“Now to him that is of power to stablish you (according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ), God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ…“I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is…by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Romans 16:25-17, Galatians 1:12)
What Paul calls “my gospel” is NOT something new to him, but the same preached by Jesus Christ.” (Romans 16:25).
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil…Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:17-19)
“O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27)
“My time is at hand; I will keep the passover. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is [now represents] my body which is given for you [instead of the Passover lamb remembering Egypt], this do in remembrance of ME [instead of your bondage in Egypt]. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is / represents MY blood of the new testament [replacing the old testament of animal blood], which is shed for many for the [newly permanent] remission of sins.” (Matthew 26, Luke 22)
A “testament”, as in “last will and testament” dictates the disposition of the owner’s property after death. The “old” testament is the original will and testament.
God’s will:
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)
God’s testament:
“the LORD God commanded the man, saying…of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
This death sentence was temporarily suspended through the transfer of life from animals to humans, but eventually all men gave up the ghost/ the spirit of God that animates the body and soul.
The new testament is not a new religion! It is the restoration of God’s will that mankind be permanently connected to him, achievable according to the terms of the covenant giving dominion to humanity only by a human – the Seed of the Woman – who, remaining sinless therefore connected to the infinite Almighty YHVH, defeats the Adversary!
“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this…her seed; it shall bruise / crush thy head / destroy you.”
It is not a new religion! it is the essential, required, course of action for humanity to take on our God-given role in the Covenant of Dominion.
The preaching of Jesus Christ was the one sect of Judaism true to scripture in a medley of heretic Jewish sects following man-made traditions instead of remaining true to the Mosaic law. The preaching of Jesus Christ is what Paul converted to these man-made traditions.
“beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.” (Galatians 1:13-14)
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God…For Christ / The Messiah / Anointed Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world…is the end of the law for righteousness [requiring a substitute animal blood sacrifice] to every one that believeth. (Romans 10:1-13)
Nothing changed from the preaching of Jesus Christ before Pentecost and the apostle’s doctrine of the New Testament Church after Pentecost.
The Jerusalem church was so grounded in the Old Testament prophets from Genesis onward confirmed by the preaching of Jesus Christ and his witnessed resurrection proof of that its members could immediately accept the religion of YHVH’s Savior’s redemptive death so concisely reported in Isaiah 53, and were saved by the thousands.
Gentiles, however, needed to start with the Old Testament background leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is obviously why God chose a Pharisaical Jew obsessed with details of scripture to lead the conversion of Gentiles.
Paul spearheaded all his new Gentile mission fields at the synagogues because this is where he would find Old Testament literate Gentile proselytes or at least interested observers capable of understanding the essential concept of Jesus as the prophesied Savior.
“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed
- And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews:
- they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day…many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas…the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.” (Acts 13)
- in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed….Long time therefore abode they. (Acts 14)
“And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.” (Acts 17:2-3)
Sound familiar? This is exactly what Jesus preached to all the apostles – from the “Old Testament”.
Paul’s statement that knowledge of “holy scripture” is able to make one wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus can only be referring to what is now called the “Old Testament”, since the “New Testament” hadn’t been written when Timothy was a child.
“from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Timothy 3:15-17)
What is called Christian doctrine was not expounded until Paul follows up with his first Gentile converts to reinforce his preaching and teaching from the Old Testament, recognizable in that Paul pervasively cites Old Testament scripture to prove his arguments.
“Now when Paul and his company…came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day…And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on…Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers…he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. Of this man’s seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:” (Acts 13)
When Paul is arrested and brought before a judge to determine if he has violated Jewish religious law, he denies these charges.
“My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee…saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That the Anointed One should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto 1) the [chosen] people / the Jews, 2) and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26, Galatians 3:15-23)
