I almost cannot believe the indignation here about my comments on Paul. I have noticed whenever a Catholic will quote the Gospel of Jesus Christ, say, John 6 or something, some nutburger or Professionally Perfect Persecuting Presbyterian will counter Christ’s plain, beautiful words with some confused tortured verse out of the Pauline epistles. Well, as Paul said in one of his saner moments, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto Him, against that day.”
Face it, Paul was a goofball. He’s the clearest proof anyone should need that God Almighty and His Risen Son can take any pieces of human garbage — murderers, Pharisees, etc. and make them eat their words and praise His Most Holy Name. He does not and did not make Paul perfect, however. Which is clear from Paul’s epistles, which the Presbyterians (and other anti-Catholic bigots) worship.
So, of course, the next post will be that if there was hope for Paul, there is hope for Judith Anne!
LOL!
But with post #483, you make it a bit clearer.
I hope I can assume you were referring to Pauline comments, such as,
I Cor 1:18 For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness: but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise: and the prudence of the prudent I will reject. 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For, seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe. 22 For both the Jews require signs: and the Greeks seek after wisdom. 23 But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumbling block, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: 24 But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. 27 But the foolish things of the world has God chosen, that he may confound the wise: and the weak things of the world has God chosen, that he may confound the strong. 28 And the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible, has God chosen: and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his sight. 30 But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption: 31 That, as it is written: He that glories may glory in the Lord. 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ. 2 For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ: and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in showing of the Spirit and power: 5 That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
Or perhaps,
2 Cor 12:9b Gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 For which cause I please myself in my infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ. For when I am weak, then am I powerful. 11 I have become foolish....
But I'm still not sure why one would compare St. Paul the Apostle with a heretic like John Calvin. Yes, St. Paul was a Pharisee before his encounter with Christ,
Phil 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more: 5 Being circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews. According to the law, a Pharisee: 6 According to zeal, persecuting the church of God: According to the justice that is in the law, conversing without blame. 7 But the things that were gain to me, the same I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Furthermore, I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ
but, afterward, he applied the same zeal to spreading the Gospel that he applied beforehand to the persecution of Christians. As you say, He’s the clearest proof anyone should need that God Almighty and His Risen Son can take any pieces of human garbage — murderers, Pharisees, etc. and make them eat their words and praise His Most Holy Name.
Look, on the other hand, at Calvin. How many millions of souls have been shipwrecked after following his devilish doctrine of double predestination? (After all, if a person preaching Calvinism convinces you that God has destined you to be a reprobate, then you may as well abandon all hope because you have none at all)(btw, understanding that particular heresy should make the attitudes of our Calvinist friends far more comprehensible...after all, they are simply reacting in accordance with the heresy that they've likely been brainwashed with from their childhoods)
I can't understand how any Christian could even say the two names in the same breath...
“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.” (2 Peter 3:15-17)
Paul's epistles, inspired by God, were only a problem to the unlearned and unsteady.
How exactly is Paul “a goofball?” He was an educated Roman Jew, a Torah scholar and teacher. He was preordained by God to be the apostle to the gentiles. He used his deep knowledge of Torah and the Prophets to explain Christianity. Preaching to the Greeks he is responsible for the world becoming Christian.
Jesus knew him personally and taught him. The fact that you and others have no gift to understand his writings does not make him “goofy”
lol. Imagine that. Christians complaining that someone has called the apostle Paul a lunatic and goofy and incomprehensible and a goofball and not very tightly wrapped (whatever that means) and maybe insane along with the final insult - that Paul's "level of sophistication" is sub par - well, Judith, I would suggest you study more to show yourself approved.