CoreIssue
02-03-2006, 09:42 AM
Quote:Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
The Jews here were not adherents to false doctrine and that is not what Paul is speaking to them about. False doctrine is not to be tolerated and those holding to it are to be firmly corrected.
Their problem was pride and feelings of superiority over Gentiles.
Quote:15I have written you quite boldly on some points,
Where the Jews error is the worst Paul pulled on punches. That being where what they were doing was harmful to fellow saints and not permissible in any form.
Quote:as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
He was reinforcing to them what they already knew. That being Christ died for Gentiles as well as Jews and all come to Christ only through repentance in faith by grace.
Quote:17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
Paul's authority and power was by Christ who used him to preach his word.
Quote:18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done--
When Paul speaks of what he personally had done he was actually speaking of what Christ had done through him.
Quote:19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit.
All the signs, miracles and gifts he had exercised did not come by his power but by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Quote:So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
His call was to be an evangelist to all that will listen. Jew and Gentile alike. But mainly to the Gentiles.
Quote:20It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.
His ministry was to go to where Christ had never been preached. And that was Gentile territory.
Quote:21Rather, as it is written:
"Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand."[7] 22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
The Jews heard, saw and understood what Christ preached to them. They rejected Christ.
The Gentiles had not heard or saw Christ. But when hearing about him they were accepting him.
So Paul was unable to come to those who already knew Christ and knew him. There were always new peoples to preach to and that was more important.
14I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
The Jews here were not adherents to false doctrine and that is not what Paul is speaking to them about. False doctrine is not to be tolerated and those holding to it are to be firmly corrected.
Their problem was pride and feelings of superiority over Gentiles.
Quote:15I have written you quite boldly on some points,
Where the Jews error is the worst Paul pulled on punches. That being where what they were doing was harmful to fellow saints and not permissible in any form.
Quote:as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
He was reinforcing to them what they already knew. That being Christ died for Gentiles as well as Jews and all come to Christ only through repentance in faith by grace.
Quote:17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
Paul's authority and power was by Christ who used him to preach his word.
Quote:18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done--
When Paul speaks of what he personally had done he was actually speaking of what Christ had done through him.
Quote:19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit.
All the signs, miracles and gifts he had exercised did not come by his power but by the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Quote:So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
His call was to be an evangelist to all that will listen. Jew and Gentile alike. But mainly to the Gentiles.
Quote:20It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.
His ministry was to go to where Christ had never been preached. And that was Gentile territory.
Quote:21Rather, as it is written:
"Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand."[7] 22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
The Jews heard, saw and understood what Christ preached to them. They rejected Christ.
The Gentiles had not heard or saw Christ. But when hearing about him they were accepting him.
So Paul was unable to come to those who already knew Christ and knew him. There were always new peoples to preach to and that was more important.