The Apostle
May 26, 2020 4:58:22 GMT -5
Post by Radrook Admin on May 26, 2020 4:58:22 GMT -5
The Apostle
The film, The Apostle, concerns a very religious man who imagines himself to be in a very personal relationship with God.
He is introduced as he is being forced to leave his church based on some controversy in which his wife-who has left him for a younger man, takes over. This severely stresses his faith and ultimately leads him to commit murder. During a brief conversation with a friend, he calmly describes the murder as his having sent the young man to heaven. Then he flees the area, sinks his car into a lake and appoints himself as an apostle.
He then uses his vast experience as a minister, personal charisma, and biblical knowledge to set up a small country church with the help of a retired pastor. His little church prospers but his spirituality does not. During that time he propositions one of his female church members to commit sexual immorality by having sex outside the bounds of marriage and responds to verbal provocation at his church with physical violence
The film ends after his former bereaved wife, played by Farah Faucet, overhears him preaching on the radio and informs the police. He is shown being arrested during a church service, and is sent to prison. There he starts preaching to the other inmates as if nothing at all has really happened.
The acting is very convincing. Robert Duval conveys the very strong personal conviction that his character has of being divinely approved God's regardless how he behaves. In his case this includes adultery, murder and violence.
Someone might imagine that such a personality is too far-fetched to be realistic. Not at all. You see, history abounds with examples of prominent nominal Christians stealing, physically torturing, and fornicating. So it reflects a popular trend rather than a rare exception. Apparently such individuals believe Christ doesn't really care what they do as long as they proclaim to themselves his followers.
But is this really so? Unfortunately for them, not according to the following scriptures.
John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Matt 7: 22
21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’…
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Matt 7: 22
21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’…