Christians: Wasn't the inclusion of the Pauline letters a political decision, and if not, how can you tell?

Question

For those who don't know, the Pauline letters opened up the door to the inclusion of Gentiles in what was, prior to Paul, a Jewish Messianic cult.

By including Gentiles, Romans and other non-Jewish people could participate and accept the Church, obviously a very useful decision that eventually gained the Church political power.

So how do you know whether Paul's letters were included in the Bible because they were divinely inspired, or were included as part of the political machinations to help the Church gain political power?

Funny, Gary. I've neither read nor seen one item regarding the DaVinci code. Is this the off-the-cuff insult du jour?

Answer 1

Not a Christian....but was indoctrinated as one. (6 years of a fundamentalist christian school...high school)

The bible was created around 400 ad (bit fuzzy on the church history, it was to loooong ago)(The Synod Of Laodicea (c. A.D. 363)looked it up eh?). That was when the church decided what was to be included, what was to be deleted. The criterion was supposed to be what the elders felt was inspired, and get rid of what wasn't inspired, by God of course.

The reality was, the decisions were made in a simple way. The elders decided what was to be the doctrine of Christianity, then threw away everything that didn't agree with what they decided was doctrine.

So you really have a circular logic argument when they bring out the bibles, since they prove the doctrine from the bible, but the bible was built based off of the doctrine.

Frinstance, one of the books discarded was the lost book of Enoch, mostly because it describes different falls of angels, and that angels could incarnate into being made of flesh, like you or me. The early church elders decided the doctrine was angels and demons were spiritual beings, and couldn't ever become flesh, and threw the book out.

I'm sure the emperor Constantine, had a hand in it, when he made it the religion of legal requirement of the empire.

Answer 2

'Pauline letters opened up the door to the inclusion of Gentiles in what was, prior to Paul, a Jewish Messianic cult.' DISAGREE. See Cornelius and Peter; starting in Acts 10.

As for 'So how do you know whether Paul's letters were included in the Bible because they were divinely inspired, or were included as part of the political machinations to help the Church gain political power?' Christ words to Saul/Paul and Ananias in Acts 9.
Further the scriptural 'old testament' is similar(not identical) to the 'new testament'.

Answer 3

You know that it is part of God will not the desire of man's political gains by reading the book of Acts.

There Peter, the guy who didn't want to share the gospel with the Gentiles, is confronted by God to do just that. A Gentile is called by a God fearing gentile to send for Peter and God tells Peter to go to meet him and gives him the vision of the animals on the sheet.

If you read this passage, not written by Paul, you will see that the decision to take the Gospel to the Gentiles was made by God not man.

Answer 4

The publishers were getting paid by the word, so they included any old rubbish they could find.

Answer 5

Jesus Himself commanded that we go throughout the whole world, preaching the Gospel to everyone.

Answer 6

Wrong! You've been reading too many dumb Da Vinci Books.
Get a life and learn some Bible history.

Answer 7

i'de say the latter, politics is at the bottom of everything.
No divinity needed

Answer 8

Definitely divinely inspired. God wrote The Holy /Bible and put it what He wanted in it. He doesn't have to ask us anything about it. This might help.
The Holy Bible!

“The Lord gave the word (The Holy Bible); great was the company of those who published it.” Psalms 68:11. Parenthesis mine!
“All scripture (The Holy Bible) is given by inspiration of God (God breathed), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect (mature), thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” II Timothy 3:16-17. Parentheses mine!
The Holy Bible is alive! It has spiritual life, eternal life to give away to those who believe it.
 “63It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. “ 68Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” John 6:68. “16Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:16. “12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (The words “...quickeneth...” and “...quick...” means “to make alive.”) Hebrews 4:12.
The Holy Bible conveys spiritual/eternal life to all who believe that the blood Jesus Christ shed at Calvary is the only way to have all their sins forgiven, removed and cleansed.
The Holy Bible is able to save your soul.
“ 21Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” James 1:21
That means The Holy Bible, “...the engrafted word...,” is the only book that God uses to save men's souls. That makes The Holy Bible is holier than all other so-called holy books combined.
“22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” I Peter 1:22-23.
The word God is the only way you can be born again. To be born again means you are born spiritually into the family of God and you become spiritually alive to God. Believing and obeying the word of God, The Holy Bible, is also the only way you can have your soul purified of all sins. It is also the only incorruptible holy book on the earth today.
“ 13But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” II Thessalonians 2:13-14.
God uses the gospel found in The Holy Bible to bring people to believe the truth, to salvation (justification), to sanctification (cleansing from sin) and to glorification.
“18Of his own will begot he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.” James1:18.
Of His own will, God uses the word of truth, The Holy Bible, to “...begot...” us (bring us into a relationship with Himself) .
Jesus Christ is called “...the Word of God...” “1In the beginning was the Word (Jesus Christ) , and the Word (Jesus Christ) was with God, and the Word (Jesus Christ) was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2. Parentheses mine! “14And the Word (Jesus Christ) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. Parenthesis mine! “1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son (Jesus Christ), whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:” Hebrews 1:1-3.Parenthesis mine! “13And he (Jesus Christ) was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name (Jesus Christ) is called The Word of God.” Revelation 19:13. Parentheses mine!
Jesus Christ is the personification of The Word of God, the Holy Bible.
That means that Jesus Christ lived all that God the Father wanted to say to mankind.
The Holy Bible is truth. It is the only valid, authentic spiritual truth available to mankind.
“17Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17.
Because they have the Holy spirit dwelling within them, true born again Christians are the only ones who can comprehend and understand The Holy Bible.
“12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man (the unbeliever) receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” I Corinthians2:12-14. Parentheses mine!
The Holy Bible is an eternal book. It will go forever in heaven.
“35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35.
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” I Peter 1:23.
“89For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.”
“2For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD (The Holy Bible) endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalm 117:2.
The Holy Bible has the answer to every major question that man may have if they would just take the time to search it out.
More could be said about the wonders of The Holy Bible but I think you get the picture.
So we have seen that The Holy Bible is the most fantastic, fascinating book that was ever written. We should hear, read, study, memorize and meditate upon it as much as we can all the days of our lives.
The question is: What are you going to do with The Holy Bible while you are still on this earth? Are you going to believe it or reject it?
What are you going to do with the salvation that Jesus Christ offers you?
Salvation is a free gift. You cannot work for it. You cannot be good enough to earn it. You must, by faith, receive it as a free gift. (“8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.”) Ephesians 2:8-9.