I believe you are the one who is confused. If we cannot get any doctrine from the Gospels then it is a sad state of affairs for people who hold to such a nonsensical view. If the words and teachings of Christ are not the foundation of the rest of the NT, then you are seriously in error. If John chapter 3 is not the basis for the Gospel and Christian truth, then obviously you need to have someone sit down with you and lead you to the truth. Paul simply builds on Christ, and calls His the true Foundation.
Apparently my comment about not getting doctrine from the Gospels was misunderstood. To be clear, we can LEARN from the Gospels, but we aren’t COMMANDED to do what’s presented. Our faith is 100% based upon what Jesus did for us at Calvary. We are led by the Holy Spirit to do as He directs us. Remember that the Holy Spirit did not fill believers until Pentecost (the exception being Stephen). Therefore, Jesus commanded them vs our being led by the Holy Spirit.
Consider the Great Commission – Jesus was telling his disciples (all Jews) in Matthew 28:19-20
Mat 28:19
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
He is telling them to tell the world that He is the promised Messiah. Period. Matthew 16:15-17 shows it clearly:
Mat 16:15
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Nowhere did Peter or Jesus state: ‘that died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the 3rd day according to scripture’. It was Paul that gave US the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, not Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The great commission was for them to go to Jews only and show them that Jesus IS the risen Messiah, just like Stephen elaborated on in Acts 7.
Fact of the matter is that the disciples went ONLY to Jews, and only after many years did some of them venture beyond Jerusalem. They certainly recalled Jesus’ commanding them in Matthew 10:5:
Mat_
10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: (KJV)
Even after the stoning of Stephen, Christ believing Jews immediately scattered to avoid being jailed and killed by the likes of Saul…except the apostles as shown in Acts 8:1
Act 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. (KJV)
Paul clarified things at the Jerusalem Conference in Galatians 2:9 -
Gal 2:9
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen (gentiles)
, and they unto the circumcision. (Jews) (KJV) Parenthesized fields are my addtions.
Does that mean that we, the church (to clarify…’the church’ is all born again believers), should NOT be evangelizing the lost? Absolutely not true! Should we NOT sow Gods’ Word abundantly, regardless of what type of ground the seeds fall on? Absolutely not true! Those that are gifted by the Holy Spirit to preach and/or teach will do so. But we are not
commanded by Jesus to do so. If we're not gifted for doing some things, that does not mean we should not do it. We each possess multiple spiritual gifts in varying degrees. We're to use those gifts for Gods' purpose in each of us according to His plan.
We’re not called to
all be evangelists or street preachers as clearly indicated in 1 Corinthians 12:7-14 and 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
1Co 12:7
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:8
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:11
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12
For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
1Co 12:14
For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:27
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30
Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (KJV)
Paul summarized it in Ephesians 4:11-12
Eph 4:11
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:(KJV)
Did Jesus tell His disciples and followers to do the things that Paul listed? If He did, I have yet to find it in the Gospels.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:1
1Co 11:1
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. (KJV)
He's telling us to worship, honor, devote our lives to Christ with unwavering faith and commitment, as he did. No, he isn't telling us to go join a monastery. We are to be beacons of light to the world, as Jesus spoke of in Matthew, Mark, and Luke:
Luke11:33
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. (KJV)
Stated differently in Matthew 5:16
Mat 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (KJV)
Neither of the above verses is doctrinal. They happen automatically by the Holy Spirit that dwells in us.