2001-12-14. The Apostle Paul, Greetings
SE Idaho #30
Topic: Paul, the Apostle, Greetings
Group: SE Idaho TeaM
Teacher: Paul, the Apostle
TR: Bill K.
Opening
Opening Prayer
Virginia: Father, we don’t begin to understand all the unseen help that has been a part of our lives. We don’t begin to appreciate the leadings that You have given us. We don’t begin to believe that Your love has covered us all these years and covered each that we hold dear today, tonight. We thank You that Your love is greater than ours; because of that we know that You will take care and lead and give to all those that are now in our minds. We want to be able to show them Your love. We would ask that You would help us make the choices that will show them how wonderful You are. May we be an example of truth, beauty, and goodness and may our hearts be open as we think in terms of the teachers tonight, that the lesson might make us more than we are. Amen.
Lesson
The Apostle Paul (Bill Kelly): Grace, mercy, and peace from our Lord Jesus Christ. I am Paul, known to you as the apostle. I have been granted special permission to visit with this group this evening. [Editor’s note: Paul was not morontially present, but was transmitting over the circuits, according to later information.] You are much beloved on high, my friends. This planet, our common heritage, is under considerable and intensive spiritual supervision. It is not the least of evolutionary worlds now that Michael, the Lord Jesus, came to reveal our Father to us.
You know my story from your scripture, how I was in denial of the man, Jesus, and was greatly troubled by the profound influence he had on the lives of those who had known him. I was offended that their spiritual fragrance easily exceeded the Pharisees, of which I was a proud member, and I would not tolerate this Jesus and his followers. But he was very gracious to me, the chief of sinners as I called myself, for I persecuted him and his followers unto death. All of this you have heard before.
You are impressed with your spiritual transformation and you have had a somewhat similar epiphany of the presence of Jesus, Christ Michael, as occurred to me when the graciousness of our Lord broke through my stubborn and proud hatred. I am not saying that you were proud and hateful so that the parallel is not perfect. But you have received a truly convincing meeting between your soul and Christ Michael, as I did in the blinding light of his merciful intervention.
I regret that my letters have been canonized and turned into inviolate scripture. I was of a strong opinion, of course, but I have learned much since my departure from this planet. If I could, I would rewrite some of those letters with new information. That will not be granted me; but I have been given permission to address you this evening so that you know that when you think about me and you notice my faults, remember I still am alive. I truly wait to greet you as morontia citizens when our hour will come.
Your were discussing the pride which covers the insecurity of the unforgiven heart. You were discussing how it was for me before I met the Lord on that road to Damascus! [Editor’s note: During the break we had not discussed Paul at all, just people in general. But he thinks it applies to him.] Yes, there are some among you who cover their insecurities with protest, who are afraid of love for fear that it will be temporary and leave them stranded when it is withdrawn. Real love can never be withdrawn! True love can never strand anyone. Yes, indeed, love is the greatest thing, for love is the cement that holds together the structure of the universe.
While I do not need your forgiveness for my errors as a mortal, I would, nevertheless, appreciate your mercy. Now, you know more, far more, than I did in terms of your environment and the wealth of information that you are privy to. But all people, while unequal in environment or in the times of history that they live, all people are identical in the gift that indwells them, so that while your mortality is unequal, your spiritual heritage is the same. God is able to use the weak to confound the wise. He is able to take the small and bring down the large. He is infinite and He does all things well. Have living faith, my dear friends. Throw away your doubts. Let your hearts be comfortable and relaxed in the sure knowledge of the overcare of our loving Father.
I did not know Jesus as he went about his mission, therefore, I was not an apostle according to the ordinary meaning of the word. My knowledge of Jesus was the risen Christ who addressed me on that road and who talked to me frequently thereafter. There were experiences that I had that are not recorded in your writings. I had few that I could share them with, for they had not had the same experiences. I was granted a vision of the future and today I have also been granted a contact with the future from my mortal time perspective, contact with you.
As I live on in the mercy of our Lord and in the joy of the life to come, so will you. Cherish your friendships, for they are permanent! This playground here on Urantia is just that, your first playground. Much, much greater are the playgrounds of the seven heavens. You will see and you will know.
All that was given to me in the flesh to know was fulfilled. I was never led astray by my spiritual mentors. Only my own thinking could lead me astray, even as only your own thinking can lead you astray. So, think on the highest things. Be done with lesser concerns. To live is Christ and to die is gain. I said these words, and they are true.
To the women in this group, I wish to express my regret that I was unfair to your gender as a man. It was partly culture and it was, also, a lack of a full understanding of Jesus’ attitude toward his sisters. But I also chose to retain that male chauvinism of the Pharisees, even though our Lord worked hard with me. I know better now, and if I could live among you now, I would be different in that regard. So I ask you to accept this apology, if you will.
Closing
There are great times ahead for you, my friends, both in this life and the next. Don’t become discouraged. Don’t give in to the animal nature. Let the Spirit bring you ever alive in the Lord. Thank you for listening. I am Paul. Good evening.
Group: Good evening!
