December 26, 2004 / Volume 8, Issue 52
Was Paul A Deceiver
...continued
We continue to look at the claims made at www.justgivemethetruth.com/paul_was_a_deceiver.htm by Sherry Shriner against the apostleship and character of Paul. Whether Paul was an apostle of Christ or not is of great importance, as approximately 1/2 of the New Testament is comprised of his writing. Additionally, if he is not an apostle, then we would of necessity have to discount the writings of Luke (since Luke was a companion of Paul), Mark (since Mark also accompanied Paul, and nearing the end of his life, Paul asked that Mark be brought to him for ministry, 2 Timothy 4:11), and even the apostle Peter (for Peter speaks of Paul as a beloved brother, 2 Peter 3:15). The end result would be an extremely depleted New Testament, comprised of only of the writings of Matthew, John and Jude (7 books in total).
Let us continue to view and test the accusations made against Paul.
| SHRINER'S CLAIMS | ANSWERS |
| Jesus Said: Keep the Sabbath (Mark 2:27), circumcise male children (Luke 2:21), Paul Said: Circumcision is not necessary (Romans 2:26) that is going against what the Christ said in Luke 2:21. | Yes, Jesus taught the people to observe the Sabbath. Jesus was a Jew, subject to the law of Moses. Thus, He was also circumcised, according to the law of Moses. Incidentally, Luke 2:21 records Jesus' circumcision; it is not Jesus saying "circumcise male children."
Did Paul teach that circumcision is no longer necessary? Absolutely. Is that the point of the Romans text cited by Shriner? No. In fact, in that text, Paul says, "...circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law..." (v 25). The point? Circumcision of the flesh was not enough – it must be of the heart (v 27-29).
That being said, Paul not only teaches that circumcision is not necessary, but that it brings with it the responsibility to keep the whole law of Moses (Gal 5:2-3), a law which has been fulfilled (Mt 5:18) and nailed to the cross (Col 2:14). However, before Shriner prepares to tar and feather Paul, she should consider the words of some other apostles.
Of the law of Moses, James wrote, "...whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." (Jms 2:10). He goes on to say, "So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty." (v 12). James did not consider us to be subject to Moses' law, but to another law which brought liberty (ie. the law of Christ, Gal 6:2; Ro 8:2).
Of circumcision, the apostles at Jerusalem wrote to the Gentiles, "Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law' – to whom we gave no such commandment – it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ac 15:24-26). In her arguments, Shriner will occasionally refer to Acts 15, but never acknowledges the reason for this meeting in Jerusalem. The fact is, teachers came from Jerusalem teaching that the Gentiles needed to be circumcised and to keep the law of Moses (read all of Acts 15 and the book of Galatians!!). The apostles at Jerusalem DID NOT teach the necessity of circumcision. They "...gave no such commandment."
With regard to the Sabbath, Shriner gives no text from the apostle's writings to demonstrate his opposition to it. Paul did meet with the Jews on the Sabbath, that he might preach the gospel to them (Ac 17:2), but he did not command Christians to keep the Sabbath (nor did the other apostles – see Ac 15:24-26 from above). If a Jew who had become a Christian wanted to keep the Sabbath for conscience sake, he could (Ro 14:5-6), but those who no longer kept it were not to be judged (Col 2:16). |
In 1 Corinthians 15:1 Paul says that he was not giving them anything but what "he preached." He explained this even further in the second book (or letter) to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 11:17). It reads - "That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting." He's telling you plain and simple he was speaking of himself and not from or of the Lord!" |
The phrase in question from 1 Corinthians 15:1 simply reveals that Paul was not teaching anything different in the letter written to them than he taught while present with them. It was the same gospel. In no way does this statement set his teaching at odds with the Lord's.
It is amazing what you can teach when you are willing to take a verse from it's context. If we put 2 Corinthians 11:17 in context, Shriner's use of the text is shown to be malicious. If the reader will begin at 11:1, or perhaps even back so far as 10:1, the context reveals that the apostle is rebuking the Corinthian's willingness to follow after foolishness, and even engages in a bit of folly himself, attempting to show their foolish way. The statement in verse 17 is not about all his teachings, but about the things found in the immediate context. |
Paul Supported and demanded Adherence to Iniquity (Discrimination), Jesus said not to let it be found among us! Who's lying? |
Where does Jesus say this? Certainly, I do not infer that the Lord supports discrimination, but Shriner has a tendency to put words into both the apostle Paul's and the Lord's mouth which neither of them said.
My guess (sadly, I have to guess, since she did not specify) is that Shriner is not accusing Paul of racial discrimination, but rather of gender discrimination. Previously she has expressed her disdain for the limitations placed on women in Paul's writing so far as leadership in the assembly (1 Cor 14:34-35; 1 Tim 2:11-12). Unless she is able to demonstrate that these texts contradict a teaching of Jesus, all she has shown us is that she disagrees with what Paul wrote. |
Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
How did God address Jesus at His baptism? Was it "Thou art my beloved son..." (Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22) or was it "This is my beloved son..." (Matthew 3:17). Is there a contradiction?
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