Darren Beckett
Just Some Random Thoughts About The Bible
Unique to Paul
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
- Many people say that Paul’s gospel is Jesus’ gospel, and that Paul doesn’t teach anything unique to what Jesus and the Apostles taught. The following is a list of things that Paul taught that no one else in the Bible taught. Amos 3:7 says, “Certainly the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret plan to His servants the prophets.” Yet somehow Paul was given a number of new things that were never given to any of God’s servants or prophets.Paul is an apostleJesus never tells us of a coming apostle besides the 12, and none of the 12 ever recognize Paul as an apostle¹. Even Paul’s own accounts of his conversion in Acts 9, 22, and 26 state that he would be a witness (original language: martus), not an apostle. Secondly, the only one to back up Paul’s calling is Ananias, who cannot be verified as a prophet by anyone except Paul. Lastly, Paul never met the qualifications to be considered for apostleship.The raptureJesus never spoke of a rapture, neither did the disciples.A new gospelPaul claims Jesus gave him a new gospel, and it was something only revealed to him. (Romans 16:25 and 1 Corinthians 15.1-4)Faith alone is necessary for salvationSalvation according to the gospel of the kingdom was to repent and be baptized, believing Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God (Matthew 16:16-17 and John 11:25-27 and Acts 2:38). Paul’s new gospel is the gospel of faith, which was never taught by Jesus nor his disciples.The church as the body of ChristIf you search the entire Bible, you won’t find a single mention of the body of Christ aside from Paul. Everything that the church is, has been defined only by Paul.Fruits of the SpiritNeither Jesus nor his disciples ever mention the concept of the fruits of the spirit. This is unique to Paul and borrows heavily from Gnosticism.Spiritual GiftsPaul is the only person to mention spiritual gifts, and his list changes depending on who he’s speaking to.Speaking in tonguesThe only mention of anything like speaking in tongues is found in Acts, when the disciples spoke and everyone heard what was said in their own native tongue. What Paul speaks of is quite different. Paul often refers to “the tongues of angels”.World leaders are put in place by GodSatan tempted Jesus by offering him the kingdoms of the earth. Only Paul says that “the authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1).There was only one baptismAnd it’s not water baptism. (Ephesians 4:5 and 1 Corinthians 12:13)¹ Contrary to popular opinion, Peter never vouches for Paul as an apostle. He refers to Paul as a “brother”, or “of the same nationality” in the original language.