The Authority of Paul

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.

A 360? You obviously did not do geometry in school? lol

Originally posted by @dj2becker
It really doesn't reflect well on you when you resort to insults whenever you run out of ideas. Not cool dude.

Does it look like I ran out of ideas?
I notice that you cannot address the question.
Chances are that answering the question will destroy your frail doctrine built on straw.

Does Paul have the authority to promise or guarantee anyone eternal life?

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.

Maybe he was working for the Romans.

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]

<<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.>>

On what basis do you say Paul’s meeting with the Resurrected Christ on the Road to Damascus was “unwitnessed?”

Here is the description of the encounter, as recorded in the book of Acts:

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord.

And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight.

Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:

And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.

But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”

(Acts 9:1-20)

Originally posted by @fmf
Maybe he was working for the Romans.

Do you have evidence for this? Or is this simply a baseless hypothetical?

What compensation did Paul receive from the Romans? Surely all the hardships he endured - imprisonments, shipwrecks, beatings - were worth something.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Does it look like I ran out of ideas?
I notice that you cannot address the question.
Chances are that answering the question will destroy your frail doctrine built on straw.

Does Paul have the authority to promise or guarantee anyone eternal life?

Only God has that authority. Paul is just a messenger, hand-picked by Jesus to deliver His Gospel to the Gentiles.

Originally posted by @romans1009
On what basis do you say Paul’s meeting with the Resurrected Christ on the Road to Damascus was “unwitnessed?”

What eye witness accounts are there?

Originally posted by @fmf
What eye witness accounts are there?

You’re shifting...

First you said there were no eyewitnesses; now you say there are no eyewitness accounts. Which is it? Decide on one and I’ll address it later.

Originally posted by @romans1009
Do you have evidence for this? Or is this simply a baseless hypothetical?

It certainly cannot be described as "baseless". There's a very scholarly book by James S. Valliant and C.W. Fahy that's well worth reading. It doesn't question the purported divinity of Christ or anything like that. It's about Paul and Josephus and the Romans etc. It's certainly an interesting read if you should come across it.

Originally posted by @fmf
It certainly cannot be described as "baseless". There's a very scholarly book by James S. Valliant and C.W. Fahy that's well worth reading. It doesn't question the purported divinity of Christ or anything like that. It's about Paul and Josephus and the Romans etc. It's certainly an interesting read if you should come across it.

Why don’t you summarize its position for people who do not have access to it and who are not going to buy it? Have you read it?

Originally posted by @romans1009
You’re shifting...

First you said there were no eyewitnesses; now you say there are no eyewitness accounts. Which is it? Decide on one and I’ll address it later.

You do not have an answer it seems. I am obviously referring to eye witness accounts. Presumably Paul claims he witnessed it. What other eye witness accounts are there? Where are these accounts? It would seem the only account there is came from just one source.

Originally posted by @fmf
You do not have an answer it seems. I am obviously referring to eye witness accounts. Presumably Paul claims he witnessed it. What other eye witness accounts are there? Where are these accounts? It would seem the only account there is came from just one source.

So you’re now saying there are no eyewitness accounts. Does that immediately render what happened invalid in your view?

Do you think Luke, the author of Acts, spoke with people in the aftermath of the event?

Originally posted by @romans1009
Only God has that authority. Paul is just a messenger, hand-picked by Jesus to deliver His Gospel to the Gentiles.

Are you deliberately avoiding the question?
God has the authority and God transferred this authority to Christ. {I already said that]
Did Christ transfer it to Paul.?
Paul was sent to preach to the Gentiles.
Does Paul have the authority to guarantee anyone eternal life

Originally posted by @romans1009
Why don’t you summarize its position for people who do not have access to it and who are not going to buy it? Have you read it?

Look into it and read it if you are genuinely interested. If you're not, don't worry about it. I'm not interested in summarizing it for people who aren't interested enough in the book and its subject matter to track it down and read it themselves, as I have. It's a hefty and intricately argued tome. And it's an enjoyable and academically provocative read, even if one is not persuaded by it.

Originally posted by @rajk999
Are you deliberately avoiding the question?
God has the authority and God transferred this authority to Christ. {I already said that]
Did Christ transfer it to Paul.?
Paul was sent to preach to the Gentiles.
Does Paul have the authority to guarantee anyone eternal life

People decide for themselves if they will accept God’s gift and obtain eternal life. God set the criteria (faith and belief in Jesus Christ and His Resurrection) and people decide for themselves if they want to meet that criteria. Why is that hard to understand? The person who makes the decision if he or she is saved is the person himself or herself.