Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Campion

Well, look at history.
From the day Paul wrote his letters they were used as the main guide in doctrine and considered sacred scripture.

It took close to two hundred years before James’ one little letter was considered sacred scripture, and even then it was put in the back of the book with the other scriptures the early Christians were not sure about.

But that one little leter has caused more problems as so many people now use it to cancel all the grace and libety letters from Paul.

Again, James’ letter was to THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, not the Gentile believers.

Act 21:20 And when they heard [it], they glorified the Lord, and said unto him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which believe; and they are all zealous of the law:

Act 21:21 And they are informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise [their] children, neither to walk after the customs.

Act 21:22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together: for they will hear that thou art come.

Act 21:23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which have a vow on them;

Act 21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and be at charges with them, that they may shave [their] heads: and all may know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee, are nothing; but [that] thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest the law.

Act 21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written [and] concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from [things] offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication.


62 posted on 11/07/2010 6:55:01 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (I visited GEN TOMMY FRANKS Military Museum in HOBART, OKLAHOMA! Well worth it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies ]


To: Ruy Dias de Bivar; Campion
But that one little leter has caused more problems as so many people now use it to cancel all the grace and libety letters from Paul.

Headline: "Bible Christian" rejects portion of the Bible.

74 posted on 11/07/2010 12:10:49 PM PST by mas cerveza por favor
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies ]

To: Ruy Dias de Bivar
From the day Paul wrote his letters they were used as the main guide in doctrine and considered sacred scripture.

Actually it was the 4 canonical gospels that were considered "the main guide in doctrine". Everything Paul wrote was subject to them, as he himself would tell you first. Both the 4 gospels and the Pauline letters were considered canonical from very early times.

Incidentally, where something is placed in your Bible doesn't have much to do with its status or the degree to which you should heed it. The order of the books is not divinely inspired.

Again, James’ letter was to THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, not the Gentile believers.

I think you're not quite understanding something.

The ten tribes in the north of Israel were conquered by Assyria in 722 BC. Those tribes were dispersed and forcibly intermarried among the Gentiles. They were lost as individual national units, hence the term "Lost Tribes of Israel". The whole messianic promise was that those tribes would be reunited back into the one people of God.

But how is that even possible, when they are intermingled with Gentile nations? Precisely by bringing the Gentiles into the covenant, that's how!

So saying James is writing to "the twelve tribes of Israel, not to Gentile believers" is nonsense. Ten of those twelve tribes were Gentile believers (if they were to be believers at all), so for him to address his letter to "the twelve tribes in the diaspora" is precisely the same as addressing his letter to the whole church of God.

This isn't a work of Jewish homiletics, and it isn't teaching the Mosaic law in opposition to Paul's teaching of salvation by grace through faith. The bishops in AD 400 knew exactly what they were doing, and put it in the Bible for a reason.

And no, it doesn't contradict Paul. Not if you understand Paul correctly, and James as well.

91 posted on 11/07/2010 3:36:32 PM PST by Campion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson