It Is Finished: Paul.
A wonderful Christmas account every Christian will enjoy.
By contributor FDL [December 25, 2019]
Most people never seriously investigate for themselves why Jesus was born. They follow tradition. But, why listen to others when you can listen to Jesus yourself?
“I (Jesus)have glorified thee(God) on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” John 17:4.
Jesus said these words before He was crucified for the accused crime of insurrection. Jesus said this even before He was betrayed while praying to the Father concerning His disciples. He finished the work of the Father. Jesus continues His prayer:
“For I have given unto them (disciples) the words (God’s doctrine) which thou gavest me; and they have received them.” John 17:8.
Jesus sure did love those disciples of His.
“I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.” vs 9,10,11.
The disciples were not only one with Jesus, but also one with God. This is quite a different picture than the bumbling [preachers] we hear about Sunday mornings. Jesus continues.
“I have given them thy word (message for salvation); and the world hath hated them...” vs 14.
WHOA! What is this?
“I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” vs 15.
Keep them from the evil? What evil or who? Those who have ears can hear. We know the disciples are sanctified in truth.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word(message) is truth.” vs 17.
“And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” vs 19.
The great news is that Jesus prayed for all who would listen to His 12 disciples becoming one with the father and son.
“Neither pray I (Jesus) for these (disciples) alone, but for them (you?) also which shall believe on me through their word. That they all may be one (not 26,000 different denominations); as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” vs 20,21.
We know Peter was selected by God to teach the Gentiles.
“And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.” Acts 15:7.
Paul was present. Does Paul agree with Peter?
“But contrariwise, when they (disciples) saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision (Gentiles) was committed unto me (Paul), as the gospel of the circumcision (Jews) was unto Peter.” Galatians 2:7.
No. Paul does NOT agree. He is contrary. Paul is referring to that meeting in Acts 15:19,20 in which the disciples also described obligations for the Gentiles which Paul ignores claiming rather they only mentioned the poor (Gal 2:10) which they did not.
So why are we hearing Sunday mornings, evenings, Wednesday prayer and at all events the words of Paul? Because we fear being cursed if we do not listen to Paul.
“But though we (Paul and HIS disciples..followers) or an angel from heaven (Gabriel? Michael?), preach any other gospel unto you than that which we (Paul, not the disciples of Jesus) have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we (Paul) said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received(from Paul,)let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8,9.
Even Martin Luther knew James opposed Paul. James did NOT agree with Paul and rebuked him again as he does throughout his epistle.
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” James 3:10.
Why substitute the confirmed teachings of Jesus for Paul’s dreams?
“For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation(dreams) of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:12.
This is laughable if not so serious. It ignores Jesus’s three year ministry completely. Surely Paul had some input from Jesus’s disciples.
“As for those who were held in high esteem (Peter, James and John) whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism--they added nothing to my message.” Galatians 2:6, NIV.
No. Paul opposed the disciples of Jesus. Paul is not humble. He is not gentle. Paul is that ravenous wolf of [the tribe of] Benjamin as prophesied by Jacob. Gen 49:27. Paul would kill and later his gospel would divide as it certainly does.
“When Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.” Galatians 2:11.
What? Peter condemned? The one sanctified in the truth, chosen by God and [the] one with Jesus condemned and opposed? Paul changes his story several times about a talking light he met while on his way to destroy followers of Jesus.
“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities. Acts 26:9-11.
Paul says it is Jesus he met.
“I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’” the Lord replied. Acts 26:13-15.
Was Jesus faithful? Yes. Nobody can point their finger at Jesus at the judgment for being deceived. If you have ears, you can hear. Jesus warns us not to believe Paul.
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming(Rapture) and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3.
“Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one (Not even Paul nor Benny Hinn) deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah (Jesus); and will deceive many.” vs 4,5.
“At that time if anyone (Paul on the road to Damascus) says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah(Jesus)!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs (talking light) and false prophets ( Paul) will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive (Pauline Christianity) if possible, even the elect (disciples). See, I have told you ahead of time. So if anyone tells you, ‘There he (Jesus) is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming(rapture) of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:23-27.
Jesus says clear as a bell if anyone claims Jesus appeared to them and gave them a “word,” “do not believe it.” Nobody can deny Saul claims Jesus appeared to him and gave him a message on salvation not taught by Jesus. So what did Jesus teach?
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’” Luke 10:25-28.
Jesus taught the same message as His Father stating not one jot or tittle of the law would disappear.
“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.” Ezekiel 18:21-22.
Most Christians hate the salvation taught by Jesus and His Father. They need Paul’s faith only believism, yet constantly doubt their own salvation seeking a confirmation voiding out faith. God responds to those who reject His way to salvation.
“‘Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites (Christians): Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?’” Ezekiel 18:25.
Why did not the disciples expose Paul? They obeyed Jesus’s teachings.
“Master,” said John, ‘we saw someone driving out demons in Your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not accompany us.’ ‘Do not stop him,’ Jesus replied, ‘for whoever is not against you is for you.’” Luke 9:49,50.
Why? The grain and the weeds will grow together lest the grain get destroyed when rooted [up].
“This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous.” Matthew 13:49.
Surely, God would not condemn a believer? Jesus will indeed.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” Matthew 7:21-23, ESV. Strong’s - God’s law.
Paul did many wonders to deceive and the multitudes are flocking to hear Paul. They love Paul, the self declared 13th apostle, more than Jesus. It is Paul, not Jesus, who teaches the things Jesus [supposedly] forgot to teach his disciples about salvation proved through basic logic. Those miracles are impressive though.
“God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” Acts 19:11,12.
Jesus calls this deception, and the followers of Paul love it. Matt 24:23-27.
Peter gave Paul courtesy and called him brother just as James called him when correcting him. James 3:10. Peter then warns about confusion from the lawless Paul.
“He (Paul) writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless(Paul) and fall from your secure position. 2 Peter 3:16,17.
Did Paul teach against God’s “cursed law” which David loved?
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ‘Romans 10:4.
Yes. Yes, Paul did teach against God’s laws and John calls Paul out.
“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” 1 John 5:3.
Following Paul is going the way of Saul.
“Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6.
The teaching for salvation was finished before the crucifixion. Jesus told us His teaching was complete. John 17. Paul teaches and replaces God’s laws, customs and traditions.
“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my (Paul’s) gospel.” Romans 2:16.
It is finished and God alone will be glorified. Those pointing to Paul as a defense at the judgment will be left holding an empty bag. Jesus will say, “I warned you not to believe Paul and his dreams.” Matt 24. “ Depart from me I never knew you.”
[Revised by JWO Studies 3/20/2020]