Why Paul?
The Sermon Joke
There was a sarcastic Messianic Rabbi eating at a restaurant that ordered a big bowl of soup. He called the waiter over because something was wrong pleading with the waiter saying “Please try this soup something is not right!” The waiter not a fan of soup said “Please Sir, is it a fly? I do not need to try it as I do not like soup. I will get you another bowl, okay?” The Messianic Rabbi stated no it is not a fly but try it and you will see clearly,” As the waiter hurried to another table to take another order as the restaurant was very busy that day. When the waiter was coming around again the Messianic Rabbi again pleaded with the waiter, “Please try this soup and you will see!” So the waiter did not have much time as he had many tables that busy Sunday lunch crowd and he was trying to figure out to solve this dilemma and finally decided he would go try the Rabbi’s soup. So he went to try it saying to the Rabbi, “I will try your soup to see what is wrong. But where I need a spoon, where is your spoon?” The Rabbi then said with a big smile on his face sarcastically “Ah Ha I do not have a spoon! You learn something yes!!?”
The Benediction
Now everyone grab your bibles, raise them above your heads and repeat after me… This is my bible, a sword of God’s words breathed through the prophets. Revelation 22:18-19 states I am not to add a word or take away a word from this book of prophecy, that the Sent One will teach, may Teacher place salve on my eyes, opening them to see, unplugging both ears to hear, calling mine name, whispering beckoningly, constantly, to journey up the mountain to meet thus breaking bread with God. May my new fellowship be blessed with laughter and love, that only God can give with tears streaming down my face. May mine face always shine, path being straight winding up the mountain with visions that teach revealing every single word in this bible, sanctifying me, covering the holes placed before me by the enemy that tricks an trips those not knowing the words of God. May my cup always be overflowing with God’s pure grace as explained by his personally selected prophet Paul in his many letters to the left behind eleven and their churches as they prepared them for the soon coming inevitable tribulation only some would escape. May I always be a witness to the truth of every word of God built upon the perfect cornerstone, God’s only Son Jesus Christ, given by the Father revealed by the sent Teacher, Amen…please take your seats.
Incorrect Preaching
Over these last few years I’ve been reading the entire bible becoming more and more shocked as to just how little of the scriptures are actually covered by the different church leaders and preachers. My conclusion has been that Paul was selected from outside the church and sent into the church to correct something Paul, like no other, was an expert in mosaic law. I found so many inaccuracies that no matter where my family and I went to church I couldn’t sit and listen to them preach. Then when talking to many Christians their knowledge of basic scriptural principals made it very difficult to not be always correcting them. You never wish to be going to a church and creating division within the ranks so to speak.
Salvation By Grace Only
This became very shocking since I also found everyone seeming to accept the preaching of salvation by the law, as if, they wished to return back into bondage, working their own ways to heaven. These mistaken doctrines and dogma have crept into the church only to have recently been noticed by a remnant of believers called internet preachers. These preachers, like Paul, were selected by God from outside the institutions of men so that people with burdens might have the ropes cut and loads lifted allowing the double sword of truth to prevail.
It’s amazing how much of the new testament speaks of grace and grace only. This pure grace was preached by Jesus first, Paul second, then Peter and on down after that. For before Paul the disciples were preaching an incorrect doctrine of the Judaisers whose church dogma incorrectly taught that to be righteous one had to first follow all 613 mosaic laws and then, only then, could one become saved. This incorrect church dogma was corrected by Christ himself by the appearance to Saul in the desert whose light was so bright to be blinding him for three days. For the church before Paul was in darkness just as mankind before Christ was in darkness.
After research one finds out both Peter and Paul also struggled against these same issues with a group called the Judaisers, Young’s Literal Translation 1867 Galatians 2:14, considering themselves “More Holy” because they were messianic jews and that the only way to become a Christ follower or Christian was to first getting circumcised and fully saturated in all the laws of the old testament, the laws of Moses. These laws called the mosaic law system unknown to those first disciples had ended with what many call a new dispensation of grace. For what can we use to explain when God switches the channel on man’s understanding except by using a word that describes this new outpouring of truth.
Peter’s Vision Of Correction
Then after a reading and study of the vision Peter received in the book of Acts of the Apostles 10:9, one reads of Peter’s vision of a blanket descending from heaven with animals on it in which God said to grab and cook it, giving thanks and eating it thus Peter said “no, not I Lord” three times. Peter didn’t want to eat the animals since Mosaic law taught they were unclean, maybe a pig or something. God scolds Peter saying no food from God when thanked for was cursed. Peter learned from this vision that the Jews were not to require the gentiles to learn and follow mosaic law, to follow it, which actually became a barrier separating them from salvation and God.
Peter & The Law Followers
For the Judaisers were saying, before you could become a Christ follower, receiving the good news, you first must learn the mosaic law, be circumcised and follow the feasts and festivals and Sabbath day and all the 613 laws of the Old Testament. You see most all of the first disciples were Jews, expert followers of the law. For the gospel was preached first to the Jew and then the Gentile. This confused Peter to the point where he did not know which groups teaching was from God.
Now here is the amazing part. Peter went through seminary, following Jesus Christ, God in the flesh three years, To see him rise again, but later in Acts still blind to this fact. In Matthew 15:16 Christ has strong words for Peter representing Christ’s struggles to get this point across to the disciples. “Are you still so dull?” He says to Peter, trying to explain that it is faith that saves, not what you eat. Did you get that? This was after Peter was saved yet Peter thought he could still earn his way to heaven. This was after Peter had been saved following Christ a couple years, yet Peter had thought his personal salvation was based upon a set of rules and regulations that he followed. Peter thought his salvation was daily. Peter thought he could backslide. Is this starting to sound familiar? It should because it is a common theme many preachers try to use to manipulate the congregation. Preachers say if we do not tithe we will not be blessed from God. This is the same as saying if you do not do any of the 613 mosaic laws and regulations you will not go to heaven. Tithing is mosaic code no ifs ands or buts.
Paul Scolds Peter
Galatians 2:11 shows these same struggles when Paul is apposing Peter. You see Paul is scolding Peter because the Judaisers got to Peter. Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles because they were unclean. Peter was treating the Gentiles a similar way the Pharisees were treating the general population. The Pharisees hated it when Christ ate with the unclean people. It is important to understand these struggles to understand what God is saying to mankind in the New Testament.
Why God Picks Paul
So why did God pick Paul, a Pharisee of Pharisees to be used to write three fourths of the New Testament? This is a questioned that I pondered over a long time. Why didn’t God pick one of the eleven? Surely they were more qualified, or were they? Certainly we all have our own skills given by God, but I believe Saul was selected by God as a perfect person to further the preaching of the “good News” that all salvation comes by grace, a gift from God, that man cannot add to, for all our additions are filthy rags.
Christ Cancelled Mosaic Law
Paul says Christ forgave us all our sins, cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us, he took it away, nailing it to the cross. He says Christ cancelled the written code and regulations nailing them to the cross. Paul does not explain further because it is assumed he meant what is called mosaic law, Colossians 2:13-14. Paul then goes on to describe this written code in Colossians 2:16-19 as Religious festivals, New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day, false humility and the worship of angels which could disqualify one for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail of what he has seen and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head Jesus Christ which brings spiritual growth through Christians worldwide.
Paul then goes on to ask in Colossians 2:20-23 then why do you return to the system of mosaic law submitting to its rules: Do not handle! Do not touch! As these regulations are destined to perish even though they have an appearance of wisdom as self imposed worship puffing one up with a false humility causing those that practice it to accuse and control other Christians by Lording over them and pointing fingers at them. It is quite possible these Colossians were the spiritual ancestors to the modern Seventh Day Adventists.
Grace and Grace Only
This message is repeated over and over and over in every book of the bible, even the old testament if you know where to look. Don’t you know that their salvation was by faith too? They had to have the faith that when they followed the law God would reward them, save them. For just like today there were many that wanted to keep adding their own words to the law, so the law would say what they thought the law should say, instead of trying to understand what God’s heart was, like King David did.
Adam and Eve Add Words to the Gospel
In Genesis chapter 2:16-17 God gives Adam the most simple gospel to live by. Lets read it, in the NIV, my favorite translation. God says “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden: but you must not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you surely will die.” Now when we turn to Genesis 3:1 when Satan the crafty serpent tempts Eve to see if she knew God’s words or not he asks “Did God really say ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Eve says “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
Not Satan being the crafty trickster he was tempts Eve according to the incorrect gospel and rules to live by she received from Adam falls and is tricked. Satan says in in Genesis 3:4-5, “You will not surely die for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Then conjecture by me says Satan tossed the fruit to her like a ball and she catches it, she touches it and nothing happens because God never said Adam and Eve could not touch the fruit, God only said they could not eat of it. Do you see the problem people? Adam never correctly knew the gospel and never taught Eve the correct gospel to live by. The correct gospel does not add or take away even one word according to the last four verses in the book of Revelation 22:18-21. Here are the first two, lets read. I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
So men and women have had this problem since the very beginning of time. We all want to help God by adding words to God’s words. This is our sin. God made us this way you see. we all have an innate desire to help God, to be servants to God. But this can be our down fall also because we must not suppose God needs our help. In fact it is the other way around. We need the God of second chances to help us. We are fallen and can do nothing to earn our way to heaven. God does not need our help because God is God.
Selah-Meditate on this.
