January 2, 2005 / Volume 9, Issue 1
Was Paul A Deceiver
...continued
Again, we turn our attention to the various accusations laid against the apostle Paul by Sherry Shriner, as given at her web site, www.justgivemethetruth.com/paul_was_a_deceiver.htm. If indeed her claims are true, then this Paul has succeeded in deceiving almost all people who claim to be Christian. Even more shocking, if Paul really was a deceiver, then he was able to mislead even the apostles, as they received Paul in their fellowship (Acts 9:28; 15:4) and counted him a beloved brother (Acts 15:25; 2 Peter 3:15). Were the apostles of Christ duped by a pretender?
The evidence from the Bible shows otherwise. Paul was accepted by the apostles of Christ, for he was accepted by the Lord. Let us continue to examine and test Shriner's charges.
| SHRINER'S CLAIMS | ANSWERS |
Jesus: When Yahshua confronts the Adversary, he defeats him by saying, "You shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of YHWH, and Him alone will you serve."
Paul: When Paul is mobbed by people who wish to stone him for preaching against the Law of YHWH, he relies on the worldly authorities as a Roman entitled to the protection of the government rulers who save him (Dt. 8:3; Mt. 4:4, Ac 22:26, 23:27) | Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness; Paul was about to be killed by a Jewish mob. How are these two comparable?
Shriner evidently read Acts 22:26, and nothing else from that context. If she will back up to chapter 21, the mob had Paul and was beating on him (v 32), and was taken into custody by the Romans (v 33-34). He did not ask to be taken into custody, it was the action of the commander. However, note that Paul sought to speak to the people (v 39-40). What did he speak? A defense of Christianity (22:1-21).
When Paul was taken to the barracks, the commander ordered that he be scourged (22:24). It was at this point that Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship (v 25-26). Does Shriner refuse any of her rights as a citizen of whatever country she lives in? When we are afforded certain rights as a citizen of a certain country, what Bible command is there to forbid the use of such rights?
Again, in Acts 23, there was a plot to kill Paul. His nephew became aware of the plot, and warned the commander of the Romans. Thus, the commander moved Paul to Caesarea. There is no evidence that Paul asked for the move. The commander commanded it. If Shriner will continue to read, she will see that Paul was held in Caesarea, awaiting the Jewish leadership to bring their charges against him there. However, the trip there, as explained by the Roman commander, was not Paul's idea. |
Jesus: "DO NOT CALL ANYONE ON EARTH YOUR FATHER; for ONE IS YOUR FATHER, HE who is in heaven" (Matthew 23:9)
The devil ‘PAUL' BLASPHEMOUSLY BOASTED "For I BECAME YOUR FATHER" (1 Corinthians 4:15) |
Jesus was condemning the use of religious titles. When Paul speaks of himself as a father to the Corinthians, it is not as a religious designation, but simply an acknowledgement of the fact that he had begotten them in the Lord, ie., he had taught them the gospel. |
"JESUS came to Galilee PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM" (Mark 1:14; Matt. 4:23).
JESUS said "THIS GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM will be PREACHED, IN MY NAME in all the world (Matt. 24:14).
‘PAUL' CAME preaching, by his own admission, ANOTHER GOSPEL PROMOTING LAWLESSNESS and LICENTIOUSNESS. |
As mentioned previously, Paul used the phrase "another gospel" twice in his writing. The first was to the Corinthians, for he feared that due to their foolish nature, they would gladly accept another gospel if someone brought it to them (2 Corinthians 11:4). The second case is to the Galatians, for they had turned from the truth to "another gospel", which he identifies not so much as another, but a perversion of the truth. Paul nowhere claims to preach "another gospel".
Lawlessness and licentiousness? Interesting. Time and again Paul encourages people to depart from sin and live righteously, yet Shriner calls this "lawlessness and licentiousness". If she means that Paul taught people to no longer keep the law of Moses, sure he did. No one would be saved by the keeping of the law of Moses. Salvation is in Christ. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (Ro 10:4; cf. Mt 5:17-18). |
"I (‘PAUL') testify to the gospel of the grace of god...ANOTHER GOSPEL...ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL." (Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Corinthians 10:23) |
Hmmm, let's see what we can come up with when we simply patch a few words from this text and that text together.
How about this:
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad...whoever denies me before men...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Mt 5:12; 10:32; 11:30)
Or maybe this:
Whoever receives this little child...is a slave of sin...Moreoever if your brother sins against you...the eagles will be gathered together. (Lk 9:8; Jn 8:34; Mt 18:15; 24:38)
Verses need to be taken in their entirety and in their context. Cutting and pasting as Shriner has done belongs to the enemies of truth. |
‘PAUL' CURSED JESUS CHRIST AND HIS APOSTLES AND DISCIPLES.
"If we or an angel from heaven preach ANY OTHER GOSPEL to you than what we (Paul and his followers) have preached to you LET HIM BE A CURSE" (Gal 1:18)
There was a distinction even back then with the disciples of Jesus and Paul and "his" followers. Barnabas and Mark both followed Paul at one time and then left him and went back to the disciples. Barnabas was sent by the Apostle Peter to travel with Paul and teach Paul the ways and teachings of Jesus, but Paul wasn't going to be second fiddle to anyone and usurped the authority of Barnabas and taught what he wanted to teach. How many ever knew that Paul was supposed to be subservient to Barnabas? |
The distinction exists only in Shriner's mind. Paul was a disciple of Christ. He did not have followers, but taught people to be disciples of Christ (1 Cor 1:10-13). The "we" of the text is better understood as the apostles of Christ. Paul taught the same gospel as they.
For lack of space here, we will deal with Shriner's rewriting of history so far as Paul and Barnabas' relationship. What she presented certainly isn't what the Bible reveals.
For now, let's consider whether Barnabas and Mark left Paul and returned to the disciples. A dispute over Mark (Acts 15:36-41) caused Paul and Barnabas to part company. Barnabas took Mark, and visited with brethren beginning at Cyprus while Paul took Silas, and went to Syria and Cilicia. From Paul's letters to Timothy (2 Ti 4:11) and the Colossians (4:10), it is evident that even after this contention (which had nothing to do with doctrinal matters), Paul, Barnabas and Mark were still in fellowship. Even to the point that Paul desired Timothy to bring Mark to Rome to help in the ministry. |
Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Where did Jesus tell his disciples to go after his resurrection? Some texts say Galilee (Matthew 28:10; Mark 16:7), others say Jerusalem (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). Is there a contradiction?
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
