Risking Death

Posted on by korgrocker

“If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptised for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again? And why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you.”
1 Corinthians 15:29-31 NLT

There is no point, said Paul, to face into all the danger that being a Christian involved in those days, if there was to be no resurrection of the dead. Previously, in this chapter, in this his first letter to the Corinthians, he answered those in Corinth who were saying that there would be no resurrection of the dead. This was despite what Paul and his colleagues in ministry were teaching. And Paul made several points to them about what this would mean in practice. 

Jesus died and rose again
on the first Easter Sunday
morning

Firstly, he said, “For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either” (1 Corinthians 15:13). To deny that Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to so many witnesses was to do what some people do today. They were trying to rewrite history because it didn’t suit their particular worldview. We have those today who deny that the Holocaust actually took place, but just to deny that something ever happened doesn’t change the facts. Jesus died and rose again on the first Easter Sunday morning. Of course, we remember the Sadducees who were around between 200BC and about 70AD. They were a rich and powerful sect of mainly businessmen who denied that the dead would be raised, and they were also very prominent in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. Paul knew that they believed that there was no resurrection and he used this to good effect when he was brought before the Sanhedrin. Acts 23:6, “Paul realised that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!’” The Council was made up of Pharisees and Sadducees, and absolute mayhem resulted as they fought over their different beliefs about resurrection, to the extent that the local commander of the Roman forces had to send soldiers in to rescue Paul. 

Secondly, Paul made the simple statement, “And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:15). It would be a sad place for Paul, if he had made up all the stories and facts about Christ’s resurrection. To find out that he was lying would have been a terrible place for him to be in, and totally contrary to the purity of the Good News that he preached. 

Thirdly, Paul pointed out that “ … if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins”(1 Corinthians 15:17). The fact of Christ’s resurrection is a fundamental cornerstone of our faith. Without it we are just a deluded set of fantasists believing in fairy stories and heading for an unknown post-death fate.

Paul said, “I face death daily“.

Fourthly, and in connection with the last point, Paul said that “ … why should we ourselves risk our lives hour by hour? For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you” (1 Corinthians 15:30-31). It would be hard enough to live out a life of denial, but to be so convinced by that lie, involving facing death, as he was doing, every day,  beggars belief. In the first century, many martyrs died for their faith, and Paul was well aware that he was in danger himself. 

We pilgrims, believers in the resurrection, will never experience the danger of death in response to our faith. But we are increasingly experiencing persecution through the passing of secular laws and through ridicule and exclusion in various places in our society. But we know that this would happen because Jesus Himself warned us about it. So we stand strong in our faith, believing in our salvation and in the One who made it all happen.

Dear Lord Jesus. You came to this world proclaiming the words of eternal life. We have nowhere else to go, and we pray for the strength to hold firm in this, our hostile, lost and evil world. In Your precious name. Amen.

Baptising the Dead

Posted on by korgrocker

“If the dead will not be raised, what point is there in people being baptised for those who are dead? Why do it unless the dead will someday rise again?”
1 Corinthians 15:29 NLT

Here is a strange verse that has confused theologians over the years, theologians who would rather it were not there, but who have to try to explain it anyway. In addition, some religious groups have zoomed in on this verse and have used it, or are using it, as a means to give someone who has died a second chance in the afterlife. Their logic is quite simple. Referring to this verse, they believe that on behalf of a dead person, they can make a public confession of faith, essentially enabling the deceased to be baptised. They think that eternal life is unavailable for those who have not been baptised, so allowing themselves to be baptised on the dead person’s behalf opens Heaven’s doors to the soul that otherwise would not gain entry. Presumably, the aforesaid soul would have been hanging around the pearly gates, hoping that someone back on earth would have remembered them. Of the religious groups practising baptism for the dead, the Mormons are the most prominent, and the practice commenced with the heretical beliefs of Marcionism, which emerged in the second century AD.

We pilgrims know and understand that salvation is a personal matter. For example, we read 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 Peter’s Acts 2 sermon, he said, “ …  Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. The “each” emphasises the personal nature of faith, and the fact that we cannot enter Heaven on someone else’s coattails, using their faith as a means of entry. 

“God saved you by his grace
when you believed“.

Is baptism essential to inherit eternal life? John 3:16 does not say ‘all who believe in Him and get baptised will not perish but have eternal life’. There have been many over the centuries who have died believing in Jesus, but because of one reason or another have not been baptised. The first was the penitent thief on the cross adjacent to Jesus’s. He had no opportunity for baptism or religious training. He had not taken Holy Communion or been to a Bible Study or prayer group. But Jesus, seeing the state of his heart, said, ‘Today you will be with me in Paradise’. And what about those from denominations that do not believe in full-immersion baptism? Without a proper full-immersion baptism, will they too be excluded from Heaven? 

So what did Paul mean when he wrote about people who were being baptised for the dead? Perhaps there was a distorted belief amongst the Corinthian Christians that there was such a possibility, and Paul was providing some correction with verse 29 of 1 Corinthians 15. We mustn’t forget that in those early days of the church, there was no Canon of Scripture as we enjoy today. In the febrile environment of spiritual gifts and the new life in Jesus, it was always possible that one or two believers became a little overenthusiastic in their beliefs. And of course, it would be natural for those still alive to worry about the whereabouts of the soul of a deceased loved one who had not been baptised. 

Regarding believers being baptised on behalf of those who are already dead, there is a theory that uses the analogy of an army, where a soldier steps up to take the place of a fallen comrade. In the first century, Christian martyrdom occurred, and there may have been a sense that another believer must step up and be baptised on behalf of the martyred Christian to maintain church numbers. Or perhaps Paul was being a bit tongue-in-cheek when he wrote that verse, presenting a view that was obviously incorrect.

We pilgrims cannot be baptised on behalf of another person; that much is clear. We will all one day have to stand before God to provide an account of our lives, and it will not be a valid position to claim salvation through someone else’s efforts. Romans 14:12, “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God”.

Dear Father God. We know that salvation is a personal experience, and not one that we can adopt on behalf of someone else. But we pray for our loved ones, our friends and our families, that they too will embrace the wonderful Good News about Your Son, Jesus. In His precious name. Amen.

Preach the Message

Posted on by korgrocker

“For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favour on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-11 NLT

“For I decided that while I was with you
I would forget everything except Jesus Christ,
the one who was crucified”
(1 Corinthians 2:2).

Paul reminded the Corinthians that he and the other Apostles all preached the same message, the one they “have already believed”. But what was this message? An important question, because if it was fundamental to the first Apostles, it must be fundamental to us pilgrims as well. The answer is the basis for Christianity and our faith. We preach Jesus and Him crucified. The Amplified version of 1 Corinthians 2:2 reads, “for I made the decision to know nothing [that is, to forego philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions while] among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified [and the meaning of His redemptive, substitutionary death and His resurrection]”. This verse puts a focus on something very important – the simplicity of the Gospel. Paul was an educated man, who was able to debate and witness before the most senior members of his world. There was not only the Greek philosophers of his day, “He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods”” (Acts 17:18). He certainly grabbed their attention. They took him to the High Council, the Areopagus, to continue his message. On another occasion, he witnessed before King Agrippa (Acts 26). But Paul never forgot the ordinary man in the street, as we read in 1 Corinthians 9:22, “When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some”. 

“For the Son of Man came
to seek and save those
who are lost“
Luke 19:10

But regardless of all his learning, Paul shared a simple Gospel about “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” at every opportunity he found himself in. This message is one we pilgrims are also required to share. The Amplified version of 1 Corinthians 2:2 puts its finger on a problem that can so easily trip us up if we let it: we can get bogged down in “philosophical or theological discussions regarding inconsequential things and opinions” in conversations with others. I recently heard about a street evangelist who was bombarded with a whole list of questions by a young man he was trying to share the Gospel with, and the last question from the young man summed up the irrelevance of the conversation: “Did Adam have a belly button?” Whether Adam did or not, such questions can distract, divert, and dilute the simplicity of the Gospel message. Adam’s anatomy has no relevance to the serious matter of salvation. In His conversation with Zacchaeus, Jesus told him, and anyone else listening, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10). In a section entitled “Salvation is for Everyone” in his Roman epistle, Paul wrote, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9-10). There is nothing complicated about these verses, I think we fellow pilgrims will agree. But the main reason that people put up a smoke screen of questions and arguments is that they don’t want to face into the consequences of responding positively to the Gospel message. I was speaking to a man recently who claimed to be a Christian, but who had not been baptised. When gently challenged, he provided a whole list of excuses as to why he had not taken the next step in his faith. But in love we pilgrims persevere in sharing the simple Gospel message because that is what Jesus has asked us to do. Nothing complicated.

Dear Father God. Please lead us to the mission field that You want us to labour in. By the power of Your Spirit, please give us the words to say and the people You want us to share with, so that You will receive all the glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

As the Scriptures Said

Posted on by korgrocker

“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.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 NLT

“Christ died for our sins,
just as the Scriptures said”

Paul was a messenger who referred to Old Testament scriptures, the prophesies about Jesus, and also to fellow believers that Paul knew, people who had confirmed them. Isaiah wrote, “Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). Jesus took the punishment for our sins that we deserved, “just as the Scriptures said“. The punishment for sins that Paul and those in the Corinthian church deserved. The same punishment that everyone who has ever lived deserves. “Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said”, wrote Paul. Why did Jesus take on the punishment that we deserved? 1 Peter 3:18, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit“. And we know from John 3:16 that God gave His Son that we might receive the gift of eternal life. So how is that going to work? No believer has ever returned from Heaven with a testimony that all their sins committed in this life were forgiven through their faith in Jesus, something that they would only find out when they reached the “Pearly Gates”. Of course, we have no measurable evidence available to us. But we know what Jesus said, and we believe, O how we believe! That is what faith in Jesus is all about. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he had passed on to them some important things that had been passed on to him, and, although the Gospels were not available to him, Paul knew all about God’s grace and love, and, implicitly, the contents of John 3:16. As an aside, note that there are only two outcomes from this very well known verse – “perishing” or “eternal life”. In faith, we believers have made the right choice, but most in the world around us are defaulting to a place reserved for those who are “perishing”. So, Paul passed on to the Corinthians the Good News about Jesus, that He had “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”

Paul also wrote, “He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said”. There are several Old Testament prophetic Scriptures about this. We have Hosea 6:2, “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence”. The Book of Jonah also has a reference to the third day: Jonah 1:17, “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights”. This was a Scripture Jesus referenced in Matthew 12:40. Paul, being a devout Jew before he met Jesus on the Damascus Road, would have known these Scriptures well. We pilgrims are familiar with the story of the empty tomb. Psalm 16:10 is taken as a prophetic reference to Jesus’ resurrection. “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave”. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 provide incredible details about Jesus’ death, and they include references to His life beyond it. The Old Testament is full of Scriptures about Jesus, because the central theme running through it is always about God, His love, His plan for the salvation of mankind, and the ultimate sacrifice of His Son, Jesus.

For us pilgrims, “just as the Scriptures said” is the bedrock of our faith. The Bible is a treasure trove of spiritual nuggets, and Paul described its worth in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work“. And so we pilgrims constantly read the Bible because it contains God’s Word to His children to keep them safe on their journey to be with Him in Paradise. We neglect the Scriptures at our peril.

Dear Father God. We thank You for the wonderful resource that You have provided for us. We pray that You open the Scriptures to us and reveal Your will and purposes today and every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Good News

Posted on by korgrocker

“Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.”
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 NLT

Paul starts Chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians with a reminder about the Good News, the Gospel, that he had preached to Corinthians converts when he was with them. We should remember that in those early days of the church, there was no New Testament as we know it. That didn’t arrive in its current form until the New Testament canon was established in the 4th century, with councils in Rome (382), Hippo (393), and Carthage (397). However, there would have been one or two letters available for the Corinthians, and perhaps some early writings that we don’t know about. 1 Corinthians was written around 55 AD, but the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) didn’t appear until after 70 AD. So we pilgrims are a blessed people, having access to so much Holy Spirit-inspired literature that has primarily established the theology and doctrine we take as read and enjoy. 

The Gospel is all about Jesus

The Gospel of Mark starts, “This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). It is Good News, because the Gospel is all about Jesus, the true God-man, the Son of God, the second member of the Trinity, the One who came to this world, born as a baby in humble circumstances, living in a poor village until He was about thirty years old. At that point, He began preaching to His fellow Jews that He was the Messiah and had come to save His people from their sins. The first words of Jesus are recorded in Mark 1:15: ““The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!””

Paul would have known all of this from Jesus Himself because of his salvation experience on the Damascus Road. Ananias, a man living in Damascus, was told to go and lay his hands on Paul, bringing healing, as we read in Acts 9:15-16. “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake””. But Paul didn’t hang around, wondering about the veracity of his experience. We read, “Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”” (Acts 9:19-20).

Paul needed no convincing about what the Good News was, and he needed no reminder. But apparently the Corinthians did, as otherwise he wouldn’t have needed to mention it at all. He encouraged them by reminding them that they had welcomed it and now stood firm in it, but there were obviously some niggling doubts in Paul’s mind that there were some who perhaps were not sure. But just in case, Paul reminded them that the Gospel, the Good News, would save them. 

It is sad that, for those Christians who have been on their journey for a while, they can sometimes lose the wonder of the Gospel message. Such believers can get tied up in other parts of the Bible or particular doctrines. They sometimes take issue with other denominations’ beliefs, pointing out doctrinal disagreements and losing sight of the Gospel’s common bond. But are we pilgrims clear about what the Gospel is and how we should never complicate it? 

“today you will be with me in paradise”

The Gospel refers to the clear and accessible message of salvation through Jesus Christ. It emphasises pure, uncomplicated devotion to Christ, rooted in grace, while warning against distorting this message with human traditions or legalism. The essence of the Gospel is to maintain focus on the core truths of faith, avoiding complications that can lead believers away from the simplicity found in Christ. Ultimately, it calls for a return to foundational truths, highlighting that knowing the truth is essential for spiritual freedom. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9-10, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved”. I always wonder about the thief on the cross next to Jesus. All he said to Jesus was, “ … Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom”. We read what Jesus, discerning what was really in the thief’s heart, said in the next verse, “ … I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise”. No complications. Just a simple response to a simple Gospel message. It had probably been many years since the poor man had been in a synagogue. He had perhaps never been to a Bible Study or prayer meeting and would have known nothing about liturgies and doctrines. All he did was believe in his heart. He experienced the fruit of the Good News in his dying moments.

“They stumble because
they do not obey God’s word“

Of course, the simplicity of the Gospel can be a stumbling block to many who always try to overcomplicate their approach to life. Such people perhaps refuse to believe that such a simple message would show them the path to Heaven. Referring to Jesus, Peter wrote, “Yes, you who trust him recognise the honour God has given him. But for those who reject him, “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” And, “He is the stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them” (1 Peter 2:7-8). There is nothing complicated about the Good News Jesus proclaimed in John 14:6, “ … “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me“. But for those of us who have accepted the Message of the Good News about Jesus, we stand firm in it, convinced that there is no other way to Heaven.

Dear Lord Jesus. You are the Way to Heaven, and we proclaim this message whenever we can. We worship You today. Amen.

The New Covenant

Posted on by korgrocker

“For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.” For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again.”
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NLT
“And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many.”
Matthew 26:27-28 NLT

The New Covenant is particularly important for us pilgrims, signifying as it does the relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ, established by his sacrificial death on the cross. This covenant involves God’s promise to forgive sins, write his laws on the hearts of believers, and provide a direct, personal relationship with Him, superseding the Old Covenant that was based on the Law of Moses and animal sacrifices. These words are easy to write, but they will never replace the feeling in our hearts the reality of who Jesus was, and still is today. As we read the Gospels and follow His life from a manger in a stable, all the way to a hill above Jerusalem, from which the resurrected Jesus ascended into Heaven, with the details there of all He did for us, we can do nothing else but fall to our knees in deep gratitude and bow to the ground in worship. And if it is possible for things to get any better, we know that Jesus is still alive today, and is in Heaven preparing a place for us to live with Him forever (John 14:2-3). 

But the possibility of a new covenant to replace the old one first appeared in Jeremiah 31:31, 33, ““The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. … “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people”. Ezekiel also wrote about the New Covenant when he wrote, Ezekiel 36:26-27,  “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. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations”. But in the Old Testament, these prophetic writings were intended for the Jews. Even Jesus’ celebration of the Last Supper was with His Jewish disciples. But, thankfully, we know that through God’s grace, the New Covenant was extended to include the Gentiles, believers such as me and my fellow pilgrims. How do we know that? If we read Acts 10 we see the pivotal event where God showed Peter that he was to take the Gospel to the Gentiles. 

Ezekiel wrote about a new heart and spirit, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and obedience to God, all achieved through belief in Him. The New Covenant is the promise that God will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise. Through God’s grace, we have before us the way to fellowship with God forever. The New Covenant is based on God’s love and grace, and it is within the grasp of all people, who only need to respond by believing in Jesus and coming to Him at the Cross in true repentance. What else can God do to restore His relationship with mankind? He cannot turn us into automatons, people without the ability to freely choose our destiny. Instead, He made a way through Jesus —a New Covenant that He will never break. But a covenant is between two parties, so what is our responsibility? A Christian’s responsibility to the New Covenant is to exercise faith in Jesus Christ, who is the mediator of this superior covenant. This involves not trying to earn salvation through personal effort, but instead living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit to reflect God’s will through love, worship, and obedience to Christ’s teachings. Through this, a path of salvation and sanctification leads to Heaven’s door.

What do we pilgrims think about the New Covenant? To answer that, we look to Jesus and none other. Only He has the words of eternal life, and we now dedicate our lives to Him. Today and forever.

Dear Lord Jesus. You prepared the way for everyone in the whole world to find the path that leads to eternal life with You. For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory. 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.

Compromise?

Posted on by korgrocker

“Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 9:19-21 NLT

In his day, Paul was considered a free man. As a Roman citizen, he enjoyed all the privileges that came with this status. In the first century, Roman citizens held significant legal and social advantages, including the right to vote and hold office, protection from arbitrary arrest and punishment, the right to a fair trial, and the ability to own property and enter into contracts. They also benefited from freedom of travel throughout the empire and could appeal court decisions. We also know that Paul was free from the requirements of the Jewish Law, even though he was a Jew, to the extent of being a Pharisee earlier in his life. How could he make that claim? Romans 10:4, “For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God”. But Paul announced to the Corinthians that, regardless of all his freedom, he was a “slave to all people” and he “obeyed the law of Christ”. Voluntarily, Paul decided that because his role was “to bring many to Christ”, he had to place certain restrictions on his freedom. His first example was how he behaved when in the presence of Jews. We know that when Paul first visited Corinth, he began preaching in the synagogue there. Acts 18:4-5, “Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah”. Where did Paul find the Jewish people in Corinth? The prominent place to start was where they worshipped, and it was there that Paul would have behaved as if he were a Jew. And he didn’t stop at the synagogue door. We read in Acts 18:18, “Paul stayed in Corinth for some time after that, then said good-bye to the brothers and sisters and went to nearby Cenchrea. There he shaved his head according to Jewish custom, marking the end of a vow. Then he set sail for Syria, taking Priscilla and Aquila with him”. Paul was still prepared to abide by Jewish customs if it meant that by so doing, some Jews would take note and believe what Paul was saying.

In 1 Corinthians 9:21a, we read, “When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ …“. The last thing the Gentiles, the non-Jews, would appreciate was a Jew behaving as one in their midst. Paul must have participated in the Gentile customs, as far as he was able by his faith in Christ, and joined in their meals with foods perhaps not allowed for a Jew to eat. But what else could Paul do if he was going to reach the Gentiles with the Gospel? To a Jew, a “Hebrew of Hebrews” (Philippians 3:5), associating with Gentiles was not allowed. However, Paul was confident in God’s grace and was able to live the Gentile way, demonstrating in the process that he wasn’t a hypocrite, as he spoke the words but also lived under God’s grace in accordance with the Gospel. 

But let’s consider what Paul was saying in the light of our 21st-century lives. We, too, are governed by the law of Christ, secure in the infinite supply of God’s grace. But do we have the courage to follow Paul’s example and live in a way that allows the people around us to relate to us? Are we prepared to compromise our lifestyles, not our beliefs, of course, to win those around us for Christ? For a Christian, it is much easier to spend time with fellow Christians, enjoying the services and Bible studies, the fellowship meals, and the socialising. It is a safe space where no one will be offended. But are we willing to venture into places beyond our comfort zones so that we can “win some for Christ”? It is a complaint I have heard from Christians that when it comes to evangelisation, they no longer know anyone who is not a Christian. Over the years, their unbelieving friends have faded away, leaving them in a purely Christian bubble. But those of us who are working have unbelieving workmates, so perhaps we could join them in some of their activities. It does not mean that we compromise our beliefs, but it does provide an opportunity to bridge the gap and, in time, deliver the Good News about Christ in a way that our workmates might accept. There are other opportunities, at the school gates or in the supermarket queues. Anywhere, in fact, where a common experience of life presents itself. A Christian man I know calls himself a “space invader”, always looking for a way in which he can invade someone’s personal space to start a conversation and try to find some common concern or topic, and use it to tell them about Jesus.

Paul’s intentions could have been considered a compromise by some, but the lesson we must learn is that neither he nor we should ever compromise our beliefs, our obedience to God, and our love for Jesus. 

Dear Father God. Please lead us to opportunities to share the fantastic, life-saving news about Jesus.  Amen.

Preach the Good News

Posted on by korgrocker

“Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.”
1 Corinthians 9:16-18 NLT

Paul was a driven man, driven by his zealous desire to preach the Gospel, the Good News about Christ, at every opportunity. In fact, this desire was so strong that he was prepared to do it without receiving any reward at all. Even though he had a right to be paid, he never demanded that his right be satisfied. Paul was unique in that God channelled his zeal, previously focused on eliminating the new followers of the Way who were appearing everywhere, into being a preacher of the Good News all over the Middle East. A total “U-turn” if ever there was one. We could ask the question, “Where are the Pauls today”? However, looking back through British history, we can see how God has raised up men and women who did something significant for the Kingdom, often at great personal cost, including the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. We think of two “Johns” – John Bunyan and John Wesley. There is another “John”, John Knox, in Scotland. William Tynsdale translated the Bible into English. William Booth founded the Salvation Army, and we mustn’t forget Smith Wigglesworth and Charles Spurgeon. But there are many more who God had commissioned in previous centuries. In modern times, I think of John Lennox, Derek Prince, David Pawson, and others, all of whom have made significant contributions to the work and life of Christians. But there has never been another Paul. 

Paul’s zeal and mission were laser-focused on preaching the Gospel. It was more than just a few words that he spoke. In Athens, his approach is clearly evident. “He went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all who happened to be there” (Acts 17:17). And he fearlessly took on the great Greek philosophers of his day, as we see in the next verse, “He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods””. Although he experienced ridicule and insults, Paul made a sufficient impact to be invited to the city’s high council, the Areopagus, to explain himself. He started his address, “So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way” (Acts 17:22). His introduction got their attention right from the start, and after a masterful and persuasive speech, he achieved a mixed outcome, that, importantly, included some of them becoming believers. Acts 17:33-34, “That ended Paul’s discussion with them, but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them”. Paul shared the Gospel with people at all levels of society, but that was his commission from Jesus. We read in Acts 9:15 something Jesus said to Ananias, “But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel”. There was King Agrippa of course, as we read in Acts 26:2,28, “”I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, … Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?“” Did Agrippa eventually become a Christian? We don’t know, unfortunately, but he could never stand before God claiming ignorance of the Good News about Christ.

We pilgrims are also commissioned to preach the Gospel. Mark 16:15,”“And then [Jesus] told them,”“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone””. His message was to His disciples, but it equally applies to us today, as it has to every believer who has ever lived. So how do we do that? We can take an example from Jesus,””“The time promised by God has come at last”” he announced.”“The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News””” (Mark 1:15). Paul wrote to the Romans the following,”“For“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”” But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say,”“How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news””” (Romans 10:13-15).

Some Christians I have met promote the old saying, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary use words”, justifying the thought that they don’t need to preach the Gospel because anyone seeing their good lives will convert to a belief in Jesus. But nothing can be further from the truth. Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ”. There is a need for our lives to mirror what we say about Jesus. We mustn’t be like the Christian who had a bumper sticker promoting Jesus but regularly exceeded speed limits.

And so we pilgrims regularly pray for divine appointments, so that we can share and preach as Jesus has commanded us, always remembering that there is a party in Heaven every time someone becomes a believer in Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus. Your Gospel is the only news worth hearing in this sad and bad world. Please help us to share our faith at every opportunity. In Your precious name. Amen.

The Lord’s Command

Posted on by korgrocker

“Don’t you realise that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings. In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge.”
1 Corinthians 9:13-15 NLT

It seems like a logical idea that the preacher of Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it. The same principle should surely be applied to teachers and lecturers and anyone else who has knowledge of a particular subject and can help those around them with his or her knowledge. Of course, knowledge of anything can be acquired in several different ways, not just by listening to someone expounding what they know. To take a simple example, I could ask a bus driver the time of the next bus to a particular town, a piece of knowledge that he would probably have in his head. However, I could acquire the same information by consulting a bus timetable, which may exist in various forms, including both paper and internet versions. However, Paul was someone special, and he possessed knowledge that would have been unique in his time. He travelled to cities everywhere in the Middle East and mostly found virgin territory for his knowledge and understanding of the Good News about Christ, where people had never heard about Jesus and His saving grace, and had no means to get that knowledge in any other way, because the New Testament had not yet been written. 

Of course, the message of the Gospel is a free gift from God, and the priceless treasure that is available to all who believe in Jesus is eternal life. We know that from Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord“. We also know that because Jesus made no reference to cost when He said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life“. Responding to the Gospel is not a monetary transaction. Instead, it is one where Jesus Himself bore the cost on our behalf. 

There is an account in Acts 8 of Peter and John visiting the town of Samaria and the converts there who had only been baptised in the name of Jesus. We pick up the story in verse 19, “Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit”. However, a man named Simon, who had previously been a sorcerer but was now a Christian, made a request of the Apostles. We read in verses 18 and 19, “When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”” Peter’s response was emphatic. Verse 20, “But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!”

There is a convergence between the two kingdoms, the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world. A person who shares the Gospel is a human being with basic needs that include food, drink, clothing and shelter. Most Christians work to earn a living and so do not need to be supported with the basics of life while we share the Gospel with those around us.  However, there are men and women whose occupation is in a full-time capacity as a minister, pastor or missionary, and they still have to be paid somehow. Paul was in that capacity, and, for some reason, it appears that the Corinthian church was reluctant to support him. He also said something that would have resonated with the Jewish members of the congregation, in that the priests who served in the temple were able to live based on the gifts brought to the temple and its altar. Paul then suggested that he should have the same benefits.

The challenge for all church members is providing financial support to our leaders. They work tirelessly, supporting the people, with visits to the lonely, the sick, and the wayward. They prepare sermons and support other church activities, such as children’s work and youth clubs. In fact, if our leaders withdrew their labour, the church would soon descend into chaos, as many find when they are unable to replace their pastors or ministers after they leave or retire. Although such financial support is not mandatory, it is a recognition that our leaders need some form of reward. Near the end of his life, Paul wrote to his protégé Timothy, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’” (1 Timothy 5:17-18). 

We pilgrims thank God for His servants who give up so much for the Gospel. It is neither a well-paid nor an easy vocation to be a pastor. They often get little in the way of thanks, but nevertheless persevere in building their churches and fellowships as God leads and guides them. And so we pray for them and support them with our finances. As a result, a thriving fellowship of believers will see the grace of God manifested in their lives, and new members will join as they hear the Good News about Christ.

Dear Father God. We pray for our leaders that their needs will be met in every way, spiritually and physically. And we pray that you show us how we can support them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.