Paul the Apostle (Colossians #2) - Bible Baptist Church

Text: Colossians 1:1

Paul…

1 Timothy 1:12-16
- Enabled because Paul was counted faithful (vs 12)
- Paul’s sin is blasphemy. If anyone kept the law, it was Paul. But the reality is no one kept the law. Paul was zealous for the law, but misguided.
- Leviticus 24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
- Holy Spirit led Paul to say he was the chief of sinners because blaspheming Jesus Christ was his zeal. But he did it ignorantly.
Philippians 3:4-6
- concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
- That’s odd that the Holy Spirit would use Paul to write that he was a murderer and at the same time blameless. Deuteronomy 13:6-11. Saul goes to the high priest and gets a warrant to bring in anyone trying to turn Israel to this strange god named Jesus Christ (Acts 9:1-2. See also Acts 8:1-4). Saul is the driving force behind the persecution in what he things is obedience to Deuteronomy 13.
Paul’s understanding of the scriptures, Romans 1:1-3 gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is in the Old Testament. Paul isn’t teaching something different than what Jesus Christ or Peter taught.

An apostle of Jesus Christ…

Apostle was an office given to 12 Jews.
Matthew 10:2-4 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Revelation 21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb
Paul replaces Judas Iscariot
- Contrast Mathias in Acts 1 with Acts 13:2, 14:14
- Barnabas takes James’ place when James is killed, but Barnabas is not part of the twelve. He’s just given the signs of an apostle in Acts 15:12 (Signs of the apostles: Acts 4:33, 5:12, 2 Corinthians 12:12)
Apostleship was a calling, qualified by their service, certified by the miracles and wonders done through them.

By the will of God…

Will of God is a decision in time to make Paul an apostle.
1 Timothy 1:12-13 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, (NOT counted me worthy, but FAITHFUL) putting me into the ministry;
Galatians 1:13-15 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
Let me ask you something, if you’re a Calvinist who believes God’s will for Paul’s life was set in motion in eternity, then Paul was never a sinner because he was chosen before he was born.