Thoughts From Acts 18 - Part 2

 While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews of Corinth made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 13 “This man,” they charged, “is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.”14 Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, “If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. 15 But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.” 16 So he drove them off. 17 Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever.18 Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch.23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.  Acts 18:12-23

     What do unbelievers think about religious people? Probably about as much as Gallio did. "I've got my life to live and my job to do and you guys can just do your thing and don't bother me. You guys just argue about the Bible and meanwhile I'll live in the real world. If in some way it affects my "real" world then I will deal with it." The fact that when it came to violence against Sosthenes, which did enter into the realm of his duties to squelch and he did nothing, shows his utter disdain for faith - "Let them eliminate themselves. Let them fight it out, it doesn't concern me."

        I was at a stop light in Memphis recently and there are always beggars at this intersection. The man in front of me rolled his window down and pulled out a cigarette and lit it and gave it to the guy. You'd think he won the lottery the way his face lit up and his bad dentition showed. I had a pack of peanut butter crackers to give him, but he turned that down with disgust. It got me thinking that if I went to the liquor store and bought those $1 whiskey bottles that they sell on airplanes for who knows how much, I would give them such happiness, and they would love it because that's what they want money for anyway. So, I bought 5 of them. (I can go into liquor stores in Memphis because nobody knows me) They sat in my glove compartment for the opportune time and when it came, I couldn't do it. I ended up throwing them out. Why? I got to thinking, what disdain am I showing for this guy. I'm in effect saying, "Here, go ahead and destroy your life, I don't care. I'll even make it easier for you."

        This is the disdain Gallio showed to people of faith. The Democrats won the mid-terms and people are posting on Facebook, "They're going to shut down churches, etc." No, they aren't. Politicians are happy when we are in the churches and arguing with other Christians about theology because it keeps us out of their business. They have disdain for us. Even Trump was just using us to feed his narcissism and it's naive to believe otherwise. Gallio's life won't always go well just like the Philippian jailor who had a crisis and needed God. Let's show love, be good citizens, respect the government and be there when the collapses in life happen because it's then that faith can make an in-road. They didn't show disdain for faith and prayer when 9/11 happened.