David Miller, this is why I believe the way I do. IF as you claim Paul remained a Pharisee of the Pharisees then every Jew must have been a liar both believing and unbelieving. It's also interesting to note that Jesus sent Paul with all his degrees and education to the Gentiles where it did no good and Peter the fisherman with no education was sent to impress the Jews... go figure!! **Mixing the law and the gospel makes a corrupt form of Christianity. Judaism and Christianity cannot work together for they are opposite. In AD60 God had not completely abolished all sacrifices and all the law in Israel as a national program. He tolerated the Jews continuing with all their rituals until the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. From that time on it was impossible for them to observe these things. Thus he abolished the Mosaic dispensation by rendering the observance of the law impossible. The Jews were a constant source of strife for the infant Church...... Acts 11:2 (after Cornelius house) �And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem they that were of the circumcision contended with him� for eating with uncircumcised ppl AD41. Acts 13:45 (at Antioch) When the Jews saw the multitudes they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming� so Paul & Barnabus waxed bold and said they were going to the gentiles AD46 Acts 15:1 (Antioch) �And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said, except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved. When therefore Paul and Barnabus had no small dissension and disputation with them� AD51 Acts 15:5 (Antioch) �But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses (the new believers).AD53 Acts 16:37 (Phillippi) Paul and Silas were imprisoned and they used their Roman Citizenship.AD53 Acts 17:1 (Thessalonica) Paul taught at the synagogue of the Jews for three Sabbath days. Vs.5 The Jews which believed not moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, gathered a company and set all the city in an uproar (Paul and Silas were sent away by night) AD54 Acts 18:12 (Corinth) �The Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat saying �This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.� AD55 Acts 20:3 (Macedonia) He abode there three months; and when the Jews laid wait for him as he was about to sail into Syria�AD60 Acts 20:19 (Miletus) �many tears and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews�� AD60 Acts 21:10 (Ptolemais) A certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea; he took Paul�s girdle and bound his own hands and feet and said �thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this birdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles� AD60 Acts 21:20 (Jerusalem) the brethren received Paul gladly and told him �thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law. AD60 *The advice of the apostles and elders here was to avoid trouble with the many thousands of Jews who came to the feast; it did not violate Paul�s conscience or make him hypocritical. It was wise under the circumstances to further the gospel among the Jews. AD60 Paul speaks of this idea in his letter to the church at Corinth in AD59 �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. ( 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 However, the advice did not benefit Paul because... Acts 21:27 (Jerusalem) And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were of Asia when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people, and laid hands on him crying out �Men of Israel, help; this is the man that teaches all men everywhere against the people and the law and this place, and further brought Greeks also into the temple and hath polluted this holy place� ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
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