What's Wrong with the Apostle Paul?

When I went to Bible School, I was taught that the Bible was a book to be "rightly divided" (2 Tim. 2:15) and discerned spiritually (1 Cor. 2:14).

I was taught how to look at each verse and its application 1. Historically, 2. Doctrinally, and 3. Spiritually.

I was further taught, and rightly so, that all our Church Age doctrine from the Bible is from the 12 (13 if you include Hebrews) books of the apostle Paul, and we should take all our DOCTRINE for the New Testament church from those books, as Paul was the APOSTLE to the GENTILES (Rom. 11:13).

My Pastor always said, "As long as you follow Paul, you'll never go wrong!"

I've even heard other preachers talk about PAULINE EPISTLES and PAULINE DOCTRINE, and how important they are, as they apply to us today.

But my how times have changed! Now, I'm hearing from some of those very same preachers things like the following:

"If you follow Paul only, then you are throwing out the rest of the Bible."

"If you follow Paul in all, then you are a 'Hyper-dispensational!' "

"You can't follow Paul in everything."

"Paul is okay, but his doctrines are out of date, as they were a different time and a different culture."

I'm finding that to continue believing what I do, and what I was taught, has caused division among myself and others who I thought believed and preached as I do.

So what do I do? Do I chuck Paul in the garbage and follow those men off the deep end into strange doctrines, or do I stand fast in my belief?

I'VE CHOSEN TO CONTINUE TO STAND ON WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE AND NOT COMPROMISE LIKE SO MANY OTHER PREACHERS HAVE!

The Apostle Paul said it clearly in 1 Cor 4:16, "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me." And again in 1 Cor. 11:1 he commands, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

So, why is Paul so important? And why should we follow him?

First of all, because he preached the Gospel right! He gave us the plan of SALVATION!

SALVATION:

God revealed the gospel of the grace of God to Paul! He called it "my gospel." (Rom 2:16; Rom 16:25; 2 Tim 2:8).

Sadly, these men who have turned from Paul, no longer preach Paul's gospel of salvation by faith (See 1 Cor. 15:1-4 to see the Gospel defined by Paul). They preach something different. Usually they say things like:

"1,2,3, Pray after me"

"Repeat this prayer after me"

"Say these words"

"Ask Jesus into your heart"

"Ask Jesus to save you and forgive you your sins"

"Ask God to come into your heart"

"Invite Christ into your life"

But where are any of these modernistic ideas found in Paul's Gospel? Where are they in Paul's writings at all? They just aren't there! You can pray, repeat, ask, and invite all you want to, without believing and receiving by faith. In fact, that's the whole of religious teaching to a sinner--Beg God for forgiveness!

But is a man saved by begging outside of believing?

And, what must a man's faith be in to save him?

Paul gives the answer very clearly in Romans 3:24-25:

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Here we read that redemption is by God's grace (vs 24), but is only received by FAITH IN HIS BLOOD (vs 25), and it is one's faith in the shed blood of Jesus that justifies a sinner before God.

You aren't saved by what you say or what you pray. You are only saved when you obey God by placing your faith in His finished BLOOD ATONEMENT!

Paul makes this so very clear! So are you following Paul and his Gospel, which is salvation by faith in Jesus Christ's blood atonement for our sins? Or, are you preaching "another gospel" that downgrades what Jesus has done for mankind, stressing sinners to come to God outside of the shed blood of Christ?

Could it be the reason so many preachers are departing from Paul is because they aren't SAVED themselves?

Why else is Paul so important? I'm glad you asked. Because Paul tells us about the importance of SANCTIFICATION.

SANCTIFICATION:

There are many places in the Bible that talk about Sanctification, or living a holy, clean life for Jesus Christ. Peter gives a good command in 1 Peter 1:15-16, "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

But no one speaks more about the importance of living holy and departing from sin as the apostle Paul. He greatly emphasized the importance of separating one's self from the world, and putting one's body under subjection to God!

Just a few verses he wrote show his hatred towards sin, and his adamant stance against it:

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. (Eph 5:3)

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Col 3:5)

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God. (Rom 6:12-13)

Paul not only preached against sin, but he practiced what he preached, sacrificing everything and hazarding his life time and again for the cause of Christ.

Could it be so many are departing from Paul because they don't preach against sin? Could they be so worldly, backslidden, and carnal that Paul's epistles prick their hearts and convict them of their sin everytime they read them? Is this why they attack Paul and others who preach his epistles?

I believe Paul is also important for another reason. Paul encourages Christians to follow the scriptures instead of following men.

THE SCRIPTURES:

In Paul's time, as today, there were many groups of so-called Christians which followed MEN instead of following GOD. These men-followers argued amongst themselves of which one was better and why. When Paul heard of their incesant bragging on each other, he penned words like:

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor 1:12-13)

For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1 Cor. 3:3-6)

Paul wasn't not interested in church "politics." He was not a politician, trying to get others to follow him. He wanted people to read their bibles and follow the word of God! Just look at his words...

Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1 Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

2 Tim 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Tim 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Paul desired his converts to preach THE WORD OF GOD which is able to save man's soul, not the WORDS OF MEN.

So why have so many today turned against Paul? I think the answer is obvious. Today we have another Gospel being preached that doesn't line up with Paul's. We further have another way of living that doesn't match Paul's preaching when it comes to santification, as modern Christians want as much of the world as they can get. And finally, there are many different versions of the Bible nowadays, all attacking the word of God. Very few stick with the Old King James anymore. And even those that do, don't practice what it says. They may claim to be Bible Believers, but they sure aren't Bible readers, and if they are, they certainly aren't Bible doers, for if they were, they would continue following the apostle Paul.

FINAL NOTE: I'm aware that writing this might lead to some calling me a "Legalist" or a "Hyper-dispensationalist." That's alright with me. Men who can't face the truth often childlishly respond by name-calling.

One thing I've learned in the ministry though, is when someone calls you a "legalist," it's because they themselves are LIBERAL!

Further, I've also learned there is really no such thing as a "hyper-dispensationalist." That's just a made up term people use to call others who haven't compromised like they have.

So again, I ask you, what's wrong with the Apostle Paul? Are you one of those who have left Paul and gone with the crowd? Why not read Paul's books in order and then see if you don't learn something. There's nothing like the Apostle Paul to clear up bad doctrine!

THE BOOKS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL IN ORDER OF WHEN THEY WERE WRITTEN:

1 Thessalonians 49 A.D.

2 Thessalonians 52-54 A.D.

Galatians 57-60 A.D.

1 Corinthians 57-58 A.D.

2 Corinthians 58-60 A.D.

Romans 58-60 A.D.

Ephesians 62 A.D.

Philippians 62-64 A.D.

Colossians 64 A.D.

Philemon 64 A.D.

Hebrews 64 A.D. ? (Probably written much sooner. Maybe first!)

Titus 65 A.D.

1 Timothy 65-68 A.D.

2 Timothy 66-68 A.D.

Why not read these in the order they were written? It might just open your eyes to a lot of truth you might have missed. And, it might just help you to see the importance of SALVATION, SANCTIFICATION, and the SCRIPTURES.