The Greatest Heresy of Paul
The greatest false doctrine that Paul taught, in my opinion, was that only belief was necessary for salvation and not works of righteousness. Jesus taught just the opposite. Paul preached so much doctrine that was contrary to what Jesus taught, it was like a completely different religion. Paul taught lies and was an apostate and a genuine heretic, in the true sense of the words.
Paul’s motive was that he wanted to create a religion that the gentiles could accept — he “became all things to all men that he might win some“. He used lying to promote his brand of the gospel.
Here he’s justifying his lying and then complains that he’s accused of lying. Next he claims he is being slandered by others alleging that he does evil so that the evil will bear the fruits of something good — “the end justifies the means”.
For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? (Rom 3:7)
Corrupting the New Religion
In almost all of Paul’s epistles he spends a great deal of time just defending himself and justifying himself and maligning his enemies, many of whom were original followers of Jesus.
His story begins with him persecuting the Christians. You know the old adage: “If you can’t beat them, join them”? It seems that is what Paul was trying to do. Since he couldn’t beat them, he infiltrated their ranks and tried to corrupt their new religion.
Making martyrs of the Christians, when he persecuted them, only served to make their religion grow faster. What he seems to have accomplished was to effectively and radically modify it and become it’s new leader and move its new headquarters to Rome. After that, Christianity was never the same.
PAUL’S HERESIES
Paul: Only faith, works of righteousness not necessary for salvation
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. (Eph 2:8-9)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.(Rom 10:9-10)
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us (Tit 3:5)
Paul: Only those predestined will be saved
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Rom 8:30)
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will (Eph 1:4-5)
In other words, the only ones who will be saved are the ones God decided he wanted to lead to the “Truth” and be saved, the rest — those who never got the chance to get it right — would go to Hell for eternity. One’s own efforts to perfect himself is all for nought if one is not predestinated according to God’s will.
Opinion: Probably those Jewish Christians who believed in doing “works of righteousness”, as Jesus taught, were NOT “chosen before the foundation of the world” to be saved. You could only be “saved” if you believed in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead (Rom 10:9). Even if you have “works of righteousness” and not faith you don’t get saved (Tit 3:5).
Jesus: Only those who do the will God will be saved
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but (only) he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 7:21)
According to Jesus, it’s NOT about just believing something in your heart that gets one into the kingdom of heaven, like Paul preached. It’s about doing God’s will; it’s about doing works of righteousness; it’s about living a righteously and it’s about the process of perfection, that gets one into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus: Keeping the law (of God) and doing good works necessary for ‘salvation’
And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. (Luk 18:18-20)
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father (those who did works of righteousness), inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: (Mat 25:34)
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? (Mat 25:37) (Read Mat 25:34-46 — the best definition of salvation in the gospels)
And these (the unrighteous) shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Mat 25:46)
Paul: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Rom 10:13)
Jesus: Not everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 7:21)
Paul: Jesus was cursed for us by the law
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (Gal 3:13)
Paul saw the law as a curse, and taught the doctrine of “Substitutional Atonement” which is contrary to the law of God.
Jesus said the law would never pass away. To him, the law was summed up in this: Love your neighbor as yourself and do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Jesus: He fulfilled the law
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, …but to fulfill.
Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Mat 5:17-18)
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. (Mat 7:12)
And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. (Luk 16:17)
Paul: Slaves were to be obedient to their masters in the flesh.
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling… (Eph 6:5)
Jesus: Preached that no one should be a master, and slaves should be set at liberty.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. (Mat 23:10)
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
…to preach the deliverance of the captives, set at liberty them that are bruised (Lk 4:18)
Paul: It’s alright to eat meat sacrificed to idols…
…as long as you have the “faith” to do it. Just pray over it and it will not be sin. ‘Just don’t do it in front of those weak Christians who think it’s a sin — we don’t want to offend their weak consciences’ (paraphrased).
there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. (Rom 14:14)
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: (1Ti 4:4)
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Rom 14:22-23)
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. (I Cor 8:4-7)
…for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Jesus: Came to put an end to animal sacrifices
(of any kind) and specifically prohibited his followers from eating slain animals.
“I have come to end the sacrifices and feasts of blood, and if you don’t cease offering and eating of flesh and blood, the wrath of God will not cease from you, (Gospel of the Nazarenes 21:8)
“But they have made the house of prayer a den of thieves, and for the oblation with incense, they have polluted my altars with blood, and eaten of the flesh of the slain.” (Gospel of the Nazarenes 33:7)
Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. (Rev 2:20)
Paul: Women not allowed to teach but to be silent
Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. (1Co 14:34-35)
Jesus: Women were equals to men and even had women disciples
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them”. (Gen 1:27)
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Mat 12:49-50)
… For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel of Thomas 114)
Conclusion:
There is ample evidence from the New Testament itself that Paul was an evil false apostle and liar — a true heretic!
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. (Rev 2:2)
Next: Paul: the False Apostle | Abstaining from Meat Part 1