The apostle Paul

Main

The apostle Paul, all things to all men, tells lies?

Let's jump forward to the Apostle Paul, the most prolific author in the New Testament. Paul admits that he sometimes "stretches the truth" to further the Gospel. Romans 3:7 -- But if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?

"Or what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I SPEAK AS A MAN) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one" -Romans 3:3-10.

I beg to differ with you, Paul NEVER "stretched the truth". All Paul was saying is, that being a man, he could never be as perfect as God-

"That I may win Christ, And be found in him... Not as though I had already attained, EITHER WERE ALREADY PERFECT: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus" Philippians 3:8-12.

Even Paul, with all his knowledge, said- "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" -1 Corinthians 13:12.

Nevertheless, a perfect God used an imperfect man to proclaim His truths- "The glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy... And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus" -1 Timothy 1:11-14.

Paul also admits to practicing deception to make the Gospel more attractive. 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 -- For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those under the law I became as one under the law -- though not being myself under the law -- that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Why the deception? If the "Truth" is that powerful, dynamic, and supernaturally inspired, why must Paul camouflage it? Wasn't it Paul himself who boldly declared "I am not ashamed of the Gospel" in the first place?

Again I have to beg to differ with you, Paul did not "practice deception", he merely became all things to all men. The key phrases in this verse are- "Though I be free from all men, yet HAVE I MADE MYSELF SERVANT UNTO ALL, that I might gain the more". And, "being not without law to God, BUT UNDER THE LAW to Christ". Paul never deceived anyone. He merely met people at their level. Being "under the law to Christ" he never compromised the gospel, nor disobeyed any commandments of Christ in order to reach people. This verse is speaking against such activities as monasticism (hiding away in a monastery), or being a separatist from the world, as say, the Amish do. The scriptures say-

"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" -John 17:15-18.

"I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat" -1 Corinthians 5:9-11.

I also wanted to ask you more about the Oneness Pentecostal Church. I tried looking up that denomination in my "Dictionary of Christianity in America" but I couldn't find it there

Oneness Pentecostalism is not a denomination, that's why. "Oneness" refers to our belief in One God (no Trinity), Pentecostalism refers to our receiving the Holy Ghost exactly as they did on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4. I don't belong to a denomination, the name of the church I attend is called The Apostolic Assembly of Jesus Christ. (By the way, should you or anyone feel the urge to take up with me the subject of "Oneness" as opposed to "Trinity", be forewarned- of all the subjects I feel I am prepared to discuss and defend, the subject of the Oneness of God is my absolute personal favorite. I have more scriptures to defend that doctrine, and commandment, than I do for any other subject, including the gospel- the death, burial, and resurrection. Of course, since it is my personal favorite subject, I am more than willing to discuss it with anyone who asks. My forewarning is merely this- be prepared for a LOT of information, by my standards!!! If anyone believes in a doctrine of a Trinity of separate persons in the godhead, and wants to defend that stand, let them be forewarned that the scriptures will ABSOLUTELY PROVE them to be false prophets!! Am I baiting? You better believe I am).

although I learned that there are over 300 Pentecostal denominations who are all sharply divided among one other over Biblical interpretations. So much for the idea that God's Word is so clear that everyone can glean understanding from it.

Calling yourself anything, including "Christian" or "Oneness" or "Pentecostal" or anything at all does not "guarantee" a monopoly, or automatic understanding of the scriptures. There is only one way this can be accomplished- through a love for the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10). By this I mean being absolutely determined to find the truth at ANY cost to self, and being totally repulsed by anything less. Before I came to God, I was a beer drinking, partying, hell-raisin', oil-field roustabout (laborer). When I wasn't at work, I was most likely sitting on a bar stool. Although I do have a high school education, I had been a drifter, and goal-less. I had not been able to hold a job for more than about 8 months (but since then, I am still at the same job, though different position). I think, considering my background, I have a pretty fair understanding of the scriptures. This in spite of the fact that I live in remote Soldotna, Alaska. I am not near any major learning centers, especially theological ones (except the church I attend). In fact I work away from home 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off in the Prudhoe Bay oilfields. That means that only half of the last 11+ years have I even been near a library (not that I use it much). By this testimony, I think I can say that anyone can glean understanding from the Bible- if they have a love for the truth. (Furthemore, I am not a "theological giant" by any means in the church I attend of 200 +/- members. I am very average amongst them.

On the other hand, as to "300 Pentecostal denominations", I will say this- this bolsters Paul's writing- "if through my falsehood God's truthfulness abounds to his glory". For we which are being saved are also not yet perfected. For this reason Christ- "Gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: TILL WE ALL COME IN THE UNITY OF THE FAITH, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" -Ephesians 4:11-13. You see, we're just still not quite there yet. And that is the mercy of God.

Thanks again for the questions Betelgeuse, and the opportunity to express these things. I hope I have answered your questions to your satisfaction. And I will be looking forward to hearing your replies.

by TomR.