IN the King James Bible Paul, who claimed to be a 'wise master builder' in God's Work, cautioned the Colessians...'beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world and not after Christ'.

Paul charged Timothy to 'preach the word, rebuke, exhort, with all the long suffering and doctrine, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine.. and they shall turn their ears away from the truth'.

In the light of recent reports of a public turn-away from religion, church leaders might be experiencing Paul's earlier anxieties?

Paul listed 'the manifest sins of the flesh' which included adultery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, heresies, variance, murder, strife, drunken-ness, revellings and such like. 'They that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God', Paul warned.

Viewing modern societies' media reported, 'sins of the flesh' we could conclude that Paul's Kingdom of God is as far off as ever?

As I understand it there is a strong theme of equality and justice running through some scripture, for example...'I was hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in, I was sick and ye visited me, in prison an ye came to me'.

Paul's appeal to the wealthy to be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate on the promise of eternal life.

We are a long way from when the Apostles held all things in common and sold their possessions and land to help the needy. Christ said, 'God is Spirit'.

Paul stressed that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy peace, long suffering goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Perhaps today there is a public perception that religion has more to do to fully realise its earthly mission? After all Apostle James insisted...'A man is justified by his works and not by faith only for as the body without Spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also'. Is this the modern day dilemma?

ANDY WILSON,

Kelty.