The Apostle Paul Teachings, The Main Message

By Kathleen Perry


The apostles of Christ worked by amplifying His message. However, each chose different areas to focus on, something that can be seen in their works. The Apostle Paul Teachings show a unique focus on some themes that can be said to be unique to him. Here is a look at areas that stand out whenever one looks at the works of this follower of Christ.

Christ as Lord is a central theme whenever you read his epistles. Christ is not just regarded as the source of authority but as a king who is the source and reason for all authority. Chapter 16 and verse 22 of First Corinthians states that those who fail to recognize the authority of Christ as Christians must be accursed. It means that there is no claim of Christianity if it is not accompanied by recognition of Christ as the authority.

Paul is emphatic about the place of resurrection in Christian life. Having been a Pharisee, he understood the idea too well. He could also interpret scripture with a unique depth that was not available to other apostles. He borrowed heavily from the resurrection of Lazarus when he stated that if death obeyed Christ, then everything on earth should follow suit.

Being justified and the justification of faith are central themes in the epistles of Paul. These are words and ideas that have been repeated numerous times, enough to be noted. His assertion is that the justification is through Christ, who also lends legitimacy, without which, any Christian or human being remains useless. This message comes from John chapter 1 where those who accept Christ have the power to be his followers.

Paul is emphatic about the place of grace in Christian living. It can be seen intensely in his benedictions and salutations, mostly at the end of his epistles. An example is chapter 2 of Ephesians, verse 8 where salvation arises from faith, which brings unique grace. Romans chapter 3 and verse 24 captures the two elements of justification and grace together.

Faith also features prominently when one reads through the works of Paul. While the word and idea populate all his works, Romans 1, 17 is unique. The word is mentioned three times, which is a record. Scholars indicate that Hebrew 11 is the best chapter when one wants to pass the message about faith. His reflections on faith are heavily borrowed from the Old Testament, a book he studied deeply as a Pharisee.

Paul is outstanding as an apostle because of his travels and forthright way of passing his message. He spent time with all the communities he visited to ensure that they had enough time to learn. In this way, it would be impossible to produce half baked Christians. He was sometimes sent out of places he went preaching. This explains his deep message that seemed to address the issues of his host city or community.

Paul did not deviate in any way from what Christ taught. It is his address of particular themes that made him standout and a source of great wisdom despite starting as Saul the persecutor. He was an incredibly travelled preacher who ended up in the hands of Emperor Nero in Rome Italy. He was martyred by beheading, alongside Peter who was crucified, albeit in a different position from Christ according to history books.




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