I must admit I am a bit confused....about Jesus and Paul?

Question

My last question Christians agreed Jesus teaching precide over Pauls interpretations.... so are u saying the whole bible isnt true?

One even said Paul is opposite Jesus. Any other thoughts?

I feel Jesus wants us to keep the Law, grace is only there when we need it.

SO does paul though "SHould we sin so that grace may abound? Absolutely not"

But He just spent 5 chapters saying how the Law is not the way in Galations.

I have only known the L-rd 3 years...and help from someone in Him Longer who has dealt with this isssue??

Blessings
David

Answer 1

You should realize that when Paul wrote of "hupu nomo" in Greek it is refering to the keeping of the "Law" of the rabbis, not refering to the keeping of the Torah of Moses. Once you start rereading the Letters with that in mind you won't find the conflict which you think is there.

I would recommend Tim Hegg's book The Letter-Writer as a good resource for understanding Paul from a Torah perspective:
http://www.torahresource.com/

Answer 2

one of the lines of authority that goes from Jesus to Paul is this. Mat 18 and 16 the powers of binding and loosing is given to the Ap[ostles. That means they were given authority to change rules and make rules, clear and simple. Some will twist this but read it it is a black and white issue.

Ther is a counsel at Jeusalem about Acts 15. Thiis counsel exercised the powers of binding and loosing, clear and simple. People go a long way to deny this but read it yourself it is clear and simple. They appointed Paul as apostle to the Gentiles (thats you and me). They also wrote a letter that says what parts of the law were not set aside for gentiles. Basically they were forbidden to take part in Idolitry.

These that say Paul teaches things Jesus disapproves of just simply do not understand their Bible whatsoever. Read the story in Mat 15 :27,,,Luke 16:21 ,, Mark 7 around 20. What Jesus said to that lady was His ministery at that time, there on the earth in Israel was to the Jews, not the Gentiles. Aside froma prayer He made none of it was directed at Gentiles. Truth is for everyone but His Message all fit together was to the Jews. He had to make a legitemate offer to the Jews, and they had to reject it b4 the message could go to the Gentiles.

If you do not understand this then understanding the Bible will always be difficult and seem contradictory, which it is not. You must "rightly divide the word" Thsi means to understand when the plans change or the rules change. It is not that God changes the plans as He goes but like HS it has different grades and what is cover for seniors is a little different than for freshmen.

Any time you come across something that seems contradictory know you are missing a big point. Study it out ask questions. If you have a problem you can not figure out click on my Avatar and put your question in an answer toa Q of mine and I will find you and answer it.

It is all true and it all fits.

First contextual rule is consider who the audience is.

People who think that Paul contradicts Jesus are just not rightly dividing the Word and probably do not even know what that means. We have freedoms that the Jews did not. If you go back to the law then you lose everything Jesus offered. Read Galations.

Answer 3

David, thanks for asking. If you ask the question of what Paul thinks of Jesus as you read through Paul's writings, you'll see that Paul considers Jesus to be the one and only Son of God. Paul will, therefore, always defer to the teachings of Jesus. You will never find Paul writing, for example, "You've heard Jesus tell you A, but I tell you B."

What will differ is another person's understanding of what Jesus or Paul said and what how it should be applied to a modern situation. Christians are "people of the book," so real Christians are seeing all of Jesus' teachings as being consistent with those of Paul--even if a modern scholar misinterprets or misrepresents them.

The New Testament teaching of the Law is an extensive study. It would take more than I have time to explain here in this post. Suffice it to say, as related to your specific question, Jesus didn't abolish the Law, but He fulfilled it in such a way that we're now following the leading of the Holy Spirit and our cleansed hearts rather than the Law.

Answer 4

David, I agree that Christians should pay more attention to the law. I don't think Paul would disagree.
Paul made it clear that the law did not pass away, but was wrapped up in the grace of Jesus - that if you were living fully, and correctly in grace, your life would be pure and clean, as far as the law was concerned.
Paul said what he did about not making yourself a slave of the law again, because there were troublemakers traveling around to the Greek churches, saying that the only way that the Greeks could be true Christians, was to keep all the Jewish law, be circumcised (as adults) and convert to Judaism.
He was just saying that that was not necessary. And the council of Jerusalem agreed with him.

Answer 5

The central issue addressed here is grace vs law. Paul is saying that the law is perfect and before you become a Christian you are subject to it. Since no one can fulfil it all fail and are condemned by the law. Becoming a Christian takes the law requirement out of the equation and replaces it with grace. You accept that you tried to fulfil the law but couldn't so you receive Gods grace. This means that your actions are not determining your future but you are trusting God to do that. Just because you are free from the law now that should not mean you should abuse it. Some Christians were bragging about how good they are and Paul reminded them that all have sinned and it is only by Gods grace they are saved and not of works. Mormons, JW and such believe their good works might win Gods favour but the Bible clearly says you can't. You are saved by Grace. This is a deep topic you should study because it is the crux of the Christian faith.

Answer 6

The law was presented to inform/give knowledge of what is right and wrong. It serves as guideposts to know when and what you have sinned and done against the law. It also lets you know what is the good things to do and what is the bad.

However, we know that no one beside Christ will live a perfect life under the law. Paul and Jesus did not say anything different from each other as far as what was written in the Bible for commandments and truth.

The LAW is not the way to Salvation. Salvation only comes by Grace alone, Faith Alone in Christ alone. Not by living the law or your good works outweighing your bad works. Grace is necessary for everything even it is the currency by which we receive forgiveness also as well as salvation.

Answer 7

The law was like a step ladder to what was to be fulfilled through Jesus. Obviously if the Law was the standard, then none of us would be good enough to make it on our own. That's why we NEEDED Jesus. Paul is not opposite Jesus at all. That's just crazy. Paul was all about some Jesus! It all completely lines up.

Answer 8

Paul said that he wants us to keep the law, but he knows that we can't.
Because the Jews believe if you break one portion of the law, you have broken all the law.
So Paul says that we can't keep all the law all the time.
Therefore Jesus did not take away the law, but removed the penalty for our transgressions if we believe in Him.
Otherwise we could never make it to heaven.

Also, some of the law related to things like feast days, and they pointed to Christ who has been and is now in heaven, and will return again.
Paul said that we should not be trying to win our salvation by keeping those kinds of laws. His point is where you saved by the law, or where you saved by God's grace?
If you were saved by God's grace, why are you returning to the celebration of feasts that pointed to Christ?
The book of Galatians is very clear on the line of reasoning.
It is a good read!

Answer 9

Matthew 5:17 says "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets;I did not come to abolish, BUT TO FULFILL.

Romans 8:1-44 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did:sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh in order that the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

So, the O.T.Law could not save us, but only show how far short we fall. Christ fulfilled the law thru His atoning death.

Christ and Paul do not teach opposing, but complementary doctrine.

Answer 10

We're saying you have to understand Jesus and then take the Bible as Jesus would.

Example. A group of people were stoning Mary Magdeline for "playing whore in her father's house" and Jesus intervined.

They said "are you changing the age old laws" and Jesus said, no

But let the first to stone her among you BE WITHOUT SIN.

That's interpreting the Bible.

Paul was a little extreme. Maybe he had to be.

According to Paul we aren't even supposed to be friends with Fornicators and if we have a burger or coffee with them, it's tainted.

That's a bit extreme.

How do you minister.

How do you have friends outside of devote Religious.