Yes, I agree with the poster who said this is 'hot topic', and as others have pointed out, Paul does in fact contradict some of the teachings of Christ, but, there is that big 'ol word 'but' again:
We know that the scriptures are the inspired word of God, so it isn't like these men are just writing what they remember of themselves, right? So, when we find contradictions, something must have changed. :::
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Well, its in this same epistle that Paul tells Timothy, and us, that we must rightly divide the word of truth:
2Ti 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
This is telling us that God has made some divisions that we need to be aware of, so we are instructed by the HS to try the things that differ. for ex. Paul could heal folks with just a piece of his clothing, but something changed and he couldn't even heal is son of disentary, so he recommended some wine.
Re the topic, the word angel gives us the word evangel, and the angel is a spiritual messenger, and the evangel is the message that he brings. God complains that, in Jeremiah, some said that God sent them, but the Lord said, I sent them not. When the apostle raised the question about faith: Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, he said, how shall they hear with out a preacher, and how shall they preach except they be sent. Except they be sent! So Paul said he was an ambassador. An ambassador sent, to represent a distant ruler. The very word apostle is made up of two words, apo –away from, and stello – I send. I send someone from myself to represent me. The apostle Paul nor Peter were the chiefest of the apostles, for we learn that in Hebrews chapter 3, it says; consider Him the apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. And Paul says, he that receiveth me, receiveth Him who sent me. So, we aren’t followers of Paul, but followers of the message giver who sent Paul out to you and me, as occupants of the nations.
Mat 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Mat 15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
Mat 15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:
Mat 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Mat 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
and at the end of Mark, we find Christ upbraiding them for their unbelief, and He 'sends' them, with signs following. in Acts 1 He teaches for 40 days about all things concerning the kingdom, and what do they ask Him? At this time shall ye restore the kingdom Lord?
by the time we get to the end of Acts, we find Israel set aside, rejecting their king in Acts 28:28, and the word is 'sent' to the gentiles [nations] and that they [we] shall hear. all the OT quotes stop, and Paul immediately writes the chain letter of Ehpesians, and 6 more, saying a mystery that was 'hid in God' was revealed regarding a new dispensing of God's message. But during the Acts, Paul was in bonds for Israel, always teaching to the Jew first, then to the gentile. after the crisis point of Acts 28, he becomes the prisoner for you gentiles. during the Acts, the message is repent and be baptized for the kingdom is at hand, after the Acts, in Eph 4, we have:
Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
The question then becomes, which baptism would you like to take, for there is more than one.
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings[baptisms], and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Joh 1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
That is pretty plainly spoken. He is baptizing with water so that the Lord should be made manifest to Israel.
Joh 1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
We must ask ourselves, if the Lord asked John to baptize Him now, to fulfill all righteousness, then do we have to do it all over again to fulfill all righteousness? They were demarcating a specific point in time, that being the fulfilling in Him as “Jesus Christ the righteous” [1Jo 2:1].
Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
You see, if one is to argue that verse 12 means submersion in literal water, then you know what you’ve got to prove don’t you? You’ve got to prove that verse 11 means physical circumcision, and that is absolutely apposed to the whole NT and nobody would put it forward. If circumcision has a spiritual application, then we are already mentally prepared that baptism has a spiritual application in verse 12.
Mat 20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
Mat 20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Mat 20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
There is only one answer to the question of what baptism this is speaking of and it is the baptism of death. Paul wasn't ''sent" to baptize:
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Now this is a very persuasive argument for all to be baptized. Lets continue reading the verse.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
I don’t belong to that company of the Pentecostal period. For in Acts 2:5 it is made clear that these were all Jews from various nations who had come to gather for the regular feast. There were no Gentiles there. We saw these signs following all thru the period of the Acts, where they were 'sent' to the lost of Israel, and any gentile believer had to come thru the Jew, as the Jew had preeminence, but the gentile still could not cross the middle wall of partition or he would be stoned to death; and there were many other seperations and divisions during that period.
It might be a good time to look at the first baptism in scripture:
1Co 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
1Co 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Did you notice they were all baptized unto Moses? and in ever passage we find it was on dry land.
Psa 106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
Here, the Jews are really upset because it has become evident that the HS is calling the gentiles, but the problem is, the gentiles receive Israel's spiritual blessings without having the burden of the law, so they hold a meeting.
Psa 78:13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
Act 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Act 15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
Act 15:20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
So, there we have it. Did you catch it? 4 things, only 4 things are the non Jews required to keep, abstain from fornication, and 3 things dealing with food so they could eat together. And this is not just men sayiing this, it is the Holy Spirit:
Act 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Act 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well, Fare ye well.