Examples For Us

Posted on by korgrocker

“Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.”
1 Corinthians 10:9-11 NLT

Paul listed some additional events that occurred during the journey through the wilderness, a journey that should have taken the Israelites no more than a few weeks at most, but ultimately lasted forty years. It was a journey full of miracles, but also one marked by punishments that God inflicted on an idolatrous, complaining, and grumbling people. Yesterday, we considered the sexual immorality and idol worship. In today’s verses, Paul highlights two more episodes, the first of which can be found in Numbers 21. “Then the people of Israel set out from Mount Hor, taking the road to the Red Sea to go around the land of Edom. But the people grew impatient with the long journey, and they began to speak against God and Moses. “Why have you brought us out of Egypt to die here in the wilderness?” they complained. “There is nothing to eat here and nothing to drink. And we hate this horrible manna!” So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many were bitten and died” (Numbers 21:4-6). This time, the sin of the people was one of ingratitude, rebellion, and grumbling. The Lord’s punishment was a plague of poisonous snakes and “many were bitten and died”. Well, it indeed focused their minds, and we read what happened next in the following verses, “Then the people came to Moses and cried out, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take away the snakes.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the Lord told him, “Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!” So Moses made a bronze snake and attached it to a pole. Then anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!” 

The snake episode was a “type” of what was to come, with Jesus being raised up on the cross at Calvary, and anyone who looked upon Him with a believing heart would be saved, but from a different kind of death. Jesus Himself referred to the Numbers 21 event when He said to Nicodemus, “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life” (John 3:14-15). 

The second reference from 1 Corinthians 10:10 pertained to another instance when the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron. A man called Korah had initiated a rebellion against Moses. He was a Levite, but it appeared that he possibly desired to be a priest, and we can read the account in Numbers 16. The Lord dealt with rebellion with a terminal solution. The earth opened up, and the three rebellious families and all their belongings disappeared into a big hole, which closed over them after they had gone. But the rest of the Israelites were very upset by this. Numbers 16:41, “But the very next morning the whole community of Israel began muttering again against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the Lord’s people!”” The Lord was going to destroy them all, and he sent a plague that Moses only narrowly averted. Paul believed that the Lord sent an angel of death amongst the people, but the outcome was the same. 

Both these examples quoted by Paul in our headline verses today were “written down to warn” all who were grumblers in the Corinthian church, and, by implication, they apply to believers today. We don’t know for sure how the Corinthians reacted to Paul’s message, but we do know how we pilgrims should respond. When we wake up in the morning, do we grumble about anything? We could list many things, but none of them are worthy of a child of God. I once said to a man whom I met early one sunny summer morning, “Nice morning today”, to which he replied, “They’re all nice if you wake up”. Instead of grumbling about the injustices of life, we would do better to thank God for the new day granted to us and get up with a sense of anticipation about what God has in store for the day ahead.

Dear Heavenly Father. None of us knows the day or hour when we will leave this life, but while we are here and alive, we will thank You and praise You for all You have done for us. Please lead us in all that You want us to do today, we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Youthful Rebellion

Posted on by korgrocker

“Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth. Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.”
Psalm 25:6-7 NLT

Oh dear! Those youthful years, teenage challenges and sins, trial and error, hormonal changes. Years spent casting around for meaning and morals, years marked by rebellion against anyone in authority, including parents. Difficult years, as an adult desperately tried to emerge from a child into the light of further education or employment. Oh dear! Those youthful years. Why did David ask God not to “remember the rebellious sins of [his] youth”? Because he, like us, still had the memories lurking in the dark recesses of his mind, always ready to emerge and cause pain. “If only I hadn’t …” is a thought that surfaces if we let it, bringing shame and regrets in the process. So David, like us, committed “rebellious sins” in his youth.

Of course, we pilgrims have confessed all our sins. We read and followed 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness”. So the sins of our rebellious youth have been forgiven and dealt with, and if we ask God to forgive us for them again, then His reply is “What sins”? We remember the verse, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12), which is a good way of saying that God had wiped our sin-slate clean. So why did David bring it all up once again? Probably for the same reason we do, but perhaps David’s approach was better, because he made a statement, written down to remind him and perhaps God that his sins were not to be remembered.  

But what were those rebellious sins? They are not just limited to those tender in years. There are many who behave like children all their lives, and we see such people represented in our political and business classes today. Isaiah wrote, ““What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus piling up your sins”. Those who watch the goings-on in the UK parliaments will see increasing secularism dominating the proceedings, the Christian roots of British society long forgotten, binned with all thoughts of Heavenly morality, and, as a consequence, their sins “piling up”. It’s not a democratic and God-less state that we need but instead one based on the principles of the Kingdom of God, and a population embracing revival once again. Thankfully, one day God will rule and reign here on earth, firstly Jesus for a thousand years, and then God Himself in the New Jerusalem that we read of in Revelation 21. There is no democracy in God’s Kingdom. 

We pilgrims are never rebellious of course. Well, never rebellious to God, although we might rebel against the God-less laws that are infiltrating our societies. So we will sometimes find fellow believers demonstrating against laws that conflict with God’s Word. We are led by the Holy Spirit in our day-by-day lives and with His wisdom we navigate the secularism so prevalent. We are like guerrillas, believers infiltrating the kingdom of darkness, seeking to disrupt the works of the devil, and doing what we can to promote the Kingdom of Light. The going is tough sometimes, because the forces of darkness want to close us down, but we are on the winning side. 

Rebellion and sin are close bedfellows, because the focus is against God and His ways. And we remember what Paul wrote in Romans 8:5-6, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace”. We pilgrims are led by the Holy Spirit, and through our relationship with Him, the “rebellious sins of youth”, or at any other stage in life, will disappear. We dedicate our lives to God and he will lead us in His ways.

Dear Father God. Once again we thank You for cleansing us from all our sins. We commit our lives to You, this day and every day for the rest of our lives. Amen.

Rebellion

Posted on by korgrocker

“So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honour you.
Romans 13:2-3 NLT

Paul continues in his theme of being obedient to the civil authorities because God put them in place. But these days it is fashionable to rebel against our leaders and lawmakers. Not us Christians of course – we tend to be passive and stoical people. Mostly putting up with injustices that take place against us and what we believe. Although that in part reflects the teaching of Jesus, to love our enemies, to go the second mile, we tend to be afraid to stick our collective heads over the parapets, preferring to leave any dissent with the civil authorities to our leaders. But even then, Christians don’t rebel against  the authorities that “God has instituted”. 

Those in our society who are the rebellious ones tend not to be Christians, although there are exceptions. In the UK just now, many disagree with government policy on oil and gas exploration and a very small minority are causing inordinate amounts of disruption in London. Is that rebellion against the authorities, or a legitimate form of protest? There is also a minority who are trying to change society’s attitude to gender and related matters around sexual ethics, to the extent that it is almost becoming a new religion. That is rebellion against Bible-based morality, but rebellion against the authorities? Probably not, unless they behave in a way that is outside the law. In other parts of the world though, totalitarian and authoritarian regimes are very proactive in stifling the least hint of what could become a threat to state’s existence. Christians suffer unjustly in such nations, and their very act of continuing to worship God is considered rebellion.

So was Paul promoting a passive Christianity that would comply with all laws and governments, even if they are unrighteous? Such circumstances introduce difficulties for Christians because there is a higher Power, God Himself. We pilgrims have to constantly be on our guard, always weighing up the society and its laws with the principles and precepts of God’s Kingdom. We of course abide by the laws introduced for the benefit of our society, and even, as was the case in Paul’s day, we do our best to live in a society that may not fit in with our ideals. Here in the UK, society is now largely secular. People are saying we live in a post-Christian world, and the moral compass provided by the Bible and underpinned by centuries of Christian doctrine and customs is being abandoned and replaced by a new morality that doesn’t look as though it will end well. 

But we pilgrims obey our authorities, as Paul taught, because by doing what is right in accordance with the established laws and regulations, we will be allowed to live in peace. We mustn’t get caught up with the rebellious people in our midst, as we read in Proverbs 24:21-22, “My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels, for disaster will hit them suddenly. Who knows what punishment will come from the Lord and the king?”

Paul ended the verse today with the thought that if we do what is right we will be honoured by the authorities. For most people this will not be public recognition, but just the opportunity to continue to live our lives in peace. Honour enough for me!

Father God. Thank You that You have appointed and ordained our secular leaders. We pray for them today, that Your will and purposes will be worked out through them. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Wages of Sin

Posted on by korgrocker

“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 6:22-23 NLT

Those of us who are working get paid for our services. We call it a wage or a salary. But the principle is the same – we provide a service to someone and get paid in return. Sadly, governments want to break into what should be a simple business transaction and take their cut – we call it income tax – but we end up with enough money, hopefully, to pay our bills and provide for ourselves and our dependent families. 

It doesn’t matter what we do because there is always a consequent response. So we work and get paid. Of course, someone can volunteer to do work and not get a monetary reward, but they will get their “wages” in other ways. In a wider sense, everything that we do will have some sort of payback. If we do something kind for someone else, such as doing the shopping for an elderly neighbour, then they will be blessed by our work. And we receive our “wages” spiritually, because we are doing what God has asked us to do. Jesus said one of the greatest commandments was loving your neighbour, as recorded in Matthew 22:39, “A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.” So a law of cause and effect is in play here. Jesus said in Luke 6:38, “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back”. 

But we now come to what Paul said about sin. He said “the wages of sin is death”. Sin has a root, which is rebellion against God. When this happens, the sinner is doing or thinking something that contravenes God’s design for them. Sin has two serious consequences – a sinner cannot be in God’s presence, and a sinner will not enjoy God’s covering and protection. I often go to Psalm 91 – here are the first four verses, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armour and protection“. Notice that only those with the right qualifications of living close to God will receive the assurance of finding His rest and safety. At a time of danger, a mother hen will cover her chicks with her wings. A lovely picture of God’s protection for His people. Another encouraging verse about God’s care and protection for His people can be found in Isaiah 41:10, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” 

Those who sin and who never repent and turn to God will one day receive the wages for their rebellion and sin. They will find eternal death in a place where they don’t want to be. But Paul continues to write about the “free gift of God”. Which is “eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord”. We all love gifts, don’t we? And yet most people will choose sin and eternal death rather than turn to God and receive His free gift of eternal life. 

I was often puzzled by the propensity of some of my workmates to choose to be rebellious and awkward when asked to do something by the boss, purely because they thought it violated their “rights”. Without a knowledge of a bigger picture and the goal to which the company was heading, they thought they knew better. They chose to go a different way, often with consequences they had not foreseen. Regarding sin, it is of course someone’s “right” to continue their evil ways, but such people choose to ignore the consequences. 

How better it is to listen to God and follow His ways, assuring a future that starts with the free gift of salvation and continues with a life eternally spent in a wonderful place we call Heaven.

Dear Father. What else can we say other than “thank You”? Amen.

Living In Sin

Posted on by korgrocker

“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.”
Ephesians‬ ‭2:1-3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul starts the second chapter of his Epistle, looking back at what his readers, entitled the Ephesian church, used to be like. He pointed out that they “used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil”. And he continued, pointing out the status and work of the devil and his demonic resources. He rounds up these three verses by exposing the fallen state of mankind, with no one escaping their lot in life, being “subject to God’s anger”. But how did it all come to this? As we know, it all started in a garden in an episode that must have broken God’s heart. When the devil exposed his strategy and through his temptation led the first couple into sin. And so the door opened, allowing sin to enter the world, infecting every human being who has ever lived. Everyone follows “the passionate desires and inclinations of [their] sinful nature”. Paul chose his words carefully, he didn’t use the excuse “the devil made me do it”, as some try to do.

It can be hard to get over to godless people the fact that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). “But I’m a good person” is a response often heard. “I pay my taxes”, “I try to help others”, “I give money to charity”, and so on, are reasons for the “good person” response. But four words in the verses above expose the real issue – “refuse to obey God”. Sin is all about rebellion to God. Notice that living in sin is a choice and is not inevitable. We can choose to be obedient to God, a choice that starts at a place called Calvary.

We live in a world infected by a sin pandemic. As Paul said, the word “All” implies that everyone catches this disease, and it is inescapably fatal. No ICU or Nightingale hospital will save us from the consequences of our disease. And there is no vaccine other than that supplied by God through His grace.

In our earthly pilgrimage, we journey in an atmosphere of sin. Temptations often and unrelentingly crop up, trying to draw us away from the right paths into the mud and mire of all sorts of transgressions. But God is always there to help us. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, we read, “ The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” What a faithful, loving and gracious God we serve!

But we have a Heavenly Father who loves us too much to leave us at the end of verse 3 – there’s more to come in the next verses in Chapter 2.