As far as humans go, he's my role model although I know I'll never be even half the man he was. I have so much respect for this man!
He was the first messenger of Christianity (if you even want to call it that). But yeah, the man suffered a lot of persecution everywhere he went, but he kept going and kept spreading the victorious gospel. I'm sure a lot of you guys can relate to Paul, having your message rejected in favor of eternal torment, which Paul never spoke of. I'm also sort of jealous that he got a peek into the third heaven lol. That must have really been a bummer coming back down though.
It often comes to my mind that Paul never mentioned hell in any of his letters, in any translation. ET's don't think about that. If it was so important to Paul to save people from hell, then why did he never mention it? I have to say, I don't know if I have it in me to live the lifestyle he lived.
The man had distain for other people the very thought of there uncleanness
was more than he could bear.
He delighted in finding these degenerates and brutally mutilating and killing them.
He loved that his very being, struck fear in the hearts of those heretics and blasphemers,
who called on the name of Jesus.
We all have to start some where.
In my opinion God chose him out of all people to be the Apostle to the Gentiles because he could fight for a cause better than anyone else, even if at first he fought for the wrong side, in the end he was one of the Church's key figures. :2c:
Also, it proves that even a murderer of Christians can be CHANGED. Praise the Lord! :dsunny:
Paul filled with the Spirit defined LOVE
If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Amen! :Peace2:
Paul said that if he could, he would take the place (switch places) of unsaved Israel if it would bring them to the Lord.
Doesn't sound like he thought of eternal torment.
Doesn't sound like Jesus, the person that actually did give his life in exchange for all, feared eternal torment.
According to ET theology (which they haven't followed to it's logical conclusion) since we were condemned to eternal torment
and Christ took our place, why isn't Jesus being eternally tormented?
Quote from: jbertonbounds on May 28, 2013, 06:34:46 PM
It often comes to my mind that Paul never mentioned hell in any of his letters, in any translation. ET's don't think about that. If it was so important to Paul to save people from hell, then why did he never mention it? I have to say, I don't know if I have it in me to live the lifestyle he lived.
:banana: :dsunny: :HeartThrob:!!!!
They just believe it because others believed it and others before them and so on.. NOT because they have studied the Scripture and not just study but also try to "live" God's message in your heart. If they had done this, there would be no teaching of eternal torment now. :2c:
Quote from: ded2daworld on May 29, 2013, 03:50:29 PM
Paul said that if he could, he would take the place (switch places) of unsaved Israel if it would bring them to the Lord.
Doesn't sound like he thought of eternal torment.
Doesn't sound like Jesus, the person that actually did give his life in exchange for all, feared eternal torment.
According to ET theology (which they haven't followed to it's logical conclusion) since we were condemned to eternal torment
and Christ took our place, why isn't Jesus being eternally tormented?
:thumbsup: :dsunny:
...amen! here's something else that gets overlooked.. I don't know if it was Joseph or Job who said it (Job?) that he would meet someone in sheol where ALL persons go.. or he said something like "all meet in sheol"... (Geesh, guess I better look that one up!) :smile:
Job 14:13 - Job says to the LORD (YHWH, the translator's changed) "oh that you would hide me in sheol!"
Can anyone really believe Job would want to be hidden in a so called burning with brimstone 'hell'??
There are many, many other instances in which the ET'ers translate grave or sheol as hell... they have perverted the Scripture with their twisted ideas.
I love my Rotherham's Translation - it contains zero mentions of the word "hell."
That's because there's no such thing as hell. Like others have put it so nicely, "What the hell is hell?" :gimmefive:
Amazingly, the Rotherham's translation is not new. It was done in the 1800's (if I am not mistaken).
Watching an old western movie I was pleasantly surprised at a grave site it was all about sleeping in the grave awaiting "resurrection"! The two are connected, as if death is but another form of living, and if not aLL are reconciled, I guess you have to have some place for all the leftovers! Oiye! Such an inept vision of GOD!
Sleeping and awaiting the resurrection are apt, as [ :2c:] resurrection will be like waking from a dream, the dream being the here-and-now, which I sometimes compare to a sort of lucid dream. If that is so, death is absolutely NOT to be feared, but accepted in faith as no more consequential than laying your head on your pillow at night...
I have often had a very similar thought, Laz. Most of us believe that dead means dead - that folks don't go straight to heaven or the lake of fire when they die. We believe they will be resurrected in one of two resurrections.
Well, for the person who has died, it will seem only a blink of the eye. I don't tell people that when they lose a loved one, but I do sometimes share it with folks at other times. They never buy it. We have all had loved ones die, and they so want to believe that dear old granny is in heaven, lying under a shade tree, sipping on mint juleps and fellowshipping with dear old aunt Tavie. :laughing7:
Quote from: jbertonbounds on May 30, 2013, 06:13:10 PM
I have often had a very similar thought, Laz. Most of us believe that dead means dead - that folks don't go straight to heaven or the lake of fire when they die. We believe they will be resurrected in one of two resurrections.
Well, for the person who has died, it will seem only a blink of the eye. I don't tell people that when they lose a loved one, but I do sometimes share it with folks at other times. They never buy it. We have all had loved ones die, and they so want to believe that dear old granny is in heaven, lying under a shade tree, sipping on mint juleps and fellowshipping with dear old aunt Tavie. :laughing7:
You said it perfectly! :thumbsup: :gsmile:
I think the best thing about Paul being the apostle to the gentiles is that he knew first-hand the
power of fear. The synagogue and temple were where the power of fear was distributed.
Those who feared God should also fear those who spoke for God.
Now there was this group of Jews who did not fear the leaders of the Israel.
Paul thought that if this new group did not fear and respect the temple as he did.
He would kill them.
Not in some crude slaughter but in a systematic legal way.
Which in itself was fear producing. He purposely allowed his reputation to precede,
him so that anyone thinking of joining this new way would have to think twice.
Paul experienced the power of the written code.
The ability to hand out death sentences.
God blessed Paul with the power greater than death.
The power of Love.
When I read about Paul and listen to what I believe are some of his Spirit filled teachings.
He knows the law and its weaknesses yet because unlike Jesus Paul was born of the flesh.
The flesh wants to use the law to show (something good, anything).
As he goes through this process he always falls on to Grace.
Throw the guy bragging about sleeping with his father's wife out.
Later don't be too hard on him invite him back in.
Paul absolutely saw that Love applied through grace was the best you could get
while still here on earth in the flesh.
:iagree:
Hi I am Julie and am new here. I have frequented TentMaker many times during my Spiritual Awakening. Of which many things have been revealed to me that were hidden prior.
I don't think too many people know about this little Scripture that follows. I share it, not thinking that I am posting anything new, just to let you know where I am coming from.
This was borrowed from http://thestoryofdarren.com/2013/03/09/the-complete-revelation/ (http://thestoryofdarren.com/2013/03/09/the-complete-revelation/) with permission
Col 1:25 of which I became minister, according to the dispensation of God which [is] given me towards you to complete the word of God,
He was not speaking in terms of time, but in matters of revelation. It is through the writings of Paul that we get the truths concerning God's ultimate goal for mankind, as well as for the entire universe.
Dr. J.B. Lightfoot, in his commentary on Colossians, says (p. 67), "The word plerosai, to fulfill; i.e., to preach fully. To give its complete development to." Luther used reichlich predigen, "to preach fully," and Olshausen says: "That is, to declare the gospel in all its fullness and extent." Each of these writers were commenting upon the plerosai, the completing of the revelation of God, by Paul.
Mr. Ray A. Van Dyke, compiled a comparison between the revelation given in Revelation and that given to Paul, as recorded in 1 Cor. 15:22-28.
His comments are reproduced here:
"In the book of Revelation we do not have the final plan of God. Paul, in 1 Cor. 15:22-28 takes us much further into the future than does the book of Revelation. To illustrate this more clearly, study the following: 1 Cor. 15:22-28 as compared with the new heaven and new earth of Revelation 20:21-22:
In Revelation 20, 21 & 22, we have:
Still rule (20:6; 22:5)
Son still reigns (22:1-5; 11:5)
Authority (21:24,25)
Power (21:24,25; 22:2)
Kings (21:24-26)
Saints reign (22:5)
Second death still exists (21:5)
The nations still mortal (22:2)
In 1 Cor. 15:22-28, we have:
No more rule
No more authority
No more power
No more enemies
No more reigning
All subjected
No more death, death destroyed.
All made alive, immortal
I too have had a Love / hate relationship regarding Paul, but this little vs changed that to Love.
Thanks,
Julie
Welcome to the forum, Julie :girlheart: