S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

The theory that the apostle Paul was a false prophet and not a true follower of Christ is usually put forth by those of the Hebrew roots movement persuasion, among others. They believe Christians s...

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July 01 2013 • 7 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

James Kraft 74 year old retired pipeline worker

It is important that we see Paul was chosen by God to be a preacher to the Gentiles. But also to the Greeks. Romans 1:16. He also preached the gospel of all grace. Romans 11:6. And that salvation would be given to any one who believed the gospel. First Corinthians 15:1-4. 

All of Paul's epistles were written to saved Gentiles. Hebrews was written to the Jewish converts. James was written to the 12 tribes of Israel scattered abroad. Revelation 7.

Paul was the preacher of all grace, and not works, and it was by faith alone in Christ alone. Romans 3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, and not by the deeds of the law. Christ's blood sacrifice paid the penalty for all sin so that any one could be saved by faith in Jesus finished work on the cross.

He was a missionary of the gospel. That salvation was now a free gift from God to all who would believe on Him as the only way of salvation by grace.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

He was the one that wrote how we are born again. Ephesians 1:13. 

During his ministry he was shipwrecked, beaten with rods, and thrown in prison, but never stopped the preaching of the cross to any one who would listen. 

His famous word was, "I came to preach Christ and Him crucified." And I believe that was his whole mission to do just that. He had no other message. 

But he also taught how churches we supposed to operate. And how the leaders in the church were supposed to live.

He also waned against false teachers. Galatians 1:7-9 Though we or and angel from heaven preach another gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let them be accursed. As we said before, so say I again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 

Paul only had one gospel. Christ died for our sins. First Corinthians 15:1-4

August 26 2018 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Evan Doan

The notion that Paul was a false prophet is nothing new. In Acts 21:17-25 we see the first documented reference to Paul being accused of apostasy (and therefore a false prophet/apostle) followed by a very interesting statement by "James and all the elders":

"And they said to him, 'You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there
are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but they have
been informed about you that you teach all the Jews who are among the
Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their
children nor to walk according to the customs. What then? The
assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come.
Therefore do what we tell you: we have four men who have taken a vow.
Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they
may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which
they were informed concerning you are nothing, but that you yourself also
walk orderly and keep the law. But concerning the Gentiles who believe,
we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing,
except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from
blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality.'"

There are some things going on here that are extremely important, but that are also frequently overlooked. Here is "James and the elders," along with Paul himself, discussing outright that any accusation against Paul of teaching Jews to forsake the Torah is groundless. In fact, "James and the elders" are telling Paul to pay for expenses for these men to formally complete a Nazirite vow (Numbers 6) which includes a young female lamb as a sin offering, a young male lamb as a burnt offering, and a ram as a peace offering, with its associated grain offering and drink offering. Formally completing a Nazirite vow literally involved EVERY type of sacrificial offering that an Israelite could offer in the Temple.

The first thing that obviously jumps out at us is the fact that here is Paul, along with 4 others, offering animal sacrifices in the Temple DECADES after Christ's crucifixion, resurrection, and Pentecost. If it is true that Christ's death put an end to animal sacrifices, apparently someone forgot to tell Paul, James, and the rest of the elders of the Jerusalem assembly of believers. The confusion typically results from misunderstanding what the animal sacrifices were for, which had NOTHING to do with eternal salvation and redemption. The letter to the Hebrews makes that clear.

So, in our text from Acts 21, the clear implication is that the Torah (the law) is still covenantally obligatory for Jews, which harmonizes with what Paul himself says in Galatians 5:3:

"And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is
obligated to keep the entire law."

Furthermore, this harmonizes perfectly with what Jesus himself said in Matthew 5:17-20, where he states that the law will not be rendered obsolete until heaven and earth pass away, which we read about in Revelation 20:11.

The key to understanding this is to realize what a "covenant" is to ancient peoples. Once a blood covenant (agreement) is ratified and established, nothing can break it, period. Paul clearly touches on this concept in Galatians 3:15-18. Not even God himself can annul it, because that would be tantamount to him breaking his own word, which we know he cannot do. In fact, he himself states in Ezekiel 36:27 that the new covenant, when he puts his spirit in his people, will result in the Israelites keeping the laws, statutes, and precepts of the Torah perfectly, which again perfectly harmonizes with Jesus' words in Matthew 5.

Finally, remember that Paul instructs Jews to remain Jews and Gentiles to remain Gentiles in 1 Corinthians 7:18. One clearly retains an identity of Jew or Gentile, just like male or female, even though we are all "one in Christ."

August 29 2018 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Salem Markus Purba

Well, being a Christian, we are not supposed to believing and following anybody but Jesus Christ alone (John 6: 63-65; 14: 6).

Regarding a false prophet, in crystal clear words Jesus has told us (Mathew : 7: 15-23; 23:13, 15, 23, 25, 27, 29; 24: 11)..

So, by reading the writings of Paul in the Bible and compare it to the Words in a Gospel of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John; we may know that what ever Jesus has told us in the Gospel,was fulfilled in the Bible as Jesus told Peter that he will disown Jesus three times befor rooster crows (Mathew 26: 34, 75).

January 24 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report