Darren Beckett

Just Some Random Thoughts About The Bible

Questions About Paul

• Why does no one says Paul is an apostle except for Paul?

  When Paul meets the Apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 15) they don’t even know who he is. All the things that Jesus shared with his Apostles, why wouldn’t He have mentioned Paul? He warned them about false prophets but never gave them a heads up about a new legitimate apostle? The only time one of the apostles even mentions Paul (2 Peter 3), instead of saying that he’s an apostle, Peter calls him a brother (the original language is “of the same nationality”).

  
  

  Why isn’t there a single prophecy about Paul? Or why didn’t Jesus at least tell His disciples?

  If God is going to give Paul a new message, why isn’t this ever mentioned anywhere in the entire Bible? Almost every part of Jesus’ life is prophesied about, and yet there’s not a single prophecy about Paul. And Jesus didn’t even mention it once to His closest friends? How does this square with Amos 3:7, which says, “Certainly the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret plan to His servants the prophets”?

  
  

  Why is the sign proving Paul is an apostle the same signs of a false prophet?

  Paul “proves” his apostleship by performing signs and wonders (1 Corinthians 12:12). The same signs and wonders Deuteronomy 13 warns us about when we are to watch for false prophets.

  
  

  Coincidentally, Deuteronomy 13 also contains one of the greatest commandments, according to Jesus, “Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul”; which is the commandment that Paul ignores when he describes the “whole of the law” in Romans 13:9 and Galatians 5:14.

  
  

  Why does Paul refer to his opinion over 50 times in his letters?

  Instead of telling us anything Jesus had to say, Paul gives instructions to the churches by saying, “I say”, and “in my opinion.” Paul gives his opinion over 50 times, and doesn’t give Jesus’ opinion once.

  
  

  If Paul was set apart in the womb, why did he kill Christians?

  Paul claims to have been set apart in the womb (Galatians 1:15) so that he could preach the gospel among the Gentiles. But if he was set apart before he was even born, why wasn’t it until the road to Damascus that Paul converted and became a Christian? Why would someone who was set apart before birth, kill Christians?

  
  

  Why does Paul constantly mention his suffering and never mentions Jesus’ sufferings?

  “To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;” (1 Corinthians 4:11-12). “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). “I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure” (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).

  
  

  Where do we get our instruction from?

  Paul says now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor (Galatians 3:25), so where do our instructions come from if we no long have an instructor?

  
  

  Why would Satan be interested in keeping Paul humble?

  Paul says he was given a messenger of Satan to keep him humble. And even though he asked God several times to remove it, God said no (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Why would Satan be interested in keeping one of God’s apostles humble?

  
  

  Why does Paul say salvation comes from faith alone?

  Paul says you can only be justified by faith (Galatians 2:16), while James says faith without works is useless (James 2:20).

  
  

  Why doesn’t Paul follow Jesus’ instructions when he rebukes Peter?

  Jesus gives specific instructions on dealing with a brother who may have done something wrong. Talk to him in private; if that fails, go to him with one or two people; if that fails, take it to the church (Matthew 18:15). Paul rebukes Peter openly in a letter to the Galatian church when they had nothing to do with the disagreement Paul had with Peter (Galatians 2:11).

  
  

  What Spirit is Paul following?

  Mormons believes they are following the Holy Spirit.