Paul NEVER would have done this if it WASN’T CHRIST’S REVELATION
How do we know scripture is true and that it is God’s accurate Word to mankind?
Many people point to Noah’s Ark, the Shroud of Turin, or other artifacts that prove the bible and Christ’s resurrection true. Others point to extra biblical references that prove scripture true. These are all valid and there are many more ways to prove the validity of scripture.
However, I go no furthur than Paul’s letters to outright prove the accuracy of the scripture. Recently, I had a coorespondence with a person that asked me, “If there are so many discrepencies in the bible, like mistranslations and misinterpretations, then how do you know what you believe is accurate?”
Well, great question.
In his letters, Paul’s teaching is clear. We can know that Paul received his teaching or his gospel from the glorified Christ because not only is it stated as such in scripture, but the message itself goes so against the prevailing mood and opinion of the time. Not only that, Paul’s message goes so far against every religion and societal norms throughout the centuries. Because of this, we know Paul’s message is from God.
Let me explain.
I was asked how I could believe Paul’s letters are accurate when there are so many misinterpretations and mistranslations in scripture. How do I know that this message is not from man or at least altered by man? Well, the answer is that Paul’s message is so far from what man would do that is has to be from God. In fact, this gospel is so direclty opposite of the way people think that most people don’t even understand it.
Not only that, but the message that Paul received goes so far in the opposite direction of what even Paul himself believed. Therefore, it couldn’t possibly be of man but of God.
So, how are we able to decide that the message that Paul presents is ‘so far beyond what a human being would ever come up with that you know it’s from God?’ Paul explains it himself in his letters. Paul explains the conflict with the people around him and the conflict within himself.
First, let’s take a look at what Paul was and what he believed. Paul was originally Saul. Saul was a pharisee and damn proud of it. His whole life was dedicated to following the law and becoming blameless through that law. This, as we will see later, it the very religious and cultural norm that is in direct opposition to the gospel given to Paul. Paul in his own words:
5 in circumcision the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews, in relation to law, a Pharisee,
6 in relation to zeal, persecuting the ecclesia, in relation to the righteousness which is in law, becoming blameless. -Philippians 3: 5-6
Saul was all about the law and so were the people that he would later be at odds with. So, the message Paul received from the glorified Christ was directly opposite of Saul’s disposition throughout his entire life. So, how do we know this message is from God? Because it is the complete opposite of what Saul was that it couldn’t have come from the man himself. Saul was all law and so enveloped in it that anything that would teach otherwise would have to come from a place outside of him. In this case, from God, through the glorified Christ Jesus.
Here are Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 1: 15-16:
15 Faithful is the saying, and worthy of all welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, foremost of whom am I.
16 But therefore was I shown mercy, that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ should be displaying all His patience, for a pattern of those who are about to be believing on Him for life eonian.
Why did Paul call himself the ‘foremost’ sinner? People equate sin with transgression against the law, yet Paul (formerly Saul) followed the law better than anybody. So, why is he the ‘foremost’ sinner if he followed the law better than anyone else? Because the message Paul received from Christ is opposite of the prevailing doctrine of the time and so opposite of Saul himself, that what was held in esteem is now considered the greatest sin. Human attainment through the law has been replaced by a righteousness completely apart from law.
This is why so many people fought against Paul’s message in his day and fight against Paul’s message today. Paul’s message blows up what people accept to be true. In Paul’s day, people believe that the law of Moses led to salvation. Today, people think that if you behave the right way you will be saved, if you don’t behave the right way, you will be lost.
If Paul invented this message or it did not come from Christ’s revelation, then the message itself would support the belief Paul had according to tradition and societal norms of his day. However, the fact that this message is so far from what any human including Paul himself would come up with, proves the source. God.
Another proof of the authenticity of Paul’s letters are that the author does not shy away from the conflict the message creates. God gave law and now God is doing something greater than law. God is now giving Paul a message of righteousness apart from law. Scripture (Paul’s letters) record the natural reaction that people that followed God’s law all their lives would have if law was nullified. This is recorded in Paul’s letters. The conflict is so real and it is recorded as such. It is an account of what happened and we can know that it is true.
Any honest reading of Paul’s letters and a person can tell that this can’t be made up. It is an actual account of what was happening. Paul was in conflict with Jewish believers that believed in Jesus Christ! If this were made up then Paul would have presented a united front, but his revelation from Christ made that impossible.
In all of his letters, Paul talks about the difference between law and grace. His letter to the Galatians includes a confrontation with Peter, Jesus Christ’s right hand man, because Peter’s attitude toward the gospel was wrong (Galatians 2:14). In Romans, Paul says ‘by works of law, no flesh at all shall be justified (Romans 3:20).’ Yet, Paul is constantly defending grace by arguing with those that keep injecting law into his message. Here is a few excerpts from Galatians that proves this:
2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you get the spirit by works of law or by hearing of faith? 3 So foolish are you? Undertaking in spirit, are you now being completed in flesh?
4 So much did you suffer feignedly? Since, surely, it also is feignedly! -Galatians 3: 2-4
2 Lo! I, Paul, am saying to you that if you should be circumcising, Christ will benefit you nothing. 3 Now I am attesting again to every man who is circumcising, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Exempted from Christ were you who are being justified in law. You fall out of grace. 5 For we, in spirit, are awaiting the expectation of righteousness by faith.
6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision is availing anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith, operating through love. -Galatians 5: 2-6
Its not that Paul’s message is different than the message of law. It’s that the complex discrepencies between Paul and the prevailing doctrine of his day are all answered perfectly in scripture if properly divided. The accounts of conflict and disagreement between Paul and those that followed the law of Moses could only arise if the Jewish people really followed the law of Moses that was steeped in historic fact.
It is only in practicing law that Paul’s message of grace would be so out of place and foreign to humanity. This was all that Paul knew and it was God that revealed the deeper meaning and accomplishment of Christ’s cross. Anyone that follows this account and thinks that Paul would or any human being could make this up with all the detailed fall out that went with it…is nuts or just doesn’t understand what they are reading.
What about today? Paul’s message of grace destroys every single religion that has existed, exists today, or ever will exist. People seek religion because they believe that it is up to man, at least in part, to save themselves. Christians believe its by their free will choice that they save themselves and every other religion has things that must be done to earn salvation. This is what man does when they make shit up. Paul’s message is the opposite of what man does. Therefore, it can be and only is from God, through Christ Jesus.
Want the proof? Paul brings everything back to Adam and explains that every single human being has death operationg in them because of the first man’s act of disobedience. The world says that you must choose Christ or be a good person to earn salvation. However, Paul destroys this notion and says that Christ Jesus saves EVERY SINGLE PERSON that receives death from Adam. THAT’S EVERYONE. Paul says that these people, all that die in Adam, are saved by Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Christ does this with absolutely no contribution from the human. Humans get life with God in the same way they get death from Adam…by no choice or action of their own.
18 Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is through one just award for all mankind for life’s justifying.
19 For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just. -Romans 5: 18-19
21 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. -1 Corinthians 15: 21-22
This flies in the face of the world that says, ‘man must make his own way’ and it flies in the face of religion that says, ‘man must do something to be saved.’ If Paul’s message was from man, it would be tainted with the worldy and religious. Paul’s messasge is from God, so it is not.
Humanity and religion believes in ‘human free will’ and any message from a human would reflect this ‘human free will.’ Yet, Paul completley eliminates the possibility of ‘human free will’ because his message is from the glorified Christ, not man. One only needs to read Romans, chapter 9 to understand this. However, though human free will is destroyed ‘word for word,’ people refuse to believe plain statements because it is so far from what they think has to be true according to their worldy and religious beliefs.
If Paul’s message was from man, then it would reflect man’s views. However, his message is from God so it is the opposite of man. So much so, that men in Paul’s day and men today, reject it.
Humanity and religion believes that ‘sin’ at least in some part, keeps you from God. Paul says that where sin increases, grace superexceeds it (Romans 5:20).
Humanity and religion says that the human chooses faith and repentance. Paul says that God chooses to whom He will give faith and repentance (Romans 12:3).
Humanity and religion says that some people are going to heaven and some to hell or annihilation. Paul outlines the multifarious plan of God to save those that believe through faith and those that don’t believe through judgement. In fact, Paul lays out the process and order of salvation for every creature ever created (Colossians 1: 15-20, 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28).
Humanity and religion works on rewarding the good and punishing the bad. In all human systems, the good are chosen and rewarded. Paul says that God chooses the weak, the unwise, the ignoble, and the stupid (1 Corinthians 1: 26-29). No human would do this because Paul’s message is from God, through the glorified Christ.
AND on AND ON….
The proof that Paul’s message is from God is that it is so far from what any human does or thinks that religion and humanity don’t even understand the message. They reject it because it is against human teaching in every way.
Saved ignoble 
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