The four reasons Paul preached
only Forgiveness

RATIOS OF JUDGMENT TO FORGIVENESS

As a reminder of what I mean
by Judgment, & by Forgiveness:
            perhaps see earlier section:
            JUDGMENT TO COME  /  BELIEF GOD FORGAVE US ALL
            and immediately after it:
            SCRIPTURES THAT SUPPORT THE ABOVE STATEMENTS, , .

.

 

On the previous webpage
I show how Jesus may have seemed to have preached
more Judgment than Forgiveness.
Perhaps see earlier section:
WHY JESUS SEEMED TO TEACH MORE JUDGMENT THAN FORGIVENESS.


But (as best as these things can be measured)
I reckon that Jesus actually preached
about equal amounts of Judgment and Forgiveness.

 

Paul, in comparison, preached:

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

            very little Judgment:
            Acts c24 v15    Rom c2 v5-16    Rom c5 v7    1 Tim c1 v9    2 Cor c5 v10
 
            but a lot of Forgiveness:
            Rom c1 – c15    Gal c3 – c5    Eph c1 – c6 , , , ,

.

 

WHAT JESUS & PAUL MEANT BY JUDGMENT

 

Jesus thought of Judgment as:
            Judgment is up to you,
            or, to be precise, up to your heart/spirit.
            So even if your soul is still bad
            you’re still in with a chance.

            Matt c6 v12   &   v14-15   &   c18 v21-35   &   Luke c6 v37
            and
            Matt c13 v24-30   &   v36-50   &   c7 v15-23   &   c25 v31-46
            and
            John c5 v28-29. , , .

 

Paul thought of Judgment as:
            You’ve had it.
            You are going to Hell.
            Rom c11 v6    Eph c2 v8-9,,,

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THE FOUR REASONS
PAUL PREACHED ONLY FORGIVENESS

 

THE FIRST REASON PAUL PREACHED
ONLY FORGIVENESS
WAS THAT HE HAD ONLY EVER PROUDLY EARNED

 

Saul of Tarsus (before he changed his name to Paul)
was a Pharisee:
            a self-made, religious man (religious in the dead sense),
            proud of his religious achievements.   Gal c1 v13-14
,,        ,,        Perhaps see earlier webpage: HUMILITY & PRIDE, , .

 

But Saul then became a Christian    Acts c9  
and so, later, changed his name to Paul.
Perhaps see: Biblica: 7 Things You Didn’t Know About the Apostle Paul.  Item 7.


The pleasure he used to get persecuting Christians    Acts c6 – c8  
probably helped him reject his Pharisaic past.

For he certainly did reject his past.
            Philippians c3 v1-9:
            My Pharisaic qualifications
            are dung to me now.   my abbreviation

But his principle & attitude:
            all work, all human effort, is proud,
he kept.

 

Hence, after becoming a Christian:

            Paul rightly rejected the idea
            of proudly earning God’s approval.

            But he, wrongly, also rejected the idea
            of humbly earning God’s approval.

Hence Paul saw no way that anyone could
work their way to Heaven.  Proudly or humbly.

 

.

 

To conclude:

            Paul rightly accepted Jesus’ Forgiveness teaching,
            including its implication that:
                       Good deeds, done proudly, God hates:
                       you cannot proudly work your way to Heaven.

                       Hence Paul wrote:
                       Eph c2 v8-9:
                        For by grace are ye saved
                       through faith;
                       and that not of yourselves:
                       it is the gift of God:
                       not of works,
                       lest any man should boast.   KJV

,                                      See right hand columns
,                                      of earlier sections:
,                                      JESUS PREACHED BOTH JUDGMENT & FORGIVENESS,,,,,
,                                      and:
,                                      SCRIPTURES THAT SUPPORT THE ABOVE STATEMENTS. ,,,,,


            But Paul wrongly rejected
            Jesus’ Judgment teaching that:
                       Good deeds, done humbly, God loves:
                       you can humbly work your way to Heaven.
                       Rom c11 v6    Eph c2 v8-9,,,
 
,                                      See left hand columns
,                                      of earlier sections:
,                                      JESUS PREACHED BOTH JUDGMENT & FORGIVENESS,,,,,
,                                      and:
,                                      SCRIPTURES THAT SUPPORT THE ABOVE STATEMENTS. ,,,,,

.

 

THE SECOND REASON PAUL PREACHED
ONLY FORGIVENESS
WAS THAT HE HAD HEARD SO LITTLE ABOUT JUDGMENT

 

In the previous section I wrote that Paul rejected Judgment.

But he may not, actually, have heard much about Judgment:
            Paul certainly didn’t hear about Judgment
            from the living Jesus.

 

And Paul heard little about Judgment from Luke.  Only Luke c6 v37.

            Luke travelled with Paul a lot.

,                                      Acts c7 – c28:
,                                      Luke writes a lot about Paul
,                                      sometimes using the words ‘we’ & ‘us’.   my abbreviation
,                                      Col c4 v14     2 Tim c4 v11     Philemon v24:
,                                      Paul writes about Luke.   my abbreviation

            So you might suppose that Luke told Paul about Jesus.

            But Luke was not one of the twelve disciples.   Matt c10 v2-4
            Indeed, Luke had never even met Jesus, living or risen.
,                  Luke was a Greek gentile, or perhaps a Hellenized Jew,
,                  and a physician, a historian, & a believer.


                       Paul told Luke about Jesus:
                                   from what he’d heard from others
                                   and from the risen Jesus.
                       Luke told Paul about Jesus:
                                   from what he’d heard from others.

                       And, when Luke:
                                   with his, constructive, doctor’s background,
                                   seeing healing miracles
                                   done through Paul (& others),
                       did hear about Jesus:
                                   I reckon he did not take in
                                   Jesus’ preaching on Judgment,
                                   but did take in
                                   Jesus’ preaching on Forgiveness.

,                                               ,         This is shown in the earlier section:
,                                               ,         SCRIPTURES THAT SUPPORT THE ABOVE STATEMENTS. ,

.

Admittedly, the risen Jesus
had spoken to Paul.  Gal c1   2 Cor c12 v2-4 

But it seems that Jesus spoke to Paul
about Forgiveness,  Gal c 1 v11-12, 
not about Judgment.

I explain why shortly, on this webpage, in:
THE FOURTH REASON PAUL PREACHED ONLY FORGIVENESS
WAS THAT GOD INTENDED HIM TO DO SO:
FORGIVENESS IS BETTER FOR US. , , .

.

 

To conclude:
            The second reason Paul preached only Forgiveness
            was that he had heard so little about Judgment.

.

 

THE THIRD REASON PAUL PREACHED
ONLY FORGIVENESS
WAS THAT HE DID NOT SEE HEARTS/SPIRITS

 

The Father can see:
            who has a good heart/spirit
            & who has a bad heart/spirit.  


,         ,         1 Sam c16 v7,,,,,

The Son, too, can see:
            who has a good heart/spirit
            & who has a bad heart/spirit.  


,                  John c2 v23-25,         John c1 v43-51,,,,,

 

But most people, by far, cannot see the heart/spirit 
Perhaps see earlier section:
CAN WE SEE THE HEART/SPIRIT? ,,,,,

and Peter & Paul saw even less than most people.
Perhaps see later sections:
GOD’S KIND OF LOVE (AGAPE LOVE)
AND MERE HUMAN, NATURAL, LOVE
and, immediately after it:
MORE ABOUT PETER, PAUL, & PSYCHOPATHY ETC.,,,,,


            Hence when they looked inside themselves
            they thought that:
                       they were looking inwards
                       at their hearts/spirits,
            when it was actually:
                       their hearts/spirits looking outwards
                       at their souls.

,                                      See (diagrams of)
,                                      first section of earlier webpage: Looking inside yourself 
,                                     and of
,                                      earlier webpage: How God Forgave us all.


            Hence they concluded, wrongly, that
            just as:
                       you judging yourself
                       ends with
                       you hating your heart/spirit 
            so also:
                       God Judging you
                       must end with
                       God hating your heart/spirit. 

 

.

 

Jesus, on the other hand, did see hearts/spirits.

Jesus also saw that:
            genes
            culture
            education
            upbringing
            environment
            circumstances
            influences from people
            temptations from demons
            encouragements from God
change souls,
but do not change hearts/spirits.

            Hence Jesus assessed people by their hearts/spirits
            instead of
            by their souls (which is what most of us do).

            Hence, for Jesus, Judgment meant:
            Judgment is up to you,
            or, to be precise, up to your heart/spirit.
            So even if your soul is still bad
            you’re still in with a chance.

,                  Perhaps see earlier section:
,                  FOR A WHILE
                   THE SOUL MAY BE THE OPPOSITE
                   OF THE HEART/SPIRIT. . . .

 

Whereas for Paul, who saw only souls,
Judgment meant:
            All souls are imperfect
            hence everyone is doomed until they believe.

Hence Paul preached a:
            you’re-doomed-if-you-don’t-yet-believe-Forgiveness
            form of Judgment,
not a:
            Judgment is up to you,
            or, to be precise, up to your heart/spirit.
            So even if your soul is still bad
            you’re still in with a chance.
            form of Judgment.

Hence Paul preached Forgiveness, urgent Forgiveness,
(as did Peter: 2 Pet c3 v9).

.

 

CONCLUSION TO THE FIRST THREE REASONS

 

Paul thought of God’s Judgment as:

            You’re going to Hell because you’re not yet Forgiven.
            Or rather, because you don’t yet believe you’re Forgiven.

            So there is no  Judgment.
            There is only  Forgiven or not yet Forgiven.

 

Whereas Jesus thought of God’s Judgment as:

            Judgment is up to you,
            or, to be precise, up to your heart/spirit.
            So even if your soul is still bad
            you’re still in with a chance.

,                  For Bible references, see earlier section:
,                  WHAT JESUS & PAUL MEANT BY JUDGMENT, , , ,

.

 

Like Jesus, I think of God’s Judgment as:

            Judgment is up to you,
            or, to be precise, up to your heart/spirit.
            So even if your soul is still bad
            you’re still in with a chance.

.

 

Throughout this site
I capitalise the word Judgment and the word Forgiveness:

      o    Partly to emphasise the eternal nature
            of Judgment and of Forgiveness:

                       God Judges or Forgives   capitalised
                       regarding Heaven or Hell.

                       We judge or forgive   all lower case
                       regarding only the things of this life.

      o    Partly to remind you, the reader,
            of the:
                       how-Jesus-thought
                       not-how-Paul-thought,
            way
            that I use the word Judgment.

.

 

THE FOURTH REASON PAUL PREACHED
ONLY FORGIVENESS
WAS THAT GOD INTENDED HIM TO DO SO:
FORGIVENESS IS BETTER FOR US.

 

God wanted people to consider Forgiveness
and not Judgment.
Hence God wanted Paul
to make the changes he made.

Why?

 

Because Forgiveness has a certainty to it
that Judgment does not.

A certainty bolstered by:
            o    God’s indwelling Spirit.
            o    Miraculously answered prayers & commands.

            Ask an unbeliever where they are going and they’ll say:
                       “Hell.  It’s more fun there.”
            Then, when the seriousness of the question kicks in:
                       “Actually, I don’t know”.

            Ask a believer where they’re going and they’ll say:
                       “I used to be very good/good/average/bad/very bad
                       but that doesn’t matter now.
                       I now rely on
                       only the punishment Jesus took, for all of us.”

            An unbeliever may indeed be destined for Heaven,
            because of Judgment.
            But they’ll have no certainty about it.
            Whereas a believer, relying on the Cross,
            has a certainty about it.

            Hence Forgiveness is better than Judgment.
            Hence God prefers us to engage with Forgiveness.

.

 

MIRACLES PROVE
THAT IT WAS GOD’S WILL
FOR PAUL TO PREACH ONLY FORGIVENESS

 

God did many miracles through Paul
to prove that it was his will (i.e. God’s will)
for Paul to preach Forgiveness and not Judgment.

            Acts c14 v3:
            Paul & Barnabus do miraculous
            signs & wonders.   my abbreviation

            Acts c16 v16-40:
            Paul cast out a demon of prediction from a slave girl.
            This resulted in:
                 his & Silas’ imprisonment,
                 an escape-from-prison miracle,
                 and conversions.   my abbreviation

            Acts c19 v11-12:
            And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
            so that from his body were brought unto the sick
            handkerchiefs or aprons,
            and the diseases departed from them,
            and the evil spirits went out of them.   KJV

            Acts c20 v7-12: Paul raises Eutychus from the dead.   my abbn

 

            Acts c27 v10: Paul predicts a shipwreck if they sail.   my abbn

            (Acts c27 v21-26: An angel adds detail to Paul’s prediction:
            that only the ship & cargo will be lost.   my abbreviation)

            Acts c28 v1-6: Paul is unaffected by a viper bite.   my abbn

            Acts c28 v7-9: Paul heals many on Malta.   my abbreviation

.

 

OTHER, INCIDENTAL, DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN PAUL & JESUS

 

SEEING HEARTS/SPIRITS

 

The Father can see:
            who has a good heart/spirit
            & who has a bad heart/spirit.  


,         ,         1 Sam c16 v7,,,,,

The Son, too, can see:
            who has a good heart/spirit
            & who has a bad heart/spirit.  


,                  John c2 v23-25,         John c1 v43-51,,,,,

 

However (as I wrote earlier on this webpage):
            Most people, by far, cannot see hearts/spirits 
,,        ,,        Perhaps see earlier section:
,,        ,,        CAN WE SEE THE HEART/SPIRIT?,,,,,

               and Peter & Paul saw even less than most people.
,,        ,,        Perhaps, again, see later section:
,,        ,,        GOD’S KIND OF LOVE (AGAPE LOVE)
                   AND MERE HUMAN, NATURAL, LOVE
,,        ,,        and, immediately after it:
,,        ,,        MORE ABOUT PETER, PAUL, & PSYCHOPATHY ETC. ,,,,,


Hence, unlike Jesus,
Paul saw everyone as potential Christians.

            Acts c26 v29:
            And Paul said,
                  I would to God,
                  that not only thou,
                  but also all that hear me this day,
                  were both almost, and altogether
                  such as I am, except these bonds.   KJV

            1 Tim c2 v3-4:
            For this is good and acceptable
            in the sight of God our Saviour;
            who will have all men to be saved,
            and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.   KJV

.

 

,                  Paul criticised some people:
,                                      Titus c1 v12:
,                                      One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said,
,                                      The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.   KJV
,                  But such generalisations are not in the context of Judging.

.

 

SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTIVE
& SOCIALLY DIVISIVE

 

That:
      Jesus could see people’s hearts/spirits
& that:
      Paul could not see people’s hearts/spirits
also made their overall attitudes to people differ:

            Before Jesus had been crucified
            (God’s way of Forgiving everyone)
            Jesus could (& still can) see people’s hearts/spirits.

            Hence, while he was alive on Earth,
            Jesus Forgave people on an individual basis:

                       Jesus saw who:
                                   had good hearts/spirits, were righteous,
                                   and so would believe in him

                       Jesus saw who:
                                   had bad hearts/spirits, were wicked,
                                   and so would never believe in him.

,                                      Perhaps again see earlier webpage:
,                                      Jesus’ use of the words ‘heart’, ‘righteous’ and ‘wicked’, , , ,

Hence:
            That God has Forgiven us all, through the Cross,
            does not mean that everyone will accept his Forgiveness.

            I.E. That God has given his righteousness to all of us
            does not mean that all of us
            will let go of our own righteousness
            so as to accept the righteousness he gave.

, ,                Perhaps see later section:
, ,                WHAT IS A BELIEVER?  WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?.,,,,,

 

The above cell explains how Jesus was:
            not only socially constructive
            but also socially divisive:

            Luke c12 v49-53  (Matt c10 v34-36):
            I am come to send fire on the earth;
            and what will I, if it be already kindled?
            But I have a baptism to be baptized with;
            and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!
                 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth?
                  I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
                  for from henceforth there shall be
                 five in one house divided,
                  three against two,
                  and two against three.
                  The father shall be divided against the son,
                  and the son against the father;
                  the mother against the daughter,
                  and the daughter against the mother;
                  the mother in law against her daughter in law,
                  and the daughter in law against her mother in law.   KJV

,         ,         Jesus said nothing to contradict the above text.

,         ,         Consider also: Matt c12 v46-50    &    Mark c3 v31-35. 


            Luke c15 v11-32:   my abbreviation
            God is like a father who loved his two sons equally.
            One son asked for his inheritance in advance
            but then wasted it all on wild, immoral, living.
            Hungry, he returned home to apologise deeply.
            But his father’s very warm welcome
            drowned out his apologising.
            The other son, though his inheritance was still intact,
            was angry at his father’s welcome for his brother.
            His father tried to reassure him:
            told him that he loved them both, equally, unconditionally.
            But the son wouldn’t have it, didn’t understand such love,
            saw only that he should be loved, not his brother.
            His isolation from his father & brother
            had become vivid.   my abbreviation

,         ,         Jesus said nothing to contradict the above text.


            Luke c17 v34-37    (Matt c24 v40-41):
            I tell you, in that night [at the end of the Earth]
            there shall be two men in one bed;
                 the one shall be taken,
                 and the other shall be left.
            Two women shall be grinding together;
                 the one shall be taken,
                 and the other left.
            And they answered and said unto him,
                  Where, Lord?
            And he said unto them,
                  Wheresoever the body is,
                  thither will the eagles be gathered together.   KJV

,         ,         Jesus said nothing to contradict the above text.

,         ,         I reckon verse 36 is forged, so I’ve omitted it.
,         ,         Perhaps see earlier section: BIBLE VERSES THAT I OMIT, , , ,

,         ,         Perhaps see all of Luke c17 v20-37 (and all of Matt c24).

            John c9 v39:
            And Jesus said,
            For judgment I am come into this world,
                 that they which see not
                 might see;
                 and that they which see
                 might be made blind.   KJV

,         ,         Perhaps read all of John c9. ,,,,

 

Paul, on the other hand,
could not see people’s hearts/spirits.
He could see only their souls.
 
Hence Paul thought that everyone was doomed
but that everyone could be saved.
Perhaps see second cell
of earlier section: SEEING HEARTS/SPIRITS.


Hence Paul was usually socially constructive,
rarely socially divisive:

            Rom c12 v15:
            Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
            and weep with them that weep.   KJV

            Rom c13 v7:
            Render therefore to all their dues:
                 tribute to whom tribute is due;
                 custom to whom custom;
                 fear to whom fear;
                 honour to whom honour.   KJV

            1 Cor c9 v19-22:
            For though I be free from all men,
            yet have I made myself servant unto all,
                 that I might gain the more.
            And unto the Jews I became as a Jew,
                 that I might gain the Jews;
            to them that are under the law, as under the law,
                 that I might gain them that are under the law;
            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.
            To the weak became I as weak,
                 that I might gain the weak:
            I am made all things to all men,
                  that I might by all means save some.   KJV

            1 Cor c10 v23-33   my abbreviation:
            You are free, free from superstition.
            But, for the sake of other people’s consciences,
            if you are invited to a meal with unbelievers
            stop eating the meat if you discover it’s been sacrificed to idols.
            Do not cause anyone to stumble further in their lack of belief
            but, in all you do, give glory to God.
            Do as I do: try to please everyone.
            For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many
            in order to save them.   my abbreviation

.

 

HOW PAUL PREACHED
ONLY FORGIVENESS

 

This webpage, so far, has been about
why Paul preached only Forgiveness.
      o    Paul had a proud, vicious, Pharisaic past.
      o    Paul had heard little about Judgment.
      o    Paul could not see hearts/spirits.
      o    God wanted Paul to preach Forgiveness, not Judgment,
            as proven by God doing miracles through him.

But I now show how Paul preached only Forgiveness.

.

 

As I wrote earlier on this webpage: 
Paul, unwittingly, changed the meaning of Judgment

      From Jesus’:
                 Judgment is up to you,
                 or, to be precise, up to your heart/spirit.
                 So even if your soul is still bad
                 you’re still in with a chance.

      to Paul’s:
                 All souls are imperfect
                 hence everyone is doomed until they believe.

                 So you’re going to Hell because you’re not yet Forgiven.
                 Or rather, because you don’t yet believe you’re Forgiven.

                 So there is no  Judgment.
                 There is only  Forgiven or not yet Forgiven.

 

Paul changed the concept of Judgment
in one of his conclusions, Rom c3 v10-18  &  v23,
by saying that, before we became believers, we are all:

 

      unrighteous:


Jesus disagrees: used the word righteous differently.
Perhaps again see earlier section:
JESUS’ USE OF THE WORDS ‘RIGHTEOUS’ AND ‘WICKED’.

 

      doomed to Hell:


Jesus disagrees: by way of his concept of Judgment.
See left hand columns of earlier webpage:
The two ways God sorts us: Judgment & Forgiveness.,,,

 

      even as babies:


Jesus disagrees: said we should be like little children.
Matt c18 v1-3     (&  Mark c10 v13-16) 

Luke c9 v46-48     (&  Mark c9 v36-37  &  Matt c18 vv4-5) 

Luke c10 v21 

Luke c18 v15-16     (Matt c19 v13-14).

 

To the above: 
      we are all doomed to Hell
Paul then added:
      God chooses who he offers free Forgiveness to:

,         Rom c1 v6-7,   ,         Rom c8 v28-30,        ,         Rom c8 v33,    ,         Rom c9 v11-18

,         Rom c9 v24,    ,         Rom c11 v4-8,          ,         Rom c11 v28-29,     1 Cor c1 v1-2

,         Gal c1 v6,         ,         Gal c1 v15-16,          ,         Gal c5 v8,         ,         Gal c5 v13

,         Eph c1 v4-5,    ,         Eph c1 v11,      ,         ,         Eph c1 v18,      ,         Eph c4 v1

,         Eph c4 v4,        ,         Philippians c3 v14,         Col c3 v12,       ,         Col c3 v15

,         1 Thess c1 v2-6,      1 Thess c2 v12,        ,         1 Thess c4 v7,          1 Thess c5 v24

,         2 Thess c1 v11,        2 Thess c2 v13-14,  ,         1 Tim c6 v12,  ,         2 Tim c1 v8-9

,         2 Tim c2 v10,  ,         Titus c1 v1,      ,         ,         Heb c3 v1,        ,         Heb c9 v15,,,,,

 

.

 

When Paul added:
            God chooses who he Forgives 

he did so despite knowing that:
            Jesus died for all of us,
            all of us are Forgiven.
            2 Cor c5 v15     1 Tim c2 v3-4     Rom c10 v13. ,,,,,

 

How did Paul miss the truth:
            that God does not choose who he Forgives,
            that God Forgave all of us, by way of the Cross,
            that we choose where we go.
,                  See earlier webpage: WE CHOOSE WHERE WE GO – BY FORGIVENESS.,,,,,

 

Answer – because Paul could not see hearts/spirits:

            Hence, after doing loving, powerful, convincing, miracles,
            Paul thought everyone would say “Yes” to Christianity.
            (Just like, having murdered Christians,
            but then experiencing the convincing miracle
            of the Damascus Road experience,
            he therefore said “Yes”,  Acts c2 v1-22.),,,

 

            But not everyone did say “Yes”.
            Some even wanted to kill him.
,                  Paul was chased out of virtually every town & city he preached the gospel in
,                  despite his preaching being backed by convincing miracles.
,                  Or perhaps because his preaching was backed by convincing miracles.

            So he concluded, wrongly:
            that God must be doing the choosing,
            that God must be deciding who says “Yes” & who says “No”.

 

.

 

Perhaps again see earlier webpage:
Jesus’ use of the words ‘heart’, ‘righteous’ and ‘wicked’, , .

.

 

JESUS’ FORGIVENESS PROCESS
AS ALTERED BY PAUL
(THE TWO GREEN WORDS)

 

We are
all
doomed
..

.. then God chooses
who he offers
free Forgiveness
to ..
See refs three cells up.

.. then, motivated
by gratitude
& empowered by
God’s Spirit ..

.. we change
ourselves: to
doing good
& spreading
the gospel.

 

This side is:
 God’s grace towards us:
the cause.
Rom c1 – c10
 Eph c1 – c2.

This side is:
the fruit of God’s grace towards us:
the effect.
Rom c12 – c15   
Eph c3 – c6.

.

 

WHAT IS GRACE?

 

Mercy             =   Not getting bad things
                             that you deserve.

God’s Mercy  =   Not getting bad things, from God,
                             that you deserve.
,,        ,,        ,,        ,,        ,,        Hence Jesus’ Punishment in our place.



Grace             =   Getting good things
                             that you don’t deserve.

God’s Grace  =    Getting good things, from God,
                             that you don’t deserve.
,,        ,,        ,,        ,,        ,,        God’s powerful Holy Spirit, miracles, blessings.

 

After such an extreme act of God’s love for us
(i.e. Jesus being willingly Punished in our place)
there’s no reason why God should not continue
to be extremely loving.

Hence the Cross is the beginning of God’s grace towards us,
the beginning of God doing natural and miraculous good
to us, in us, and through us.

.

 

In this section and the previous section
I write that Paul preached grace
as if God chooses us.

But it seems as if Jesus, too, preached grace
as if God chooses us:

            Matt c22 v1-13    (Luke c14 v15-24):   my abbreviation
            Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like
            a king who had prepared his son’s wedding:
            He sent out invitations
            to all he thought would come.
            But they all said they had
            better things to do [felt above it all].
            Some even mistreated & killed the king’s messengers.
            So the king became angry
            and sent soldiers to kill the murderers.
            Then he invited everyone, good & bad,
            everyone other than those he’d originally invited,
            so that the wedding hall was filled with guests.
            Then the king spotted a guest
            not wearing wedding clothes
            who had no excuse. [One of the ‘above it all’ people.
,,        ,,        At a royal wedding, guests would be offered wedding clothes.]
            So the king had him thrown out.
            Therefore, everyone was invited
            but not everyone was chosen.   my abbreviation

 

But, in fact, we choose first.
See earlier section: WE CHOOSE WHERE WE GO – BY FORGIVENESS.  

That’s how God is able to choose us.

            Jesus’ Punishment in our place
            hides all human sins from God
            like
            the king’s gift of wedding clothes
            hides all commonness from the king.

            But believing Jesus’ Punishment in our place
            is like
            putting the clothes on.

.

 

THE EFFECT OF THE BIBLE WRITERS
ON THEIR OWN WRITING

 

Just as the Bible contributors differ from each other in their:
            human, natural, qualities & abilities,
            God-given, miraculous, qualities & abilities,
            and God-given ministries,
so also they differ from each other in their:
            speech
            and writing.

            Jesus’ words are uniquely Jesus’ words.
            Paul’s words are uniquely Paul’s words.
            Peter’s words are uniquely Peter’s words.
            John’s etc.

Yet all their words are, rightly, in the Bible:
            All these people have God’s Spirit.
            So they are all inspired by God.

,                  Perhaps see earlier section: MY ATTITUDE TO THE BIBLE.,,,,,

.

 

For example: with the perspective & hindsight
that the Bible gives us,
we can see that:

            Paul was right, and Peter was wrong,
            when they argued about legalism.
                 Gal c2 v11-16:
                 Paul challenges Peter’s legalism.   my abbreviation

            Hence, years later, Peter praised Paul:
                 2 Pet c3 v16:
                 As also in all his epistles,
                 speaking in them of these things; in which are
                 some things hard to be understood,
                  which they that are
                 unlearned and unstable wrest,
                  as they do also the other scriptures,
                  unto their own destruction.   KJV

 

            Conversely, we can see that Paul was wrong when he said:
                 Acts c20 v26:
                 Wherefore I take you to record this day,
                  that I am pure from the blood of all men.   KJV

            A wrong proven by his own past:
                 Acts c6 v1 – c9 v2     Acts c22 v4  ,,,
                 Acts c22 v19-20     1 Cor c15 v9  ,,,
                 Saul [later called Paul] had persecuted
                 the church.   my abbreviation

 

.

 

That Paul’s statement about himself (above) is wrong
is explained by him being in an
uncharacteristically sentimental mood
throughout the whole of his goodbye speech
to the Ephesian elders.    Acts c20 v17-38

Hence there are two more errors in that speech:

      1)  Acts c20 v35:
            ctd … remember the words of the Lord Jesus,
            how he said,
                 It is more blessed to give than to receive.   KJV

            I say:
                 “I doubt if Jesus actually said this:
                    a) It’s not in the four gospels.
                   b) Jesus usually taught about rewards
                       for doing good.”
                                       Perhaps see earlier section:
                                       WHY JUDGMENT SEEMS SO OLD TESTAMENT.


      2)  Acts c20 v36-38:
            Paul tearfully told the Ephesian elders
            that they’d never see him again.  my abbreviation

            I say:
                 “To discouragingly say, to brother Christians,
                  that they’d never see him again,
                  is absurd – coming from such a strong believer.”

 

            Jesus always preached against sentimentality:

 

,,        ,,        ,,        Acts c1 v8:
,,,       ,,        ,         ,         Look forward to empowerment in this life.   my abbreviation

 

,         ,         ,         ,         John c14 v1-4:
,         ,         ,         ,         Look forward to a great future in Heaven.   my abbreviation

 

,         ,         ,         ,         Luke c9 v57-62:
,         ,         ,         ,         Don’t look back at earthly things.   my abbreviation


            Paul usually preached against sentimentality …

 

,         ,         ,         ,         Acts c21 v8-14:
,         ,         ,         ,         Paul had a brave response to Agabus’ tough prophesy.   my abbn

 

,         ,         ,         ,         2 Cor c5 v1-5:
,         ,         ,         ,         Our bodies, here, are temporary: mere tents.   my abbreviation

 

,         ,         ,         ,         2 Cor c7 v10b:
,         ,         ,         ,         Worldly sorrow is deadly.   my abbreviation

 

,         ,         ,         ,         Heb c12 v1-4:
,         ,         ,         ,         Run the race looking forwards, never back.   my abbreviation

 

            … it was only in this goodbye speech
            that he broke his own rule.

.

 

SHOULD WE BE LIKE JESUS
AND PREACH BOTH JUDGMENT AND FORGIVENESS?
OR LIKE PAUL
AND PREACH ONLY FORGIVENESS?

 

I think that Jesus, being God’s only begotten Son,
told God’s thoughts more authoritatively
than other parts of the Bible tell God’s thoughts.

So, where there is any difference, in letter or in spirit,
between what Jesus says and what other parts say:
            then the Jesus parts are right
            and the other parts are wrong.

 

,                  I don’t mean Old / New Covenant differences, differences that should be there.
,                  (Perhaps see earlier section: THE LORD’S PRAYER, and the links within it.)
,                  (This link does not open a new tab.)

 

,                  Blue text copied from earlier section: MY ATTITUDE TO THE BIBLE.


Yet Paul’s miracles show us that God approves
of Paul differing from Jesus.
Perhaps see earlier section:
MIRACLES PROVE THAT IT WAS GOD’S WILL
FOR PAUL TO PREACH ONLY FORGIVENESS, , , ,

 

However, notice that the difference between Paul and Jesus
is a difference of omission:
            that Paul omitted Judgment,
            omitted something Jesus preached.

            God wanted people to consider Forgiveness
            and not Judgment.
            Hence God wanted Paul
            to make the changes he made.

            Why?

            Because Forgiveness has a certainty to it
            that Judgment does not.

            A certainty bolstered by:
                       o    God’s indwelling Spirit.
                       o    Miraculously answered prayers & commands.

            Hence Forgiveness is better than Judgment.
            Hence God prefers us to engage with Forgiveness.

,                  See earlier section:
,                  THE FOURTH REASON PAUL PREACHED ONLY FORGIVENESS
                   WAS THAT GOD INTENDED HIM TO DO SO:
                   FORGIVENSS IS BETTER FOR US. , , .

.

 

To conclude:

            We should, like Jesus:
                       preach
                       both Forgiveness and Judgment

            but we should also, like Paul:
                       preach
                       that Forgiveness is better than Judgment.

            I suggest we do this by:
                       teaching
                       both Forgiveness and Judgment,
                       and the differences between them.

,                  ,                  See previous cell.
,                  ,                  Perhaps again see left hand columns of earlier webpage:
,                  ,                  The two ways God sorts us: Judgment & Forgiveness.

,                  ,                  Perhaps see:
,                  ,                  What’s the Difference Between Preaching and Teaching?, , , ,,

 

                       This would include teaching that
                       Judgment and Forgiveness contradict each other.

                       Though only in the un-renewed mind,
                       not in the heart/spirit or renewed mind.

,                  ,                  Perhaps see: VARIOUS GENERAL CONTRADICTIONS OF JESUS. , , , ,

.

 


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