Online Devotion: The Contender - Colossians 2:1

Colossians 2:1            I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. (NIV)

            Paul contended for the young churches under his care. He knew that the faith of those new Christians was delicate and that they could be led astray by flattering words and false gospels. He fought for them in many ways and eventually sacrificed his life for the Gospel. He was a remarkable fighter for the faith; he was a strident contender for Christ.

            Sometimes I wonder how Paul would have fared with today’s Church. We seem to have wandered so far away from the Gospel Truth that I think he would stridently confront our mistakes and try to redirect our paths. Unfortunately, he would probably come across as being intolerant, out-of-touch, and imbecilic to most post-moderns. His statements would be ignored and his opinions would be cast aside, just as his written words are somewhat treated today.

            I wish that God would raise up another Paul among us, instead of the ‘Guy Smiley’ preachers that abound in our mega churches. People say that they are thirsting for real, authentic Christianity, but that involves changing a lot of what we have become. If another contender does arise, then she or he will shake the foundations of our cozy beliefs and make us honestly reconsider our ways. It won’t be easy, but then again, the symbol of our faith is a sacred Cross and not a comfy sofa.

Questions for personal reflection

What do I honestly think of Paul and his teachings? Why?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, You chose Paul to contend for Your Church on Earth. Help us to understand why You selected him and what his writings truly teach us about You. Help us to re-evaluate our faith and renew our commitment to You alone. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is currently the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to send him an email about today’s message, send it to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s drawing is one of John’s drawings called “Christ is King.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: King.

Podcast version

Daily Devotions: Too Much Truth - Jude 1:1-7

Jude 1:3           Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 

Sharing salvation is one of the greatest joys that Christians can ever experience. Contending for the faith, however, can be one of the hardest tasks that Christians endure.

These days, a lot of people want the blessings of salvation without the burden of commitment. They want the Gospel to be glamorous and the Bible to be light. They want God to accept everything and they want to give hardly anything in return. In other words, there’s a market out there for cheap grace, so whoever can provide this will win the most shallow of followers.

But Christianity is not glamorous; instead it is onerous. Jude makes this quite clear in his letter’s opening remarks and in terms that make post-modern people wince. He doesn’t pull any punches, nor does he accommodate any societal sensitivity. He is very candid about the divine judgment and everlasting punishment that will befall those who are sexually immoral. In other words, Jude condemns the whole of our present progressive and permissive society to Hell.

Whether or not we agree with Jude’s statements is left to us. But we should bear two things in mind as we consider his words. Firstly, he is writing to the Church about the sinfulness of the Church and not the world. Secondly, this letter is in our Bibles, so it must have sacred and eternal truth attached to it. Can we same the same for our thoughts, our letters, and our own opinions?

The problem with Jude has always been a problem for the Church: he is far too blunt. However, the question we need to ask ourselves is this: is he also being completely truthful, which is why his letter offends us?

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, in every generation we have to find and face the truth about ourselves, about You, and about God. We struggle today with issues of our own making, and we wrestle with problems that we have created. Reclaim us as Your own, and set the Church back onto the right and truthful path, even when it offends us. In Your Holy Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to respond to today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.