hmm, maybe, but i spent a bunch of years disliking Paul myself, and i can only tell you that i now understand that the problem was mine, one of perception. I certainly cannot deny that Paul is vastly misrepresented, ok, i mean i guess most Christians believe that PAul was suicidal or craved death, in order to be present with the Lord, too. Doesn't make it true though.
Paul and Christ can easily be reconciled, and all it takes is a change of mind. The kingdom truths are merely being represented from 2 different points of view, just as you might have conflicting opinions on a matter, and the differences resolve when it is understood that you are not reading history so much as an account of history, told in such a way as to provide personal instruction, that even tails with other Holy Writ, Books outside of accepted Canon, Dao parables, etc.
I spent a lot of years studying Paul's teachings and one day I was reading a book that contradicted something Paul taught and couldn't accept it, until a year later when I saw that the author was right and Paul was wrong.
When a person understands that governments are nothing more than a group of men, who use force to control other men, then the words, Satan tempted Jesus with, on the mountain in the wilderness, make sense; Satan offered Jesus authority over all the governments on earth: if Jesus would bow down and worship him. Governments, outside of Christ's, are Satan's tools: not God's. Hear the words of John from the book of Revelations chapter 13, starting in verse 1: "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and
ten horns, (these 10 horns are 10 kings) and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as
the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
3And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4And they worshipped the
dragon/serpent/satan which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who
is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Daniel chapter 7: "
23Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
24And the ten horns out of this kingdom
are ten kings
that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
25And he shall speak
great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High"...
Now clearly we can see both Revelations and the book of Daniel ascribe the kingdoms of this world to Satan.
Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God within man, not a kingdom of man, but of God: which does not use force as Satan and his earthly kingdoms do.
Jesus taught us to forgive men, not to kill them for their sins. But how is it that Paul makes this statement in Romans 13: "
1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3For rulers are not a terror to good works(if this statement wasn't so pathetically ignorant it would be funny; Rulers, by their very existence, are a terror to all who refuse to submit to their rule.), but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same(like Jesus, the apostles and early Christians did: who were thrown to the lions; oh wait, my bad, they all got tortured and killed. Rulers don't care about good, they care about maintaining power and therefore any that they see as a threat to their rule they eliminate.):
4For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain:
for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil."
Clearly Paul tells us those who kill others with the sword are ministers of God, while Jesus condemns men for returning evil for evil. Daniel and Revelations clearly show us earthly governments get their power from Satan, and then there is this from 1Samuel 8: 4Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now
make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
7And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but
they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Now how is it God tells Samuel that God will not be reigning through Kings and yet Paul says they are God's ministers? Is God ruling through earthly kings or not? Let me hear any one who claims Paul didn't contradict Jesus and 1Samuel explain how Paul did not, as well as how Paul's exemption for men killing others for their sins, doesn't contradict Jesus's teachings on forgiveness.