Final Words

Posted on by korgrocker

“Here is my greeting in my own handwriting—Paul. If anyone does not love the Lord, that person is cursed. Our Lord, come! May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 16:21-24 NLT

Final words from Paul after his long letter, the second-longest (after Romans) that Paul wrote. He had answered all the questions from the believers in Corinth, so it was time to sign off. While the authorship of this letter was attributed to Paul, he probably had assistance from Timothy and others, and according to early church historians like Jerome, the letter was dictated by Paul and written by an amanuensis called Titus. So at the end of the letter, Paul wrote a greeting in his own handwriting. In the final verses of the epistle to the Galatians, we read, “Notice what large letters I use as I write these closing words in my own handwriting” (Galatians 6:11). It is thought that Paul had poor eyesight, preventing him from writing letters himself. That was perhaps confirmed by the episode in Acts 23:1-5, where Paul appeared unable to distinguish the High Priest’s person in the meeting of the High Council.

“whosoever believes in Him
will never perish
but have eternal life”

But in his final words, Paul summarised much of what he had said in this letter by saying that all those who didn’t love the Lord were cursed. Of course they were, and will be when they find themselves standing before Jesus, unless they repent of their sins and believe in Him. In Galatians 3:13, we read, “But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree””. Why is it that Christians, then and now and in the ages in between, get so preoccupied with liturgies and doctrines, when the important thing is so simple – “whosoever believes in Him will never perish but have eternal life”. The colour of the altar cloth, or who sits in which pew, the beauty of the stained glass windows, or the splendour of the Prayer Book, will make no difference to those still living under the curse of sin.

1 Corinthians 16:22 ends with the Aramaic saying, “Marana tha”, meaning in this translation, “Our Lord, Come”. That thought must have often occurred to Paul, as he suffered so much for sharing the Gospel throughout his years of ministry. Those times he spent in jail, often chained and beaten, cold and hungry. If only Jesus would come and end his suffering, but it wasn’t to be just yet. He still had work to do. There was more gracious theology yet to flow from his pen to encourage the saints scattered through the Middle East.

“God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”

Paul then went on to give a blessing: “May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you“. Grace is a word much overlooked by believers today because we take it so much for granted, but the acronym “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense” defines it well. But if we really stopped to think about how God’s grace has impacted our lives, both now and for all eternity, we can do nothing else but fall on our knees before our wonderful and amazing God. The tragedy is that God’s favour in sending His Son, Jesus, to die for us and take on the punishment that we deserved, so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven, is largely ignored and rejected by the majority of our fellow citizens. Society today has no place for God, let alone His grace, and it has pushed our Christian faith to the margins, considering it a domain for rather wacky and delusional people. But we pilgrims need God’s grace to live in this sad and bad world, because we are the only ones who have the words of eternal life. Imagine a society without God and His grace. Some would define that as hell on earth. And we thank God for those of our faith who are prepared to stand up and be counted, challenging, often at great personal cost, the evil ways in our society. One day, they will be vindicated, as those who have persecuted them stand before God to give an account of their evil ways.

Finally, Paul expressed his love for the Corinthians. It hasn’t been an easy letter to write, as he wrestled with how to put into words the Holy Spirit-inspired thoughts within him. But it was that love that he first experienced through his encounter with Jesus that he extended to the believers in Corinth. From all accounts, they responded positively to it, and a second letter followed a few months later. But more of that tomorrow.

Dear Father God. Thank You for Your obedient servant Paul, and the legacy that he has left us. May we too be gracious and loving servants, looking out for each other in this increasingly belligerent world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

A Holy Kiss

Posted on by korgrocker

“The churches here in the province of Asia send greetings in the Lord, as do Aquila and Priscilla and all the others who gather in their home for church meetings. All the brothers and sisters here send greetings to you. Greet each other with a sacred kiss.”
1 Corinthians 16:19-20 NLT

1 Corinthians 16:20 is translated in the NIV, “All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss”. Sacred or holy, the meaning in this verse is the same. In the culture of Paul’s day, a kiss was a common form of greeting between family members and close friends. In some parts of the world, this custom has continued, and we find the same instruction from Paul in Romans 16:16, “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings”. Peter wrote the same, “Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ” (1 Peter 5:14), so it was not just Paul’s suggestion.

In our Western and British culture, a kiss is retained for romantic or sensual purposes, and is not associated with a Christian greeting (although I did attend one church where the pastor asked the congregation to greet each other with a kiss – it didn’t go down well!). Instead, when asked, the congregation will greet each other with a handshake, a hug, or no physical contact at all. And in every case, some words of welcome or reference to something known about the other person accompany the greeting.

In the Church of England, they have formalised the greeting into an action called the “Passing of the Peace”. This practice involves a liturgical exchange between the minister and the congregation, after which members of the congregation greet one another. The standard words used during the service are from the Common Worship texts: The minister says, “The peace of the Lord be always with you”, and the congregation responds, “And also with you”. The minister then usually encourages the congregation with words such as, “Let us offer one another a sign of peace”. The practice is intended to symbolise the congregation’s reconciliation with one another and their becoming one body of Christ before sharing in the sacrament of Communion. Parishes are encouraged to ensure that the greeting is inclusive and that visitors or those who do not know many people are not left out. I think it is rather sad that the intent behind the “holy kiss” has had to be formalised in this denomination, and even misinterpreted just to involve “peace”, good though that is. 

So what was the purpose of greeting each other with a “holy or sacred kiss”? Over the centuries, the practice of greeting one another with a holy kiss adapted to fit various cultural contexts. What remained constant, however, was the godly principle of mutual love and respect for our brothers and sisters. In Romans 12:9-10, Paul wrote, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other”. When greeting another person, regardless of the context, social norms and sensitivities must be honoured. I used to know a young man who couldn’t cope with physical contact at all, and when this sensitivity emerged in a church context, everyone quickly honoured him with restraint. At the other end of the spectrum, an old lady in the church loved hugs and really appreciated gestures of love and acceptance.

The adjective “holy” or “sacred” in the NLT translation indicates that this kiss embodies the love, purity, and sanctity of Christian fellowship. Jesus said to His disciples, “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” (John 13:34-35). We can demonstrate Christian love in a number of ways, but I sometimes think that those in the society in which we live would never know just by looking at us together. A public greeting that differs from the norm of handshakes might perhaps be a good idea. What do my fellow pilgrims think?

Dear Lord Jesus. You gave us a new commandment to love one another, and we are so sad that we too often fail in this part of our Christian life. Please help us, we pray, to treat each other in the faith well, and with the love that You commanded. In Your precious name. Amen.

Showing Appreciation

Posted on by korgrocker

“You know that Stephanas and his household were the first of the harvest of believers in Greece, and they are spending their lives in service to God’s people. I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion. I am very glad that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus have come here. They have been providing the help you weren’t here to give me. They have been a wonderful encouragement to me, as they have been to you. You must show your appreciation to all who serve so well.”
1 Corinthians 16:15-18 NLT

There was a man called Stephanus in Corinth, and Paul reminded the believers there that he was the first convert to Christianity in that region of Greece. But what it must have been like to find a society that knew nothing about Jesus at all. A virgin territory ripe for the preaching of the Gospel. But it was one corrupted by sin and evil, particularly in the worship of idols. The Greek pantheon of twelve gods prevailed as the religion of the day. However, false gods had so permeated Greek society that reaching the people there with the announcement of the real God with His free gift of eternal life was nothing short of a miracle. Stephanus may have been a rich man because the Scriptures record that his household was saved as well as himself. But regardless, Stephanus was in a position to serve his fellow Christians and even travelled to Ephesus, where Paul was ministering, and there he supplied encouragement. Paul reminded the Corinthians that they must show their appreciation for servants like Stephanus who served them in their church.

What does service in a church look like? I noticed yesterday a lady in my church quietly emptying a rubbish bin and replacing its black sack. No one asked her to do it. She just saw a need and stepped up to meet that need. That’s service. On another occasion, I found her in the toilets mopping the floor with disinfectant. That’s service. Our worship leader lives twenty miles away, but manages to get to the church on a Sunday morning for a practice with the other musicians and singers two hours before the 11 am meeting. That’s service. And that is after she had prepared the songs and loaded the computer to project the words onto the screen at the front of the church.

But outside the church, others show acts of service. What about the pastor who visits those who are sick and unable to attend church services? Or the church members who do the same? We have a treasurer and administrator who ensures the church is well stocked with consumables, keeps the accounts up to date, handles the money, and pays bills. That’s service. These are all practical acts of service without which the church and its mission would soon become ineffective.

We don’t know what role Stephanus played, but I suspect he was a church leader working behind the scenes, getting things done. Our churches in the UK have many such people, but do the congregations ever show appreciation for them? Too often, they are taken for granted. We might express thanks to those who are involved in the up-front ministry, people such as the pastor and preacher, but only rarely to those who are not so obvious in their ministries.

There was a meal one day, and Jesus “ … got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him” (John 13:4-5). Can you imagine the surprise on the disciples’ faces? Gob-smacked would be a modern descriptive word and would probably be quite appropriate. After He had finished, Jesus said to them, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you” (John 13:13-15). In Matthew 25, Jesus told a story about the Sheep and the Goats, and we read what Jesus said to the “sheep”. “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me” (Matthew 25:35-36). These may have been considered minor things, but Jesus concluded, “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40). 

All those people like Stephan’s who worked away behind the scenes are doing it for Jesus. One day they will hear those wonderful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” from the Lord Himself. What a wonderful day that will be for all the people in our churches who serve.

Dear Father God. Thank You for all those who work behind the scenes without reward, doing so many tasks that most won’t want to do. Please help us to show our appreciation to them at every opportunity. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Love One Another

Posted on by korgrocker

“Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 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.”
John 13:33-35 NLT

Jesus poignantly told His disciples that He was about to leave them. The sadness hidden behind His “Dear children” was clear – perhaps Jesus could see in His Spirit what they would have to face into in the years ahead, without being there in person with them. And then Jesus made a statement that puzzled His friends, that although they would look for Him, they would be unable to follow Him to the place where He was going. Well, not yet anyway – they would join Him in Heaven soon enough.

Because Jesus was leaving them, He gave them a new commandment, that they were to love one another. This wasn’t a wishy-washy, sentimental sort of love, but one that would bind them together in unity. A love so counter-culturally obvious that the people around them would take note that these men had been disciples of Jesus. A love that set them apart from societal expectations. Jesus repeated His commandment to the disciples in John 15:12-13, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. Paul picked up this theme, relating it back to Jesus Himself, “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:7-8). That was the sort of love that Jesus commanded when He said, “love each other”.

Sadly, the “love for one other” that should be a feature of the Christian faith is far from obvious. In fact, in-fighting and denominational rivalries portray a picture to the world of Christians who are no better than anyone else and certainly not proving their status as followers of Christ. The media will always try and find a situation where Christians have fallen out with each other and secular journalists will relish stories of strife and love-less behaviour. The many occasions, where Christians do exhibit the love for one another that Jesus commanded, go unnoticed, conveniently overlooked in a Godless world.

The Apostle John wrote, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). Believers look outward into their communities, looking for opportunities to show the world what God’s love looks like. They cast aside the “what’s in it for me” worldly attitudes and instead do good to others without expecting anything in return. And such an attitude must especially be present in our churches and fellowships. John continued to write, “We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19). That was John reminding his readers what Jesus said all those years before, “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other“. There is no other way.

Dear Lord Jesus. Your love for us is limitless and available to all who believe in You. Please be with us as we love others. In Your precious name. Amen.

Betrayal

Posted on by korgrocker

“Now Jesus was deeply troubled, and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean.”
John 13:21-22 NLT

In most ways, it is a relief to us that we don’t know what the future holds. Imagine if we knew when we would die and how the death would happen? Wouldn’t we do our utmost to avoid it? Or imagine if we knew how a job or a marriage would work out? Wouldn’t we try to make changes to avoid unpleasant or unwanted consequences? Such thoughts make it all the more amazing that Jesus, knowing what was going to happen to Him over the next day or so, still carried on, His mission to Planet Earth being more important than any personal considerations. In fact, Jesus even seemed to put Himself in a position where He was, ever closer, aligned with the culmination of His mission. 

But occasionally we see Jesus’ humanity appear, and in our verses today we see that He was deeply troubled. Other versions add “in His Spirit”. In Mark 3 we read how Jesus selected His twelve disciples, “Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, … Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him)” (Mark 3:13-14, 19). Even at the beginning of His ministry, Jesus knew all about Judas Iscariot and what he would later do, but He still chose Him. But that didn’t stop Jesus being upset that Judas, one of His disciples, was going to betray Him to the Jewish authorities. Judas had been on mission with Jesus for about three years, and he would have seen the miracles, heard the teaching, and even gone out himself, healing the sick and casting our demons. Having observed Jesus do so much for so many people, why would he want to betray Him? Unfortunately, Judas never explained his actions, and, apart from his moment of remorse where he returned the thirty pieces of silver saying that he had betrayed an innocent man, we will never know what his motivation was. The devil though appeared to have a hand in Judas’ actions, as we read in John 13:27, “When Judas had eaten the bread, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you’re going to do.”

It is a painful event, being betrayed by a trusted friend or colleague. A relationship will turn sour. Sometimes our behaviour will repel a loved one. Many people, after a painful relational breakdown, will build walls of protection around themselves and will never allow anyone to get close to them ever again, and in the process become emotionally poorer. But Jesus gave us a commandment, to love one another. John 13:34-35, “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“. We must be committed to our friendships to be obedient to Jesus’ command, as we remember what Paul wrote in Colossians 3:13, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others”. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:8, “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins“.

It’s ok to be upset if a relationship goes wrong – after all, Jesus was – but if it can’t be mended then we move on, always looking for an opportunity to put things right. Paul wrote, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honouring each other” (Romans 12:9-10). Wise words from Paul, indeed.

Dear Father God. In Your Kingdom we have many brothers and sisters. Please help us to love those around us with a true love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Silas

Posted on by korgrocker

“I have written and sent this short letter to you with the help of Silas, whom I commend to you as a faithful brother. My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace. Your sister church here in Babylon sends you greetings, and so does my son Mark. Greet each other with a kiss of love. Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.”
1 Peter 5:12-14 NLT

As he was signing off his letter, Peter mentioned the help he had received from a man called Silas. We find the first mention of Silas in Acts 15:22, “Then the apostles and elders together with the whole church in Jerusalem chose delegates, and they sent them to Antioch of Syria with Paul and Barnabas to report on this decision. The men chosen were two of the church leaders—Judas (also called Barsabbas) and Silas”. So we know he was one of the first church leaders and respected enough to be entrusted with an important role in the establishment of the Christian church in Antioch. We also know that Silas accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey, and he was the Silas who was severely beaten with Paul in Philippi and ended up in the Philippian jail. We can read this story in Acts 16. Silas had a reputation of being faithful and another short verse gives us some more insight into this man. “Then Judas and Silas, both being prophets, spoke at length to the believers, encouraging and strengthening their faith“ (Acts 15:32). So as well as being a faithful encourager, Silas was also a prophet.

There was no postal service in those days, so Peter sent the letter to the five churches in the care of Silas, who he commended as a “faithful brother”. After this, Silas disappeared from historical accounts, but we do know that through his faithfulness, he would have made a difference in the lives of those early Christians, encouraging and supporting them.

Are there any men like Silas today? I have been fortunate enough to have known several. Men of God, who have faithfully followed Jesus, and who have helped me at times in my pilgrimage through life. I can remember the man who carefully and diligently started me off on my journey with a Bible and some Bible Notes. Another man from Florida, who had moved to Scotland as a missionary, at just the right time, showed me the way through some spiritual minefields. And there were others. Faithful men doing God’s work.

We pilgrims also have an obligation to help our fellow brothers and sisters. Silas was motivated by love for other believers, doing what Jesus asks all His disciples to do. We read what Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “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”. Loving our brothers and sisters in God involves the same demonstration of love that Jesus exampled to His disciples. No conditions. Faithfully. Never giving up. Such loving qualities are the mark of Christians everywhere. Sometimes we pilgrims look at the scale of the potential task of encouraging everyone, and are in danger of being overwhelmed. But God is the Master strategist, and knows we are not required to change the world. There might just be one brother or sister to whom we have supplied the right words at an opportune time, and that is all God has asked us to do. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians with this message, “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We can all be a “Silas” to those around us.

Dear Father God. You, the great Encourager, want us to encourage others too. Please give us the right words at the right time. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Former Friends

Posted on by korgrocker

“You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. Of course, your former friends are surprised when you no longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things they do. So they slander you.”
1 Peter 4:3-4 NLT

Friendships develop wherever people meet. At school, college or university. In the workplace. In the gym or at a sporting event. An endless list, but there is something implicit within humans that naturally makes friendships. A common factor is often the lifestyle or interests of the people who meet. I can remember making friends with a lad at school who had similar interests to me. We took apart an old valve portable radio to see if we could repair it. We failed, unfortunately, but forged a friendship in the process. We human beings are relational people and it is very rare to find someone who can be fully satisfied with just their own company. 

Peter wrote that friendships made while enjoying a mutual debauched lifestyle would not survive if one of the friends became a Christian. Straight away, the bonds that previously sustained the relationship would cease to exist, because the believing friend would stop doing the things that previously held them together. A friendship founded on a shaky foundation of course, and one that could not survive for long if the mutual focus was removed. In Peter’s letter, “godless people” were enjoying wild living that was inherently sinful. They enjoyed a hedonistic leisure time, seeking enjoyment by sinful means. Peter was writing to believers who were once part of this lifestyle and who were now being slandered by their “former friends”. I’m sure many of us pilgrims who became believers in adulthood, know exactly how they would have felt. 

The Christian faith is counter-cultural and those who are not believers resent what being a Christian means. Worldly people know of course what is right and what is wrong. There is enough of God within them through their consciences to discern the difference. So when they find someone they know, who was perhaps quite close to them, and who has decided to turn their back on their mutual lifestyles of parties and drinking, of “immorality and lust”, and other sinful ways, they resent them. Their believing friend becomes a former friend because what had united them has been removed.

Jesus had friends. We can read about them in John 15. It’s in that wonderful chapter where Jesus describes Himself as the True Vine. He expresses His love for His disciples, a love that isn’t natural in form and content, but it is the same love which Jesus’s Father loves Him with. John 15:9, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love“. And verse 12 continues, “This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you“. Then, in John 15:14-15 we read, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me“. 

We can only aspire to be friends with Jesus if we are prepared to do what he has asked us to do, which is to love our friends as Jesus has loved us. I’m sure we agree that if our former friends, those who are still living a sinful lifestyle, are slandering us, it will be difficult to love them as Jesus loves us. But that is the mark of a Christian. To love the unlovely. To love our enemies. To have compassion on those heading for a lost eternity. In our own strength we have no chance of fulfilling this commandment. But with God’s help it is very possible. When slandered by the Jewish authorities, Jesus didn’t respond. Instead, He even prayed for the men who were hammering the nails into His hands and feet. That’s love.

Dear Father God. Please help us to befriend those who cause us harm. By so doing we do Your will. Amen.

Criticising Others

Posted on by korgrocker

“And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticised for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.”
Romans 14:15-19 NLT

Perhaps we are by now feeling that Paul is labouring his point about eating, or not eating, food offered to idols. But as we have said, we have to look beyond food to all aspects of our lives that could cause problems for other believers. Remember those early days as a Christian? When everything was rosy? When the worship service was almost angelic? When the words of God leapt out of the Bible every time we opened it? And then something happens and we are faced with a dilemma, because a fellow member in the church has behaved in a way that seems at odds with what we, rightly or wrongly, expect from them. 

I can remember in my early Christian days looking up to one of the venerable saints who uttered such gracious God-words, with wonderful prayers infused with Heavenly language. They seemed to be using the words of angels. In my limited understanding I thought it may even be the language of Zion. And I can remember thinking that I would never be able to pray in that way, so apparently spontaneously with words so full of worship that they seemed to penetrate the heavens above and go straight to the throne of God. But then I came across the same person in another setting outside the church and saw a different side of them. The pedestal beneath them crumbled and I was then at a vulnerable point in my early days of faith.

We believers experience a problem. In our minds we develop an ideal for how we should behave, inspired by what we read in the Bible perhaps, and even though we ourselves don’t live up to it, we expect others to. And that can lead to criticism. Jesus taught about this very thing, and we can read His words in Matthew 7, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5). Why is it that we can become blinded to our own faults yet can see them in another person? 

In Paul’s letter he was developing the theme that we should not live in a way that invites criticism. Good may even come from what we are doing, but in it there is a danger that another Christian might be upset by our actions. Sometimes criticism of another can result from a misunderstanding. For example, a believer might be seen in dubious company, and end up being criticised for it, without the knowledge that the meeting was for noble purposes. A person’s reputation can be trashed with unjustified criticism.

We pilgrims must remember that we are called to love one another. Perhaps 1 Peter 4:8 applies to what we do. “Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.”

Dear Father God. Please help us to replace the critical thoughts that start to well up within us with thoughts of love and the other person’s highest good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stumbling

Posted on by korgrocker

“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. I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died.”
Romans 14:12-15 NLT

Paul continues to write about basic Christian principles, and he focused on food as being at the heart of a problem in the Roman Christian society. Apparently there was much discussion – it may have become quite heated – amongst those early believers involving the interface between the idolatry so prevalent around them, and the purity of a life devoted to Christ. The problem was about food, especially those items that had been offered to idols. Following some idolatrous ritual they would appear in the market place, perhaps sold at a discount, and Christians then had a dilemma over whether or not they bought it to feed their families. Some Christians in those days said they shouldn’t, and others said it was ok to do so. 

The same problem still exists today, though probably not with the same focus. It boils down to the question – “How do I live in a way that avoids upsetting other Christians?” We still have the interface between secular and Christian societies. It’s not about food, because items are not available after idol worship any more, but there are other issues. Some years ago, I was involved in a discussion within the leadership of an independent Charismatic church about drinking wine, beer or any other alcoholic drink. We agreed that such a practice wasn’t wrong in itself, as long as moderation was involved, but how does it look to a congregation, some of whom have issues with such beverages, having been part of families destroyed by alcoholism. 

Paul wrote that we should “live in such a way that [we] will not cause another believer to stumble and fall”. In Ephesians 4:17-18 he also wrote, “With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him”. The Gentile unbelieving life, without any God-knowledge, will always be knocking at the door of a Christian’s heart. It is so hard to resist the ways of the world, particularly when bombarded with secular ideas and practices. The smutty jokes in the workplace. The lunchtime pint. The coarse language at a football match. The TV programmes infused with ideologies that insidiously pollute minds and spirits. The media news reports biased and negatively presented. We must always be on our guards during every waking moment.

At the secular/Christian interface there will be grey areas that vary between Christians. We have mentioned drinking alcoholic beverages. And the question is should I continue to do this if it makes one of my fellow believers “stumble and fall”? There are also other issues that emerge at the margins of our moral universe. I can remember a visiting preacher whose message I think was implying that it was acceptable for a man and woman to live together outside a formal marriage as long as they did so in a way that honoured marriage vows and particularly the one “‘til death us do part”. Most in that congregation were quite upset about what he appeared to be saying, and his unwise comments could have had a devastating effect on some of those present, potentially making them “stumble and fall”. 

We pilgrims have a duty to our fellow believers. In the course of loving one another, we have always to assess what we say and be careful if expressing contentious views. Paul continued to write in Ephesians 4 the following, “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:21-24). It’s all about the Holy Spirit and allowing him to help us and lead us, renewing us with God-thoughts from within. God knows what is, and isn’t, acceptable in our lives. And by our living we can help others in their daily walk with God.

Dear Father. You love us so much, and You want us to extend that love to others. Please help us to discern Your will over the issues we face today, so that we can do what we should. Please help us to hold our tongues when necessary. In Jesus’ name. 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.