Competing Love For Paul / Pauline Doctrine.

[Ivar]

"i find this a good reflection of my observations . the milk is strong on these forums"
Jesus' words Only - Jesus' words as the sole inspired portion of the New Testament Scripture.

Competing Love For Paul / Pauline Doctrine.
The Modern Church has instead fallen in love with Paul, or, more correctly, the points in Paul's writings that soften the requirements of costly grace which Jesus taught. This causes a vying for control over the church. Either Paul and his Dispensation of Grace applies, or Jesus and His costly grace gospel applies, as Bonhoeffer highlighted. We have developed two masters. Mainstream Christian theologians largely defend dismissing Jesus' words as applicable only to a prior dispensation of Law. Sometimes this is called Dispensationalism or Covenant Theology, but it all ends up the same: marginalizing Jesus' words. The famous theologian Rudolf Bultmann even claimed Paul teaches us in Second Corinthians 5:16 that it is necessary to treat Jesus's teachings pre-resurrection as irrelevant. (Bultman on Paul.)

Based upon this, Bultmann has influenced evangelical seminaries ever since to teach young pastors to emphasize the message of Paul, dismissing as largely irrelevant the words of Jesus. To dismiss Jesus' words as pertinent only to an old covenant of Law disregards entirely the prophecies that the New Testament was supposed to place the Law more proximately on our hearts, and God would give us a heart wanting to obey His statutes. See our New Testament in Prophecy. PS The Law on Gentiles in the Law is a short list -- largely just the Ten Commandments. Importantly, Gentiles had the option to use atonements provided in the Law - and this is why we can invoke Jesus' atonement for us. See Law Applicable to Gentiles.

Bultmann's influential dismissal of any ongoing validity to Jesus' words in the NT, putting all the emphasis on Paul's words, proves the danger of two masters as Jesus said: you will love the one and hate the other. (Matthew 6:24.) This is where the church is today--having been wooed from its first love for Christ. To avoid making any apostle a competing master, we must remember the apostles only had one inspired function -- that is when they served to carry Jesus' words (John 14:26), that is,when they serve the role of a "messenger" -- the meaning of the Greek word apostolos. Otherwise, they are at best edifying.

 

[bibleguy]

"i find this a good reflection of my observations . the milk is strong on these forums"
Jesus' words Only - Jesus' words as the sole inspired portion of the New Testament Scripture.

Competing Love For Paul / Pauline Doctrine.
The Modern Church has instead fallen in love with Paul, or, more correctly, the points in Paul's writings that soften the requirements of costly grace which Jesus taught. This causes a vying for control over the church. Either Paul and his Dispensation of Grace applies, or Jesus and His costly grace gospel applies, as Bonhoeffer highlighted. We have developed two masters. Mainstream Christian theologians largely defend dismissing Jesus' words as applicable only to a prior dispensation of Law. Sometimes this is called Dispensationalism or Covenant Theology, but it all ends up the same: marginalizing Jesus' words. The famous theologian Rudolf Bultmann even claimed Paul teaches us in Second Corinthians 5:16 that it is necessary to treat Jesus's teachings pre-resurrection as irrelevant. (Bultman on Paul.)

Based upon this, Bultmann has influenced evangelical seminaries ever since to teach young pastors to emphasize the message of Paul, dismissing as largely irrelevant the words of Jesus. To dismiss Jesus' words as pertinent only to an old covenant of Law disregards entirely the prophecies that the New Testament was supposed to place the Law more proximately on our hearts, and God would give us a heart wanting to obey His statutes. See our New Testament in Prophecy. PS The Law on Gentiles in the Law is a short list -- largely just the Ten Commandments. Importantly, Gentiles had the option to use atonements provided in the Law - and this is why we can invoke Jesus' atonement for us. See Law Applicable to Gentiles.

Bultmann's influential dismissal of any ongoing validity to Jesus' words in the NT, putting all the emphasis on Paul's words, proves the danger of two masters as Jesus said: you will love the one and hate the other. (Matthew 6:24.) This is where the church is today--having been wooed from its first love for Christ. To avoid making any apostle a competing master, we must remember the apostles only had one inspired function -- that is when they served to carry Jesus' words (John 14:26), that is,when they serve the role of a "messenger" -- the meaning of the Greek word apostolos. Otherwise, they are at best edifying.

Hi there!

ALL of Jesus' teachings apply to ALL disciples of ALL nations (Mt. 28:19-20).

Ok! That's settled!

Now, Paul is an apostle authorized by Jesus. Thus, Pauline Scripture is also authoritative. In fact, Peter likens Pauline writings unto Scripture (2 Pe. 3:16).

Also, should we accept (or reject) the teachings of the wise men and Torah-teachers (scribes) sent forth by Jesus? (Mt. 23:34)

Surely, we should ACCEPT their teachings.

Thus, those teachings are true (including the teachings of Paul).

Plus, we have reason to believe the Spirit guided the canonization process. And, all three major branches of the Christian family (Protestant, Catholic, Orthodox) including the Pauline writings.

Again, this leads us to embrace the content of the Spirit-developed canon.

Thus, we have another reason to accept Pauline Scripture.

Furthermore, Paul (and Jesus) are consistent in their writings. There is no contradiction.

So, I see no good reason to suppose that Paul's writings are not inspired, authoritative, and useful for teaching, rebuking, and correcting, and training in righteousness, along with the rest of the Scriptures in the Bible.

Ok....just wanted to throw out these thoughts as a potential springboard for further chat.

blessings...