Much of the Christian world does not like Paul’s teaching. His letters are the constitution of the Christian faith, and yet many twists the teachings to support their man-made theology. End up avoiding Law vs Grace in their preaching.
People cannot comprehend the awesome light found in Law versus Grace, the 10 commandments versus Jesus, or The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil versus The Tree of Life, so they end up balancing Paul’s words with their own understanding and theology.
“I only read the portion written in red” is a common phrase among religious Christians today. They are saying that they ONLY recognise the words of Jesus as scripture.
Paul boldly explains that the 10 commandments are the power of sin and that we ought to be dead to the 10 commandments, but many Christians cannot handle this truth.
The light is too bright. The easiest way out would be to go back to the dispensation before the finished work of Jesus on the cross and put Christ’s words above Paul’s. Many Christians seem to forget that the letters of Paul are the words of our risen Christ.
Peter has something to say about this:
Our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
~ II Peter 3:15-16
Peter calls Paul’s words HARD TO UNDERSTAND and declares them as scriptures. And do you remember what Jesus said to Peter?
I promise you God in heaven will allow whatever you allow on earth, but God will not allow anything you don’t allow.
~ Matthew 18:18
Some people use this verse to make Peter a Pope. But Jesus wanted Peter himself to bear witness and declare boldly Paul’s writings as scriptures.
If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.
~ 1 Corinthians 14:37
The key to having a uniform interpretation of the Bible in the body of Christ is acknowledging the letters of Paul as the Lord’s command.
In all of Paul’s letters, he talks about Law vs Grace
This gives us a blueprint on how to go about rightly dividing the word of God. Paul’s letters show us the difference between Law and Grace, which produces the right theology.
For example, Under the law (10 commandments), if you keep the laws perfectly you will be blessed. If you break even one of the commandments, then you are guilty of breaking all of them. God’s fierce anger rests on you and His wrath will hunt your bloodline to the third and fourth generation.
Under the new covenant of Grace God has promised that when we put our trust in Jesus, He will never get angry with you nor rebuke you. Because of the perfect work, Jesus did on the Cross, and on account of Him being our advocate at the Father’s right hand, we may enter boldly before His Throne.
For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn
That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn
That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.~ Isaiah 54:9
Preaching that God is still angry at believers is going back to the 10 commandments and is teaching heresy. Discerning Law vs Grace is crucial in understanding the Bible.
