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Jesus & Paul Harmonize Perfectly: To Suggest Otherwise is to Distort the Inspiration of Scripture

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 15570 **3/8/17 5:43 pm**

I seen a few book/article titles lately that has got the ole timer to thinkin (somethin momma says is real dangerous). Here is a sample:

1. Jesus & Paul in Conflict
2. Harmonizing Jesus & Paul: Can It Be Done?
3. The Gospel According to Paul
4. Etc.

Now the gist a most a these works is that Jesus preached/taught a pure Gospel, then Paul comes along an fouls it up by requiring more than Jesus taught. On the surface, a superficial reading might well suggest such a position. BUT, when ya toss in this thing called INSPIRATION OF SCRIPTURE, such a position implies that Jesus, God or Paul made a boo boo. An last time I looked, dear ones, INSPIRATION don't work like at.

Resident Skeptic

Re: Jesus & Paul Harmonize Perfectly: To Suggest Otherwise is to Distort the Inspiration of Scripture

Acts-dicted Posts: 8065 **3/8/17 6:01 pm**

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Acts-perienced Poster Posts: 11849 **3/9/17 11:17 am**

There are those who say that Paul and Peter or Paul and James preached a different Gospel, and side with Paul. That doesn't make sense. If Paul were actually preaching a different Gospel, why would they assume he was right.

There are also those who read conflict where there doesn't have to be. They interpret Galatians out to be after the council of Jerusalem and say Paul was rejecting the decision, at odds with James. The liberals in the 1800s came up with the idea that Paul was at odds with James. That comes from reading a conflict into scripture where one need not do so. It also doesn't take into account newer discoveries, including the fact that the first missionary journey churches were in the province of Galatia when Paul visited them, and he probably wrote Galatians rather early, before the Jersualem Council.
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Pastor Wright

Hey, DOC Posts: 68 **3/9/17 11:35 am**

This is an interesting article from Christianity Today on the subject. Be sure to read all the way through, or you won't get what Scot McKnight is saying.

Here are a couple of excerpts:

Resident Skeptic

Acts-dicted Posts: 8065 **3/10/17 9:49 am**

Pastor Wright wrote:

[b]This is an interesting article from Christianity Today on the subject. Be sure to read all the way through, or you won't get what Scot McKnight is saying.

Here are a couple of excerpts:

Quote:

The entire New Testament comes together by answering all these questions. And the answer is Yes, Jesus preached himself as the completion of Israel's story. Jesus preached the gospel (of Paul, of Peter, of John) because Jesus preached himself. Any reading of the Gospels, and any Gospel will do, leads constantly to this question that Jesus himself asked those who saw him and heard him: "Who am I?"

Quote:

My contention, then, is simple: If we begin with kingdom, we have to twist Paul into shape to fit a kingdom vision. If we begin with justification, we have to twist Jesus into shape to fit justification. But if we begin with gospel, and if we understand gospel as Paul does in 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, then we will find what unifies Jesus and Paul that both witness to Jesus as the center of God's story. The gospel is the core of the Bible, and the gospel is the story of Jesus. Every time we talk about Jesus, we are gospeling. Telling others about Jesus leads to both the kingdom and justification but only if we begin with Jesus.

Amen. I have been noticing this trend throughout Acts. The Apostles did not open their messages with talk of how much God loves us, or even the cross as it relates to our salvation. The opening statements had nothing to do with what God can do for the hearers. Rather, they preach Jesus, namely, his exaltation and lordship. Then the cross is mentioned in relation to what it did for Christ more than what it did for us, that dying on it moved the Father to exalt him and give his name all authority, and thus the power to remit sins. We receive our forgiveness from Christ because enduring the cross gave him authority to forgive. It's about his lordship and authority, not our worth or "God saw something in us worth saving". We've made the gospel about the sinner instead of Christ.

Finally, the listeners are told by the Apostles that those who submit to the lordship of the exalted Son of God will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, their regeneration and the fulfillment of what Christ proclaimed was coming when he was exalted.

This pattern is clearly seen in Acts.....

Quote:

29
Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
30
The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
31
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
32
And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. (Acts 5)

What is stressed before and in relation to forgiveness of sins? Christ's exaltation. Thus we receive forgiveness through submitting to Christ's lordship, the lordship he deserves and was bestowed upon him for allowing evil men to crucify him. Those who "obey" (verse 32) are given the Holy Spirit which Christ promised all through the gospel of John, beginning in Chapter 3.

If this not what Paul was referring to in Philippians 2?.....

Quote:

1
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3
Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4
Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6
Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9
Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What is emphasized here, "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life?" or "Jesus died for you"? NO! Certainly all of that is true, but those things are not the focus of the gospel! Jesus is the focus of the gospel, God's estimation of him, and what Calvary did for him! Bowing to and confessing his lordship is what God demands. When we do that (obey), God then turns his attention to our own personal guilt and need for salvation/regeneration of the Spirit.

This is what makes Jimmy Swaggart's "message of the cross" so off-base. He preaches the cross instead of Christ! He preaches what the cross does for us first instead of what it did for Christ.

Another example is found in Acts 8....

Quote:

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

What did Philip preach? All the things we can get from God? God's concern for the sinner? NO! Now again, all those eventually tie in. But that is not what the Apostles wanted their listeners to focus on up-front and that is not what the Samaritans "believed". The emphasis was on authority, a kingdom, and a name attached to that kingdom of God, Jesus Christ! The hearers submitted to the Lordship of Christ in baptism. They "obeyed" the message as Peter explained in Acts 5:32. And, as Peter also explained in Acts 5:32, God gave the Holy Spirit to those who obeyed him! Look at verses 12-17.....

Quote:

14
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

In verse 14, the apostles had heard that Samaria had "received the word". What word? The word Philip preached to them concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. Because they had obeyed, God gave them the Spirit.

I feel a strong witness of the Spirit concerning this.
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"It is doubtful if any Trinitarian Pentecostals have ever professed to believe in three gods, and Oneness Pentecostals should not claim that they do." - Daniel Segraves UPCI

bonnie knox

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 14803 **3/11/17 8:23 pm**

Ole Timer, I notice that the folk who is always criticizin ya ain't got a word ta say about this here post.
You'd think they'd be chimin in with some amens an all.

Pastor Wright

Hey, DOC Posts: 68 **3/14/17 8:13 pm**

Resident Skeptic

Acts-dicted Posts: 8065 **3/14/17 9:23 pm**