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IWantAnguish
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Joined: 2006/6/15
Posts: 343


 Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?

If the apostle Paul were to show up in our churches today... do you think we would accept him and his doctrine / theology / way of doing church?

Why or why not?


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Sba

 2009/12/30 14:33Profile
AbideinHim
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Joined: 2006/11/26
Posts: 5185
Louisiana

 Re: Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?

The gospel of grace would be well received by most Christian churches, but the problem that many of them would have is with Paul's teaching on the total consecration of the believer, the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ in the Christian's life, the cross of Christ that we are to be identified with in death, the fellowship of His sufferings as well as the power of His resurrection.

Mike


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Mike

 2009/12/30 14:52Profile
MattSmith
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Joined: 2009/11/19
Posts: 31
Webster, Texas

 Re: Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?

This post is similar to one concerning the lack of living churches in America. I refrained from posting due to the lack of Christ-like love. I will only speak from my experience. I believe he would be accepted but the size of certain churches would be greaty reduced. The vast majority of churches in America are suffering from a lack of power. Your average christian doesn't even know what is wrong. That being said I think there is a desparate thirst for the true gospel, for the true Christ, and for genuine revival. You average christian may not know what's wrong but I think they know something's not right. The Lord is raising up a remnant to proclaim His Word. I think the Church is tiring of the me first gospel and is ready for truth. I think the sheep would accept him and the world and goats would try to kill him.

 2009/12/30 14:54Profile
IWantAnguish
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Joined: 2006/6/15
Posts: 343


 Re:

You know the state of the church is in a sick sad state when I have to ask questions about the usage of the word church in order to understand a fellow brother in Christ when talking about the church.

AbideinHim... you said the gospel of grace would be well received by "most Christian churches," and you went on to say that they would have a problem with the Lordship of Christ.

Could you explain whether you are implying that 'most Christian churches' are truly Christian churches, if they are having problems with the Lordship of Christ?


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Sba

 2009/12/30 15:04Profile
twayneb
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Joined: 2009/4/5
Posts: 2256
Joplin, Missouri

 Re: Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?

I was reminded of something last night that speaks to not only this thread, but also to the question that has been thrown around about whether the church is dead.

We can receive a true word from the Lord, interpret it in the wrong context, and wind up in error. A small church in the 1980's caught hold of the revelation that God's design was for five foundational ministry gifts to be active in the church to bring it into maturity (Eph. 4:11-12). So, they looked around their little church and decided that since the guy they called pastor had been preaching for years, that he must be a pastor, brother so and so taught sunday school, so he must be a teacher, sister so and so often gave beautiful prophetic words so she must be a prophet and so on with the other two equipping gifts. They framed this new revelation with their own limited perception of what the church was. To them, it was what happened on Sunday within their own four walls. They could see no further.

There is only one church. It is the world-wide body of believers who have been born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God. We are all family. Deepthinker, to give an example, is a Canadian Preterist. I have never met him, but he is my family, my brother in Christ. I don't agree with Preterism, and he is not from America. But that does not change the fact that he is my brother and we have the same father. We are both sons of God. Several of you hold to 4 point or 5 point, or however many point Calvanism. I cannot see it. I think there is something wrong in the interpretation of the word. But, that does not change the fact that if you are born again, you are my family. We are part of the same body. We are the church, and Christ is our head.

It is in this context of the church that the New Testament was written. It is in this context that we properly understand what Paul wrote, Peter, and the other authors of the New Testament. It is in this context that we can understand many of the teachings of Christ.

As to the specific question...Paul was an apostle. As such he had a gift for establishing, ordaining, setting in order, and even correcting error in the various local bodies that make up the church. I think He would roll up his sleeves and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and go to work fulfilling His call as an apostle to the gentiles.

I don't think there is anything wrong with asking these questions. I do think we need to ask the Lord to help us frame the answers with His perspective.

Travis


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Travis

 2009/12/30 15:52Profile









 Re: Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?


Quote:
If the apostle Paul were to show up in our churches today... do you think we would accept him and his doctrine / theology / way of doing church?

Probably not.

 2009/12/30 18:28
TaylorOtwell
Member



Joined: 2006/6/19
Posts: 927
Arkansas

 Re: Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?

I'm not sure if the theology would be rejected, but I believe he would think we were terribly apathetic in our practice and living.

On the other hand, Paul dealt with some seriously bad issues (incest, works-salvation, etc.)... there are some conservative churches I believe Paul would still praise, so I don't want to make the picture too bleak.

With care in Christ...


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Taylor Otwell

 2009/12/30 19:06Profile
KingJimmy
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Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

It would not probably be liked if he showed up and just started teaching in the middle of our services, without having been invited to do such.


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Jimmy H

 2009/12/30 19:10Profile
Theophila
Member



Joined: 2007/1/15
Posts: 365


 Re: Would the Apostle Paul be welcome in church ?

He'll be welcomed as being 'on fire for the Lord!' and then, after a few months, he would begin to get on our collective nerves because of his being 'too intense!'....


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Tolu

 2009/12/30 20:29Profile
AbideinHim
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Joined: 2006/11/26
Posts: 5185
Louisiana

 Re:

Let's see! In the Word of Faith churches, he would be accused of not having enough faith, because surely he must be out of God's will by going through all of these trials and tribulations, and if he really was a man of God, he would be driving a Lincoln Continental or a Cadillac.

In many of the mainline denominational churches, he would be accused of being a heretic, because of his belief in healing, signs and wonders, and deliverance instead of counciling. If he gave a message in tongues, he might even be run out of town. Also his teachings on giving by grace instead of tithing would not go over big with most pastors.

Mike


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Mike

 2009/12/30 22:11Profile





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