Following the Apostle Paul: Valuing Our Roots in Faith

If there weren't so much trouble in life—in this age of COVID-19; empty church buildings; Vanessa Guillen; "Me Too"; Manson-styled murder sentencing in the city of Shreveport; repeated, senseless murder-suicides in states like Arkansas; and too many years of personal suffering in many a Christian's life—I'd be appalled and in disbelief about a book that forwards an elder's idea that, because many a slave master misused writings by the apostle Paul, those writings are not of the Holy Spirit.

My Lord.

And I would be shocked that, apart from that book, at least one author believes that, because there was a man named Titus in the ministry of the man who wrote Antiquities of the Jews, at least 30 years after the apostle Paul, that parts of the New Testament were not actually written by Paul.

I would have been shocked, because, in my witness, in Christ, Paul is like mortar on the Cornerstone!

And I'm here to tell you that history has an odd way of repeating itself. To discredit Paul's ministry because there was a Titus in ministry 30 years after his death is like saying Titus couldn't have lived and continued to minister in Rome, or that there couldn't have been another Titus in ministry.

My Lord.

Given Heaven's Grace, I won't forget how a pastor said that God used Paul "in a mighty way." Just think about all that Paul did to establish the church. What would have become of the church, if there had not been a Paul?

Would slaves have ever been delivered at all?

Just think about Heaven's purpose in there being a Paul.

Jesus tells us to "endure." But Paul helps us understand how to endure:

  • by looking ahead, to Heaven;
  • by expecting deliverance, Grace, mercy;
  • by praying for enemies to be set loose from Satan, while not allowing Satan to gain a foothold in our own lives;
  • by maintaining a sense of thanksgiving in all circumstances;
  • by teaching even unbelievers;
  • by fleeing absolute evil when able to, as God leads;
  • by being obedient in matters of faith;
  • by being patient toward authority;
  • by learning from authority, when authority is in Jesus;
  • by not quenching the Holy Spirit;
  • by remaining pure in heart;
  • by fostering salvation, even when times are evil;
  • by praying and protecting one's body;
  • by not being anxious about anything, but guarding one's faith or heart;
  • by putting on the whole armor of God;
  • by knowing, with all your heart, that Jesus set us free from sin. 

Paul, of all our ancestors in Christ, was a willing vessel for Heaven. Paul definitely had the Holy Spirit, the comforter who Jesus promised to send.

"Give thanks in all circumstances," Paul preached.

My Lord.

Deuteronomy 8:10

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Does 'Slept with His Fathers' Mean?

When the Bible gives the record of kings who were over Jerusalem and Judah, why do scriptures say the kings "slept with their fathers?" Wow! That's a simple thing. All that scriptures are saying is that a king died. That a king "lieth with his fathers," as the Young's Literal Translation says, only means the king died. And the record of each king's death is kind of written like a song that says the king lay down in death with those who went before him ("slept with his fathers") and was buried in honor, or was buried in dishonor. For example, read "Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David." (2 Chronicles 21:1, New King James Version) versus "Ahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel." (2 Chronicles 28:27, NKJV) Again, in most versions of the Bible, the dea
Read more

In His Image

Image
  The Box jelly is the only sea jelly that has eyes that come anywhere close to being like ours; but even given that fact, the box jelly doesn't really see. I'm no scientist. I didn't have high school biology - just a quick course in college. But I have faith. And I know scientists can be foolish like anyone else, sometimes. ** This past September, The New York Times published an almost silly article about a study that's misleading. The headline says, "Brainless Jellyfish Demonstrate Learning Ability." That took me by surprise, because I'd read enough to know that sea jellies, as they're called now, are soulless bundles of nerves. Sea jellies can't be made to chase any prey, can't know the worth of giving birth, have no idea what it means to be blessed with food. Instead, sea jellies lead a life of releasing venomous stingers at bullet-fast speeds any and every time their tentacles touch anything that does not have their exact same chemical bl
Read more

Are We on Mission?

Image
  Part of a cheerful commentary about summer missions , this photo is a beautiful reminder that many parts of the world have mastered walking by faith instead of living by bare eyesight. When Jesus' brother James cautioned a church not to "become judges with evil thoughts," it was because the church had a heart to praise men in fine clothes and to be unkind toward people who might be treated like dirt, dirt kind of like making enemies your footstool. When I first knew Jesus had rescued me from being lost, I realized God had something more in store than how I was living at the time. I didn't realize, at that time, how much Heaven wanted me to learn. I did, however, recognize it was time to part with clothes that were from what I knew in heart was a wretched, lost way of life. I can say that today, because I got saved and had a right heart. I was whole in Jesus for the first time, ever. And I didn't want to wear any reminder of how lost I had been. Instead, I was oh
Read more