‭‭”Work hard” Peter writes, implying that there is a need to work for our salvation. But wait a minute! Aren’t we saved by grace alone? Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God“. In Titus 3:5 we read, “he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit“. But to find out what Peter meant we have to look earlier in the chapter. He started by writing that we have to do something in response to God’s promises. 2 Peter 1:5a, “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. …”. For example, God has promised to give us wisdom but we won’t receive it unless we ask for it. James 1:5, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking“. We may be going through some difficult times and wonder where God is, but again there is something we must do to find Him. Deuteronomy 4:29, “But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him“. 

So when Peter wrote that we must “work hard”, he was referring to the fact that we pilgrims must take an active role in our salvation process. Paul wrote, “Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:12-13). I read somewhere that the Greek verb for “work out” means “to continually work to bring something to completion or fruition”. Salvation is a process, often called sanctification, whereby we become more and more like Jesus as we pursue obedience to God’s promises and instructions. In Philippians 3:12-14, Paul wrote, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us“. Paul pressed on towards his goal. He worked hard at trying to become perfect, achieving what Jesus called him to be.

Unfortunately, some might say, there is not a manual of instructions with check boxes for the things we need to do and have completed. Sanctification is a continual, multi-facetted process and I am reminded of the plate spinners in a circus – they start a plate spinning, then another and then another, and so on, but they always have to go back and keep the earlier plates spinning. Our lives as believers can feel like that sometimes, well, that is until we realise that we have a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who I’m sure does a bit of plate spinning on our behalf when we forget. Each plate represents something in our Christian lives that we have overcome. Perhaps an addiction, or a wrong habit. Perhaps some sin or other, that has blighted our lives. However, we have become an overcomer, but always conscious that we could find ourselves lapsing back into our old ways. Thankfully, after a while, we find that God has helped us get to a point where a particular plate doesn’t need to spin any more. But there’s always a new plate ….

Jesus said that when we involve Him in our lives, things are not as hard as they otherwise could be. He said, “Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:29-30). Romans 8:26 reminds us that the Holy Spirit is actively on our case, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words“. So Peter reminds us that we must “work hard”. But it isn’t a drudge to respond to God’s promises and grow in the knowledge of Jesus. In fact, it is a joy to know that we are so close to God as we journey through this life.

Father God. Thank You for Your presence in our lives. Where would we be without You? Amen.

Divine Promises

Posted on by korgrocker

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV

In the previous verse in 2 Peter 1, Peter wrote about how God’s power can help us live a Godly life. He now moves on to considering God’s promises. We read what Peter wrote about God’s divine power, accessed through our knowledge of Him, and leading to His divine promises. 2 Peter 1:4 includes an awe-inspiring revelation – that we are “partakers of the divine nature.” This is a staggering concept that calls us to recognize our profound connection with God. It suggests that as believers, we are not merely recipients of God’s blessings; we are invited to share in who He is. This divine participation transforms the identity and purpose of us pilgrims, calling us to live in a way that is reflective of our life to come In Heaven. And we note that this is not a future event – it is available to us in the here and now.

But there is a significant benefit coming from God’s power and promises – to “escape the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires.” In a world marked by decay and moral decline, God’s promises offer a way of escape. This escape is not an evasion but a transformative journey. It implies a departure from the corrosive influences of the world and an entry into the transformative power of God’s promises.

So what are these “precious and very great promises”? If we read the end of the previous verse, we see that they are connected with God’s “glory and excellence”. God has made promises to His people in His Word because He is glorious and because He is excellent. Peter was writing to those early Christians in Asia Minor, but his words apply just as much today, to us pilgrims. We can’t just gloss over these promises, though. We have to understand that they are of considerable value, coming as they do from God’s divine nature. And to find out what they are we have to read the Bible. God’s promises are all contained within this precious Book, and we will have to read it. And as we do, we will find out more and more about our wonderful heavenly Father. We will find too that the Bible is full of surprises, that will transform the way we think and behave. 

Let’s just pluck from the Bible some promises; each of these will give us a glimpse of what life with God is like now and what it will be like in the future. 
Psalm 23:6, “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever“.
Isaiah 1:18, ““Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool“.
Ezekiel 36:26, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart“. ‭‭
Matthew 11:28-30, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light“.

These are just four God-promises and there are many more. But they are not just warm, fuzzy words on a page in a dusty tome. Applying these in our lives will lead to the abundant life that Jesus spoke about. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). But we have to take these Scriptures on board and chew them over in our minds and spirits. And apply them to every aspect of our lives. There is no other way.

Dear Heavenly Father. Your ways are the only ways to find the abundant life You have promised to us. We thank You for each and every Word that is contained in Your Book. Amen.

Grace and Peace Multiplied

Posted on by korgrocker

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,”
2 Peter 1:2 NKJV

Peter writes some encouragement for his readers, a blessing numbering just a few words but limitless in scope. And the blessing didn’t stop after it rested on the inhabitants of the five provinces – it has reverberated down through the ages right to the present day. Peter opened a door for his readers, a door labelled “Grace and Peace”, and by it he provided a glimpse into the world inside, a vista of God’s blessings disappearing without limit into the distance. 

Grace is a word that encapsulates the unmerited favour and divine kindness that God has poured out upon mankind. The benevolence that God displays started with the creation of the world and is still with us today. There is no end to His favour, and Peter presents an opportunity for his readers, of receiving more than a single portion. God’s grace, Peter says, is “multiplied” to them from a bottomless reservoir that will never be exhausted. He spoke out that blessing over them through his pen, and I’m sure his early readers would have felt the Holy Spirit pour over them.

Peter could have left his blessing just with grace, but he added to it the concept of peace. Grace paves the way for peace, creating a harmonious synergy between God and us pilgrims. Through His grace we can experience a peace so profound that it is life changing in our world, conflicted as it is by sin. But the peace that Peter wrote about is not just the absence of conflict but a profound tranquillity that surpasses understanding. Paul also wrote about this peace in Philippians 4:7, “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus“. In an age marked by chaos, the assurance of multiplied peace becomes a beacon of hope to a sad world in despair.

We pilgrims are the enlightened ones. We know God’s grace and peace. We have experienced Peter’s prayer in our lives and have warmed ourselves in the glow from God’s multiplied blessings. But we must act as reflectors, focusing the heavenly rays to those around us, alleviating their distress and despair. We pray that we have the words to say, the deeds to act, to bridge the gap and penetrate the hard outward crust covering the hunger inside our Godless friends and neighbours. Paul wrote in his second Corinthian letter, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4). That’s multiplied grace leading to the comfort of an inner peace. The grace we receive can be multiplied to others.

But we pilgrims must never forget that God’s boundless blessings of multiplied grace and peace is for us too. We need more grace, more peace, more of God, to help us gain “the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord”. There is no limit to God’s grace and peace except ourselves.

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Your many blessings and all the resources we need for our journey through life. All supplied through Jesus. We worship You today. Amen.

The Authority of Elders

Posted on by korgrocker

“In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””
1 Peter 5:5 NLT

Peter moves on in his writings to include the relationship between elders and the rest of the flock. In particular, he singles out the younger members of the congregation, young in either age or the faith. And he says that they should “accept the authority of the elders”. Perhaps in Peter’s days, there was more in the way of respect between generations, but today there seems to be little. Even in my younger days, we respected anyone in authority, be they policemen, or bank managers, school teachers or ministers. But today, if we believe the news reports, there is a reluctance for anyone to assume an authoritarian position in case they conflict with “human rights” or have to challenge bad behaviour, all for fear of legislative hassles. And when it comes to social media, even the most innocuous expression of a view that is different will potentially invite a torrent of abuse. Thankfully, there are still young people today who have a different spirit, and who gain respect because they grant it to others.

But cutting through all of this is God’s model. He has laid down an authoritarian structure in His church, and the elders are responsible for implementing it, admonishing or correcting the younger members if necessary. And the “young” are told to accept what the elders say.

But Peter didn’t stop there, and went on to say that all the church members should dress in humility. Did he mean that all clothes should be similar in style using dark colours, preferably black or grey? Was Peter promoting at least one of the features of the Amish people? I don’t think he meant physical dress at all, but rather was promoting humility in the relationships we have we each other. And he quotes Proverbs 3:34 from the Greek Bible version. But from the Amplified translation this proverb reads, “Though He scoffs at the scoffers and scorns the scorners, Yet He gives His grace [His undeserved favour] to the humble [those who give up self-importance]”. Paul wrote a lovely few verses in Philippians 2, and amongst them is verses 3 and 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”. By reading this passage from Philippians again I find a witness in my spirit, confirming God’s model for His children. But the verses that Paul wrote are hugely different from world group-think, a counter-cultural presentation showing how far our societies have moved away from God’s relational model.

A good Bible verse about humility is Proverbs 11:2, “Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom”. Solomon wrote that many centuries ago and it is amazing that it still applies as much today as it did then. The Apostle James wrote, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honour” (James 4:10). Showing humility before God and the human beings around us can be hard because something within us rises up and says, “What about me!” But that’s not God’s way. If there’s any promotion of an individual needed, then it is best left to God. He will do the honouring.

Dear Father God. We bow before You today in all humility and worship. It’s all about You, Lord, not about us. Amen.

Eldership Qualities

Posted on by korgrocker

“And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honour.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT

We continue our examination of who elders are and the qualities required for this job. We have considered how an elder is entrusted with looking after the “flock”, the members of the congregation in the churches that they lead. And we also ventured into the contentious area of eldership gender. But moving on, we find that an elder must be above reproach. Titus 1:7, “A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money”. Nothing contentious there, I would think. An elder is someone who believers in his church will look up to and whose behaviour they will emulate. After all, the elders pastor those in the church, and bad behaviour or poor leadership will hardly be of value in accomplishing their core mission.

Another quality of an elder is that he must be hospitable. Titus 1:8a, “Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home … ”. Being hospitable is mentioned in several places in the Bible, and the Greek word for hospitality is, apparently, “love of strangers”. To be hospitable to anyone is often not a convenient act but one that nevertheless is something Christians are encouraged to do. When Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, he, and his colleagues and captors, were looked after through the hospitality of a local landowner called Publius, and in Acts 28:7 we read, “Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days“. That’s hospitality. We also note from Hebrews 13:2, “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” An angel in my home? Amazing? Jesus also taught on hospitality, as we read in Matthew 24:35, “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home”.

‭‭‭‭Paul added the requirement of being able to teach to the role of an elder,  “ …  and he must be able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2b). To teach in a church context means having the ability to take and read the Scriptures and expound them in a way that imparts knowledge to the listeners. The Apostles and elders in the church in Jerusalem appointed deacons so ” … we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word“. 

‭Being an elder is sometimes a thankless task but one that can also be very rewarding. We pilgrims, who sit under the ministry of elders must pray for them. Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit“. 

Dear Heavenly Father. We do indeed pray for our church leaders, those whom You have appointed to oversee Your local expression of the Church. Please be with them, keeping them safe, we pray. Amen.

Elders

Posted on by korgrocker

“And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honour.”
1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT

Peter starts the next chapter in his first letter by writing directly to the “elders in the churches”. These men (always men in those days) are the church leaders, the “pastors and spiritual leaders” as the Amplified Bible version explains. What these church leaders are named today depends on which denomination we belong to, but every fellowship of believers will have a leader or leaders. Peter himself explains that he was an elder as well, but one with a special qualification. He walked with Jesus for three years and was “a witness to the sufferings of Christ”. 

The work of an elder hasn’t changed over the years since the first appointments in the First Century. It is a role that can be very demanding and time consuming. It involves interactions, sometimes painful, with the church members, dealing with issues, good and bad. But the elder’s role is essential for the discipline and spiritual growth of pilgrims everywhere. Elders can be involved in decision-making, as we read in Acts 15. In verses 1 and 2, we read how a dispute over circumcision was settled by a meeting of the apostles and elders in Jerusalem. An elder is also required to minister and pray for the sick people in the fellowship. We read in James 5:14, “Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.” In our verses from 1 Peter today, we read an elder should, “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to [them]”. So an elder can end up taking services and preaching and teaching, leading Bible studies and prayer meetings, and generally building up the believers in their church. The role of an elder is an essential appointment in a church, as we can see.

Do we pilgrims know an elder? Are we in a church with one or more of them? We may even be elders ourselves. But we must always pray for our elders, because they have a heavy responsibility. We read in James 3:1, “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly”. Many believers have been led astray by false teaching, and even Christian sects have been established and built on a wrong foundation. To take an extreme example, I read about a church that emphasised Mark 16:18a, “They will be able to handle snakes with safety … ”, with apparently disastrous results when they brought snakes into the meetings.

Thankfully, our Heavenly Father is always on hand to lead and guide us. He cares for His children, and we believers must always remember that we have direct access straight to His throne. 

Dear Lord. We pray for the leaders in our churches today, that You will lead and guide them in Your paths. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The End of the World

Posted on by korgrocker

“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.”
1 Peter 4:7 NLT

This is a sobering verse, with a theme that Peter repeated in 2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment“. Will the earth as we know it end soon? The answer is that we really don’t know what “soon” means. To us humans “soon” means in the next few hours or days. But certainly no longer. But as we know, God lives without our time system. Instead He will do what He has promised to do at just the right time.

There is an expectation in the Bible that one day the world as we know it will cease to exist. This is because one day God’s grace will be replaced by His judgement. We live in a moral universe and the sin and evil that is endemic in our societies will have to be accounted for. There are a series of events that the Apostle John wrote down, and which form the book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible. If you wish to find out more what these are, please read my devotional book “The End Times” (author Adrian Clark), available on Amazon. But we’ll pick up the narrative in Revelation 20. 

The devil will be chained and incarcerated, and the saints, including those whom were martyred for their faith, will rule and reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years. John’s vision included the explanation that these dead people were brought back to life as the first resurrection; the resurrection of everyone else was not to happen until after the thousand years were up. Satan was then released from his prison and he made a last attempt to conquer God and His people. But to no avail – he and his armies were defeated by fire from Heaven, and he ended up in the “fiery lake of burning sulphur”, a place of eternal torment (Revelation 20:10), joining his proteges, the beast and the false prophet. 

Revelation 20 ends with the events we call the Great White Throne judgement. We read in John’s account, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books … And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:13,15). But when we turn the page, we find an amazing event – the new Heaven and Earth. But more on that in my book.

Peter exhorts his readers to “be earnest and disciplined in your prayers”. But he doesn’t say what those prayers should consist of. Knowing what is to come must, by its very essence, focus the minds of us pilgrims. We must keep short accounts with God, ensuring forgiveness for the sins we might commit. We must, with clarity of thought, examine ourselves. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith”. David, the Psalmist, wrote the prayer, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24). We must pray appropriately, knowing that “the end of the world is coming soon”. 

Dear Father God. We can never thank You enough for Your grace. All we can do is to fall on our knees before You in worship. Amen.

The Judge

Posted on by korgrocker

“But remember that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead. That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead—so although they were destined to die like all people, they now live forever with God in the Spirit.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We start with the “they”. These are the people who were guilty of slandering their “former friends” just because they believed the Good News about Jesus. These “former friends” were living a life of debauchery, blissfully unaware that one day “they will have to face God“. But we pilgrims know, of course, that it is not just these particular individuals who were at risk. Everyone one day will give an account of their lives to God. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 14:11-12, “For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.” Jesus, replying to an accusation that He was casting our demons by power from the devil, said, “And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you”” (Matthew 12:36-37). Another verse of truth from Paul, “For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

Peter wrote a strange thing, in that he said the Gospel “was preached to those who are now dead”. In those days Jesus was expected to return before the current generation had passed away, so perhaps Peter was clarifying the salvation status for those who had apparently died prematurely. In our days we still expect the imminent return of Jesus, but God’s timing is exact and the Second Coming won’t happen until the right time. In the meantime we pilgrims march on in obedience to Jesus, sharing the Gospel with those around us. But for all I know this blog may never be read, because its publication will have been overtaken by Divine events.

So the question to be answered is where we all stand before God. We can be counted in the “former friends” group, which will probably make up the majority, or we are one of those who heard the Good News, believing it and applying it to our own lives. There are no other categories of people. No third group made up of people who consider that they have lived a good life, and therefore believe that they are worthy enough, through their own efforts, to enter Heaven. As Paul wrote, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23).

Peter wrote “that they will have to face God, who stands ready to judge everyone, both the living and the dead“. We know that this is the case from what the Spirit revealed to the Apostle John, and as he recorded it in Revelation 20. A “great white throne” appeared with “One sitting on it” (Revelation 20:11), an event so terrible that even the earth and sky “fled from His presence”. But there was no hiding place for anything in creation on that terrible day. We read what is to happen in Revelation 20:12, “I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books.” And there was only one possible verdict – guilty – except for those whose names were recorded in a Book containing the names of all the repentant believers in Jesus. Revelation 20:15, “And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Thankfully, believers will not have to face that awful event, and we pilgrims share our stories of God’s saving grace with those around us, in the hope, the expectation even, that the Holy Spirit will bring salvation to all those He has called.

Dear Father God. We pray for our family and friends, that they also will desire to see their names written in Your Book of Life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
‭‭

The Resurrection

Posted on by korgrocker

“So he went and preached to the spirits in prison— those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 3:19-21 NLT

To a Christian, the “resurrection of Jesus Christ” must be another of the most significant events in human history. Of course, many will dispute this, but in the context of eternity, few could argue otherwise. It is the foundation stone, the Cornerstone even, to the believer’s faith. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:13-14, “For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless”. Without the resurrection our “faith is useless”. 

Nearly two thousand years ago, Jesus, the Son of God, was crucified. A man innocent of any crime except that He dared to challenge the spiritual authority of the Jewish leaders. John wrote, “He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:10-11). It is astonishing that His life ended up in the way it did. But this was all part of God’s plan. He looked down from eternity at the world’s events and selected a time when His plan would come to fruition. Paul wrote in Romans 5:6, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners”.

So why is the resurrection so important to the faith of a believer? This act of God demonstrates that He is capable of raising a dead person, and not only that, giving Him a resurrected body with special powers. Because of that we can have confidence that through our faith in Him, we too will have a resurrected body one day. God’s power over life and death is absolute.

We should note that the evidence for the resurrection of Christ is indisputable. Paul wrote, “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). There have been reports of sceptical lawyers who have examined the evidence for the death and resurrection of Jesus, and have concluded that there is sufficient proof to stand in a court of law. 

Jesus knew what would happen to Him. He said to Martha just after Lazarus had died, “ … I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying” (John 11:25). Because we pilgrims believe in Him we too will live with Him after we die. The Apostle John wrote about the significance of Christ’s life. “And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12).‭‭ Paul wrote that death has been conquered and the new bodies we will one day receive will never die. “Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).

‭‭We pilgrims are a favoured and God-valued people. We have stumbled on a priceless treasure, one without limit. One that can extend to all. Why won’t unbelievers become believers, grasping this priceless offer with both hands? Probably because they take the short term view, valuing a sinful life over the consequences of believing in Jesus. The devil blinds their eyes and silences the inner whisper that leads them to Christ. But their intransigence won’t stop us reaching out to them anyway. Jesus died and rose again for everyone, not just us.

Dear Lord. We pray today for our loved ones, that they too will come to know Your wonderful love and grace. Please help them we pray. Amen.