The Authority of Paul

Sent to preach to the Gentiles ... Yes.
Can tell people they have eternal life .. NO!

The decision of who gets eternal life in the Kingdom of God
rests with Jesus Christ.

God gave Jesus that authority.
Did Jesus Christ pass on that authority to Paul .. NO.

Then where do some Christians get the idea that Paul said they have eternal life? Beats me, especially when Paul said that he does not even know if he himself has eternal life, and if he does not live righteously he can become a castaway.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Sent to preach to the Gentiles ... Yes.
Can tell people they have eternal life .. NO!

The decision of who gets eternal life in the Kingdom of God
rests with Jesus Christ.

God gave Jesus that authority.
Did Jesus Christ pass on that authority to Paul .. NO.

Then where do some Christians get the idea that Paul said they have eternal life? Beats ...[text shortened]... ow if he himself has eternal life, and if he does not live righteously he can become a castaway.

Maybe Ephesians 2:8-9?

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

(Ephesians 2:8-9)

Originally posted by @rajk999
Sent to preach to the Gentiles ... Yes.
Can tell people they have eternal life .. NO!

The decision of who gets eternal life in the Kingdom of God
rests with Jesus Christ.

God gave Jesus that authority.
Did Jesus Christ pass on that authority to Paul .. NO.

Then where do some Christians get the idea that Paul said they have eternal life? Beats ...[text shortened]... ow if he himself has eternal life, and if he does not live righteously he can become a castaway.

Maybe Romans 10:9?

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

(Romans 10:9)

Originally posted by @rajk999
Sent to preach to the Gentiles ... Yes.
Can tell people they have eternal life .. NO!

The decision of who gets eternal life in the Kingdom of God
rests with Jesus Christ.

God gave Jesus that authority.
Did Jesus Christ pass on that authority to Paul .. NO.

Then where do some Christians get the idea that Paul said they have eternal life? Beats ...[text shortened]... ow if he himself has eternal life, and if he does not live righteously he can become a castaway.

Maybe from Acts, chapter 16?

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.

Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.

And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.”

(Acts 16:25-33)

Originally posted by @rajk999
Sent to preach to the Gentiles ... Yes.
Can tell people they have eternal life .. NO!

The decision of who gets eternal life in the Kingdom of God
rests with Jesus Christ.

God gave Jesus that authority.
Did Jesus Christ pass on that authority to Paul .. NO.

Then where do some Christians get the idea that Paul said they have eternal life? Beats ...[text shortened]... ow if he himself has eternal life, and if he does not live righteously he can become a castaway.

Maybe Galatians chapter 3?

“But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”

(Galatians 3:22-26)

Originally posted by @rajk999
Sent to preach to the Gentiles ... Yes.
Can tell people they have eternal life .. NO!

The decision of who gets eternal life in the Kingdom of God
rests with Jesus Christ.

God gave Jesus that authority.
Did Jesus Christ pass on that authority to Paul .. NO.

Then where do some Christians get the idea that Paul said they have eternal life? Beats ...[text shortened]... ow if he himself has eternal life, and if he does not live righteously he can become a castaway.

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

(Philippians 3:7-11)

The Authority of Paul

As a self-contained aside, and not as an effort to derail the intended substance of this thread, it comes to mind - as a neutral, non-believer, non-religionist - that the purported Authority of Paul and its historical credibility is comparable to The Authority of Muhammad as they both sought to define their approaches to the Abrahamic tradition and their handling of Jesus.

Paul supposedly had his unwitnessed 'meeting' with Jesus on the road to Damascus - and then wrote a bunch of stuff that people adhere to to this day. Paul told us so. Muhammad supposedly had his unwitnessed 'meeting' with the archangel Gabriel in the cave on a mountain near Hira - and then wrote a bunch of stuff to which people adhere this day. Muhammad told us so.

The nature and source of The Authority of Paul and The Authority of Muhammad, both rooted in unwitnessed events where they claimed to have met or communicated with supernatural beings and got given instructions, are similar in certain key ways, from the point of view of historical credibility.

Anyway. Never mind.

As you were.

Originally posted by @fmf
[b]The Authority of Paul

As a self-contained aside, and not as an effort to derail the intended substance of this thread, it comes to mind - as a neutral, non-believer, non-religionist - that the purported Authority of Paul and its historical credibility is comparable to The Authority of Muhammad as they both sought to define their approaches to the Abra ...[text shortened]... y ways, from the point of view of historical credibility.

Anyway. Never mind.

As you were.[/b]

A good side note, thanks. I have no problem with Islam or its origins, neither would I doubt the historical record pertaining to the Prophet. I have often reminded Christians that from the seed of Abraham there came many nations. The Jews were only one.

God has sent out many prophets to many nations. The underlying message of all these prophets is the same. It is arrogance on the part of some which keep them from seeing the glaring similarities and focusing on the minor differences between these religions.

All will come together in due course. Gods plan cannot be derailed by extremists in either camp.

Originally posted by @romans1009
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law ...[text shortened]... h;

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

(Philippians 3:7-11)

I see Paul use the word 'SAVED'
Your quotes do not show where Paul is referring to ETERNAL LIFE

They are two different things.

Paul cannot guarantee anyone eternal life.

Apparently, you also believe that when Jesus himself promises something, then that means nothing. One who considers your words should consider that.

Originally posted by @suzianne
Apparently, you also believe that when Jesus himself promises something, then that means nothing. One who considers your words should consider that.

I pity people like you. You are an empty shell of a woman.
Nothing of substance can come out of your mouth.

Now a woman of substance would have pointed out exactly what I said that makes you think that Im believe that when Jesus promises something ... etc etc.

But you are a damaged woman so mosey on down the road and good luck.

Originally posted by @fmf
[b]The Authority of Paul

As a self-contained aside, and not as an effort to derail the intended substance of this thread, it comes to mind - as a neutral, non-believer, non-religionist - that the purported Authority of Paul and its historical credibility is comparable to The Authority of Muhammad as they both sought to define their approaches to the Abra ...[text shortened]... y ways, from the point of view of historical credibility.

Anyway. Never mind.

As you were.[/b]

But Paul was actively persecuting those in the Christian faith as he found it heretical.

But after his Damascus conversion, he did a 360.

It was sudden and dramatic and noteworthy.

He then became the largest contributor to the NT.

Originally posted by @whodey
But Paul was actively persecuting those in the Christian faith as he found it heretical.

But after his Damascus conversion, he did a 360.

It was sudden and dramatic and noteworthy.

He then became the largest contributor to the NT.

But after his Damascus conversion, he did a 360.

At least you got this part right.

Originally posted by @rajk999
I pity people like you. You are an empty shell of a woman.
Nothing of substance can come out of your mouth.

Now a woman of substance would have pointed out exactly what I said that makes you think that Im believe that when Jesus promises something ... etc etc.

But you are a damaged woman so mosey on down the road and good luck.

It really doesn't reflect well on you when you resort to insults whenever you run out of ideas. Not cool dude.

'Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye;
and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.'

Matthew 7:5