The Troublesome Writings Of The Apostle Paul David Field October 19, 2010
I hope this is the last stronghold that Yahuwah has to tear from me, of the strongholds taught me in my upbringing in the institutional church. Basically, I am down to one belief that they taught and I still hold on to; the blood of Yahushua the Messiah, the son of Yahuwah who is the Father of all creation. There are actually two points in that last statement, and I can still find contradictions with the institutional church in it. 1)The IC believes that Jesus did the creating, 2) they have the names wrong, and 3) they believe the two or the three are one being. For a moment once I thought Yahuwah was going to tell me that even the last belief I held in common with them, the belief in the blood of Yahushua, was false. But then He did not. Whew! I am so glad! I wouldn’t have had a leg to stand on without the blood. I think he was just testing me to prove if I was listening, no matter what he said.
I am talking here about the false belief that the Christian religion’s sixty‐six book cannon is the inerrant Word of God. I too held this belief very tightly, and argued the point fervently. My thinking was the bible is perfect because it all is inspired of God, and that he oversaw and controlled the assembling of it. But I found no absolute support for that in the bible. The only scripture given for this notion is found in one of Paul’s letters to Timothy. But this passage does not name a particular number of books, or call out any particular books. So it is not proof, just assumption. Even the bible at the end of Revelation says not to add to the words of Yahuwah. You are adding to, if you jump to unfounded assumptions that are not stated.
The purpose of this writing is to focus on some of the words of the Apostle Paul as recorded in the bible. Firstly, let’s make it perfectly clear that I do believe Paul was a follower of Yahusha, and I do not argue that he may have been inspired to write to the churches he wrote to at the time. And I do take to heart much of what he has written, as divine knowledge from Yahuwah himself.
On the other hand, I find many troubling statements from him, as recorded in the bible. Some of Paul’s teachings are causing much dissention in the church, a hierarchy system placing men in positions that cause them to stumble in self‐pride, and the oppression of the flock. More of Paul’s teachings has birthed the false “age of grace” teachings going around today; grace without repentance. Many other statements of Paul have taught Christians that the law of Yahuwah has been repealed, and nullified. Paul seems to be essentially saying that he has come to change, or supersede the Word of the Lord, Yahuwah. This brings the idea that the old covenant has been done away with, and that there is a new covenant which replaces it. The problem with that is that Yahushua said differently. Yahushua never disagreed with one word from his Father Yahuwah.
It is argued, some of his statements were meant for the people at that particular time, and do not apply to us today. Take the example of the women not speaking in the church assembly. So I ask, why has that been included in the cannon for us today then? Wouldn’t Yahuwah, if He were in control of the text, have just led those to leave that out? It doesn’t add up, does it?
If those men assembled by King James were inspired of Yahuwah, why did one member punch another member during their work assembling the cannon? If they all were inspired of the Holy Ghost, why would the Holy Ghost of Yahuwah find it necessary to punch the Holy Ghost (itself)? Are not the three, or the one even in this case, of one accord, as the bible states?
Another argument I have heard is that Yahuwah used evil men for His good purpose. I do believe He is capable to that, but this goes against his nature in this case. I don’t believe He operates this way. “Can new wine be stored in old wine bottles?”
Yahusha instructed us to look at the fruit. So look at the fruit of Paul’s teachings. Is any man above questioning, or reproach? Christians believe that he is above reproach. They believe it is heresy to question anything contained within the accepted cannon. But Paul, as inspired as he may have been, was still just a man. And the bible teaches all men are not without error at times. And I am still not saying Paul erred. But I do certainly bring into question the uninspired men responsible for the canonization of the bible we have today.
So if any man contradict the God of the heavens, the God of creation, the Lord above all lords, namely Yahuwah, or if any statement or thought is in contrast or disagreement with Yahuwah’s own words, then those words or thoughts are not truth. It is as simple as that. Judge everything against the true. Measure everything against the one and only true source of truth, and that true source of all knowledge is not a collection, done by men, of writings, even if the writings were inspired of Yahuwah. The source would be the original inspirer, The Eternal One, Yahuwah.
Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
Matthew 7 15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neithercana corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known byhisfruit.
Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
1 Timothy 1:2 Unto Timothy,myown son in the faith: Grace, mercy,andpeace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.
Matthew 23:9 And call nomanyour father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; butthey are commandedto be under obedience, as also saith the law.
Galations 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
I happen to believe this one, above.
1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
Would “all things” include all things even spoken of in the ten commandments of Yahuwah, brought down from the mountain top my Moses, and written by the very hand of Yahuwah on tablets of stone for permanence; all ten?
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Exodus 20 1And God spake all these words, saying, 2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13Thou shalt not kill. 14Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15Thou shalt not steal. 16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teachthem,the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother,he shall be free.Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.
Matthew 15 7Yehypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me withtheirlips; but their heart is far from me. 9But in vain they do worship me, teachingfordoctrines the commandments of men.
Matthew 19:17 And he said unto him,Why callest thou me good?there isnone good but one,that is,God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
Matthew 22 37 Jesus said unto him,Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38This is the first and great commandment.
Matthew 22:39 And the secondislike unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Mark 10 18And Jesus said unto him,Why callest thou me good?there isnone good but one,that is,God. 19Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
1 Corintians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
1 Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
Here Paul is saying that there are commandments.
The error of much of this teaching is realizing the difference between the Rabbinical Oral Laws or traditions, recorded in the Talmud, Yahusha called the traditions of men, and his father’s law, and recorded in the Torah, the five books of Moses. Which law was “nailed to the cross”? Certainly not the law of the Father. Because Yahusha did not come to destroy the law. The thought following the word “destroy” would have to be in contrast to it, or the sentence would make no sense and contradict itself. It is a misinterpretation to say the Yahusha came not to destroy the law but to do away with the law. When you are finished with something, you throw it away, you make it null and void, you destroy it. The word in Greek for fulfill is “pleroo”, meaning to agree with. Yahusha said He came to add himself to the Law of the Father, stand up with and for it. But he continually came against the oral unauthorized laws of the Pharisees. This was the main reason the Jewish religious leadership, the Pharisees and the Sadducees wanted him dead and out of the way.
Matthew 5 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Look around you. Are the heavens and the earth passed away? How can anyone in their right mind pass this scripture by and still claim to be bible believing?!!
2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Galations 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father,eventhe Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Again, Am I saying that Paul is a false prophet? No. I am simply saying like Yashua said, to use the discernment of the Holy Spirit in all things. If you understand something, be it in the bible or otherwise to be in disagreement with the word of Yahuwah, then choose Yahuwah, and hate, meaning place of lower importance, everything else. Lift up the name of Yahuwah above all names, and above all things. He is the Lord of Hosts, the author and finisher of your faith, the Alpha and the Omega, the One and Only. Your mental understanding of the bible is nothing. The previous teachings you’ve received of the bible is nothing. Your pride of previous learning is nothing. Yahusha said, “come to me as a little child”. Come to him as he says or you will not be received. He holds no value in your head knowledge of the bible. He looks to see the word of Yahuwah written on your heart.
I am sure there are some very learned clergy out there that can explain away all these discrepancies of Paul writings. This is what I used to do, but I am no longer interested in explaining it away. It should make perfect sense in the first place. The more you try to explain it away, the more questions it raises, until one day you just realize a falsehood cannot be covered up with other falsehoods, and the truth keeps raising itself up, and must be dealt with.