Text: Acts 9:20-25
Thesis: All of Paul’s teachings can be trusted because he was taught truth by the Holy Spirit.
Introduction:
1. During the course of a political campaign, a candidate will be heavily scrutinized. We want to know what they really think and what they might do in given situations. If there are found statements that contradict their campaign proclamations, we turn away from them. We can’t trust them, and thus we ignore them. 2. When we turn to religion, the stakes are raised significantly. We’re dealing with immortal souls, so we need to feel confident about the teachings we follow. If we find any reason to suspect that certain teachings are unreliable, we’ll turn away from them. 3. Throughout the centuries, the apostle Paul has been a polarizing figure. He wrote much, and some of what he wrote is controversial, now more than ever. Some say Paul can no longer be trusted. How do we respond to such attacks? Discussion:
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I. Paul As A Controversial Figure A. Even from his beginning as a follower of Christ, Paul was a lightning rod of controversy. He had to be smuggled out of Damascus in order to keep him from being stoned to death by enemies he made so quickly. This trend continued wherever he went. B. Paul’s controversial teachings: 1. Much of what made Paul controversial in his lifetime centered on his insistence that the Law of Moses was no longer in effect. Jesus Christ was now our Rabbi, and all should turn to Him. Such teachings are still controversial, but not for most of us. 2. Rom. 1:26,27 -Paul’s teachings about homosexual practices being “vile passions” are highly controversial today. With the growing acceptance of this lifestyle, those who still claim to be Christians have to disregard what Paul wrote on this subject. 3. Eph. 5:22-24 -Paul taught that wives are to submit to the authority of the husbands. Feminism is strong in their condemnation of such ideas, and attack Paul’s fitness as a teacher for saying these things. 4. 1 Tim. 2:11,12 -Paul taught that women are not to teach or have authority over men in church settings. Today there is a growing prevalence of women in the clergy. How do they handle such passages? They, of course, must toss them out. 5. An article in U.S. News & World Report, 4/5/99: “’I’ve been beat up by St. Paul for the past 20 years,’ says the Rev. Nancy Hastings Sehested, pastor of the Sweet Fellowship Baptist Church in Clyde, N.C. In 1987, Sehested says, she was thrown out of her local Southern Baptist association for the transgression of serving as pastor, and she sees much of the conservatives’ antifeminist stance as an outgrowth of Paul’s writings.” (http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/paul/rpaul.htm) C. Tim Haywood wrote me recently about another who didn’t like what Paul wrote: “A couple years ago I was studying with a college student who told me that Jesus’ teaching on marriage was not intended to define marriage as between a man and a woman, but to set the boundaries for monogamy between partners of any gender. I asked him, ‘What about what Paul says about homosexuality?’ The guy answered me ‘I don’t really care for Paul’s writings…’” (email sent on 2/10/12) D. Can we dismiss Paul like that? Either toss all of his writings out, or only those which don’t agree with our understanding? Do we realize the danger we put ourselves in by cutting out any portion of Scripture? II. Why We Must Trust The Apostle Paul A. In recent years, many have tried to argue that Paul misrepresented Jesus. Paul didn’t spend the three years with Jesus that other apostles did, and Paul was actually preaching his own version of Christianity, they claim. If that were true, then we might rightfully turn away from whatever this “imposter” wrote. But we have many reasons to stand behind Paul and his teachings. B. Paul’s own testimony considered: 1. 1 Cor. 2:12,13 -Paul testified that he was not speaking his own wisdom, but wisdom that had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. If this is true, then to reject Paul would be to reject the Holy Spirit of God! 2. Gal. 6:17 -Another theme Paul often wrote about when his apostleship was challenged was his sufferings for Christ. Would he suffer so if he were not genuine? 3. 1 Cor. 14:37 -There is never any hint of doubt in Paul’s writings that he was indeed a true apostle, and that his writings were “the commandments of the Lord”. 4. Did Paul believe his teachings could be trusted? Absolutely, because it was wisdom that God Himself had given to him. C. The testimony of others regarding Paul: 1. 2 Pet. 1:20,21 -Peter wrote about Scripture and why it should be viewed as binding on anyone: it came from the Holy Spirit. 2. 2 Pet. 3:15,16 -Later Peter reflected on Paul’s writings which were based on “wisdom given to him.” Who had given Paul such wisdom? Obviously the Holy Spirit, because Peter put Paul’s writings in the category of Scripture. Can we trust Peter? 3. Acts 9:15,16 -Luke quoted Jesus’ words to Ananias, and Jesus referred to Paul as “a chosen vessel of Mine”. Can Luke be trusted -or Jesus? 4. Acts 22:14 -Later Luke recorded Paul’s record of what Ananias told him in Damascus: God had chosen Paul so he could know God’s will. Do we also toss this passage out? 5. Acts 15:25,26 -And what about those who actually knew Paul, particularly the apostles and elders who met with Paul when he was accused of teaching heresy? Can we trust their conclusion that Paul and Barnabas were “beloved”, and worthy of being accepted by other Christians? D. It is not a simple matter of choosing two or three passages of Paul’s writings and saying “I don’t care much for those.” To reject anyone chosen by God and led by the Holy Spirit is to cast away any hope we have of knowing the truth of God’s will. Conclusion:
1. Doctors must be very frustrated when patients “play doctor”. The doctor prescribes medication, but the patient takes only some of it, or none at all. If they don’t trust this doctor, they should move on and find another. 2. Are we not “playing God” when we take it upon ourselves to delete portions of Scripture that we don’t care for? If one part is not truth, then how can we know any part of it is truth? But the Bible is true, and we should embrace all of it, whether it agrees with what we believe or not. We take all of Scripture, or we take none of it!
–Tim Hall
