S101-1. Does Paul bear WITNESS of HIMSELF? DOWNLOAD to SAVE as a PDF Doc to read OFFLINE. S101-1. Does Paul bear WITNESS of HIMSELF? Chapter 1. A dear brother in our Lord Jesus Christ wrote to me saying that while he agreed with what I teach on some things, he QUESTIONED Paul’s authenticity. In other words, he DOUBTED that the teachings of Paul are from God, or at least SOME of Paul’s teachings are not from God. And for some of his reasons for why he questions the teachings of Paul, he cited Some verses of Scripture. And one of the verse is uses to argue that Paul is a false teacher is John 5:31. In that verse of Scripture Jesus said that if he was to bear WITNESS of himself, then his witness would NOT be TRUE. So this brother in the Lord sincerely believes that Paul bears witness of himself. And thus, to him, the teachings of Paul are not TRUE, seeing that he himself interprets the words of Paul as Paul bearing witness of himself. For example, that brother in our Lord went on to cite John 5:43,44 as another one of his reasons for QUESTIONING the teachings of Paul, which we will go ahead and read right now. But let us ALSO read the CONTEXT of ALL the of the above verses of Scripture that this brother in the Lord has cited as some of his reasons for DOUBTING the teachings of the Apostle Paul. Always read the CONTEXT so that we can learn the TRUE SOUND Biblical meaning of the words of Jesus and his disciples. John 5:30-47. “I can of my own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek NOT my OWN will, but the WILL of the Father which has sent me. (So then, whose WILL did Paul obey, according to 1 Corinthians 1:1-15, Acts 13:1-4, Acts 9:15, Acts 14:23-28, Acts 15:40, Acts 22:21, 3 John 1:6-8, 2 Peter 3:14-18, and many other passages of Scripture? Was it Paul's own will that he obeyed? Or was it the WILL of Jesus and the Father, the Eternal Holy Spirit, who said separate to me Saul unto the ministry that I have called him, according to Acts 13:1-4, that Paul obey suffering great persecution for the SAKE of Jesus?) 31. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. (So then, did Paul TRULY bear WITNESS of himself as some Christians CLAIM? Or did Paul preach the gospel FOR the SAKE of our Lord Jesus Christ just as the Bible ITSELF teaches us in Acts 9:16, Romans 15:30-33, 1 Corinthians 4:10-13, 2 Corinthians 12:6-10, Philippians 1:29,30, and many other passages of Scripture) 32. There is another that bears witness of me; and I know that the witness which He witnesses of me is true. (The context refers to John the Baptist as the other witness. But I also believe that Jesus is speaking of Almighty God the Father as his WITNESS. In other words, by Yahweh the Father CONFIRMING His word with SIGNS following, He gave WITNESS to His Son Jesus that He Himself sent him to teach the TRUTH. So then, did God give WITNESS to the Apostle Paul by doing mighty works of POWER through Paul? Well, according to Acts 26:13-19, Acts 19:11-15, Romans 15:15-20, 2 Corinthians 2:1-5, Acts 15:10-12, and many other verses of Scripture, God did MANY miracles through the hands of the Apostle Paul giving WITNESS of Paul teaching the TRUTH. Also, Peter gave witness to Paul in 2 Peter 3:16-18. In fact Peter WARNS Christians not to wrestle with the teachings of Paul. But this particular brother interprets the Scriptures to mean that Peter was DECEIVED by Paul when Peter wrote those words. We will cover that argument in another chapter) 33. You sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. (So then, these SPECIFIC Jews believe that John the Baptist was sent from God. And John gave WITNESS to his disciples to follow Jesus) 34. But I do not receive testimony from man: but these things I say, that you might be saved. (And the Apostle Paul ALSO did NOT receive the TRUE gospel of SALVATION that he taught from MEN. But rather, according to Galatians 1:11,12, Paul was taught by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit of Almighty God. And the Apostle Peter was taught in a VISION to do what was once forbidden to do under the Law of Moses. So does that mean that Peter is ALSO a FALSE teacher that cannot be trusted simply because Peter OBEYED the what God told him in the VISION? NO! Absolutely NOT! nd neither should Christians DOUBT the teachings of the Apostle Paul for teaching what Jesus himself taught to him) 35. He (Speaking of John the Baptist) was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, (And those works that the Father does through me, according to John 14:10-12) bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. (And EVERY Christian has been given the MINISTRY of RECONCILIATION and made an AMBASSADOR of Jesus Christ in his STEAD, including the Apostle Paul, according to 2 Corinthians 5:20, to FINISH the work of Almighty God the Father) 37. And the Father himself, which has sent me, has borne witness of me. (And again, Almighty God the Father HIMSELF has borne WITNESS of the Apostle Paul, according to Acts 19:11-15, Acts 13:1-4, and Acts 15:10-12, that Paul is a TRUE Apostle of Jesus Christ. Please be careful to NOT blaspheme the Holy Spirit by arguing that Paul did those healings through the power of Satan and NOT the power of Almighty God. For you see, even the evil spirits that Paul cast out in the NAME OF Jesus knew Jesus and Paul, according to Acts 19:15 which was written by Luke ) You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. (And I believe that the Jesus words ONLY Christians have NOT heard the voice of the Holy Spirit. For you see, why would the Holy Spirit CALL Paul in Acts 13:1-4 and then turn around and tell Christians that Paul is a so-called FALSE Apostle of Jesus Christ as the Jesus words ONLY Christians CLAIM? Why would God have Luke write words that are NOT TRUE? Why would God have Peter write WARNING us to NOT wrestle with the teachings of Paul if Peter was DECEIVED by Paul? The WHOLE church gave Paul the right hands of fellowship and SENT Paul out to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, according to Acts 15:22-24 and Galatians 2:9. So then, the WHOLE church gave WITNESS to the Apostle Paul) 38. And you have not his word abiding in you: for whom He has sent, him you believe not. (And again, while the Jesus words only Christians may believe in Jesus, they do NOT have God’s word abiding in them. For if they did, they would NOT try to FORCE the Apostle Paul to be a so-called FALSE Apostle and false teacher. To say that Paul is a false Apostle is to say that God did NOT SEND Paul to preach the gospel) 39. Search the Scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (We will covers the verses of Scripture showing Paul teaching the TRUE Jesus in following chapters of this book. So please be patient) 40. And you will not come to me, that you might have life. (And the Jesus words ONLY Christians will not accept the teaching that Jesus himself REVEALED to the Apostle Paul through visions and the Holy Spirit, according to John 16:12-14, John 17:20, Acts 9:18-20, and Galatians 1:11,12. For you see, Jesus had many MORE things to TEACH his disciples which they would not have been able to BEAR until the received the Holy Spirit to lead and guide them into all truth) 41. I do NOT receive honor from men. (And NEITHER did Paul receive honor from MEN, according to 1 Corinthians 1:13-15, John 7:18, 2 Corinthians 11:2-4, and Galatians 6:13-17) 42. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. 43. I have come in my Father's name, and you receive me not: (And according to, the Apostle Paul preached the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ. And the Jesus words only Christians do NOT RECEIVE the Apostle Paul as being called by Jesus Christ, according to the record of Luke in Acts 9:15,16) if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. (Now, the Jesus words only Christians who QUESTION Paul as being a TRUE Apostle of Jesus Christ, use this verse of Scripture CLAIMING that this is a prophecy of Paul coming in his OWN NAME. But in TRUTH, Jesus is speaking to the children of Abraham in the lineage of Ishmael and or the seed of Esau who do indeed keep the Law of Moses. However, they are NOT from the seed of PROMISE. And Jesus perceived who they were and gave a prophecy of Muhammad who would come in his OWN name and wrongly teach the faith of Islam that DENIES Jesus as being the Son of God. And that prophecy came to pass proving that Jesus is a true Prophet sent by God. But Jesus is far more than a Prophet of God, Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus is our Lord and Savior) 44. How can you believe, which receives honor one of another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only? (And the Jesus words only Christians use this verse of Scripture to wrongly CLAIM that the Apostle Paul LOVES the praises of men and that he wanted his followers to call him father. And Jesus said call no man your father. But the CONTEXT makes it IMPOSSIBLE for the Apostle Paul to be the one whom Jesus prophesied would come in his OWN NAME. Clearly, this prophecy speaks of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam and NOT the Apostle Paul as some Christians CLAIM) 45. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust. (So then, Jesus is speaking TO the children of Ishmael and Esau who trust in the Law of Moses, but do not DISCERN that Moses prophesied of Jesus as being the Messiah) 46. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47. But if you believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” And Paul said the SAME thing that Jesus said in verse 47, but in different words. Please read Acts 26:21-23. “For these reasons the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22. Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying NONE other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: (In other words, Paul EXPOUNDED or EXPLAIN the prophets and Moses the SAME as Jesus expounded all the law and the prophets to his disciples in Luke 24:25-27) 23. That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.” Again, this brother in the Lord who has been deceived by the Jesus words only Christians, said that Paul loved the praises of men, and that he desired men to follow him and for his followers to call him father. And therefore, he QUESTIONED whether Paul is teaching the TRUTH. For you see, Jesus said not to call any man father. So let us take a CLOSER look at the verses of Scripture that the Jesus words only Christians take OUT of the CONTEXT and TWIST to try and prove that Paul is a FALSE teacher. They argue that Paul desired his followers to call him father and they use verses like 1 Timothy 5:1 taken out of context. Please read 1 Timothy 5:1,2. “Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him AS a father; (Or LIKE you would treat your own father) and the younger men as brethren; 2. The elder women AS mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” In other words, honor the elders in the church as you would honor your own father and mother. RESPECT the wisdom of the elders AS you ought to respect the wisdom of your parents. Now, while the Greek word translated as “intreat” can mean to invoke or call for, that is not the INTENDED meaning when we COMPARE Scripture with Scripture. Please read Philippians 2:20-22. “For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. (As a father and mother care for their own children) 21. For all seek their own, (Agenda) not the things which are Jesus Christ's. 22. But you know the proof of him, that, AS a son with the father, he has served with me in the gospel.” Here is another example of how the INTENDED meaning of Paul using the ANALOGY of a father. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. “You are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameable we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 11. As you know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, AS a father does his children, 12. THAT (Or so THAT) you would walk worthy of God, who has called you unto his kingdom and glory.” Paul's heart was for Christians to walk WORTHY of God. Paul never sought people to follow him to receive the praises of MEN. In fact, Paul taught AGAINST following men in 1 Corinthians 1:12-15. Now, Paul does call SOME of his congregation his children, but he did so because he travailed in prayer, praying in the Holy Spirit until Christ was BIRTHED in them. In other words, Paul preached the gospel to them for the FIRST time and Paul prayed from them never giving up until they received Jesus as the Lord and Savior. So in that sense those whom he travail in BIRTH to bring them to Jesus were like his own children. Please read Galatians 4:17-20. “They zealously affect you, but NOT well; yea, they would exclude you, that ye might affect them. (Speaking of that certain SECT in Acts 15:4 who were SUBVERTING Christians to keep the Law of Moses) 18. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. 19. My little children, of whom I travail in birth AGAIN until Christ be formed in you, 20. I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in DOUBT of you.” In other words, Paul was worried sick like a parent for their own children that his labor of bringing them to Jesus was in VAIN. Jesus himself used this SAME analogy of a father and son in Matthew 7:7-11 and Luke 11:9-13. Now, the context of Jesus teaching of calling no man father is to be a SERVANT knowing that the Father is the HEAD of Jesus and Jesus is the HEAD of the church and WE are all brothers and sisters. In other words, Jesus said do not call any man you father as being your MASTER whom you will obey whether they are right or wrong. And I find nowhere in the New Testament that the Apostle Paul lorded over his flock. But rather, Paul teaches us to SERVE one another and to walk in LOVE whereby we fulfill the law that God requires of us. Please read Galatians 5:11-15. “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased. 12. I wish they were even cut off, who trouble you. (Speaking of the Judaizing Christians subverting you to keep the Law of Moses) 13. For, brethren, you have been called unto LIBERTY; (The SAME Royal law of LIBERTY that the Apostle James teaches in James 2:8-12, that we will be JUDGED BY) only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love SERVE one another. 14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbor as thyself. 15. But if you bite and devour one another, take heed that you are not consumed by one another.” Always remember that the AGENDA of the Jesus words ONLY Christians is to try to prove that Christians MUST keep the Law of Moses to be more PLEASING to God. Here is one of the verses of Scripture that they use to try to get RID of the teachings of the Apostle Paul simply because they cannot RESIST the teachings of Paul like that certain SECT of Jews could not resist to words of Stephen so they got rid of him. Keep in mind that this verse is taken OUT of its CONTEXT. 1 Corinthians 4:16. “Wherefore I beseech you, be you followers of me.” The Greek word that is translated as “followers” here means to IMITATE. So Paul is saying for us to be IMITATORS of him as he IMITATES Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 11:1 and Philippians 3:17-20. This means that we are to follow the EXAMPLE of walking in RIGHTEOUSNESS that Paul and the other Apostles of Jesus walked in. There are many verses in the New Testament that clearly teach us that the Apostle Paul did NOT seek the glory and praises of MEN. Please read Galatians 1:1-12. “Paul, an Apostle, (NOT of MEN, neither by MAN, but BY Jesus Christ, AND God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 2. And all the brethren which are with me, (As in PRESENT with Paul) unto the churches of Galatia: 3. Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4. Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5. To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Here we see Paul giving ALL of the GLORY to Almighty God the Father and to His Son Jesus) 6. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (Speaking of the Jesus words ONLY gospel of WORKS to keep the Law of Moses to be more pleasing to God. But the SECT in Paul’s day preached that one could not be SAVED without keeping the Laws of Moses, according to Acts 15:5) 7. Which is not another; but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed. (Now, the PERVERT gospel wrongly teaches that Christians MUST keep BOTH the Old Covenant AND the New Covenant in order to receive eternal life in the world to come. And the ONLY reason for WHY they try to make the Apostle Paul to be a so-called false teacher is so that they can be TEACHERS of the LAW. They fail to understand that the law PROPHESIED of Jesus) 10. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should NOT be the servant of Christ. (In other words, Paul does NOT seek the praise of MEN like he USED to do BEFORE he became a Christian. And NOW, the very men that he USED to please PERSECUTE him) 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is NOT after man. 12. For I NEITHER received it from man, NOR was I taught it (By men), but (Rather, I was TAUGHT the gospel that I preach) by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The Apostle Paul had MANY visions and revelations from Jesus Christ, according to 2 Corinthians 12:1-19, Paul was given a THORN in the flesh LEST he would have been exalted above MEASURE. It is NOT self exalting to say you are an Apostle of Jesus Christ if that is what God called you to do. It is NOT self exalting yourself to say that God gave you a vision if you received a vision from God. It is NOT self exalting yourself ABOVE measure or what God accepts if you say that the Holy Spirit has revealed a truth to you if that revelation AGREES with the whole word of Almighty God. Now, there was a CERTAIN SECT of Jewish Christians who were JUDGING Paul as teaching AGAINST Moses. And that SAME SECT of Jews stirred up the people against Stephen for the SAME reason of teaching AGAINST Moses and against God.
Please read Acts 6:8-15.
“And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9. Then there arose CERTAIN of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. (The Jews from the school of Alexander were HELLENISTIC Jews. So clearly, Luke is teaching us that NOT ALL of the Judahites were persecution the disciples of Jesus and only CERTAIN Judahites did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah) 10. And they were NOT ABLE to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke. (And in the same way, the Jesus words ONLY Christians are NOT ABLE to resist the wisdom and the Spirit given teachings of the Apostle Paul. So the try to get RID of the teachings of Paul by using FALSE witnesses, their own personal INTERPRETION of select cherry-picked verses that they take OUT of their CONTEXT) 11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. (But all that Jesus, Stephen, Paul and all of his disciple did was to EXPLAIN how Jesus in the FULFILLMENT of the Scriptures) 12. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13. And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceases not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered to us. (In other words, these certain sects of Judahites would not believe that the Scripture TESTIFIED of Jesus. Plus, they were jealous that all of Israel would follow Jesus. according to John 11:47-49, John 12:19, Mark 11:18, Mark 12:12, Matthew 21:15, Matthew 21:23, and Acts 4:16-18) 15. And all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as if it had been the face of an angel.”
So then, did Paul preach AGAINST the KEEPING of the Law of Moses in order to be SAVED? Yes, the Bible itself makes it blatantly clear that the WHOLE church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit gave NO SUCH commandment to be circumcised and to keep the Law of Moses to be saved, according to Acts 15:1-24. But some Jesus words ONLY Christians argue the Luke CONTRADICTS himself when recording the three accounts of Paul's vision on the road to Damascus. And to them, those alleged contradictions raise even more DOUBT in THEIR eyes on the teachings of Paul as being the TRUTH. I say alleged contradictions because any contradiction in Scripture must be READ INTO the Scriptures by incorrectly INTERPRETING one or more verses of Scripture to cause what may SEEM like a contradiction. But I assure you the Luke does NOT contradict himself. So to continue reading chapter 2, to learn WHY Luke does NOT contradict himself, please click on the title called S101-2 Does Luke CONTRADICT himself? And to find links to all the other chapters please click of the link S101-0 The JEWISH MESSIAH is Jesus! Thanks for reading, and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. And to me, the truth concerning who Jesus TRULY is, according to the Bible ITSELF, is the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus. So, for ALL of the studies on the Biblical Unitarian view of Jesus, please click on the subject heading >>>D-0. THE BIBLICAL UNITARIAN VIEW of JESUS!<<< And for the SUBJECT on the true foundation of the church, please click on the subject heading >>>C-0. THE TRUE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH!<<< This way you can just send ONE link to those who you want to share the TRUE sound Biblical FOUNDATIONAL teachings of the church that Jesus and his Apostles taught in the first century church.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
My heartfelt prayer is that all Christians RETURN to the TRUE FOUNDATION of the church that is taught by the very Apostles of Jesus in the first century. So let us all come into the UNITY of the faith and return to what Jesus and his Apostles taught us in SIMPLICITY in the New Testament.
To learn more TRUTH, then please return to
VERSES USED TO TEACH THAT JESUS PREEXISTED!
To me, the best way to know the ONE true God in ONE person is to know who Jesus TRULY is according to the WHOLE word of Almighty God. So please read ALL of the studies under the heading >>>N-0. WHO is JESUS ACCORDING to the BIBLE?<<< and you will see that the Bible itself teaches us that Jesus was CREATED by his God and Father. And if you have any questions related to the correct meaning of certain verses of Scripture on this subject of who Jesus is please read all the studies under the two headings >>>U-0. VERSES used for THE TRINITY!<<< and >>>V-0. VERSES used to TEACH that Jesus PRE-EXISTED!<<< These two headings have ALL of the studies that I have on who Jesus truly is according to what the Bible itself teaches us in simplicity. I compiled these three headings to make it easy for my readers to send just one, two, or three links to those you desire to help understand what the Bible itself teaches concerning who Jesus is in the LIGHT of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. If you have any questions, please feel free to write to me. My contact email is MarkatAMatterOfTruth@Gmail .com. Thanks again for reading and may God bless you richly as you continue to seek the truth of the whole word of Almighty God.
Your Brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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Always be faithful to share, to preach, and to teach the whole gospel of Jesus Christ! |
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