Phiz wrote:Hello Casey
Greetings!
Hello!
The NT besides the Gospels and Revelation are first person letters of men, containing their opinions and commentaries, and thus subject to reproof based on the true scriptures, the "OT" books of the Law and the Prophets. ... Paul would not have called his letters scriptures since they included opinions would have had him speaking of himself rather than God.
I find this subject fascinating. I did my own investigation into it recently and this is what I concluded:
It looks like you approached it with somewhat of a bias...
Jesus Christ promised his Apostles that the Holy Spirit would come and teach them what he had left unsaid in his earthly ministry.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)
See also: John 16:12-15
The Holy Spirit must be led by Jesus Life Witness to us. The Apostles deviated from that Witness many times.
About the Spirit, Jesus said:
- "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:8)
Teaching and bringing to remembrance still requires that the Word written be filtered by sinful men.
The true test of authority for what we read is Jesus - He is they only WAY to knowledge of God, He is the Good Shepherd, everyone else is an hireling, wolf, or a thief. See John 10:7-18.
His sheep hear His voice, they use the Light of the world to keep their eye singly in Light, for any deviation in that Light proves out the darkness within the Bible.
Jesus Christ commissioned his Apostles to teach and command with Jesus’ own authority.
Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." (Matthew 20:18-20)
See also: Matthew 16:18-19, Luke 10:16, John 15:26-27, 20:21-23
Nowhere did Jesus make the Apostles infallible, nowhere did the Apostles claim to be infallible.
Solomon was blessed with authority and wisdom from God Himself, yet he slowly turned from God as his ego and greed imperceptably took over.
The Apostles are no different. Commissioned to spread the Gospel they understandably ended up being 'shepherds' themselves, advising churches to cast out the sheep of Jesus without knowing the hearts and reins of people or consulting and relying on God.
Would you or I have done any differently?
Jesus is the only WAY. No Apostle can teach people of the Father as the Apostles attempted to do. Once the Gospel was preached and people were converted, the Apostle's job was done, except to provide encouragement and strength as they were able.
Again: Jesus is the only WAY to Truth in the Bible - there are no other authorized commentaries or men or women that God has given that job to. Each person must search the scriptures using Jesus' teachings and Life Example to lead the Holy Spirit within them.
Subsequently the Apostles claimed to speak with Jesus’ own authority.
We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God ... These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. ... We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit." (1 Corinthians 2:7-13)
See also: Acts 13:44-47, 22:14-15, 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, 13:10, Galatians 1:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:2, 1 Timothy 1:11, Titus 1:1-3, Hebrews 2:3-4, 1 Peter 1:12, 1 John 1:1-5, Revelation 1:1-2
We ALL speak with Jesus' own authority when we witness for Him, we are the figurative BODY of Christ, kings and priests in His Kingdom.
That does not make our words, advice, and recommendations divine, however, because we are all also sinners.
The Apostles claimed that their preaching and writings were the Word of God.
I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:11-12)
We also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:37)
See also: Acts 4:29, 15:28, 20:27, 1 Corinthians 4:1, Ephesians 3:1-10, Colossians 1:25, 1 Peter 1:23-25, 2 Peter 3:15-16, Revelation 1:11, 10:8-11, 22:6-20
I don't disagree. The Bible is full of the Word of God as recorded by inspired men - but not perfect - men.
If they were perfect as God is perfect, we would all agree on what they said, don't you think?
However, the only Words direct from God in the Bible are the Ten Commandments written on tables of stone with His Own Finger.
Thus we are to use our own judgment as we are led by Jesus' Life Witness through the Holy Spirit given us by God to find Truths that do not contradict God's own Words on those tables of stone and spoken through the prophets.
The epistles are comparable to the Talmud or Hadiths, they are interpretations of well-meaning men based on primary sources of God's Word. They're not meant to over-ride, cancel out, or otherwise allow us to rationalize the clear Word of God from the prophets or the teachings and Life Witness of Jesus Christ.
If Paul contradicts Jesus - for example in Romans 13:1-7 where Paul appears [if he wrote it that way at all] to contradict both Jesus and his entire life's behavior - we are to follow Jesus and God.
Jesus said:
- "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." (Matthew 12:36)
The impact of Paul's opinions on celebacy alone has caused tremendous suffering and apostasy when treated as "God's Word" as you seem to be suggesting they should be treated.
It's time for us to discard all human commentaries and read the Bible without preconception, using His Light to discern light from darkness therein. To follow Jesus only - who will lead you to the Qur'an.
- "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16)
We failed to spread the Gospel but God has worked wonders for us throughout the world by inspiring those who seek Him. We must stop rejecting God's Power because we are weak and unable to stop sin ourselves.
- "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48)
He has the whole world in His hands - literally.
We just need EYESALVE to see it and praise Him for it.
Casey