- The document discusses the writings and teachings of the Apostle Paul found in the New Testament, specifically passages from 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians. - Some biblical scholars question Paul's apostleship and divine inspiration, arguing that some of his teachings contradict Acts and cannot be from God. However, the document argues that Paul's writings are inspired by God in the same way as other apostles. - It provides historical context for Paul's ministry and letters, and argues that Paul's teachings are consistent with and build upon what Jesus taught, not introducing new revelation, so there is no theological basis for doubting Paul's divine authority.

1. Writings of Apostle Paul... – 5th May 2017
“But he saidto me, “My grace is sufficientforyou, formy power ismade perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boastall the more gladlyaboutmy weaknesses, so that Christ’spower mayrest on
me.”(2 Corinthians12:9).
The bulkof conservative evangelical Christianitybelievesinwhatiscalledthe verbal plenaryinspiration
of Scripture,meaningthateverysingle wordof the Bible is“breathedout”byGod as statedin2 Timothy
3:16, “All Scripture isGod-breathedandisuseful forteaching,rebuking,correctingandtrainingin
righteousness.”Butinreference tosome statementsmade byPaul,there seemstobe discordamong
biblical scholarstothe extentwhere somequestionPaul'sapostleshiponthe basisof hispost
resurrectioncalling.Foranexample theytrytouse the uniquenessof Paul’sacceptance toministryby
arguingthat Paul doesnotsatisfythe teachingsof Acts1:25-26, “…to take overthis apostolicministry,
whichJudaslefttogo where he belongs.”26 Thentheycast lots,andthe lotfell toMatthias;so he was
addedto the elevenapostles.”Thisargumentignoresthe factthatChristpersonallyraisedPaul toreach
Gentilesperhapsbecausethe Jerusalemchurchhadnotovercome the racial stigmaof Jewish
exclusivism.
We come across writingbyPaul in1 Corinthians7:12, “To the rest I saythis(I, notthe Lord): If any
brotherhas a wife whoisnota believerandshe iswillingtolive withhim, he mustnotdivorce her.”
Some biblical criticsclaimthatthisteachingcannotbe inspiredbyGod,butrather Paul’sopinion.Inits
contextPaul wrote hisfirstlettertoa groupof Christiansdwellinginthe cityof Corinth,a verycorrupt
cityat the time.Partof that corruptionwasdue to the temple of Aphrodite,whichwashome toover
1,000 temple prostituteswhopliedtheirtrade onbehalf of theirdeity.ItwasinthissettingthatPaul
foundedthe churchat Corinth.Infact, manyof the congregationcame outof the immoral Corinthian
lifestyle.The churchof Corinthwas made up of ex-fornicators,ex-idolaters,ex-adulterers,ex-
homosexuals,ex-thieves,andex-drunkards…andthusthe backgroundforthe above statedverse…
Paul'swritingsrecordedinthe Bible are certainlyinspired.There isnotheological basisfordoubtingthe
divine inspirationonhiswritingsinthe same waythatwe cannotdoubtthe writingsof Apostle Peter,
Johnor indeedanyotherapostle whomade acontributiontothe cannon.Paul is creditedwiththe
largestnumberof volumesof the NewTestamentcannonandisthe mostoutstandingteacherof
Christiandoctrine andconductas well asapocalypticteaching.He wasalsothe mostoutstanding
missionarywhostraddledacrossEurope andAsiaMinor.He isthe onlyapostle otherthanApostle John
whosaw heavenopenedandtowhomsome divine secretswere directlyrevealedaswe canlearnfrom
2 Corinthians12:9-10, “But he saidto me,“My grace issufficientforyou,formypowerismade perfect
inweakness.”Therefore Iwill boastall the more gladlyaboutmyweaknesses,sothatChrist’spower
may reston me.10 That is why,forChrist’ssake,Idelightinweaknesses,ininsults,inhardships,in
persecutions,indifficulties.ForwhenIamweak,thenI am strong.”
Paul’sworksare so distinctanddeeplyscholarlybecause of histheological andreligioustrainingunder
Gamaliel (Acts2:3) the greatJewishscholar.However,Paul'sworkwasmostsignificantlyilluminated
and inspiredof the Spirit.There are noworksor teachingsbyPaul that are knownto contradictany
passagesof scripture andneitherwasthere anydoubtthat he leda holylife until hisdeathaswe can
learnfrom2 Timothy4:7-8, “I have foughtthe good fight,Ihave finishedthe race,Ihave keptthe faith.
8 Nowthere isinstore for me the crownof righteousness,whichthe Lord,the righteousJudge,will
award to me on that day—andnotonlyto me,butalsoto all who have longedforhisappearing.”

2. We can observe thatPaul wasnot providingnew revelationregardinganareathat Jesusdidnot
specificallyaddress.ThatiswhyPaul says,“I, not the Lord.” In otherwords,I,not Jesus,amgivingyou
thisteaching…butit isbasedon the principlesJesustaught.Forexample we canobserve in1
Corinthians7:10, “To the marriedI give thiscommand(notI, butthe Lord): A wife mustnotseparate
fromher husband.Asextensive asJesus’ministrywas,He didnotarticulate everythingregardingthe
Christianlife.ThatiswhyJesuscommissionedthe apostlestocarry onHis ministryafterHisascension,
and that iswhywe have a God-breathedBible:“…sothatthe man of God may be thoroughlyequipped
for everygoodwork”(2 Timothy3:17).
In manyof hisepistles,Paul usesthe word“mystery”towhichsostate that it is"Paul'srevelation...Butit
isa wordhe usesto signifysome previouslyunrevealedtruththatisnow revealed.Whenwe read
throughthe gospelswe can observe thatPaul wasresponsible formuchnew revelation,although
ultimatelythoserevelations came fromthe HolySpirit. Therefore itshouldbe understoodthatPaul was
NOT teaching“newbiblical principals”assome scholarsattempttodo today...