Henceforth A Crown

CHAPTER ONE THE PROMISE OF LIFE “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Timothy 1:1, 2 The second epistle to Timothy begins with the name of the apostle Paul. Such a beginning was the normal protocol in letter writing at that time. A writer would begin by stating his name. Timothy certainly knew who Paul was. He had been his co-worker for close to a score of years. I would suppose that most people living in the western world would be able to share at least a smattering of knowledge about the apostle Paul. In my opinion, apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, there is probably no man who has influenced the course of history more than Paul. Yet, as strange as it might seem, I can say that it was not till I was nineteen years of age that I really began to understand and appreciate the role he played in the redemptive purposes of God. The public schools in England did teach elementary facts about Christianity; hence as a young student in that system I did learn a few superficial facts about Jesus Christ and his apostles. Then, there were a number of Hollywood movies that also touched on Jesus and his apostles. And of course, my early months as an actual Christian, attending church and sitting under the biblical teaching of a godly pastor provided further opportunities to learn more facts about the New Testament and particularly about Paul’s conversion and his role in the spreading of the Gospel. I am sure that most Christians who attend church on a regular basis would also be able to relay at least a modicum of historical facts about Paul, so what could I mean when I say that it was not until I was about nineteen that I began to come to a greater appreciation of the role that he played in the redemptive purposes of God? My appreciation was quickened when in the overruling providence of God, an American soldier named Jim Forrest entered my life. He was serving with the American troops in the city of Trieste, Italy. I was there with the British occupational forces and was in charge of the Anti-Vice Squad. The Regimental Sergeant Major of the 227 Provost Company of Royal Military Police never did tell me why I had received such a favored and important appointment, other than to tell me that he had complete confidence in my ability and that he “trusted me.” I suspect that the main reason rested in the fact that he knew that I was a Christian, and the job was one filled with manifold temptations. Apart from this, the appointment did seem to be rather strange, because I had been warned by my pastor back in London that standing for Christ in the military could be tough going and could even meet with discrimination and persecution. In his exhortations he had even quoted Paul’s words to Timothy that those Christians who live godly in Christ Jesus can expect to be singled out for persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). In a way, he was partially right because there had been limited episodes of ridicule but no serious physical persecution. However, in spite of such, I remained confident that God was on his throne and he was ruling and overruling in the affairs of my life. My confidence was based on biblical lessons that I had learned early in my Christian life. For example, I knew that God sometimes does elevate a Joseph, or a Daniel and place them in positions of trust. This taught me that it was a lie of Satan to think that Christians could never be promoted, or succeed in business. I write these words with the news media making much ado about Governor Sarah Palin being chosen as a running mate to John McCain. There can be little doubt about her profession of faith in Jesus Christ. Likewise, President George W. Bush has gone on record with his claim to be a born again Christian, and it is transparent that his profession is more than a mere political ploy to win support. I mention these famous people to support the testimony that it is possible to be successful whether in business or politics while seeking to live the Christian life. In my own case, while I knew that I was involved in spiritual battles and that there were powers and pricipalities arrayed against me, I also was aware of what the apostle John had written, which was that, “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 Jn. 4:4). Also, since then, in various sociological studies such as those by R. G. Tawney and Max Weber, I have learned that where sufficient freedom exists, material benefits can be forthcoming to those who take seriously their Christian convictions. The studies to which I refer deal with the ripple effect of the Protestant Reformation on capitalism and the free enterprise system of economics. In other words, there can be an unexpected positive correlation between the practice of Christian doctrine and success in life and business. As the Psalmist exclaimed: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,” whose “delight is in the law of the LORD;” for “he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,” and “whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psa. 1:1-3). Another author who has explored the phenomenon of how subliminal intentions can lead sometimes to unintended positive consequences is Michael Novak. His book, The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism, treats the complex issues of how Judaic-Christian theological doctrines have impacted on various societies. Should the reader wonder how on earth such could be, I would ask him to meditate for himself on the possible consequences of putting into practice Paul’s words in Colossians 3:17, and 23. Should he do so, he will readily understand why an employer would want to give preference to workers who gave evidence of the consequences of such behavior patterns. Historians have written that during the early centuries when slavery was common place, Christian slaves generally brought higher prices when they were put up for sale? Why would this be so? Of course, there are other market forces to be considered, but doing everything heartily as unto the Lord, whether in word and deed, will not only open doors to possible promotion, but will bring its own rewards. Dale Carnegie has guided thousands into a disposition of mind that can win and influence people, but I know of no more positive principle to accomplish such a goal than that which is set forth in Holy Scripture, the principle that man should live in a manner that will bring praise and glory to God. PAUL’S DISTINCTIVE APOSTLESHIP So then, while I was not totally ignorant as to the identity and ministry of the apostle Paul, and while I was sincerely seeking to live a sanctified life in rather challenging circumstances, God brought a Phillip into my Christian pilgrimage (Acts 8:26-35). His name was Jim Forrest and he was concerned to know if I really understood what I was studying in the Holy Scriptures. I was not offended by his concern. He had proven himself to be a well-equipped student of God’s Word. Whenever, a discussion, yea and even an argument would arise he would inevitably bring us back to the Scriptures and have us read some pertinent passages. More often than not, he would direct our thoughts to the epistles of Paul. He always seemed to be concerned for us to apprehend how it was that Paul figured in the overall redemptive purposes of God. Whatever, the other soldiers thought of him, I cannot say, but as far as I was concerned I knew that he was being used of God to turn the light on, so to speak. I began to understand the content of the Bible in new and exciting ways. What happened was something like what must have happened in the mind o