tactics

My journey through "The Story" has come to the final two chapters: Paul and the Revelation. What can we learn from these that hasn't been hashed over a million times? 

The chapter highlighting Paul's ministry was remarkable to me for two incidents. Not what Paul said, but what Paul used to effect God's will. Paul illustrated tactics that incorporated earthly wisdom and observation with completing God's will. 

So often I hear that Christians cannot use worldly methods or ideas to advance the Gospel. How can the godly use tainted articles or ideas? But that was not the example of Paul.

In one instance Paul is about to be condemned by the entire Sanhedrin, and he declares that he is on trial because, as a Pharisee, he believes in the resurrection of the dead. (Of course he did, Jesus is alive!) That started a riot as the Sadducees and Pharisees immediately began to bicker and argue about this contentious doctrine. The Roman guards immediately saw the danger and protected Paul from the melee. Divide and conquer, earthly wisdom to further God's cause.

The second instance is the reflection that the Romans carrying Paul to Rome used a ship with Castor and Pollux, the twin gods of the Greek pantheon, on the masthead. They were the "guardians" of the ship. Clearly this was an article dedicated and revered as set apart to this god-pair. It merited a mention in Scripture, the only instance I'm aware exists. This tells us that Paul, and God, are not concerned about the spiritual forces that simply do not exist, and instead Paul reminds his shipmates that it is God who will bring them through the storm, even though They have spent two weeks begging the twins for help. The ship will be destroyed (your gods are doomed) but you will be saved if you stay under the banner of Paul's God.

Amazing, if you consider it, that Paul lived in a most contentious time, immersed in the evil of the day, and used it all for the glory of Jesus Christ. 

The earth is the Lord's, and the glory thereof.