2007-08-11 11:38:38 · 31 answers · asked by Holly Carmichael 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I don't follow Paul, I follow Jesus. Paul just happened to teach about Jesus and his teachings were accepted by the apostles.
2007-08-11 11:45:51 · answer #1 · answered by Deof Movestofca 7 · 5⤊ 3⤋
Paul was not an original apostle, but he was an "authentic" one. We do not follow man anyways, we follow Jesus Christ. Pauls conversion was far more miraculous and extraordinary than any other New Testament character. Paul was one of the most well-educated and scholarly writers in the New Testament and his teachings supplement God's Word with charasmatic instruction. I, personally, am very thankful for the Apostle Paul and he is one of the first ones I want to talk to when I get to heaven.
2007-08-11 18:57:03 · answer #2 · answered by HeVn Bd 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No Christians "follow" Paul.
Edit: Oh, and you are wrong. Paul was an original apostle. An apostle was a Greek commander of the navy, and by calling themselves apostles the Christians were implying they were the commanders of the church (servants to Christ the King of course). There was one main requirement to be an apostle - you had to have seen the Lord with your own eyes. Paul did this on the road to Damascus, so he is considered an apostle.
If you wanted your statement to be correct, you would kind of have to say "disciple" rather then apostle, but even here you would be wrong. A "disciple" does not mean "one of the twelve who was chosen by Christ" it merely means a student. Plato was a student (disciple) of Socrates. Aristotle was a disciple of Plato. Alexander the Great was a disciple of Aristotle. In the same way anyone who considered themselves a follower or student of Christ's teachers are also disciples. I am a disciple. I am not "one of the 12", neither was Paul, but neither was Luke or Mark.
2007-08-11 18:46:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
"Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—"
Galatians 1:1
Paul was God's appointed Apostle to the Gentiles (non-Jews). I am a Gentile.
If you read the 15th Chapter of the Book of Acts, you will find he received the full endorsement of the Apostles and elders in the Jewish Church in Jerusalem.
Peter says this:
"So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction."
II Peter 3:15-17
He goes so far as to refer to Paul's writings as "the Scriptures".
Rebel against Paul, and you rebel against Christ.
2007-08-11 18:49:04 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Uh...what is an "original Apostle"? Oh...you MEANT disciple...didn't you?
Apostles ordained other Apostles...so Paul still had the Authority to teach the word.
2007-08-11 18:46:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe he was the one to take Judas' place but the other Apostles got hasty.I mean come on,throwing dice (lots) to choose the next Apostle? I'm sure Matthias was a nice guy but how quickly he exits the picture ,huh? Paul was the Einstein of his generation.God uses all types.Poor ,rich,what ever will confound man.
2007-08-11 19:04:03 · answer #6 · answered by AngelsFan 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Paul might not have been one of the apostles initially chosen by Jesus when he was on earth. However, after his resurrection Paul was personally appointed by Jesus as an "Apostle to the Nations." If he were not approved, why would so many of his letters have been included in the bible canon?
That said, we do not "follow" Paul. We follow Jesus, as Paul himself did. He said "be imitators of Christ as I myself am."
2007-08-11 18:45:40 · answer #7 · answered by Q&A Queen 7 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I don't.
Even Paul rebuked people for following him...or for following Apollos...or for following any other Apostle (see 1 Corinthians 12:10...)
Paul exhorts us to follow Jesus Christ!
And it is Jesus Christ that I follow.
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2007-08-11 18:46:37 · answer #8 · answered by yachadhoo 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Don't make a mistake of following Paul. He said that himself. Follow only Christ.
2007-08-11 18:47:12 · answer #9 · answered by Mutations Killed Darwin Fish 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't follow Paul, follow Christ.
Even Paul says that in his letters.
2007-08-11 18:46:38 · answer #10 · answered by Mello Yello 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋