Long after Peter's death appears 2 Peter 3: I wish this were canonical. Here no such context is inferable. I discuss this thoroughly at Second Peter Reference to Paul. Perhaps because many assume Paul was accepted into canon by a legitimate source. Such a belief does not prove it is correct. In the Reformation, Carlstadt, the joint-founder of the reformation with Luther, agreed with me that Paul is not on par with Jesus, and he relegated Paul to writings inferior to Jesus and Moses. So opinions recently varied as well, from major figures. But my main point is whether Jesus warns us about Paul.
All the rest above simply prepares us to open our minds to listen to our Savior. Here are proofs that Jesus directly warns you and me about Paul. First, Jesus does so in Matthew 5: Jesus in Matthew 5: See Jesus on Paul the Least. Jesus says not to listen to them, for they are imposter Jesuses. Jesus says you will know it is truly himself only if he is seen from eastern to western sky, and every eye on earth sees him. Jesus in Revelation has another statement obviously intended to alert discerning Christians that Jesus refers negatively to Paul's teachings.
In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus compliments the Ephesians for determining someone who said he was an apostle was in fact not truthful about being his apostle. The Ephesians are also commended by Jesus for recognizing not to listen to the one who says it is ok to eat meat sacrificed to idols. It begins with a prophecy about the tribe of Benjamin in the later days… in Genesis Paul, a Benjamite Romans In Ezekiel, "ravening wolves" is used to describe religious leaders that draw believers away from following the Law including the keeping of the Sabbath.
Thus, the Benjamite Wolf Prophecy of Genesis I thus contend our Lord means Paul was a sincere dupe of the voice and light Jesus outside Damascus. This still means that Paul only appeared to be a Christian, but was not truly one because Paul had the wrong Jesus all along. Finally, there are many more references by Jesus to Paul. Paul explained how this came about to the Corinthians: I trust this has answered your questions. I pray you will examine these issues, asking yourself what does Jesus say … not what do I say.
For you and I both must answer to our Lord, not church councils, canon committees, or to each other. I obey only what Jesus teaches. But I always listen to anyone who can cite something Jesus says that mandates I listen to Paul. No one has ever tried. I have re-read Holy Scripture over and over, and find no positive command to listen to Paul anywhere in there.
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Paul never even quotes Jesus in some revelation as supposedly giving Paul that singular authority. But if I am wrong, I welcome you showing it to me. They begin with Paul, not Jesus. Please enter your questions, and we will get back to you as soon as possible. As an anti-spam measure, we ask that you re-type the code you see in the box below, prior to clicking "Send Message" Your Message Blessings of Christ Doug. Following Jesus sounds so simple, but to some it is a confusing concept. Following Jesus consists of: It is that simple.
Once we do so, we are agreeing to submitting or surrendering ourselves to Jesus, to pattern our lives after Him and to place our relationship with Him above our own will and desires. Following Jesus is a life-changing commitment to be taken seriously. What does all of that mean? Following Jesus is making a very personal, individual decision.
It is a choice every human is offered and must choose through faith. Following Jesus is not about religion, since different denominations or religions tell us there are dozens of different ways to follow Him. Being followers of Jesus Christ is associated most with Christianity, but God never intended Jesus to be for a select group of people.
God intended for everyone, from every nation, to accept His Son. Following Jesus — What does it mean to accept Him? How is following Jesus possible? What does it mean to accept His Son and how do we do it? The only way is through surrendering our all no matter our nationality, gender or bloodline to the one who surrendered himself for us. A hasty word, even a look, is enough to rouse some people's wrath. The angry speech, the haughty glance, are at once returned.
We are prone to be soon angry, to think the worst of our enemies, and to be slow to forgive. Totally different was the conduct of Jesus. Throughout His life He "was despised and rejected of men," yet He still went about doing good. He provoked no one, yet was the constant victim of hatred and insult. He persevered in efforts to save those who persevered in endeavors to injure and slay Him. And on the cross He prayed for His murderers, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. For even hereunto were you called; because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that you should follow His steps; who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not.
If your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. But how often we forget that we are to imitate Him in enduring injury. When a Christian gives way to a hasty or unforgiving spirit; when he is made angry by a trifle, and cannot put up with the least affront; when he is prompt to revenge and slow to forgive a fault; how greatly must the spirit of Jesus be grieved, His own soul be injured, and observers be repelled rather than attracted by a religion so sadly misrepresented.
Meek and gentle Jesus, help me, imitating Your example, not only to abstain from whatever would be injurious to others, but to be patient under wrongdoing, to be willing rather to suffer than commit unkindness; to be slow to wrath; to render good for evil; to be prompt to forgive; and thus to prove to all men that I do indeed follow You.
Unbelief suggests, "God has forgotten me, or has ceased to love me. How harsh of Him to afflict me thus. I have far more than my share of trouble. Why are others dealt with so much more mildly? Surely no good can come out of this, but only misery and discouragement. I do well to murmur.
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My prayers and faith have all been in vain. I am no better off than those who never trusted in God; no, many of the wicked are far happier and more prosperous than I. Is not the evil itself a good when He appoints it? May I not be sure it is sent for some kind purpose? To wean me from the world, to lead me to Himself, to exercise my patience, to strengthen my faith, to give me opportunity for cherishing a submissive spirit? Have not all His people suffered affliction?
No strange thing has happened to me. I may think that my trial is too heavy, or that some other trial would have been better; but does not He know best? The nature, the measure, the duration of my sorrow are all regulated by Him who cannot err or be unkind. Ought I not, therefore, to love His will, as well as submit to it, remembering that I am but a foolish child needing much discipline to train me for heaven, and that, like as a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.
Though requiring no trials, as we do, to purify Him from sin, His life was a continued course of enduring afflictions. He came to do the will of His Father, and though with a sensibility both to bodily and mental anguish which, perhaps, has never been equaled, He said, "The cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it? We are not forbidden to feel our trials. Christ felt, and groaned, and prayed for relief. But let us ever prefer God's will to our own; let us pour our sorrows into His ear, and then say, "Not my will, but Yours be done.
And as infinite love and wisdom prepared our bitter draught of sorrow, let us say, as Jesus did, "The cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it? Besides His habitual frame of mind, He devoted special seasons to worship and spent whole nights in prayer. He taught His disciples "always to pray and not to faint"; encouraged them by the promise, "Ask, and you shall receive"; and inspired them to teach all men to "continue instant in prayer.
Of ourselves we can do nothing. Not a stain can be cleansed, a temptation resisted, a duty performed, unless "mercy and grace to help in time of need" come from God in answer to prayer. Religion is a cold, dead formalism without prayer. The fire of divine love goes out unless prayer feeds it with fresh fuel. As a branch we wither, unless by prayer we abide in Christ, the living Vine.
Let us, then, cherish at all times a prayerful spirit, avoiding whatever tends to injure it. In all we do, suffer, or enjoy, let us look up to God. The heart may pray when the lips are still. In the midst of bustle, aspirations may ascend to the ear and heart of our Father. Nothing which concerns us is too trifling to be made a subject of prayer. Public and social prayer is a solemn duty and a blessed privilege. But as there is danger of being satisfied with the outward performance, let us be especially careful that our hearts ascend with every request.
Private prayer is still more essential, and more in danger of being neglected. Jesus said, "When you pray, enter into your closet, and shut the door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. This should be felt as the first of all duties, the chief of all privileges. To this everything else should give way. Whatever our duties, whatever the demands on our time, let us never spend a day without prayer. If we have no time for it, we should make time. Let it be taken from pleasure, from labor, from social communion, from sleep. Let us pray, not in a hurried, formal manner, to satisfy conscience and to feel that a necessary task is done; but as children, to open our hearts to a loving Father, and to seek strength whereby we may endure the trials, perform the duties, and gratefully enjoy the blessings of each day.
We are never safe when we neglect prayer; but, like a man without his armor, we are exposed to every weapon of the foe. We depart from Christ, instead of following Him, every day we spend without earnest prayer. They who turn back altogether, begin their declension in religion by neglecting prayer. Lord, teach me to pray— to pray and not to faint— to pray without ceasing; to walk with God, and thus to be a follower of You.
The worship He paid to God only qualified Him for better fulfilling His relationships to men. While a child, "He was subject unto His parents"; from which we may learn that we are to act in conformity with the duties of our station, whatever that station may be. As children we are to "honor our father and mother. Until thirty years of age, Jesus abode with His mother and her husband, who was a carpenter and, no doubt, shared his toil.
Throughout those many years, He showed that there is dignity in all useful labor, and by His own example taught impressive lessons of industry, of unostentatious obedience, and of glorifying God in obscurity. As His followers, we should make our religion bear upon our daily duties. In order to show our love, it is not necessary to do some great thing, to perform some act of penance, or to abandon our station in life to preach the gospel.
We may glorify God by contented, cheerful industry; and however humble and obscure our lot, we may feel that work is worship, when done with a desire to please Him. Thus all Christians, however high or however low their station, should follow Jesus every day in the thoroughness, the diligence, the uprightness, the cheerfulness, the whole spirit and manner with which they perform their ordinary duties.
Let none suppose that offering prayer can be a substitute for industry and integrity; and that if they attend to the forms of religion, they may be lazy, or fraudulent, or severe, or discontented, or negligent in the common things of life. True religion should influence our conduct throughout the day. We must be "diligent in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord," if we would in all things follow Jesus.
He "went about doing good. None were too insignificant or degraded for His compassion.
He not merely showed mercy to those who came in His way, but He sought out the most sorrowful that He might comfort them, and the most wicked that He might lead them to repentance. He taught that it is "more blessed to give than to receive.
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In describing the final judgment, He speaks of those who did not feed the hungry and clothe the naked as having neglected Himself. The apostles, instructed by His Spirit, gave similar precepts to the church: All can do something. Even a cup of cold water will be accepted, if we have nothing more to give.
A single word or a silent look on the side of goodness, when we can do no more, is regarded with approval by our Leader. Opportunity and ability are the sufficient summons, and the only limit of duty. If I can, then, as a Christian, I ought to seek the happiness of others, to cheer the sorrowful, to support the needy, to raise the fallen, to save sinners from the error of their way.
Jesus expects His disciples not only to receive, but to disperse His gifts. If, then, I am living a merely selfish life, without any efforts to make my fellow creatures happier and holier, can I be one of His followers? There is not space in this little book for additional illustrations.
But all is comprehended in imitating His spirit; for if our inward thoughts and feelings are like His, our outward words and actions will be so also. And the apostle Paul says, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant.
High notions of what we deserve from God, or from men, produce impatience, discontent, envy, anger, strife, and all uncharitableness. Lord, give me a humble heart. Conscious that I deserve nothing good from You, may I receive joys with thankfulness, and sorrows with submission. In lowliness of mind help me to esteem others better than myself, that I may never vaunt myself over the lowliest of my brethren, and that I may bear with meekness whatever may look like pride in them, making charitable allowances for their treatment of me, and remembering what daily chastisements I deserve for my own sins against You.
Thus may I be a follower of Him who was "meek and lowly in heart. He was not only "undefiled and separate from sinners" in His actions, but sin itself had no place in His soul. We cannot conceive of Jesus encouraging one evil desire. He abstained not only from all indulgence, but from all thought of it. Lord, give me the blessedness of the "pure in heart. Some people who profess to be very pure, are also very stern; but Jesus was purity and loveliness combined.
There was nothing repulsive in His temper and deportment. The chief of sinners could approach Him without fear. Excepting the hypocrite, He had a kind look and a word of encouragement for all. His presence made sunshine everywhere. The law of kindness was on His lips, and the manner of His conferring a boon was as strong a proof of His benevolence as the boon itself. Oh, let this mind also be in us. Help me, Lord, to show that Your religion makes men pleasing as well as pure. Let my piety be attractive. Let love to You evidently inspire me with love to all my fellow men.
Help me at home in the family as well as in the world, with my most familiar friends as well as with strangers, in those little words, and looks, and actions which make up the greatest part of life, to prove how lovely goodness is. Let a morose temper, a stern look, an ungentle tone, a repulsive assumption of superior virtue be far from me. Help me, as Your follower, to cultivate not only whatever things are just and true, but "whatever things are lovely and of good report.
This will often be difficult and painful. But self-denial, or cross-bearing, is a necessary and unavoidable condition of following Jesus. He frequently and most plainly forewarned His disciples of this. This was a mark of ignominy, as it would be now for a criminal going to the scaffold to wear the rope by which he was to be suspended. Carrying it was also painful and laborious, when the condemned person was weakened and lacerated by the scourge.
Thus "bearing the cross" signifies enduring difficulties, pains, and reproaches. It is evident that we cannot be Christians without self-denial. The gospel saves us by delivering us from sinful indulgence, and therefore giving up that indulgence is a self-denial involved in the very nature of salvation. A sick man, in being cured, must take up his cross by drinking the bitter medicines, submitting to the painful operations, and confining himself to the spare diet ordered by his physician.
And it is impossible that we can be saved by the Physician of souls without giving up whatever causes disease. He saves us in sickness, but it is only by delivering us out of it, and therefore we must give up whatever nourishes it. Sinful habits, however inveterate, though they cling to us as a part of ourselves, must be broken off. Christ taught how severe yet how necessary such self-denial is, when He said, "If your right hand offend you, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell.
If He requires it, we must be willing to give up property, friends, reputation, life itself. And if, by refusing to do this, we show that we love anything whatever more than Jesus, He tells us that we cannot be His disciples. His followers in former times were often called to suffer severe persecution. Many pined in prison; many were "tortured, not accepting deliverance," if a condition of that deliverance were a denial of their Lord; many died at the stake, rejoicing in Jesus while tortured by the flames. Though we are not exposed to such sufferings, yet by faithfully following Him we may incur derision and hatred, injure our worldly interests, offend those on whom we are dependent, and grieve and alienate our best friends.
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The cross we have to bear may sometimes be a most heavy one; but we must not hesitate to take it up. It is most true that wisdom's ways are "ways of pleasantness"; pleasantness super-excellent, but withal, of such a kind as can only be known by those who are willing to bear the cross as they journey. Not equally at all times, not similarly in all cases, but every follower of Jesus may be quite sure that in his way to heaven he will often have to imitate a cross-bearing Savior.
Try not, then, to discover some favored path in which you will not be thus burdened. A road without a cross should at once make you suspect it is not the true one. Only the strait and narrow road leads to heaven, and when the cross lies in the way, we must be prepared to carry it. Let us not drag it along after us unwillingly.
This will displease our Lord, and really give us more trouble in the end.
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Rather let us place it promptly on our shoulders, and press on with it after Jesus. He taught His disciples that they must "count the cost" of serving Him. This we have done. Our deliberate conviction is, that the honor of following Him, and the gifts He bestows, are beyond all price.
They would be infinitely cheap if we had to give up the whole world and a thousand lives in order to possess them. How willingly, then, should we pay the trifling cost which fidelity sometimes entails on us. In this "cross-bearing" we have the example of Jesus. When He went forth to be crucified, He carried His cross until He fainted beneath its weight.
And this was only an emblem of His whole life, which was one constant career of self-denial. The cross we bear is inseparably connected with our own salvation. Though love to Jesus should animate us to carry it, it is our own interests which are promoted. But the cross He bore was for our benefit, not His own.
He enjoyed the perfection of all blessedness before He came to dwell with men. It was not necessary for Him, as it is for us, that holiness and happiness should be obtained by a course of self-denial. It was on our account alone that He bore His heavy cross; to atone for our guilt, and animate us to overcome evil. His cross was far heavier than ours. On Him was laid the iniquity of us all, yet how cheerfully He bore it. Our cross, however heavy, is lightened and becomes endurable by His.
Let us, then, keep our eye fixed on a cross-bearing Savior, and not murmur or be surprised that we also have to deny ourselves. Rather let us expect it every day. Let us feel that we cannot be right if we are strangers to it. Self-indulgence and Christianity cannot coexist, for, once more to quote the words of Jesus, "He that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me. They are religious at intervals, but not habitually. They sometimes seem to run in haste after Jesus, and then stand still. In their eagerness, they appear to condemn the slower pace of others; yet it is evident that the patient plodders make much more progress, and soon leave them far behind.
For those who follow by fits and starts do not renew their journey from the place they had reached before, but from a point much farther off. While they thought they were only standing still, they were really slipping backwards. Our religion should be a steady flame, always burning and giving light, and not a fitful meteor, startling beholders for a moment, but going out in darkness. We should every day of our lives be making some progress, quietly following Jesus without any pause; and never think we can stand still because we went a long distance some time ago, or because we intend hereafter to make up for lost time.
It is not a few extraordinary feats, a few very long days' journeys, that Christ requires; but that every day we should be making some advance, every day be drawing nearer to Him, and becoming more like unto Him. Some people are very religious when affliction comes. Disappointments, losses, vexations, drive them to devotion. From a sickbed they send up many earnest petitions. At the side of the grave where they have deposited a dear friend, they are conscious of deep religious feeling.
This, however, passes away with the sorrow that awakened it. But the true Christian follows Jesus earnestly in times of joy as well as of sadness, in the sunshine of prosperity as well as in the tempest of trial.