Here we go, yet AGAIN, with your unrelenting Paul-bashing. Talk about brazenly and arrogantly shaking your finger in the face of Almighty God!
What do you not understand about God’s Holy Word telling us Paul was chosen by the ascended Lord to be the light to the Gentiles (after the Jews rejected and killed Jesus), Acts 13:47-48. God began the gospel of grace with His apostle Paul. Paul was chosen and appointed by GOD.
Anyone who believes a gospel different from Paul’s gospel is cursed, Galatians 1:6-9. The ONLY way to salvation from sin and death is the gospel of grace, which is, that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
There is no other way to salvation. Hastings, just what do YOU believe to be saved if you don’t believe Paul’s gospel of salvation?
I sorry you feel the way you do but I cannot help but be leery of Paul or at least leery of whoever wrote that stuff. There is no one that ratifies Paul's doctrine except Paul. Paul was disowned by the early church including the people who actually walked with Jesus. I recognize Paul as being the type of person you will find in most any organization. A blowhard that wants to run the show and reorganize even a well run and functioning outfit. But in this case it is worse. He is claiming supernatural communication with God and Jesus and has absolutely no supporting evidence. I believe Jesus would have notified his publicly called apostles that he was sending Paul with an alternative doctrine for the gentiles. There is no indication other than Paul's word and his recounting of dreams or hallucinations, even going so far as to say he went to the 3rd level of heaven. Now Sir: a claim that extraordinary and a diversion from Jesus' original teachings has to require extraordinary proof.
Other than Paul's word what proof is there?
And yes, there is no path to salvation except by the grace of God. Earned by repentance and a turn around in your life. As John the Baptist told the Jewish leaders (spies) that came out to see him "bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance". Jesus emphasized repentance. His parables emphasized repentance. The old testament emphasized repentance. Jesus wept for Jerusalem because it refused to repent. Of course faith in Jesus is important, actually required, but Jesus' brother James said it best "FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD"
As Jesus is quoted saying in the next to last chapter of The Revelation of Jesus Christ " And behold I come Quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be''. Also he said ''Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and my enter in through the gates into the city.''
Twist Paul's letters any way you want but you cannot escape the contradiction of Jesus.
Answer me this very simple question. What happens when you fail to do enough? You say you need works or repentance or whatever you want to call it. Can't you see that as long as salvation requires works it fails.
You don't see it because Paul is the one who explained it and you rejected it for some asinine reason. Works is absolutely a part of salvation but only as the result of salvation. Abraham was saved by faith without circumcision. His circumcision was only the act of the faith he had. Yes, faith acts, but it is the faith that saves not the act. Otherwise, a freshly born-again sinner would still be damned without enough time to do the works you deem worthy of repentance.
