We will conclude this three-part series on what it means to be a Christian pilgrim, having looked at five attributes so far, that are required. Let us continue with additional necessary attributes.
(6) A PILGRIM views correction in a positive way.
This is something that is alien to the non-Christian mind. Man, in general, wants people to flatter them, to cosy up to them and to be sycophants. Immediately when any correction appears on the horizon, however gentle, however lovingly given, and however right that correction may be, the hackles usually go up, a defensive position is taken and offence can so often be the result. That’s the way of the world. As with almost everything, our position should be diametrically opposed to such behaviour.
This matter is addressed in Hebrews 12:5-11:
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
God’s people have their faults and problem areas which need to be corrected. God will correct sin in His own children; we are His begotten Family, and should not expect to escape such rebukes when necessary. From time to time, we may have corrective sermons if it’s thought necessary – but those are for our own good. Our heavenly Father treats us as a loving father will; no wise and good father will wink at faults in his own children, and his relationship and affections oblige him to take notice of the faults of his own children. We must have done that within our own family; if not, we will have let them down by not correctly and lovingly disciplining them for their own good and well-being as appropriate, at the right time and in the right way.
This principle is confirmed in Revelation 3:19, where Christ says to the Laodicea Church: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”
Because this world is upside down in almost everything, it can find it hard, if not impossible, to understand that having love for your children and other people may, at times, involve correction. It is warped thinking that should not be the case, but then, this society has warped thinking anyway. Because God loves His people, He rebukes and chastens them as is necessary. This is not something that we may always appreciate, at least not at the time, but it is for our ultimate good.
As an aside, in general, many countries have banned the smacking of children, confusing abuse with the gentle correction that is sometimes needed with an unruly or naughty child. “Spare the rod and spoil the child” (compare Proverbs 13:24: “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly”) is a biblical admonition of right and wrong behavior that seems to be completely ignored by so many today. No decent person should want to see any sort of abuse of children; that is not the way it should be, but to allow them to run riot, as they so often do, is the other extreme and is causing so many problems today as children, in many cases, rule over adults. However, that was prophesied to happen (compare Isaiah 3:12: “children are their oppressors”) and so we shouldn’t be surprised! Balance, as always, is necessary, but we do see that God does rebuke and chasten us, His children, and that is a splendid example of God’s Way.
A pilgrim will view correction in a positive way, realising that it is an assistance to him or her in making it into the Kingdom of God.
(7) A PILGRIM knows that the trip has to be completed – successfully!
We, as pilgrims, are on a journey, and that journey has to be completed. Quitting or falling away is not possible for a true pilgrim of God. We can all feel like quitting at times; who hasn’t felt so discouraged that that thought has crossed his or her mind? But if and when that happens, we should immediately eliminate it from our thinking. We should never wonder if we will make it. People can quit because they lack vision, as was discussed previously. We have to keep in focus what is in store for us in the Kingdom of God. We have the greatest calling in the world and quitting must never enter our thinking at any time, irrespective of the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
We are to make our calling and election sure – and that is not done by falling away or quitting. But we know that there will be those who will quit because Scripture reveals this. Let us review 2 Timothy 4:1-5:
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”
There are those today in the various Churches of God or the independents who may have embraced “new-found knowledge” and concepts that have historically not been part of our long-time understanding. Usually, when sound doctrine goes, so do those who are involved in believing and teaching wrong ideas. In verse 4, it does say that fables will be heard and accepted. In a way, they have quit: they have quit the Truth. And it is all very sad. But Paul goes on to say that he had kept the faith, fought the fight and finished the race.
Continuing in verse 6:
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”
By persevering and not quitting, there was laid up for him the crown of righteousness. Surely, something worth hanging in there for.
In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul compares our way of life to a race:
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified (that is, rejected after having been tested and found wanting; compare Daniel 5:27).”
Paul is saying that all who run may win the imperishable crown. There is room for ALL to get the prize. You cannot fail if you run well. The fact is though, that world-class runners will slip drastically if they only train once or twice a week. The body and mind are no longer in top shape and the runner suffers accordingly. Most experts agree that a marathon runner should put in at least 3 hours of training a day to stay in top form. It’s the daily workouts that keep an athlete in prime condition. The same is true for a Christian’s spiritual condition. Daily prayer and Bible study are a key to being in the finest spiritual condition (This is not to say, of course, that we must do so three hours each day). We’ve heard this mentioned so many times before, but do we really understand the importance of this habit? It could mean the difference between finishing the course or dropping out along the way.
In Philippians 1:3-6, we see that God, having begun working with us, will perform that work.
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…”
Only we, individually, can stop the Work that God has begun in us, as indeed some, unfortunately, have done, but if we are receptive to God and His calling and stay on that course, we will complete the journey! We weren’t called to fail; we were called to make it, with God’s help, into the Kingdom of God.
In addition, we have and just did have our pilgrimages to the annual Feast of Tabernacles as shown in Leviticus 23. In the first two verses, we read:
“And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: “The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”’”
The chapter outlines the Holy Days of God. Of course, the main one is where everyone who is able to travel to a site describes the observance of the Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day for 8 days. Others, where possible geographically, keep the Days of Unleavened Bread for 7 days. And all the Holy Days that we keep ought to remind us that we are Christian pilgrims.
CONCLUSION
In these three Q&A’s, we have looked at 7 qualities that are required of a Christian pilgrim:
- We clearly see the vision.
- We understand that our roots must not be entrenched in this world.
- We know that the physical joys of this life are only a type of something better.
- We keep physical life and health in proper perspective.
- We understand what physical life and death are all about.
- We view correction in a positive way.
- We know that the trip has to be completed – successfully.
Let us all make sure that we practice these qualities so that we can all make it into the Kingdom of God and be part of the millennial rule of Jesus Christ that must surely now be just over the horizon!
As a final thought, some time ago we published a Q&A entitled “Why Are True Christians Called Ambassadors for Christ?” This complements this 3-part Q&A about being a Christian Pilgrim and states that “the political world is openly antagonistic to Christian principles and is riddled with humanist thinking. There are no Scriptures to indicate that the Christian should attempt to influence things for good through political processes and activities.”
Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)