Those who have difficulty recognizing the distinctive character of Paul's apostleship and message should consider the following cumulative evidence
1. He himself emphasizes this in his inspired epistles:
Rom. 2:16: "my gospel."
Rom. 16:25: "my gospel."
11 Tim. 2:8: "my gospel."
Gal. 2:2: "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles."
Gal. 2:7: "the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me."
Rom.11:13: I am the apostle of the Gentiles."
Gal. 1:11,12: "But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
" For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Eph. 3:3: "by revelation He made known unto me the mystery."
Tit. 1:3, "[God] hath in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me."
2. When Paul went up to Jerusalem "by revelation" and communicated to the leaders there "that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles," they recognized his unique apostleship and publicly acknowledged him as the new apostle to the Gentiles (they had originally been sent to "all nations" [Matthew 28:19]), agreeing henceforth to confine their own ministry to Israel.
Gal. 2:7-9: "But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me ... When James, Cephas [Peter], and John ...perceived the grace that was given unto me, they...gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen [Gentiles], and they unto the circumcision."
3. While grace was indeed manifested in previous dispensations, Paul was the first to refer by divine inspiration to "the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you-ward" (Eph. 3:2), and to "the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God" (Acts 20:24). This claim was never made by any before Paul , nor, as far as the record is concerned did any of his predecessors even mention the dispensation or the gospel of the grace of God.
4. No other Bible writer-not even all the others put together, have so much to say about grace.
The Hebrew equivalent of Paul's word "grace" is found only 68 times in the whole Old Testament (which is nearly twelve times the size of Paul's epistles, including Hebrews!) and then not always relating to God's grace and never to "the dispensation of grace."
In the four Gospels (nearly twice the size of Paul's epistles) the word grace (Gr. charis) with its derivatives appears in the original only 13 times (much less often in our English KJV) and then rarely in a doctrinal, much less a dispensational connection.
By comparison, the epistles of Paul, only about one twelfth the size of the Old Testament and one half the size of the four Gospels, employs the word grace and its derivatives no less than 144 times--more often than all the rest of the Bible together, and nearly twice as often as the whole Old Testament and the four Gospels together! Moreover, in Paul's epistles the word grace is nearly always used in connection with "the dispensation of the grace of God."
5. Again, it was by divine inspiration that the Apostle Paul claimed that his was "the preaching of the cross," (i.e., as good news), and that the central theme of his message was "Christ crucified" (I Cor. 1:18,23). This claim is made by none of his predecessors.
Whereas Peter at Pentecost had accused his hearers of Christ's death and had commanded them to "repent and be baptized ... for the remission of sins" (Acts 2:23,36,38), Paul later declared that "God hath made Him to be sin for us" (II Cor. 5:2 1) and gloried in the cross (Gal. 6:14).
6. No other Bible writer has so much to say about the death of Christ. By divine inspiration he tells us that:
" When we were yet without strength. Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6).
" While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).
" When we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son" (Rom. 5:10).
We are saved "through faith in His blood" (Rom. 3:25).
We have "redemption through His blood" (Eph. 1:7).
We are "justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9).
We are "reconciled in the body of His flesh, through death" (Col. 1:21,22).
We have "peace through the blood of His cross" (Col. 1:20).
We are "made nigh by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:13).
We are "baptized into His death" (Rom. 6:3).
We are reconciled into "one body, by the cross" (Eph. 2:16).
The covenant of the law was nailed to the cross with Christ (Col. 2:14).
Through death He destroyed "him that had the power of death" (Heb. 2:14).
He died that believers might live, "not unto themselves, but unto Him Who died for them and rose again" (II Cor. 5:15).
He "died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him" (I Thes. 5: 10).
" Christ crucified" is "the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (I Cor. 1:23,24).
Our only boast is in the cross (Gal. 6:14).
We are to show forth the Lord's death "till He come" (I Cor. 11:26).
Is it any wonder that Paul's message is called the "preaching of the cross"?
7. No other Bible writer has so much to say about the believer's spiritual life and walk.
Moses had much to say about loving God and obeying His commandments, but it soon became evident that the law would not produce the desired results, so, pronouncing it "old," God promised to make a new covenant with His people, under which He would so work in their hearts that they would spontaneously do His will (Jer. 31:31-34).
At Pentecost there was a foretaste of this kingdom blessing as the disciples were "all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4), who caused them to do His will (Ezek. 36:26,27). This is why, in early Acts we find the apostles and disciples committing neither sins nor blunders.
As we know, however, the Messianic kingdom was rejected, and the Spirit ceased operating in this way. Today He no longer takes possession of men, supernaturally causing them to obey His will. But God in grace raised up Paul to show how even in "this present evil age" we may have spiritual victory by grace through faith, for while the Spirit does not cause us to do God's will automatically, He does dwell within, always ready to help, and what is thus provided by grace we may appropriateby faith! Thus the apostle shows us the how and why of spiritual victory. What a challenge! [For a fuller discussion of this subject see the writer's booklet: The Believer's Walk.(contact the Berean Bible Society for a list of all of Pastor Stam's writings)]
This is why the Apostle Paul has more to say about the believer's spiritual life and conduct than any other Bible writer.
8. Paul calls God to witness more often than any other Bible writer. How often the apostle speaks with an oath!
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 9:1).
" As God is true..." (11 Cor. 1: 18).
" I call God for a record upon my soul" (11 Cor. 1:23). "As the truth of Christ is in me. . ." (11 Cor. 11:10).
" The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not" (11 Cor. 11:31). "Behold, before God, I lie not" (Gal. 1:20).
" God is my record" (Phil. 1:8).
" I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not" (I Tim. 2:7).
As Dean Howson has said: "When Paul makes a solemn statement under the sense of God's presence, he does not hesitate to express this." (Hulsean Lectures for 1862, P. 160.)
But why did Paul, unlike the other Bible writers, need repeatedly to speak with oaths? The answer to this question is again to be found in the distinctive character of his ministry as the apostle of the mystery.
John the Baptist, Peter and the twelve did not need to speak with oaths, for they proclaimed the fulfilment of what had been previously prophesied. Moreover Peter and his associates were evidently under the control of the Spirit and bore the "signs" (Acts 2:4,43). But with Paul it was different. Separate from the twelve, who were unquestionably the apostles of Christ, Paul had been raised up to make known a wonderful secret which God had kept hidden from all who had gone before (Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:26). While in no way a contradiction of prophecy, this secret was nevertheless not to be found in the sayings or writings of any who had preceded him. Moreover this "mystery" brought with it a revolutionary change in message and program, a whole new dispensation. Hence the apostle solemnly insists again and again, as in the presence of God, that he is telling the truth.
9. In the same way, Paul has more to say about the conscience (particularly his own) than any other Bible writer. Among the many instances of this phenomenon we cite the following:
" Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day" (Acts 23:1).
" Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God and toward men" (Acts 24:16).
" For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and Godly sincerity ... we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward" (11 Cor. 1:12).
" . . . not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God" (11 Cor. 4:2).
Thus Timothy was exhorted to keep "faith and a good conscience" (I Tim. 1:19), and the deacons were expected to hold "the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience" (I Tim. 3:9).
Does not all this indicate that a new dispensation was ushered in with the raising up of Paul? There would have been no need for such declarations and exhortations had the Pentecostal program continued uninterrupted, for at Pentecost Christ's followers were "all filled with the Holy Spirit."
10. Finally, Paul is distinguished from all his human predecessors by his sufferings. No servant of God or of Christ had suffered so much for his stand as Paul.
Our Lord Himself said with regard to Saul, at his conversion:
" . . . I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake" (Acts 9:16).
How could we ever begin to cite here the many instances of Paul's sufferings for Christ's sake? From Acts 9:16 to II Tim. 4:16 there is an almost uninterrupted continuity of sorrow, trouble, anxiety, scourgings, beatings, stonings, wearisome journeys, perils from floods, robbers, Jews, Gentiles; perils in the city, in the desert, at sea, among false brethren; fatigue, pain, watchings, hunger, cold, nakedness, and in addition to all this, "the care of all the churches." Little wonder he cries out in II Cor. 11:29: "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?"
But why all this suffering? This becomes clear when we recall how Saul had led Israel and the world in rebellion against Christ. He had "made havoc of the Church" (The Messianic Church, Acts 8:3), had "persecuted" it "beyond measure" and had "laid it waste" (Gal. 1:13) until his hands dripped with the blood of martyrs.
And now God had saved Saul and had sent him forth with a message of grace and reconciliation. In the nature of the case, then, Paul, now Christ's ambassador among enemy aliens, would be called upon to bear the same sufferings which he had inflicted upon others.
These sufferings, however, were in a real sense the sufferings of Christ, the continued expression of the world's enmity againstGod's Son. This explains an otherwise difficult passage, where the apostle says "[I] .. fill up that which is behind [Lit., "which remains"] of the afflictions of Christ.." (Col. 1:24).
But these sufferings for Christ were sweet to the apostle. He called them "the fellowship of His sufferings" (Phil. 3:10).
Thus even in his sufferings Paul stands out as the uniquely-appointed apostle of grace.
Only as we recognize these Scriptural distinctions between Paul and all his predecessors can we proclaim "the gospel of the grace of God" with consistent clarity and power. And only thus can we be workmen approved of God, not needing to be ashamed, "rightly dividing the Word of truth."
Reprinted from The Berean Searchlight, the official organ of the Berean Bible Society. (Volume LV, Number 6.)
Used with permission. |
