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Open the Bible UK Daily

Colin Smith

3 minute daily Bible reflections from Open the Bible UK, authored by Colin Smith, read by Sue McLeish.

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Yesterday · 2 min
God’s Work Includes Saving Us from Foolish Mistakes
As the sons of the prophets were sitting before [Elisha], he said to his servant, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 2 Kings 4:38 We are introduced here to a group of men known as “the sons of the prophets.” They lived in community and gave themselves to study and prayer. They brought the Word of God to the people. It’s likely that Elisha was there often, teaching, mentoring, exhorting them to walk with God. In this time of famine, Elisha wanted them to enjoy a good meal. So he said to his servant Gehazi, “Set on the large pot, and boil stew” (4:38). Then one of the students thinks, “We should add some flavour to the meat.” He found some wild gourds and put them into the pot “not knowing what they were” (4:39). When the sons of the prophets tasted the stew, they knew immediately that something was wrong. They shouted to Elisha, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” (4:40). Elisha told them to put flour in the stew, and then “there was no harm in the pot” (4:41). God made the poisonous stew safe. This strange story points us to a wonderful truth: God’s work continues despite our foolish mistakes. The student who put the poison in the pot certainly didn’t intend to harm the others. He must have thought “How could I have been such a fool?” When, by a miracle of God’s grace, the stew was made safe, the student must have breathed a huge sigh of relief. “Thank You, Lord! My foolish mistake might have led to disaster, but You stepped in and saved us from the worst effects of my folly.” Do you need God to step in and save you from a foolish mistake?
Thursday · 3 min
God’s Servants Have a Glorious Future
[Elisha] prayed to the LORD. Then he went up and lay on the child, putting his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. And as he stretched himself upon him, the flesh of the child became warm. Then he got up again and walked once back and forth… and went up and stretched himself upon him. The child… opened his eyes. 2 Kings 4:33–35 There is a marvellous picture here of how Christ gives new life to us. Elisha “lay on the child” and “stretched himself upon him” (4:34). In the Old Testament law, touching a dead body would make you unclean. By stretching himself out over the boy, Elisha was making himself unclean. When Jesus stretched Himself out for us on the cross, He was made unclean for us. “For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Then notice that Elisha lay on the child, “putting his mouth on his mouth” (2 Kings 4:34). Elisha breathed new life into the boy. And that is a wonderful picture of what Christ does for us. He breathes new life into us by His Holy Spirit, and by God’s grace, the eternal life that is in Him becomes ours. There is no greater miracle than the miracle of the resurrection. There are three stories of resurrection in the Old Testament, all of them from the time of Elijah and Elisha. These stories all point to the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the glorious triumph over death that is ours in Him. It is as if God couldn’t wait to give the good news that death will not be the end. God’s servants have a glorious future. They will enjoy a glorious resurrection. How does the hope of a glorious future comfort your heart?
Wednesday · 2 min
God’s Servants Depend on Him
Gehazi came to push her away. But the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for she is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.” 2 Kings 4:27 Elisha was a great man of God. God worked through him in extraordinary ways. But the emphasis here is not on Elisha’s strength and power but on his limitations and weakness. Notice what Elisha doesn’t know: “She is in bitter distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me” (4:27). He is saying, “God often reveals things to me, but I don’t know what’s going on here.” However discerning you are, there will be things that the Lord hides from you. You will find yourself saying, “I’m walking with God, but I can’t see the way ahead. I am completely dependent on Him.” Elisha didn’t know what God was doing. And notice that Elisha’s initiative was unsuccessful. He sent Gehazi to the house at Shunem with the prophet’s staff. “Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life” (4:31). How easy it is to live on our gifts, to feel that we have what it takes to do the work of God. God sometimes allows His servants to fail so that we will remember that we are utterly dependent on Him. If that was the experience of a man who walked so closely with God, we should not be surprised if it is our experience as well. Have you failed in something that you were confident about? How could you use this to help you grow in your dependence on God?
Tuesday · 2 min
God’s Servants Endure Great Sorrow
When the child had grown… he said to his father, “Oh, my head, my head!” The father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” …The child sat on her lap till noon, and then he died. 2 Kings 4:18-20 Here we have every mother’s nightmare. The unimaginable sorrow of the death of a child. She laid the boy in Elisha’s room and told her husband that she was going to see the man of God. She said, “All is well” (4:23). She rode her donkey as fast as she could to Mount Carmel where Elisha was—about 18 miles. Elisha told his servant to run and meet her and ask, “Is all well with you?” The woman brushed him off with the same answer: “All is well” (4:26). But when she saw Elisha, she let him have it! “Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me?’” (4:28). She was saying, “This is exactly what I was afraid of: that my heart would be filled with joy and then be broken.” God’s servants are greatly blessed, and God’s servants endure great sorrows. This is the pattern of the Christian life. You can’t read this story without thinking about another godly woman whose Son was promised and then died. Remember the words of the angel to Mary: “Behold, you will… bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus” (Luke 1:31). Then in the temple, Simeon said to Mary, “a sword will pierce through your own soul also” (2:35). A sword did pierce Mary’s soul. Who can imagine the pain she felt at the cross while her Son suffered and died? Why do the godly suffer? We are only told that they do, that this too is in the purpose of God, and that one day, God will wipe all tears from our eyes. Read Revelation 21:3-4 and reflect on the day God will wipe away your tears.
Monday · 2 min
God’s Servants Are Greatly Blessed
One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food. 2 Kings 4:8 The first thing we are told about this woman is that she had been blessed financially. God had blessed her, and she wanted to bring blessing to others. One way she could do this was to give hospitality to the prophet Elijah. Now she took it a step further. She told her husband, “I know that this is a holy man of God... Let us make a small room… and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp” (4:9-10). This woman was blessed, and she wanted to be a blessing to others. Elisha wanted to return her kindness, so he asked what he could do for her. She replied, “I dwell among my own people” (4:13). This is a wonderful expression of contentment. “What more could I want?” But she did not have a child. This had likely been a great disappointment, but she had come to a point of accepting it. “God has blessed me, and I am content.” Elisha told her, “About this time next year, you shall embrace a son” (4:16). The woman’s reaction was one of caution. “No, my lord… do not lie to your servant” (4:16). But God was true to His Word, and “the woman conceived, and she bore a son” (4:17). If you are in Christ today, you are greatly blessed. Whatever hardship you face, whatever gift you have not been given, whatever disappointment you know, in Jesus Christ you are supremely blessed. God has set His love on you. God has sent His Son for you. The Holy Spirit lives in you, and He is always working for your ultimate good. What disappointments have you wrestled with? Where do you see God’s blessing?
Sunday · 3 min
What God Has Done for Us in Jesus Christ
My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 The story of the widow’s oil points us very wonderfully to our Lord Jesus. Think about what God did for her sons. He paid their debt. He saved them from slavery. He gave them a future. This is what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Jesus paid our debt We owe it to God to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We owe it to our neighbours to love them as we love ourselves. None of us has paid the debt that we owe. Jesus took our debt on Himself and paid it in full on the cross. Jesus sets us free God saved the widow’s sons from an awful future as slaves. But Jesus has saved us from an even more horrendous future trapped in hell forever! Jesus said, “Everyone who practises sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). Then He said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (8:36). God saves us from being sin’s slaves. He brings us into glorious freedom through our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus will give us a glorious future He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (10:10). Jesus gives eternal life. And it is by believing that we have this life in His name (20:31). “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). God will sustain you by the power and presence of His Holy Spirit. You will have all that you need for all that you face in your journey from here to heaven. Thank God for His promise that He will supply your every need.
September 5 · 2 min
God Works for Our Freedom and Joy
Your servant my husband is dead, and... the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves. 2 Kings 4:1 Let’s look at this story from the perspective of the two boys. It’s striking how often they are mentioned, and it is through their eyes that we see these two truths. 1. God works for our freedom These two boys had quite a story to tell. If one of them could tell us his story, he might say, I’ll never forget the day that creditor came. His words felt like a death sentence. I was about to become a slave. But then God stepped in! As the oil kept coming from the jar, we witnessed the grace and kindness of God, poured out in our home. When we sold the oil, our debt was paid. Instead of being slaves we were free! 2. God works for our joy “The man of God… said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest’” (4:7). God did more than pay off the debt. He provided a rich future. If one of her sons was here today, he might say, I didn’t know this at the time, but when Elisha said, “You and your sons can live on the rest,” he was telling us that we would have enough to start a small business. And we did very well with it. God did more than pay our debt. He provided for our future life. God works with what He has already given. God works through our faith and obedience. God works for our freedom and joy. In what area do you need God’s freedom? Where do you need His joy?
September 4 · 2 min
God Works Through Our Faith and Obedience
Then [Elisha] said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbours, empty vessels and not too few.” 2 Kings 4:3 Notice, there was something for this woman to do. God provided for her as she walked in faith and obedience. God is not limited by our faith or by our obedience, but He calls us to be actively engaged in the means by which He provides. Elisha was a prophet, and the word of the prophet was the Word of God to her. “Go… borrow vessels from all your neighbours” (4:3). That was a command for her to obey. Then Elisha said, “and not too few” (4:3). He called her to exercise faith. “Don’t underestimate what God can do! Walk in obedience and anticipate God’s blessing.” Elisha told her, “Go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside” (4:4). Then we read, “She went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured they brought the vessels to her” (4:5). She did exactly what Elisha had said. One son placed an empty jar on the table, the other son took the full one, and the woman kept pouring. She would say, “Another jar!” Until at last, her son said, “There is not another,” and the oil stopped flowing (4:6). Oil flowed from the little jar as long as there were jars to fill. If the woman had not obeyed the command to borrow the jars, the oil would not have flowed. The widow’s faith and obedience were woven into what God did for her. It was as she obeyed that God acted. And it will be the same for us. God will provide as we walk in faith and obedience. Ask God to help you walk in obedience so that nothing will hinder you from receiving what God wants to give.
September 3 · 2 min
God Works with What He Has Already Provided
Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 2 Kings 4:2 There is something important here about how to help a person in need. The first question is, “What do you have?” What do you have that you could sell to pay this debt? God works with what He has already provided. God is not limited to working with what He has already provided. But this is a pattern that we see often in the Bible. The most obvious example is when a vast crowd gathered to hear Jesus in a remote place. After many hours they were hungry. Jesus said to His disciples, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see” (Mark 6:38). So they went to see what God had already provided. “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” (John 6:9). But God worked with these five loaves and two fish. In the hands of Jesus, they fed a multitude. Jesus could have created food out of nothing. But He worked with the loaves and fish that were placed in His hands. You can see the same pattern in this story: “What do you have in the house?” “Nothing… except a jar of oil.” God could have created oil out of nothing. But He worked with the oil He had already given. In any situation of need, look at what God has given you already. What gifts do you have? What friends, opportunities, and resources? These may be the things God works with to provide for you. What resources has God given you that He can work with in your circumstances today?
September 2 · 2 min
God’s Faithful Servants Are Sometimes Desperate
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 Kings 4:1 This woman’s great loss opened a whole chapter of troubles. God’s law made provision for widows among God’s people, primarily through the extended family. But for whatever reason, this woman seems to have fallen through the net, and she was left with mounting debt. Then the man who had lent her money came knocking at the door. “You owe me money.” “I’m sorry, but I don’t have any money to give you.” “Well, what do you have?” “See for yourself. All I have is this little jar of oil.” “What good is that to me? But you do have something that might be useful to me—these two fine young boys. If your debt is not paid by the end of the month, both of your sons will work for me until it is fully paid.” This woman was desperate, so she went to Elisha for help. She knew that he walked closely with God. Perhaps God could help her. This is a wonderful story about God’s provision. We will see how God provides, how we are involved in what God provides, and how this story points us to what God does for us in Jesus Christ. When have you faced desperate times? How did you see God provide?
September 1 · 2 min
God’s Faithful Servants Sometimes Suffer Greatly
Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha… 2 Kings 4:1 Many Christians are familiar with the story of Elijah the prophet, but fewer know the story of Elisha the prophet. Elijah is the better known of the two, but God’s people enjoyed more blessing in the days of Elisha than they ever did in the days of Elijah. Taken as a whole, the stories about Elisha say to us, “Look at who God is! Look at what He has done! Look at what He will do! Believe in Him, trust Him, have confidence in Him.” The God who was with Elijah was also with Elisha. God’s work continues even when His servants change. We begin today in our journey through the life of Elisha with the story of a woman who had been married to a godly man. Her husband was “one of the sons of the prophets” (4:1). Prophets were called to speak the Word of God, so she was married to someone who had a ministry of the Word. It’s clear from what she said to Elisha that her husband was a faithful servant of God: “You know that your servant feared the LORD” (4:1). And it seems that this woman’s husband had been especially close to Elisha. She describes her husband as Elisha’s servant twice: “Your servant my husband… You know that your servant feared the LORD” (4:1). This woman’s husband may have been Elisha’s right-hand man. So, this woman had been greatly blessed by God, who had given her a faithful, godly husband and two wonderful sons. But then tragedy struck. The woman’s husband died. And, because she refers to her sons as “children,” it seems that her husband may have died early in life. God’s faithful servants suffer, and sometimes they suffer greatly. Can you relate to this woman?
August 31 · 2 min
God Is Patient with You
The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you. 2 Peter 3:9 What promise is Peter talking about here? God has promised to judge the earth with fire, just as He once judged the earth with water. You would expect the verse to say, “God is not slow in fulfilling his promise… He is patient with the unbelieving world.” But that’s not what he says. Instead, he says “God is not slow to fulfil his promise… but is patient toward you” (3:9). He’s writing to Christian believers. God is not slow in keeping His promise (of judgement). He is patient with you. Why has Christ not yet come? God held back His judgement long enough to bring you into His kingdom. That’s the love of God for you in Jesus Christ. It’s not just that God has been patient with you. Peter says, God “is patient toward you…” (3:9). If one day with the Lord is like a thousand years, then God has indeed been very patient with all of us. Our sins have gone on a long time according to heaven’s clock. Day by day we cast ourselves on His mercy, trusting the cleansing power of the blood of Christ, and Peter says, He “is patient toward you…” Don’t you find it amazing that God does not look down at you and say, “I’m done with him!” or “I’m done with her!”? Since God has shown you this kind of patience on heaven’s timescale, you can be patient in real time with that unbelieving loved one, or that hard-hearted cynic at the office. Who does God want you to show His patience to today?
August 30 · 2 min
Life in Heaven Is Very Long
With the Lord… a thousand years [are] as one day. 2 Peter 3:8 If one day is like a thousand years with the Lord, then the average human life (70 years), would run 25 million years. That’s a long time! Maybe you’re feeling the pressure of all the stuff you have to get done next week. But, if you had 7,000 years to do that work, you could get it all done easily! Think how relaxed you could be if one day was like a thousand years to you. That’s how it is with God. Think about your loved ones who do not believe. You have been praying, “How long, O Lord?” It feels like you’ve been waiting forever to see God move. Be encouraged! God can do more in your loved one’s life in a moment than Satan can do in 20 years! God is eternal: He is never rushed, never overwhelmed, never taken by surprise. He has all the time in the world to accomplish everything He has planned to do. If you can take in these great truths, you will have less fear and more peace. You will also find a new freedom. If you know Christ, you have eternal life. That’s a lot of life! You don’t need to go through life counting how much you have left and worrying about whether you will accomplish all your plans. You can afford to give your life away in service to others. You don’t need to fret over opportunities that didn’t open up as you’d hoped. Life on earth is short. Life on earth is short, but life in heaven is long, and in Christ you have more life than you know what to do with. Where do these truths intersect your anxieties and worries today?
August 29 · 2 min
Life on Earth Is Very Short
With the Lord... a thousand years [are] as one day. 2 Peter 3:8 Do the math—Abraham was born on Monday. King David was born on Tuesday. Jesus was born on Wednesday. The middle ages flashed by yesterday, and our generation will have passed before this morning is over. Another 30 generations will have passed by tomorrow morning. By God’s scale, 70 years pass by every 100 minutes. So, imagine a person who does not believe in or obey God. He is making his mark in the world, but God looks down and says, “He’ll be gone in 90 minutes.” God says, “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (Jas. 4:14). When we get anxious about the state of the world, let’s remember that to the Almighty, the whole of human history is very short. So, when “The kings of the earth set themselves… against the LORD and against his Anointed… the Lord holds them in derision” (Psa. 2:2, 4). He is not worried about His enemies, so you don’t need to worry about them either. This cuts the root of our self-importance. Your life on earth is very short, so what really matters? You might think that what matters is your education, your career, your opportunities, your investments, your health, your travel, and your quality of life. But, as far as God is concerned, all of us will be in His presence in less than 90 minutes. Once you see that, you will have a very different idea of what matters: “Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psa. 90:12). Ask God to give you the wisdom to see what really matters.
August 28 · 3 min
When Cynicism Hits Close to Home
Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 2 Peter 3:3 Over the last century, we have seen evolutionism, which said “There is no Creator!” We are seeing the decline of postmodernism, which said “There is no Truth!” And now we’re seeing the rise of a new atheism, which says “There is no God!” Perhaps you work with people who are cynical about your faith. Their language distresses you. Sometimes they despise the things of God that are precious to you. How are you going to handle that? It’s easy to get frustrated when people are cynical or sceptical toward God, but we need to deal with it because a Christianity that’s angry with the world never gets us anywhere (Jas. 1:20). The pressures of living with unbelief come much closer to home for many of us. What do you do when your son or daughter turns away from following Christ? They don’t believe. They show no interest in spiritual things. Eyes roll when you talk about going to church. What happens inside of you is very predictable. You feel helpless, What can I do? What can the church do? And when you feel helpless, frustration grows and with it comes anger. And anger won’t do much to bring him or her closer to the Lord! One of the hardest things in the world is to see people you love wasting their lives, following their own desires. The most natural thing in the world is for you to feel defeated, perplexed, frustrated, embattled, helpless, angry, tense, afraid, and ashamed. How can you develop more patience with sceptical people, so that what comes out of you reflects the Spirit of Jesus rather than the spirit of the Pharisees?
August 27 · 3 min
The Default Position of the Human Heart
Scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 2 Peter 3:3 This is what the first Christians experienced; it’s what we experience today; and it will be the experience of the church until Christ comes. When the New Testament refers to the “last days,” it includes all the days between Jesus’ first and second coming (see Acts 2). So, don’t be surprised by antagonism toward the gospel. By nature we do not seek God, we do not love God, and we cannot please God. Rejecting God’s Word (scoffing) and choosing your own way go together. If you want to follow your own desires, you have to reject God. You have to put yourself and your own agenda in first place in your life. The sinner would prefer a world without God, because he wants to be his own god. Paul says, “Men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18). Unbelief and rebellion are the default position of the human heart, “The mind that is set on the flesh [i.e., the nature we are born with] is hostile to God” (Rom. 8:7). “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh” (8:5). The idea that sinners really love God and are seeking after Him, if only they could find Him, is completely false. Peter has been telling us that in Christ we have “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). That means we need to find in Christ the strength, patience, wisdom, and grace to live in a world that does not see His glory, does not believe His Word, and does not follow His way. Are you prepared to follow Jesus in this Christ-rejecting world?
August 26 · 3 min
A Warning and a Promise
The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgement. 2 Peter 2:9 There is a great promise here for the Christian. You love the Lord and you grieve over sins—in you and around you. God knows how to rescue you from trials. And He will rescue you. You can count on that. We learn something else here: There is a punishment for sin that begins now. Sin brings the misery of its own consequences in this life. The way of the sinner is hard, but it gets worse if you refuse to leave this path: God holds the unrighteous for the day of judgement (2:9). Can you feel the weight of these words? If you love your sins, and refuse to turn from them, then right now this is what God is doing in your life: He is continuing your punishment, and He is holding you for the day of judgement. This is not what you want God doing in your life. You want to be with the godly who grieve their sin, repent of their sin, and turn, on account of their sin, in faith to Jesus Christ crucified. You wonder, How can I change? I try to change and then I go back to what I was before. I am just like the dog that returns to its own vomit. I am unrighteous. How can I be godly? You cannot change on your own. But you can come to Jesus Christ today, because God’s “divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (1:3). Which did you most need to hear today, the promise or the warning?
August 25 · 3 min
What Your Familiarity with the Gospel Is Doing to You
What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:22 The dog goes back and sniffs around. It is intrigued; it loves the vomit. The pig goes back and wallows in the mud. Why? Pigs love mud. And the unrighteous love sin. That’s why they keep going back to it. The washed pig looks better, but it goes back to the mud. The dog feels better (you always feel better after you throw up), but it goes back to the vomit. The pig looked better, the dog felt better, but a dog is still a dog and a pig is still a pig. The only change is a change in appearance. Peter says, “That’s the counterfeit Christian.” You had some kind of religious experience that made you look better or feel better, but you remained the same person you were before, and if that’s the case, your position is worse off than at the beginning (2:20). Perhaps you are familiar with the truth. Other people may think you love Christ, but you know that’s not true. Your familiarity with the truth will make you more resistant to Christ than others who have never heard. Every time the gospel is preached, we are drawn nearer to Christ or we move further away. Our hearts are made softer or our hearts are made harder. Don’t let that be true of you: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb. 4:7). Turn to Christ today and embrace Him as your saviour. Don’t let your familiarity with the gospel make you harder. What is familiarity with the truth doing in your life? Drawing you nearer to Him? Or moving you further away?
August 24 · 3 min
A Hidden Mark of a Genuine Believer
Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard). 2 Peter 2:7-8 Here is one “hidden” mark of a genuine believer. It cannot be known for sure in others, but you can be sure of it in yourself. Be careful not to make false judgements about others. Peter writes about those who deny the Lord (2:1). But Peter denied Him three times. So, if you were to say, “He’s a counterfeit!” you’d be wrong. There will be many surprises in heaven—who’s there and who’s not. Lot chose to live in the city of Sodom, and he experienced a great deal of unhappiness there. Some decisions in life have lasting consequences—where you live, what career you choose, who you marry. A bad decision may bring you sorrow, but it cannot stop God’s grace in your life. The mark of a righteous man living in an unrighteous world, Peter says, is that he is “distressed” and “tormented” day after day. He is distressed over sin in the world around him. And he is distressed over sin in his own soul. The distinguishing mark is not that Lot was without sin. The evidence that Lot was a righteous man was that he grieved over sin wherever he saw it. Your distress over the sin around you is a clear mark of God’s grace in your life. A true Christian grieves over sin wherever he sees it. That includes the sin in your own soul. A counterfeit Christian takes it very lightly. It doesn’t bother him. Are you distressed by the sins you see around you? How about by your own sins?
August 23 · 2 min
You Will Always Find Hypocrisy in the Church
There will be false teachers among you. 2 Peter 2:1 Peter’s plain statement reminds us that the church needs to be protected. Among the many wonderful people who come through the doors of the church each year, there will be some who would do the church more harm than good. They may seem like the nicest of people, but they do not believe in the authority of the Bible or in the exclusivity of salvation in Christ. We must welcome such people, because they need Christ as much as we do, but we must not allow them to have influence in the church. If what Peter says here is true, this means that sceptics will always be able to point to hypocrisy and inconsistency in the church. They’ve always done it and they always will. One of the strangest reasons for not following Christ goes like this: “I’ve seen people in the church who are hypocrites.” You will not follow Christ because some people who claim to do so are hypocrites? The existence of the counterfeit is never a good reason for rejecting the genuine. Peter says, “Of course there are counterfeit Christians. Of course there are teachers who do the church more harm than good. What else would you expect in this fallen world? Grow up! Don’t be naïve! Don’t miss what’s real, simply because you have seen the counterfeit.” You might be able to make a case this week to someone who’s hiding behind this excuse! Do you know someone who has rejected Christianity because of hypocrisy?

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