A Father’s Love

Posted on by korgrocker

“The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
John 3:35-36 NLT

John wrote that Father God had placed everything into Jesus’ hands, and all through His love for Him. What a relationship they had! Ultimate and perfect trust. We already know that through the Word, the universe was created. John 1:1-3, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him“. And now Jesus was entrusted with the salvation of all those living in the world, even to the point that the Son would bring into Heaven all those who believed in Him. Jesus was, and is, the gateway into eternal life, because John ends chapter 3 with the truth that all those who don’t believe in Jesus “will never experience eternal life”. Then follows the thought that all these unbelievers, by default, remain “under God’s angry judgment”. 

Why is it that the majority of people in today’s world just don’t seem worried about their future? Why is it they have rejected the Gospel and all that it means? This is not a new phenomenon – Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God“. John wrote that if people don’t make a decision to follow Jesus, then they continue in a state of suspended judgement. God is still angry today that people have rejected His Son, by not believing His testimony and what He has seen and heard. Perhaps they are like someone who has accidentally consumed a deadly but slow acting poison, for which there is a very good antidote. But they refuse to drink it, even if it means saving their life. That is the course of action that an unbeliever has taken. Their lives are poisoned by sin, and even though there is an antidote through repentance and belief in Jesus, they choose not to embrace it, and die of the poison anyway.

John wrote that God’s judgement was angry. But are we surprised? Imagine if the son we natural father’s have was abused, physically and emotionally. Accused of demon possession. Whipped, tormented, found guilty by a kangaroo court on trumped up false charges, and then crucified. I think I would be more than angry. In fact, a natural reaction would have been to send a legion of angels to annihilate the abusers. No wonder God was angry. Jesus spoke a parable about the wicked farmers, as recorded in Matthew 21. We read, “Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking, ‘Surely they will respect my son.’ “But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him”” (Matthew 21:37-39). 

It is a miracle that the Father’s love for His Son was not vindicated at the time. But God’s plan was to allow His Son to be sacrificed so that all those who believed in Him would benefit with eternal life. What a Saviour!

Dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We worship You today with deeply thankful hearts. Amen.

Judgement

Posted on by korgrocker

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
John 3:18-21 NLT

Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:17 that He didn’t come to judge the world but to save it. He then continued this theme, by saying that if anyone believes in Him then they are not subject to judgement, which, He said, was reserved for those “not believing in God’s one and only Son”. 

In our natural world, if anyone commits a crime, then judgement will follow only if the person is caught and brought before a court of law. So a speeding motorist will escape justice if he isn’t apprehended by a police officer, or clocked by a speed camera. But in God’s Kingdom, no-one escapes justice because God sees all. In fact, more than this, He sees what is in every person’s heart, their every thought. So God knows whether or not someone believes in Him and His Son Jesus. And if they don’t then judgement is inevitable and unstoppable.

Again, in our natural world, someone brought before a judge for a misdemeanour can try and claim mitigating circumstances so that perhaps they can get a lighter sentence. So perhaps they could try and claim that their speeding was as a result of a medical emergency or perhaps a shoplifter said that they had no money and had to feed their children. And in many circumstances, such pleas might be valid and result in a more lenient or compassionate response from the judge. But in God’s Kingdom, not believing in His Son Jesus is a far more serious situation. There will be no mitigating circumstances. There is only one verdict and only one sentence possible. Of course, there are many who justify their rebellion against God by claiming that a loving and compassionate God would never send anyone to hell. That God is loving and compassionate is a correct conclusion, but He can do nothing to save someone who has rejected Him and His Son. As John wrote, “anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son”.

Thankfully, not believing in Jesus need not be terminal – as long as the person concerned realises their mistake and turns to God while they still have time. So the thief on the cross next to Jesus turned to Him in repentance just in time, and Jesus was able to assure him that he would soon be with His Lord in paradise. After a lifetime spent in criminality, that thief suddenly came to realise the enormity of his future without God and turned to Jesus while he had time.

The message for us pilgrims is that we must never give up praying for our loved ones, for our friends and neighbours. We must continually encourage them at every opportunity to do as we read in Isaiah 55:6-7, “Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.“‭‭ We live in a season of grace that mustn’t be ignored.

Dear God. That You for Your grace and mercy. We worship You today. Amen.

The Same Word

Posted on by korgrocker

“They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.”
2 Peter 3:5-7 NLT

There are ahead of us in time certain world events that will be catastrophic in their totality, as Peter described. But before we get there we are in a season of grace where we have the opportunity to consider who or what this “same word” really is. We think of a word as being something articulated and mouthed in our own languages that helps us communicate with those around us. From an early age, babies learn to speak and communicate, and through schooling, this extends to both spoken and written words. Information is contained in words, and without such a form of communication the world would be a poorer place. 

God Himself used words to create the heavens and the earth. We know the Genesis story well. Those verses that started “Then God said…”. The scientists and technologists have tried many times to emulate what God can achieve, but one thing they have failed to do is to speak in a way that creates something from nothing. One thing I always ask evolutionists and physicists, if I get the opportunity, is “Where did all the matter come from in the first place?”. They talk about the “big bang” and other complex theories, but of course, they have no answer to the origin of matter. Only God can create something from nothing, by a word. Neither can they answer the question, “Why is there matter and life around us, and not just nothing?”. It is usually at this point that the conversation changes. 

John’s Gospel starts with, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone” (John 1:1-4). John set the scene for who Jesus really was, and is, right at the start of his Gospel, and we have to embrace the implications of this when we think about Him. The Son of God Himself was directly involved in the “same word” that uttered “Then God said …”. In fact, John said He was that Word at the very creation of the world. But after this He fulfilled God’s plan for mankind by becoming one of us. Who ever heard about a God who created the world and then became a part of that creation? The One with unlimited power and presence becoming a limited human being. And all to enable human beings to find God, their Creator, and turn to Him so that they could live with Him forever. Such love and grace!

But back to the consideration of what is to come. According to the Bible, Jesus didn’t just come to this world, born as a human baby, living and dying, and then never to be seen again. That “same word” still exists today. And we know that he is actively at work in Heaven preparing a place for us, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1-3). And one day He is coming back. Hebrews 9:28, “so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him“. 

But we also know that one day everyone will be judged according to what they did in their lives. 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 the One who will be the Judge is Jesus Christ Himself. John 5:22, “In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge“.

So we have gone full circle, in a way. The same Word, who spoke into being the world we know, will one day utter judgement on those who come before Him. No more “gentle Jesus meek and mild”. The last judgement will be a scary occasion “when ungodly people will be destroyed”. In fact, the very Word that created will speak out punishment and judgement, scaring even the created environment to disappear. “And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide” (Revelation 20:11). But because of our loving and gracious God, we have an opportunity, in this season of grace, to embrace all he has for us. The Word who become flesh died for us at Calvary, that our sins would be forgiven and His righteousness able to cover us like a cloak, enabling us to enter God’s presence. Don’t miss this opportunity. Grab every opportunity to warn those around us. One day it will be too late.

Dear Father God. We reach out to You today, deeply grateful for Your love and grace. Please forgive us for our sins. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Balaam, Son of Peor

Posted on by korgrocker

“They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.”
2 Peter 2:15-16 NLT

Peter introduced the memory of a Jewish prophet called Balaam into his letter, a man he considered a false teacher or prophet who had “wandered off the right road”. And he reminded his readers that this man “loved to earn money by doing wrong”. I’m sure we all know someone, or have heard of someone, who has increased his wealth by doing something fraudulent. But Balaam was a man who was expected to prophesy to order, in return for some reward. We can read the story of Balaam in Numbers 22 and the following chapters. The king of the Moabites, a man called Balak, was terrified of the Israelites, a fear that was made even worse by what they had done to the Amorites. But there was a man he knew with a reputation for hearing from God and who seemed to have the power to bless or curse people. So he sent for this man, Balaam, and we read in Numbers 22:6, “Please come and curse these people for me because they are too powerful for me. Then perhaps I will be able to conquer them and drive them from the land. I know that blessings fall on any people you bless, and curses fall on people you curse“. Strangely enough, Balaam heard messages God gave him, but his integrity concerning what he did with these messages was not always as it should have been. In other words, he was a wicked prophet, but not necessarily a false prophet. 

Anyway, as the story goes, Balak, the Moabite king, hassled Balaam until he went with him to deliver a curse over the Israelites. We read in Numbers, that Balaam blessed the Israelites instead of cursing them, and he delivered God’s positive messages three times. Finally, we read in Numbers 24:12-13, “Balaam told Balak, “Don’t you remember what I told your messengers? I said, ‘Even if Balak were to give me his palace filled with silver and gold, I would be powerless to do anything against the will of the Lord.’ I told you that I could say only what the Lord says!” As we can imagine Balak wasn’t pleased! However, Balaam instead came up with a plan that would mean the Israelites would effectively curse themselves, as we read from the words of Jesus in Revelation 2:14, “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin“. 

The man, Balaam, became infamous in Biblical times and was held up as an example of a man who deceived believers, or at least tried to, in return for money. Jude as well, in his short letter, mentioned him, “What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion” (Jude 1:11). Peter was warning his readers about false prophets, but his warning also extended to real prophets who nevertheless led people astray for their own benefit. Today, perhaps this warning may also include organisations who offer an appointment for people to come and receive a “prophetic word” for their life. Perhaps the seeker is looking for God’s guidance at a critical point in their lives and they want someone to deliver a prophecy from God, giving them the answer to their dilemma. These organisations may not set a fee for their services, but they may suggest a donation instead. Not all of them, of course, follow in Balaam’s footsteps, but the warning is there anyway. Any prophetic words must be treated with caution, and checked out to ensure they line up with what the Bible says. And if there is no direct correlation then they must be discarded. God will never lead anyone into sin.

Our enemy, the devil, will want to mislead people, and if he cannot achieve this directly then he will try and use a back door method instead. Balaam apparently showed a way for Balak to leverage a human weakness he knew would exist in the Israelites. In Numbers 25:1-3 we read, “While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab. In this way, Israel joined in the worship of Baal of Peor, causing the Lord’s anger to blaze against his people“. And it didn’t end well for those who sinned – God sent a plague in judgement.

We pilgrims need to be discerning, particularly when we hear teaching, or even a Scriptural interpretation or emphasis, that we haven’t heard before. God will help us as we pray for discernment, and if we are unsure, we must check it out with a trusted friend. In these internet-enabled days, with media outlets such as Facebook or YouTube, there will be many oddball theories or videos out there. We must check out the messenger as well as the message before we end up following a rabbit trail leading to error and sin.

Father God. There are many false paths that lead us back to the broad highway leading to hell. Please help us to stand firm in the faith with all the resources you have given us. Only You have the words of eternal life. Amen.

Lot and His Wife

Posted on by korgrocker

“But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority. These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling.”
2 Peter 2:7-10 NLT

Peter referred again to the situation that caused the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, a situation consisting of wickedness, the cause of which was so vile that Lot “was tormented in his soul”. It was incessant, going on “day after day”, causing agony for a righteous man, ”who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him”. These twin cities were apparently functioning as cities of those times should, with trading, farming, and civic duties and events. People would have been marrying, socialising, paying taxes and carrying on as we would expect. There was a king there and an army keeping them safe from attack. And yet, in all of this, the only thing that mattered to Lot (and God) was the “shameful immorality” that was taking place. 

So fast forward to 21st Century Western societies, and we see a parallel. The “shameful immorality” of same sex relationships flaunted in “Gay Pride” events. The gender wars twisting and distorting what God has designed. Adultery and divorce abounding. Politicians passing laws to legalise immoral practices and our churches accepting wicked people, providing a blessing and even granting them positions of authority. Yes, society and commerce continues much as before with trading, farming, manufacturing, and civic duties and events. People marry, socialise, pay taxes and carry on as we would expect. There is a king and an army. But the offence of “shameful immorality” rises up to God. Wickedness and sin is constant and never ceases, regardless of the society and generation.

Lot was a righteous man, and apparently the only one in Sodom. There were apparently no righteous people in Gomorrah – none that the Bible records anyway. But God saved Lot from the destruction that soon followed, after the angels had led him, his wife and his daughters away from the city. Today there are righteous men and women in our nations, our communities, who too are sick of the wickedness and sin so blatant around them. But there is hope. God physically rescued Lot and his family, and Peter reminded his readers that “the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials”. Even today, there are times when God changes our schedules, our journeys, or anything similar, to rescue us from physical danger. A young woman I know was in the Twin Towers restaurant the day before it was destroyed in the 9/11 terrorist attack. Was that a God-rescue, changing her schedule or the time of her visit? We pilgrims will probably never know the occasions when God has kept us safe. There are many other ways in which God rescues us, because although our physical bodies can be affected by this sinful world, our spirits are safe in God’s hands. We read about Job, a man who lost his family and possessions. His body was even afflicted by painful boils. But he never sinned against God and came through terrible circumstances with his spirit safe and faith in God intact. Our bodies and life here on Planet Earth may be susceptible to attacks from the devil, but our spirits belong to God, who keeps them safe. 

But Peter also reminded his readers that He keeps “the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment”. The judgement carried out over Sodom and Gomorrah was immediate and total. But in today’s world, there is a pause. God has deferred His judgement on sinful mankind until a day in the future, when He will present, publicly, a journal of everything everyone has done. Justice will be seen to be done, and punishment dispensed on that “day of final judgement”. 

So what do we pilgrims make of the story of Lot in the context of Sodom and Gomorrah? Will God once again become so dismayed and offended by the wickedness of mankind that He once again eliminates it from the world He created? Thankfully, as Peter wrote, the time for judgement is still some time in the future. God’s grace is present, and through Jesus we have a way out of the terrible judgement to come. As we reach out to Jesus with repentance, we will find forgiveness and mercy.

Jesus told the story of ten bridesmaids in Matthew 25. Five of them brought sufficient oil to keep their lamps burning, but the other five didn’t. We read in Matthew 25:5, “When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep“. But the ones with insufficient oil for their lamps missed out on attending the impending marriage feast. The message here is that we must be ready. Matthew 25:13, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return“. We don’t know when Jesus will return for the second time. But in the meantime, we mustn’t miss out on God’s grace.

Dear Father, thank You for Your grace and mercy, which know no bounds. We worship You today, deeply thankful. Amen.

God’s Household

Posted on by korgrocker

“For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News? And also, “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.”
1 Peter 4:17-19 NLT

Chapter 4 of 1 Peter contains practical instructions and help for a generation suffering greatly for their faith, and who may have been struggling in it all to make the transition from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. And he was fully aware that for some people it was easier to give up the faith than to continue in it. In the previous few verses, he encouraged those who had suffered, or were still suffering, insults and even “fiery trials” for their faith in Christ, with the thought that they were blessed, and that His glorious Spirit rested upon them. But now, as a gentle warning, he wrote that judgement is waiting. 

But we pilgrims know that judgement is for unbelievers not believers. Revelation 20 contains the account of the Great White Throne and the books being opened. At this event “ … the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books”(Revelation 20:12b). That was not the judgement Peter was referring to; he was writing about “God’s household”, which consisted of His children and not the unbelieving majority in that society, who were not God’s children, and who were those who would eventually end up facing that terrible event before the throne, waiting fearfully for the verdict, Guilty! 

To understand the judgement Peter was writing about we need to turn to Hebrews 12:5-7, “And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.” As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?” God disciplines His children, like any earthly father would (or should). Any believer who responds to the Gospel and becomes a child of God, is deluded if they think that they can continue to behave in a sinful way. That’s not how it works. Of course, the Holy Spirit within us will gently help us in our journey through sanctification to glorification, pointing out areas in our lives that need to be cleaned up. But sometimes a stricter approach may be required, hence the reference to “discipline” and “punishment”.

There is also a requirement for Christians to judge what is going on within the church. In 1 Corinthians 5:12-13, Paul wrote, “It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.”” Jesus also taught about sin against another believer in the church, and we can read what He said in Matthew 18:15-17.

But through all these heavier issues of sin, discipline, punishment and judgement, there must be an overriding influence of love and compassion. Paul gave some advice to the Corinthian church about a man who was causing hurt and trouble to them. And we read what he suggested in 2 Corinthians 2:7-8, “Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him”. 

We pilgrims have many siblings, as we share and live together in God’s household. And as in any family, we, from time to time, will go astray, and follow a rabbit trail into dangerous places. Our siblings, our fellow believers, will gently bring us back before any form of judgement becomes necessary. There is a saying that a bad apple will soon make the whole barrel bad. I have been in a church where that has been a very real danger, but a diligent pastor has brought judgement into the situation, although, sadly, the person concerned has ended up finding fellowship elsewhere. God allows judgement to take place within a church so that unrighteousness can be avoided. And if we end up the focus of the discipline then we must see beyond the shame and pain and instead look up to our Heavenly Father, who cares so much for each one of us.

Dear Father God. Help us we pray, in those times when we have gone astray. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Dead to Sin

Posted on by korgrocker

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”
1 Peter 2:24 NLT

Isaiah’s prophecy, recorded in Isaiah 53:4-6, was obviously in Peter’s mind when he wrote the verse we are considering today. But Peter lived with Jesus when He was actively ministering to His people. He knew and saw at first hand the miracles Jesus committed. He was there with James and John when Jesus walked and talked with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was around when our Lord was tried at a mock trial and was crucified unjustly. He was there on that wonderful and amazing day when Jesus appeared to him and his fellow disciples just days after His death, and kept on appearing for another forty days or so. He was there when Jesus ascended into Heaven. His first hand experience of being with the Son of God stayed with him for the rest of his life. And by now a very different Peter, transformed by the Holy Spirit, had become, not a “believer” but a “know-er”.  He knew what Jesus had achieved by completing God’s assignment here on Planet Earth.

In Isaiah 53:4-5a we read, “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. … ” The intention of God’s plan was revealed to Isaiah many years before He carried it out. And it involved something that is too good to be true, but, to quote the old cliché, it is too good not to be true. Jesus came to this world to take on board in His person all the sins committed by mankind, past, present and future, so that all those who believed in Him would not have to suffer the consequences of sin. Repentant sinners, who believe in Jesus, will never have to face the final judgement. Isaiah could see it coming. Peter experienced it. We pilgrims faithfully believe it.

Peter wrote that because Jesus did what He did, we can live lives free of sin and full of righteousness, God’s righteousness imputed to us through Jesus. Is that a reality in our lives, or do we still try and live a double life? It is God’s way or the wrong way. There is no middle ground for a pilgrim true to his or her faith in God.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Jesus, and Your ultimate redemptive plan for the salvation of humanity. Without it we were indeed a lost and sad people. Amen.

Judging Others

Posted on by korgrocker

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rebels

Posted on by korgrocker

“Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.”
Romans 11:30-32 NLT

A rebel is someone who opposes an authority, such as the government, or an employer, or even a parent or guardian. The act of rebellion manifests itself in various ways, ranging from being mildly awkward in response to an instruction, through to armed resistance. It could be exposed through written reports via newspapers or social media outlets such as Twitter. During this past weekend there was the celebration of the coronation of King Charles III in the UK. He was installed as the monarch of these islands in a ceremony enjoyed by most of the inhabitants, but there was a vocal minority intent on causing disruption in their rebellion against the new King. Sometimes rebellion can be justified, perhaps if it is against an unjust power, but much of the civil rebellion manifesting in the UK at the moment is by a small number of people promoting their own particular ideologies, which aren’t shared by the majority of the citizens of this land.

But we see rebellion particularly when it comes to people’s relationship God, if they even have one. Most people will deny that He even exists, or that, if He does, He is of no relevance to them. The Old Testament is full of accounts of the rebellion of the Israelites towards God. For example, Psalm 78:7-8, “So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors— stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God”. The rest of this Psalm details God’s response to a rebellious generation. Sober reading.

Paul said that because of the rebellion of His people, God instead showed mercy to the Gentiles. Jesus Himself warned His generation about the consequences of refusing God. We read in the Wicked Farmers’ parable Jesus’s conclusion, “I tell you, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce the proper fruit” (Matthew 21:43). Rebellion is the wrong fruit. God is looking for the fruit of obedience.

But what did Paul mean when he said that God “imprisoned everyone in disobedience”? The Message translates this as, “ … In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in.” Perhaps those people who have experienced the depths of sin, revelling in disobedience towards God, are transformed by God’s love when they discover His grace and mercy. I used to know a drug addict, who plumbed the depths of a life style of depravity, but who became a great evangelist after God lifted him out of his pit. In the story of a woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with her tears at the home of a Pharisee called Simon, Jesus made this observation, “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love” (Luke 7:47). 

God will not stop anyone from rebelling against Him. He will still be gracious enough to maintain the systems the rebels depend upon for their existence, such as the basics of life – air to breathe, and so on. But God will withdraw His mercy from them, and He will hand them over to the consequences of their rebellious choices. In that state the rebels can continue, in apparent blissful ignorance of what will happen to them one day. Jesus was horrified about the prospects for those who rejected God and His grace. Perhaps we should be as well, making sure that we ourselves are not counted amongst the rebels, and exposing those around us to God’s grace and mercy.

Dear Father God. Your love and grace knows no limits. We thank You for all You have done, and will do, for us. Amen.

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Judging

Posted on by korgrocker

“You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.”
Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT

How often in our lives have we called out to God, asking Him to do something about the wicked? We think, if only God would destroy these totalitarian rulers in places like China, Russia or Iran. Or closer to home, what about that drug dealer, who causes so much misery? We cry out to God, that He would help the Police catch the burglar who beat up an old lady gratuitously while robbing her home. The Bible too contains cries and pleas to God about the wicked. The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 104:35a, “Let all sinners vanish from the face of the earth; let the wicked disappear forever…”. And Psalm 139:19, “O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers!”

But there’s a problem. Paul wrote a few words in Romans 3:23 that go like this, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”. So if everyone is wicked anyway, why should God restrict His judgement and punishment for those people over there but not the ones over here? If the pass mark for an exam is 50%, and one person achieves 49% while another only gets 20%, there is no difference with the outcome – both people have failed the exam. As others have said, God has no favourites and the ground at the foot of the Cross is level ground. What is there about human beings, that faults, sins, and problems can all be seen in other people but we can’t see them in ourselves? Why should we pilgrims try and take the moral high ground when we are also under God’s judgement.

Jesus taught about judging others in His Sermon on the Mount. We read His words in Matthew 7:1-2, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged”. Paul also pointed out to his Roman friends that Christians are particularly at fault, because they know the difference between right and wrong. An unbeliever can have the, albeit weak, excuse that they didn’t know God and His requirements. But not a Christian.

However, knowing what we should do, and doing it are two different things. I was reminded the other day about a personal lapse. A friend was severely afflicted with the cold virus and I showed him little sympathy. A week later I was displaying the same symptoms and feeling quite sorry for myself. I didn’t get much sympathy either, but my wife reminded me of my attitude the week before. Perhaps, judging my friend’s response to his cold ended up with me being judged with the same criteria I used. Hmmm…

We pilgrims need to take into account seriously what Jesus said. Judging mankind is God’s prerogative, not ours. The Apostle James echoed Jesus’ words, as we read in James 2:12-13, “So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you”. Instead of judging others, we must show them mercy. In 1 Peter 4:17, Peter wrote, “For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?” Our mercy must displace any feelings of judgement we might hold. It’s a counter-cultural response. When the world shouts judgement, we shout mercy. When the world condemns, we see a person who has lost their way. When the world lashes out, we embrace and show the love of God. When the world rejects the unlovely, we accept and invite them to join us on our journey to Eternal Life. We have the Good News that far surpasses all the Bad News the world can produce.

Dear Father God. What can we say but “thank You”. Your love prevails. Please help us to win others for You, so that they too will escape the verdict that leads to an eternal death. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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