marhig
Well-known member
What an awesome question!
Seriously, that is an outstanding question. It is the only logical question you could have asked.
No!, Paul did not preach the same gospel that Jesus taught or that the Twelve taught.
If he had, there would have been no need for him to exist as an apostle to begin with. Paul did not receive, what he repeatedly refers to as "my gospel", from man nor was he taught it. It was given to him directly from the risen Christ by revelation. This what Galatians (likely Paul's first epistle) is about...
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 (Now concerning the things which I write to you, indeed, before God, I do not lie.)
2:1 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and also took Titus with me. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to those who were of reputation, lest by any means I might run, or had run, in vain.
6 But from those who seemed to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me. 7 But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter 8 (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), 9 and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Now, read that through and notice something important. Something that goes back even to what I've been saying about proof-texts.
Notice that all of the "proof-texts" for following the law are in books written by, too, about and for Jews (i.e. Kingdom believers), while all the "proof-texts" for liberty are in the Pauline epistles.
Think this is the only doctrinal debate that falls along those lines? If so, you'd be mistaken.
Do you have to be baptized to be saved?
Do you have to observe the Sabbath?
Can you lose your salvation?
Are works necessary for salvation?
Should believers speak in tongues?
Should believers expect miracles and healing to happen today?
Is there a pre-tribulation rapture?
Should believers avoid certain foods?
Etc. etc. etc.
All of these and more have the same solution in common. There's a list as long as your arm of major doctrinal debates that are resolved by understanding one single thing. Paul's gospel is NOT that same as that taught by Jesus during His Earthly ministry and subsequently by the Twelve Apostles. Paul is the apostle to the Body of Christ and to NO ONE else, while the Twelve ministered to the Circumcision (i.e. Kingdom Gospel believers).
This will sound like bragging or like arrogance. I assure you that it is nothing of the sort. What you've just read, if your actually read it, is almost certainly the single most important doctrinal thing you've ever read since becoming a Christian. It is the key to understanding the New Testament. It's that important.
Resting in Him,
Clete
Firstly, i absolutely know that Paul got the gospel and revelation from Christ, I can hear Christ in him. The point I'm making is that. Jesus preached one gospel not 2, he doesn't change, and the gospel that he revealed to Paul is the same gospel that he preached. Paul goes into detail because there are many letters from him, but it's the same gospel, there isn't 2 gospels only one that is to be spread around world to us all. God isn't the author of confusion. There is one God, one Christ, and one gospel.
There is one gospel and Peter preached it to the Jews and Paul to the gentiles. The difference is that Paul is telling the gentiles that they don't need to be circumcised of the flesh, because true circumcision is of the heart. What's the point in being circumcised of the flesh if your heart isn't clean? Having a clean heart is far more important God. He is saying that they don't need to learn the laws, because through faith by the spirit, God will put his laws in their mind and in their hearts. So will be led to obey God through the spirit.
Jesus himself said in John 14
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you
He said that the holy ghost will teach you all things, if we have the spirit, he will be teaching us and guiding us to obey God.
It says in verse 6 (above) that God shows no favouritism in man, ....so God doesn't change for anybody and nor does Christ. So the gospel that is given is the same gospel given to all. God is no respecter of persons.
So, Paul's gospel is for the body of Christ and the twelve preach Jesus' gospel for the circumcision? Are you saying that the gospel of Christ isn't for us who are in the body of Christ, but we should only listen to Paul's gospel?
There is only one gospel, and it's all the gospel of Christ, and he was in all his apostles teaching the people. As Jesus said, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
He didn't say, just preach it to the Jews. But every every person in the whole world should hear the one gospel.
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