The Real Danger Of Only Following The Bible ‘Red Text’ (Jesus’ Words), And Ignoring Apostle Paul.
There are some teaching to ignore Paul’s Gospel of Grace Through Christ Crucified, over Jesus’ teachings to the Jews in the Gospel books of the New Testament. Yet, doing so is not the Word of God we were given!
Jesus and Paul agree 100% because it is the risen Christ that sent Paul to the Gentiles and us living in our current dispensation after the cross.
We must realize that passages in the Gospels showing Jesus’ words, that are before the cross, are addressed directly to the Israelites; the Jewish people and Pharisees of that time who were believing that Law keeping is the way to be favored by God. That righteousness comes by the Law. This is in complete opposition to Paul’ and Jesus’ teachings when read in proper context.
In the Gospels, we see Jesus burying the Jewish people and Pharisees in the extremes of the Law to prepare them for the soon coming New Covenant of God’s Grace through Christ crucified. Law of Moses keeping does not ever justify a person and so Jesus uses extremes of the Law to have them Change Their Mind (Repent) about how to be justified with God. Jesus wants them crying to God for mercy because the New Covenant and dispensation of God’s Grace was about to begin, at the cross.
In Matthew 5 and Matthew 18 is a good example where Jesus tells the Jews to cut off their hand, pluck out their eyes… I certainly hope no believer today is doing such things. Jesus tells the Jews if they even just look at a person in lust – they have committed adultery in their heart and have broken the commandment. Jesus is just trying to bring them to their knees to cry out to God for mercy knowing they cannot keep all the Law of Moses!
The rich man asking what must he DO to be saved was being very boastful about his Law keeping. When Jesus asked him about his Law following, he said he kept all the Law of Moses; a blatant untruth. Law keeping does not justify a person ever and then Jesus tells him to sell everything and give to the poor and follow Him.
Even the disciples were SHOCKED asking.. ‘Who then can be saved?’. Jesus reply was that with man it is impossible BUT with God all things are possible.
Apostle Paul…
“The law curses all who practice it and fail to do it perfectly.” (Galatians 3:10 KJV)
And remember, Paul was an EXPERT of the Law of Moses who persecuted Christians before his appointed meeting with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus.
And NO ONE except Jesus, The Christ, God in the flesh, has kept all the Law of Moses. In fact, not even the Ten Commandments alone.
We must use proper context. And when reading the Gospels and passages before the cross, we need to see them through the lens of the Gospel of God’s Grace Through Christ Crucified as Apostle Paul was sent to teach us living in our current dispensation.
