THE MYSTERY REVEALED TO PAUL

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Paul Christensen

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We are all sinners and can not save ourselves from the wrath of God. Jesus died for our sins, to pay the penalty of our sin, and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. All we have to do is believe that and believe Christ has done all we need to be right with God and go to heaven.
So, after saying that, the unsaved person says, "I'm a good person, so I'll get to heaven." How are you going to answer him?
 

Doug

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What I am saying is that the Apostles didn't preach a different gospel than Paul. It depends on the particular group of listeners. A missionary to Papua New Guinea native ex-headhunters, is not going to word the gospel in the same way as someone street-preaching on a New York street.

Paul says that the redemption of Christ, his death and resurrection, is sufficient for our justification unto eternal life.
Peter and the apostles said you just have to believe on his name, believe the kingdom is at hand, and be baptized for the remission of sins.
That is not the same gospel.
 

Paul Christensen

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Paul says that the redemption of Christ, his death and resurrection, is sufficient for our justification unto eternal life.
Peter and the apostles said you just have to believe on his name, believe the kingdom is at hand, and be baptized for the remission of sins.
That is not the same gospel.
If the two are merged, you do have the same gospel. Peter said that there are people who "wrest" Paul's teaching "to their own destruction", showing that Peter was in total unity with the gospel that Paul preached; also, if Paul was preaching a totally different gospel, then the Apostles in Jerusalem would not have given him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship.

Good hermeneutics involves Scripture interpreting Scripture, not using one at the expense of the other. The same Holy Spirit inspired all the Scripture and does not contradict Himself. So when Paul says there is one God, one faith, and one baptism and we all drink of one Holy Spirit, then there is no contradiction between the Apostles and Paul in the gospel they preach.
 

Giuliano

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We are all sinners and can not save ourselves from the wrath of God. Jesus died for our sins, to pay the penalty of our sin, and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. All we have to do is believe that and believe Christ has done all we need to be right with God and go to heaven.
No repentance? People can keep on sinning?

Exodus 23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
 

Doug

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No repentance? People can keep on sinning?

Exodus 23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

Repentance from sin for sanctification not justification. We have to repent by changing our mind to acknowledge our sin and believe in Christ's redemption and blood.
 

Giuliano

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Repentance from sin for sanctification not justification. We have to repent by changing our mind to acknowledge our sin and believe in Christ's redemption and blood.
It says God does not justify the wicked. Why make things so complicated?
 

Paul Christensen

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The Bible is the only thing to preach 1 Corinthians 1:21
Yes, the things of God are foolish to those who don't believe, so just quoting the Bible to an atheist is just going to make his react as if what you are saying is just foolish. I just wonder, if you actually do witness to atheists, if that is the reason you don't get anywhere with them.

I have watched a number of Ray Comfort's witnessing to atheists on his Living Waters Youtube channel. He shows real success in getting through to them, and there are times when he has convinced an atheist to actually believe that God exists, and has led atheists to the Lord.

It would be good to see how he goes about it. I wish I knew when as a younger person in a coffee bar ministry witnessing to guys who didn't believe the Bible.

In fact, all Ray is doing is doing what Jesus did when He spoke to people. He did not say that one who believes in the gospel will just have a happy life. Often He said that suffering and persecution will more likely come when a person believes. He also challenged people according to their compliance with the Ten Commandments and showed people that they were sinners in their hearts and needed a better righteousness than the Pharisees.

So you will see that he starts often with asking people if they are good, and then shows them they are not good, and they are in danger of the judgment when they die.

But watch it for yourself, and it may revolutionise your thinking about witnessing as it has done for me.