Learn Something New Every Day
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If you're a Christian, this post doesn't help your witness. If you're not worshipping God you're not doing it right. God demands worship and not just any worship. He demands worship according to His Word. As far as the legalism you mentioned that exists in Catholicism...
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV
And there is why people are turned off of Christianity - if you're doing it this way, you're doing it wrong.
Yep.
"Demands worship", "but only his way". Literally doesn't sound so benevolent when put that way, and naturally you can see why that pushes people away.
This is why I don't like organized religion.
We've seen 1984 in full swing, and the power of people in power, but somehow as a collective we just accept that the Bible is completely unaltered despite all the revisions and retranslations and reinterpretations and so on.
It's silly. It also detracts from the messages that are good within the Bible, by making people disregard all of it for these reasons.
Once I received confirmation, that was it for me. My parents put me in CCD because my grandmother was a devout Catholic, nevermind that my parents' words and actions were about as far away from good parenting as you can get, behind closed doors. Because they rarely showed who they really were to other people.
How is it that Paul's interpretation is treated with the same Creedence as Jesus? It's not for me to say Paul was wrong, he was, however just a man and his ideas are not fact or law. Paul never walked with Jesus and Jesus named Mathias to replace Judas.
Paul is to Christianity what Joseph Smith is to Mormonism.
Having been raised a mormon, and became a christian at age 34 (over 30 years ago), I can attest that there is a difference between Paul of the Bible, and Joe Smith the occultist.
Okay, well saying it doesn't make it so. Please share your side of things.
https://lifeafterministry.com/2015/11/the-occult-in-mormonism-and-the-life-of-joseph-smith/
Galatians 1:11-12 Paul Says "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Paul writings were considered Scripture by Peter who was one of the Apostles. Joseph smith is the father of a Cult. Are you saying Paul, who wrote 13 epistles in the new testament is the father of a Cult?
Yes I am. My experience with Christianity has been very cult like with how much they cling to Paul's words yet when you challenge with Jesus's own words, I get pre-programmed responses like "that's not what Jesus meant. Here's Paul's explanation." No. Wrong. Paul was not named by Jesus to speak on His behalf. He claims he is three different times with three different versions of his conversation story, but Jesus named Mathias to replace Judas. So Paul's ideas, while certainly worth consideration, are not above the words of Jesus Himself. And citing Paul to shut down discussion is wrong. Paul was just a man no different and no more or less susceptible to corruption than you or I.
Here is what Jesus says about Paul in the Book if Acts
“As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?”
Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. [a]It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?”
Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Ananias Baptizes Saul
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”
And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much [b]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children[c] of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Bear in mind that many "churches" are little more than pious social clubs; they are man led, not Spirit led. I haven't been near one in decades.
If you're discounting Paul, then you don't believe a large portion of the New Testament. If you don't believe the Bible (including the NT) is inspired by the Holy Spirit, then, again, you're getting it wrong. Everything Paul wrote was inspired by God via the Holy Spirit...it's all there in Acts 9. At the risk of giving you "Paul's interpretation" again, I'll refer you to this.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV
Ah yes... the inspired Word of God fallacy. Did you know anyone can make such claims? Did you know Joseph Smith did the same thing? But of course his inspiration was false despite Mormonism being one of the largest sub-sects of Christianity...
The "inspired Word of God" is not immune to the corruptions of man. And history has proven that the Bible is not as Holy as Christians need it to be. I mean Jefferson wrote his own version and lived well into his 80s after being the 3rd President of the greatest country ever established. Of course I see it as his version brought Christ to groups of people who otherwise wouldn't listen and that's all that matters in the end; Jesus. If Jesus didn't say it, then I have my doubts about it. Paul... whether chosen by God or not, was just a man like you or I. And so yes, his interpretation should be reduced to just that. He is not above Jesus, yet people like you quote him like he is... and that's part of the problem.
So I assume the Holy Spirit holds no sway over you? If that's the case, then I'll keep you in my prayers. To compare an apostle of Christ to Joseph Smith or Thomas Jefferson is a mistake. You have your doubts if Jesus didn't say it. If that's the case then how can you be sure that the words of Jesus as transcribed by mere men are accurate? Faith in the inerrency of the Bible is a must, otherwise you're just making it up as you go along by picking and choosing what is convenient for you. This leads to false religion and I think we all know where that leads.
He is hugely misunderstood: he spoke to people of his day who came to Christianity from different cultures etc. Dr Randall Smith does good teaching on the books of the Bible.