02.6. Paul’s Writings and their Witness

Part Six – Paul’s Writings: A Witness for the “No-Law” or “Pro-Law” Doctrine? The following are quotations from Paul’s writings regarding the law:

Acts 25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Acts 24:12-14 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city: Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

1 Corinthians 9:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

Romans 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

Romans 7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Php 3:5-6 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

1.By analyzing these passages, logic would dictate that Paul was one of the following: a.A con-man, phony, liar, fake, schizophrenic or bipolar 2.But God’s Word cannot contradict itself! a.If Paul was following the Messiah, his writings would not contradict other Scriptures. i.In the book of Acts, it is recorded over and over again that Paul always kept the laws of God! b.1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. i.John 15:10 ESV If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ii.John 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. iii. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 ESV If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. iv. So… if we imitate Paul, we imitate Christ, because both kept the Father’s commandments! c.Hmmm… What else could that mean, except exactly what it says? i.If we imitate Paul, we keep the commandments of the Father!

1.    This is in direct and utter opposition to the “no-law” doctrine.

2.    This fits perfectly with the “pro-law” doctrine.

3.When Paul says we “are not under the law” a.He cannot be talking about the laws of God given through Moses. i.This would violate dozens, if not hundreds, of Scriptures. b.He must be talking about some other set of laws from which we are now free.

4.The key to understanding Paul’s writings lies in the study of the culture, mindset, language, Pharisaic laws and practices, and most importantly, the laws of God given through Moses. a.As you can see in the above passages, Paul seemingly contradicts both the “no-law” and “pro-law” doctrines. He even seems to contradict himself.

5.Paul was an expert on more than one legal system: Pharisaic laws and practices, the laws of God given through Moses, and Roman law. He was a Pharisee of the Pharisees. a.Galatians 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. b.Acts 22:3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Paul’s seemingly contradictory statements must make us realize that if Scripture cannot contradict itself, then what in the world was Paul talking about?

There must have been a reason that Paul was chosen to be the apostle to the gentiles. Could it be to protect the gentile believers from false teachers and ravenous wolves who had a history of adding and taking away from God’s Word? The Father chose to dramatically convert an extremely zealous person and bring him out ofthis system, which had a tendency toward hypocrisy.

Galatians 1:13-17 NET. For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how I was savagely persecuting the church of God and trying to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my nation, and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my ancestors. But when the one who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not go to ask advice from any human being, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before me, but right away I departed to Arabia, and then returned to Damascus.

I am persuaded that God chose the best person alive to combat the blasphemous and hypocritical practices of some of the scribes and Pharisees. Who could have been a better choice than their most zealous star pupil, the best of the best?