Posted on 08/28/2010 8:54:55 PM PDT by pastorbillrandles
Paul Wasn’t Pragmatic…Acts 16 Posted on August 28, 2010 by billrandles
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.(Acts 16:16-18)
When the ministry of Paul the apostle was being promoted by a young girl who also happened to be into divination, it grieved him. He didn’t accept such an endorsement, even though everything she said about him was true. He was indeed a servant of the most High God and truly had come to show the way of salvation.
Paul didn’t reason that perhaps allowing her to witness for him or with him would be a good way to reach her for Christ. Nor did he say to himself, “Whats the problem? She’s telling the truth! This is a good thing, right?”.
To Paul Truth mattered. He didn’t want his gospel to be compromised by alliance with the practitioner of a false religion, even if in this instance she really was saying true things. Paul would not take an”Ends justify the means position”, to Paul the means are as important as the ends.
Nor did he want any association of his God appointed ministry of the Gospel with divination of any sort.
Furthermore Paul loved that girl, with the love of Jesus. That’s why rather than let her endorse his ministry, he confronted the evil in her life directly and in the name of Jesus. This would cost Paul dearly but the girl became a christian because of his principled boldness.
There is a recent application of this , but it isn’t going as well so far. Glenn Beck,a very highly esteemed media personality, who happens to be a Mormon, has enlisted thousands of evangelical pastors, scholars, historians and evangelists to join him in a moral crusade, called “Restoring Honor to America”.
Beck is open about his Mormonism, even confessing it in the presence of several of the ministers on his nation- wide television show, as the ministers assured Beck that God was using him. It is Mormonism itself that can gain by this, being associated with evangelicalism has been its longtime pursuit.
There are sure to be many positive “results” to come out of the Restoring Honor movement, a galvanizing of those concerned about the moral collapse of America, new political resolve, a renewed appreciation for America’s spiritual roots and just the fact that some truth is spoken in public after so much multicultural claptrap has been promoted for so long, will be refreshing to many.
But the ends do not justify the means, Truth does matter, and the gospel is being “unrighteously yoked” with that which is false, and that is a tragedy! We could learn from Paul and the apostles who would never have allowed such a thing.
Thanks for this great post.
100% true.
Beck is doing the right things for all the wrong reasons. I pray for him.
Now, that said, I do believe Mormons are only pursuing bad doctrine. Many of them are genuinely saved and growing in grace. But as Reagan said about the liberals, I say about Mormons. They are not false Christians. They just believe many extra biblical things, none of which are true.
How I hope you are right- but how bad does a doctrine have to be before you would consider it outside of the pale of Christianity? Your friend-Pastor Bill
i’m no pastor and no theologian but i believe and try to take a humble attitude when i think about the motivations of others in their service of God. i also take a humble attitude about the possible vehicles of God’s will on God’s good earth. i also know that if the umbrella of the teaparty movement is shattered, then so is the republic. if God wills then so be it but there will be a lot of suffering. i believe that America is God’s vehicle on earth and as the native american christian minister said today at Beck’s rally (paraphrasing): the loss of America is the loss of a river without which we can’t [physically] exist. yes, the means are as important as the ends but means (and ends) are also dictated by God.
Well spoken - I agree with you, and am grateful for your comments-
But I am not judging Becks motivation- I have a lot of respect for him on one level-I have no doubt as to his love of our nation and I agree basically with his critique of the problems.
I am only a christian pastor: part of our calling is to excercise discernment particularly in the area of the truth of the gospel-as opposed to Cultic distortions of it- Thats all- Thanks for your input-
thank you pastor, i understand. don’t get me wrong. if the foundation of the teaparty or Beck is not God (moral), it can’t really succeed, can’t it. we’re just in so much trouble, i need to hope this new awakening can succeed. i think we’re all worried and praying for the survival of America. for me sometimes selflessly and sometimes, i confess, very selfishly.
I hear you Dadfly- I feel the same way and am heartened both the Tea Party and the response to GB- even though I have these misgivings about GB-The fact that so many thousands would come out to pray and involve themselves in an event like Saturday’s
How far?
How about the “Christianity” practiced by Obama?
Did you know the Islam IS a 6th century Christian Heresy?
I can assure you, THAT is too far and no Muslims are saved.
But they are “Christian”.... apostates.
This is why Obama can say he is christian and not be lying.
Most of us are ignorant of the origins of Islam.
It is Judeo-Christian. Just it is a horrific perversion.
I agree with you Rachel- There are distortions that go so far it is no longer just christianity that is a “little off”, but that actually deny christ-Those who believe that they are gods in the making are not even christian anymore, same with JW’s who deny that Jesus is God-
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