Conviction of Judgement

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged.”
John 16:7-11 NLT

The Holy Spirit, or the Advocate, as Jesus referred to Him, has a ministry to both believers and unbelievers. Jesus said, “And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment“. Jesus didn’t come into this world two thousand years ago to judge it. His mission was to save it, as we read in John 3:17, “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” Jesus went on to say, “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” (John 3:18-19).

So, inevitably, the sin of unbelief, and all that follows it, will one day have to be judged. And the Apostle John, in his Revelation on the Island of Patmos, wrote down what will happen. “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. 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” (Revelation 20:11-12). It is often a great comfort to me, and others as well, that one day the scales of justice will be balanced. The people who have committed crimes against God and their fellow members of society will be called to give an account. Every careless thought, every misdemeanour, every sinful act, will all be written down in Heavenly books, and one by one they will be read out for everyone to hear, followed by the pronouncement from the Throne – guilty. We read in Revelation 20:15, “And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.” A terrifying occasion don’t we think? But thankfully, those who believe in Jesus will find that their names are written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

When will all this happen? We don’t know, although the previous chapters of Revelation provide some sort of timeline of events that will happen before Jesus returns. In a sense though, judgement has already started, as we read from John 3:18. The influence of the Holy Spirit in an unsaved person’s life will lead that person to the realisation that he is guilty, that God is just, and that all sinners are deserving of judgment. And we’re so thankful that God has it all in hand.

Dear Father God. Thank You for Holy Spirit, without whom we would be disempowered people. Amen.


Is It legal?

Posted on by Adrian Clark

““Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!” Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked. They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!” Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home.”
John 7:48-53 NLT

There appeared to be a meeting of the Pharisees and the other religious leaders, possibly convened to follow the attempt to arrest Jesus and bring Him before them to face charges of blasphemy. The dynamic of the meeting is interesting, in that there appears to be one person speaking for all those present. But there was dissent from a man called Nicodemus. We remember him as the man who went to Jesus by night for a meeting. We read in John 3:1-2, “There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you””. But from what Nicodemus said, it appears that the Jewish leaders were going to kill Jesus without a trial. John 5:18, “So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God”. How they were going to kill Him in the Roman-governed province was unclear.

To the religious leaders, the Law of Moses, as they interpreted it, was of paramount importance. It must have been a nightmare for the Romans, because there was effectively two legal systems in operation. But the Jews walked a tightrope between the demands of the Law and restrictions placed upon them by the Roman occupiers. They knew that if they stepped too far out of line then the Romans would brutally deal with them. But as we can see from Jesus’ trial, the Romans were quite happy to allow the Jews to judge religious matters, though with restrictions when it came to capital issues. John 18:31, ““Then take him away and judge him by your own law,” Pilate told them. “Only the Romans are permitted to execute someone,” the Jewish leaders replied”. 

It is interesting that so much of our legal system here in the UK is based upon the Law of Moses, and it is only in the recent past that more radical changes have been made. For example, the mandatory death sentence for crimes such as murder was only repealed in living memory. But sadly, the UK is becoming increasingly secular with the Christian witness and influence slowly dwindling away. The gap between the state and the church is ever widening, with our politicians introducing laws that would have been unheard of in the mid twentieth century, and with negative consequences resulting. Abandoning God’s laws and replacing them with modern Godless ideologies is a dangerous strategy that will increase the devil’s influence on our societies bringing chaos and strife.

Nicodemus asked, “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” Having to ask that question is a long way from the intent of the Law. Jesus was later asked about what was the greatest commandment, and His reply was to love God with all your heart, and to love your neighbours as yourself. Such a message seemed a long way from the venom and anger of the Pharisees, intent on upholding their interpretation of the Law regardless of God’s plan for human decency. But before we pilgrims make any comment we have to ask ourselves the question about our own responses to others, particularly when we start using Bible verses in judgement of another. God has a higher law based on love, and when that becomes the starting point, a journey can be commenced that will eventually bring resolution in times of conflict. Jesus is recorded as saying in John 3:17, ”God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him“. Instead of bringing judgement and punishment Jesus said, ”For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost“.

Jesus’ teaching and message was a long way from that dispensed by the Jewish leaders, which was probably why they hated Him so much. God has a law much higher than that followed by the Pharisees and it is based on love and grace. He is not a stern figure with a policeman’s hat and a truncheon leaning over the banisters of Heaven reaching down to beat us at every sinful opportunity. He is a loving Father, who corrects us when we stray and who affirms us when we do well. The question “Is it legal” doesn’t apply in the courts of Heaven.

Dear Heavenly Father. We thank You for Your love, grace and mercy. Where would we be without You? We worship You today. Amen.

Jesus’ Judgement is Just

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment. I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.”
John 5:28-30 NLT

In His discourse with the Jewish leaders, Jesus spoke much about the life to come, after people have physically died, and how this life would be fairly and righteously compartmentalised into a future either in Heaven of hell. Simply put, those people who believe in Jesus will end up experiencing eternal life, and those people who continue in their sinful and evil ways will experience judgement. But what else is God to do? Our spirits will live forever, and somehow God has to determine how they should be separated. As a holy and righteous God, He cannot have any evil introduced into Heaven. The purity and holiness of the place where eternal life will be experienced cannot be violated. So what else can He do with all these people who refuse to accept His free gift of salvation and prefer to stay in their sinful and evil ways? They have made a choice, which is that they don’t want to be with Him in Heaven.

There are of course those people who mistakenly claim that regardless of their behaviour they will end up in Heaven anyway. They prefer to follow and believe their feelings rather than the hard facts and truths contained within God’s only written work, the Bible. There are others who claim that if there is a Christian God, then He is too loving to consign anyone to eternal death and punishment. Some people feel that the punishment of eternal death does not fit the crime of a finite time spent in a human life of sin, so God cannot be fair at all. Even others claim that being thrown into the lake of fire results in instant annihilation, much as what would happen if someone was thrown into a pool of molten lava. But most people seem to be unengaged and disinterested about their post-death life, and don’t even want to think about it; a head in the sand response.

There may be some people who have created in their minds the thought that there is a third area between Heaven and hell, reserved for people who don’t think they have been bad enough to warrant eternal punishment. People like my neighbour who is convinced that he will just join the “big party downstairs”. After all, he hasn’t stolen anything significant, or murdered anyone, so his thoughts go. But it is significant that this intermediate place is not supported at all in Scripture. It doesn’t exist.

So, we end up with the words of Jesus. Those “who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment“. And Jesus told the Jewish leaders two things – He does the will of His father in Heaven, and His judgement is just. We know from Revelation 20 that God has books that record every action and thought committed by people. So, we have nothing to fear about false testimony or legal loopholes. Everything will be exposed exactly as it happened before God, and everyone else standing there, and there can therefore be no complaint at all that the process lacks justice. The outcome might not be what people want, but the choice is their’s.

Dear Father God. We praise and worship You here on earth for Your love and justice. As the psalmist wrote, “Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens. You have done such wonderful things. Who can compare with you, O God?“ Amen.


Judgement

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honour the Son, just as they honour the Father. Anyone who does not honour the Son is certainly not honouring the Father who sent him.”
John 5:22-23 NLT

God’s judgement isn’t a popular subject, particularly amongst people who don’t believe in Him. After all, they say, isn’t this God all about His love for people, and surely such a God of love would never judge and punish anyone. Even Christians, sitting in our pews, won’t hear many sermons preached about God’s judgement. But Jesus spoke often about God’s judgement and the verses before us today are such an example. Jesus said that He had been given “absolute authority to judge” so we seriously need to take note of this. It is very true that God is a God of love. But He is also a God of righteousness and justice, as we read in Deuteronomy 32:4, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He”. Psalm 9:8, “He shall judge the world in righteousness, And He shall administer judgment for the peoples in uprightness”. So we mustn’t be surprised that Jesus warned the Jewish leaders that He had the authority to judge.

We see the evil and sinful ways of the people in the societies in which we live, and can mourn the fact that there are many people who, at first sight, would seem to be evading the consequences of their sins. People who commit crimes but are never caught. People who lie and cheat their way through life. People who treat their spouses and families in violent and despicable ways. But God knows what is going on, and we should not be surprised that one day there will be a time of reckoning. It may not happen in our lifetimes but happen it will.

According to the Bible, there are two judgement occasions – one for believers and the other for unbelievers. For believers, we read in Romans 14:10b,12, “ … For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. … So then each of us shall give account of himself to God”. This will not affect our salvation – this is assured by faith alone – but it is to bring out into the open an account of all the things we have done, or haven’t done, for God. So, our lives will come under the spotlight of Jesus’ gaze, and we will be rewarded for the good things we have done. Everything else will be burned up, as of no consequence.

For unbelievers, however, there is a terrible time coming, as we read in Revelation 20:11-12, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books”. 

God is a God of love but we have to overlay that truth on the fact that He is also a God of righteousness and justice. Everyone has an opportunity to turn to God and respond to His love but there are consequences for those who don’t. We are perfectly free to make choices, but we need to be aware that by doing so, we also choose the consequences for the choices we make. If we choose to follow Jesus, then we are assured that we will spend eternity with Him. If we turn our backs on God, and don’t believe in Him, then we will find ourselves facing the consequences in front of a Great White Throne.

Jesus exposed some hard truths before those Jewish leaders who dared to harass Him for telling a healed man to carry his sleeping mat home on the Sabbath. We don’t know how they responded in the end, but if they continued to reject Jesus and His message then there was a time coming when they would have to stand before Him to account for their choice.

We pilgrims must take every opportunity to remind our listeners that God loves them. But if our Good News is rejected and we are harassed and ridiculed for sharing it, then we can remind them of the Great White Throne. Perhaps our gracious words will lodge in their hearts and one day will bear fruit as another soul born into God’s family.

Dear Father God. We thank You for Your grace and mercy – where would anyone be without it? We continue to pray for our friends and families, that none will have to experience Your throne in person. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Father’s Love

Posted on by Adrian Clark

“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 Adrian Clark

“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 Adrian Clark

“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 Adrian Clark

“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 Adrian Clark

“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 Adrian Clark

“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.