Finally someone said as I did that Paul called himself an apostle. To me that neither adds or takes away from Paul's mission, but he took the word himself....12 tribes, 12 apostles, and one who took it upon himself to say he was also. He was given a vital job in spreading the Gospel, but as an instrument of Christ as Christ called him.. Thank you for your well stated answer.. Since Paul was not a follower of Jesus, was not at his baptism, was not at Pentecost, did not follow his preaching, was not at his Crucifixion, was not one to be at his resurrection etc. is probably the reason Christ used the word instrument to bring the gospel etc...
Let all face the fact that Christ could have said to Paul, I call you as one of my apostles, but he did not.
Those that think he called Paul to be an apostle are greatly mistaken. They seem to know more about the calling Christ gave Paul than Christ does..
Paul can call himself anything he wants, that doesn't make it so according to scripture and Christs own words...
I would have to have someone show me not what Paul or the early church called him, but what Jesus Christ called him...
I think you misunderstood my post regarding Paul's apostleship. He called himself an apostle because he WAS the apostle to the gentiles. And he had every right to be called an apostle. He saw Jesus Christ face to face, he wrought signs and miracles, and he had witnesses to Christ speaking to him face to face and mouth to mouth. Not to mention that he took the Gospel of the Grace of God to the nations, not the 12, who confined their ministry to Jerusalem.
I just don't understand what is so difficult about this.