jonesfam@fidnet.com

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to have a conversation with one of the Disciples?  How about the Apostle Paul?  I wonder what they would think of what is happening in our society today, would they approve?  After much thought on what I figured a conversation with the Apostle Paul would be like, I put together something I felt the way it might go.  Again, my thoughts based on Scripture.  I want you to assume that Paul knows nothing of what is happening here on earth and that he is having a conversation with a young preacher.  I am sure this will cause my approval ratings to fall at an all time low. 

 

     (Paul)  Grace to you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

(Preacher)  Thank you, I can say that I have never been greeted like that before.

     (Paul)  Oh……….why is that?

(Preacher)  Well, we just don’t talk that way, we just say “hello” or “how are you doing.”

     (Paul)   Oh…….I understand, so you leave God the Father, and Jesus the Son out of it.

(Preacher)   Well, it’s not that, it’s just……………well, I guess you are right.  But people are sure going to look at me weird if I start doing that, they already think I am nuts, talking like that will sure confirm it among them.

     (Paul)  Are you concerned with what man thinks of you?

 (Preacher)  Not particularly, but I feel that I must be careful not to offend or they will not listen to me at all.  You yourself said, "to be all things to all men for the Gospels sake."

     (Paul)  Whoa,........ now, let’s clear that up a minute so we understand each other.  I think I understand what you are trying to say, but let me make something very clear.  You never compromise your faith……….never.  You are to be a light unto the world, everywhere you go, men must see that light.  It is when you are full of that light that all man see the light, and are drawn out of the darkness and want to be partakers of that light.  That light being Jesus Christ the Son of God, forever and ever and all glory unto Him.  Never become part darkness to bring someone out of the darkness.  To be in darkness is to be blind, and only when you have the light within you, can you then lead someone to the light.

 (Preacher)  Yes, I know that is true, and that is something I must change………I am ashamed.

     (Paul)  That’s alright, recognize your mistake and then press forward toward the high calling that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, never looking back.

 (Preacher)  Yes,………….thank you……………..it’s just so hard right now, things are tough here.

    (Paul)   What do you mean tough?  Just what are things like here on earth now?

 (Preacher)  Well, its bad Sir.   Real bad…….people have no time for the Lord, its foolishness to them, and even the people that call themselves “Christian” will not talk to you about the Lord aside from their denomination or during the times that they meet in Church.

    (Paul)  Denomination?  I cannot ever recall hearing that word before, what does it mean?

 (Preacher)  Denomination is kind-of what group you are affiliated with and how you believe, they each have their own by-laws, doctrine, or profession of belief so to speak.

    (Paul)  You said something else that did not sound right, you said “in Church”, and what does that mean?  Believers are the Church.

 (Preacher)  Well, that is something else that is hard to keep from saying because they all do it.  The building where they meet is called “the Church” and then you are a member of that particular denomination according to where you decide to go.  There are probably hundreds of different denominations, I don’t know really.

   (Paul)   Hmmm……..I see what you were saying when you said it was bad.  Does anyone teach against this carnality of division, have they forgotten I scolded the Corinthians for this very behavior. 

(Preacher)  I don't think they have forgotten, they just choose to ignore it.  And yes there are those that preach against it, but they are very few and far between and they get virtually no audience because unless you conform and become a member of one of their denominations they will not allow you to teach or preach in their circles.  There are a few exceptions, but again, a few.

  (Paul)  So, men preach in these buildings they call a church, what about elsewhere?

(Preacher)  Again, there are a few that go into the jails and the hospitals and places like that who preach to anyone that will listen, but many will not allow you to come in unless you show affiliation with a certain denomination or a license to preach from one of them.

  (Paul)  A license to preach?  It’s worse than I figured.  Enough of this,……… tell me about the world.  What is happening outside this co-called church you are telling me of?

 (Preacher)  Well, it’s real bad, evil is in your face and without shame.  People watch vulgarity on television,.............that is something like a play that you can view inside your home, with access to hundreds of plays at any given moment, they also listen to vulgarity on their radios,.............that is an invention that you can have on your person, your home, or automobile and you can listen to people all over the world at any given moment.  They play music, inform you of news from all over the world, or even preach on them.  We also have what they call the internet, and virtually any information that is in the world, is available at the touch of a button; almost nothing is withheld from you.  If it is happening, or has happened, it is available on the internet………..good or bad…..both are at your fingertips.

 (Paul)  Hmmm……….”at the time of the end, knowledge shall increase”…  you said automobile?  What is that?

(Preacher)  It is kind-of like a chariot, that moves under its own power, and it can haul several people at speeds over sixty miles an hour.  People are on the highways each and every second of each and every day traveling all over.

 (Paul)  Sounds life threatening, where are they going?

(Preacher)  All kinds of places……..Work, to the store, friend’s houses, family, vacations, recreation, cities, lakes, just all over; like a bunch of ants going every which way, and in a hurry too.

 (Paul)  Hmmm.   “and men shall run to and fro” tell me more.

(Preacher)  Well, let’s see……………..people are really big into recreation of all kinds.  Self pleasure is a very big thing, here in America anyway.  They spend hundreds, thousands, and even millions of dollars on hobbies or material possessions.  The automobile I was speaking of earlier is a big thing.  People go to great lengths to purchase just the right one for them; they polish, and shine them and watch over them like a cow would her calf.   And they do the same with what we call motorcycles, which is just a small version of the automobile, usually just one passenger.  You can see the importance beaming from them when they have purchased a new automobile; it really affects how people gauge you in our society.  Motorcycles are different though, they have this tough guy image and most have this solemn look on there faces as they ride through town, like “don’t mess with me I am one tough character.”

    (Paul)    Adults do this?

(Preacher)  Oh, yes, I am talking about adults, not children.  Even Christians have their own automobile clubs and motorcycle clubs, they meet and drive or ride together and show off the chrome on their shiny automobile or bike.  The bikers dress up a lot of the time with black leather and wear patches on there jackets that say stuff like “bikers for Christ”.  There are many such groups that claim belief in Christ,...........we have men who ride bulls and bucking horses........they destroy their bodies and most are crippled by the age of fifty, all for fame and money, and you guessed it many call themselves "Cowboys for Christ."  There is nearly every kind of movement you can think of,.......we have "Christian Rock" bands, that is like calling yourself a "Good Evil" band.......go figure.  We have "Gays and Lesbians for Christ" and just the other day I heard a pastors wife say she has started a "Smokers for Christ",.... right here in our little town, no kidding, they meet every morning for prayer and Bible study, and smoke their cigarettes. 

    (Paul)   Do you remember what I said awhile ago about having no part of darkness.

 (Preacher)  Yes, I remember.

   (Paul)     Our Master is the one that said it, keep it close.

 (Preacher)  Yes, Sir

    (Paul)    Sounds to me that this madness would cause a lot of strife and envying?

(Preacher)  Oh………it does, and covetousness to a very high degree, but they do not see it, I dare to say most in our society does not even know what being covetous means.  There are advertisements on television, the radio, the internet, and even on signs along the road wanting you to buy their product.  Contentment is not a word used in our society any longer; acquiring more wealth is the norm.  People who are less fortunate are looked down upon, like they are less of a person because they do not have the money that others do, in the public schools they are labeled as under-achievers.  This attitude is being widely spread among Christians, especially Television ministries.    

 (Paul)      Hmmm………………”perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”  Continue please.

(Preacher)  The other sins that have enveloped our nation, and many others, are too wicked to hardly utter.  Men with men, and women following these perversions also.  Drugs and other mind altering chemicals are common place in our society.  Lawlessness, children disobedient to parents, people are unthankful and unholy.  It may sound like I am picking on folks, but if it rains for two days in a row around here, you will hear people saying they hate the rain,…………..grown adults with no more sense than a child at the age of three.  People marking their bodies with all manner of evil, from tattoos to body piercing.  I seen a guy the other day standing in front of a store in our little town, and his whole face was painted with a tattoo.   He had spikes embedded in his face also.  Violence is at an all time high, especially in the cities.  There are people right here in our nation that would just as soon shoot you, as look at you.  The language that is being used even among women and children would make you gasp.  And people do insane stuff like calling something they think is good.....bad.  They call something that they think looks nice......sick.  Satan has flip flopped our language and taken anything God created for good and made it bad, example.....to be gay now is not a good thing, and to have a rainbow in your automobile or on the back bumper is not a good thing either.  I have been seeing these bumper stickers on cars that say "I am a Whosoever", I just found out the other day that the Gays and Lesbians are producing these by the thousands, (because Christ loves them too.)  It is getting to the point that you really have to be careful because there is so much false out there. 

  (Paul)  Hmm……… “This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good.  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.  Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”  .....I knew this was all coming.  Tell me, you said you had access to news from all over the world, what is the weather like here and abroad?

 (Preacher)  Very sporadic, floods in one place and drought in another.  Tornadoes in places where they have never been, and hail beginning to be recorded at record sizes.  Lots of activity in the seas, with tidal waves and hurricanes in many areas.

  (Paul)  Any earthquakes?

(Preacher)  Yes, as a matter of fact, some really bad ones in the last couple of years; some have caused the tidal waves I mentioned.

  (Paul)  Hmmm………What about famine, and pestilence?  Are you seeing any of this yet?

(Preacher)  Yes, we are starting to see the beginning of many different diseases, and famine also, not necessarily here in America, but in different parts of the world it is quite prevalent.

  (Paul)  Another question, are there any wars going on right now?

(Preacher)  Yes, there is a big war right now in Iraq , and many other fighting’s in other countries with the rumors that it is getting ready to be much worse. 

  (Paul)  Hmmm……..”Wars and rumors of wars” What of Israel , what is happening there?

(Preacher)  Well, Israel became a legitimate nation again in 1948, and right now she is being surrounded by many Arab factions who are saying they are going to wipe her off the map. 

  (Paul)  What is the government of Israel like?

(Preacher)  Like most governments, including the U.S. , they all seek a reward.  Money switching hands in high places to see that their desires are accomplished.  Treating the common man like he is too ignorant to see what they are doing.  Most officials are committing treason on a daily basis with no regard of what is best for the people who elected them, but instead what is best for the furthering of “Globalization”, which in turn lines their own pockets.

    (Paul)  Hmmm.

(Preacher)  What are you thinking?

    (Paul)  Do you really preach the Word?

(Preacher)  Yes, I do.

    (Paul)   That is good,…….now would you do something for me, something that will take a lot of effort.

(Preacher)  Yes, anything.

    (Paul)  Preach it with a fervency that you have never preached with, tell them about Christ and have no fear of the enemy.  Study the Word, being in prayer at all times, listening ever so close for His voice.

(Preacher)  He is almost here, isn’t He?

    (Paul)   Yes,…………………at the door.

 

Copyright Michael Everett Jones