Exegetical Essay: Paul's Controversy

With the ability to assimilate to various aspects of the universal Roman society, the apostle is able to relate to and address many different types of people. This aspect of his life makes Paul able to apply the collective ‘we’ when instructing believers of opposing backgrounds. Likewise, after his conversion

Paul’s distinctive contribution to Christianity is his heresy- the doctrine of salvation by faith. A salvation available not just to the descendants of Abraham, but to the pagan, non-Jewish world as well. When he was writing to those in the Roman capital, Paul makes the declaration that proved to be the cornerstone of all his writings Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live

Paul more than anyone was responsible for the spread of the Jesus movement into the Gentile world. By the end of the first century Christianity had become an important religious force. Paul while respectful of its Jewish origins moved the Christian faith into a position where it was no longer bound by Jewish law and was able to embrace people of any cultural background. After his own conversion, Paul passionately espoused his message from the Palestinian world through Asia Minor and southern Europe to Rome, the heart of the empire. Some of his letters by Paul to fledgling churches throughout the Roman Empire are contained in the New Testament and outline Paul 's theology. He insisted that Gentiles had as much access to the faith as Jews and that freedom from the Law set everyone free. It was this teaching which was essential for the development and success of the early church which would otherwise have remained another Jewish sect.

Though Jesus was sinless and undeserving of death, he offered himself as a sacrifice in atonement for all sin (Invitation to World Religions, pg.418). Paul was always emphatic in maintaining that salvation cannot be earned by “works”, whether humans’ effort to obey the commandments in the Torah or excellent work in general. Instead, he taught that the salvation made possible by Christ’s sacrifice is a gift, the ultimate expression of God’s love and grace. Salvation is given to those who respond to God’s grace in faith, the conviction that God has acted through Jesus Christ to amend for human sin. Although Paul was very clear in teaching that salvation depends on God’s grace and the individual’s turning to God in faith, he did not dismiss the importance of works (Invitation to World Religions, pg.419). For Paul, faith does more than bringing salvation; it unites the believers with Christ in a “newness of life”. He believed that the spirit lives in believers and brings them into union with God. As a divine presence within, the spirit encourages the growth of spiritual virtues, the greatest which is love and makes all Christians one in the church often called “the body of Christ”.

He became an advocate for the inclusion of the Gentiles among the true followers of Christianity. Until Paul’s challenge, Jewish Christians believed that non-Jews had to convert to Judaism and follow the law, which included restrictions and circumcision. Gentiles who worship in the synagogue but did not become proselytes were called god-fearers and were only second-class citizens in the synagogue. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision_controversy_in_early_Christianity)

Saint Paul, originally named Saul, was a crucial part in the development of Christianity. Paul, who was born in Tarsus, Cilicia, grew up Jewish and was trained as a rabbi (Adcock). Paul eventually converted to Christianity, but before he did, the future of the religion was looking very slim. Rome had made it illegal to practice Christianity. Paul was a pious Jew, so his conversion to Christianity surprised many of his followers. They viewed him with much suspicion and treated him with hostility. Paul was dedicated to his new life and made it his mission to spread Christianity throughout the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire and eventually to Rome itself. Paul made two separate journeys throughout the Mediterranean. He preached about the message of Jesus to many and sent his letters to the people he had not visited. Paul saw that his new faith had a message for everything and everyone. By converting to Christianity, St. Paul has saved Christianity from extinction, has written crucial letters about his faith, has preached to hundreds of people, has spread Christianity throughout the Roman Empire, has caused

Christianity over the course of history has a vast influence on individuals, society and the way believers conduct themselves. It provides morals, practices and ethics that every Christian attempts to live by. Throughout the many denominations in the Christian church, Paul of Tarsus had a significant influence on the faith. His contribution to the development and expression of Christianity is immense and can be seen to stem from his writing and missionary journeys which have implemented his ideas and interpretations onto the development of Christianity. After Jesus, Paul was arguably the most significant figure in Christianity as his teachings form a significant part of the New Testament. Like may other Pharisees of that time in history, Paul sought to suppress the early Christian movement. He accused early Christians of blaspheming against God and breaking Mosaic Law. However, Paul had a life-changing experience when he had a vision of Jesus, and he spent the remainder of his life as a missionary for the early church. Centuries after his ministry, his teachings still influence Christian theology.

Paul begins his letter by saying he is an apostle not from men nor through man, but Jesus

The church in Rome, once so prone to lose sight of their high calling in Christ, had developed strength of Christ character. Their words and acts revealed the transforming power of the grace of God. With clearness and power Paul presents the doctrine of justification by Faith in Christ alone. Paul heart’s desire and prayer for his people the Jews were that they might be saved he now sets forth the great principle of the gospel that salvation is only through faith in Christ as Jesus says “if you love me keep my commandments”. Therefore it is not by works that we are saved nor by relations or titles nor anything but only through Christ who is the “Way the Truth and the Life”.

Paul was devoted to spreading the gospel to many different people groups. An example from Paul's life that has taught me about spreading God's word is when he preached on his first missionary journey in Acts 13, even after many Jews slandered him and argued against everything he said. Paul’s demonstration of courage in this situation is very inspiring to me. It teaches me to be bold in my belief of the gospel, even when people disagree with me. Another

Before Paul became a Christian, he was a Roman citizen that persecuted Christians. Paul effortlessly transitioned from a Jew to a Christian by striking faith with God. In one of Paul’s letter’s he states he “went after Christians mercilessly, hunting them down and doing my best to get rid of them all. I was one of the most religious Jews of my own age in the whole country, and tried as hard as I possibly could to follow all the old, traditional rules of my religion” (Galatians 1:10-2, Bible); The letters Paul wrote toward the local Christian societies were included in the New Testament, Old Testament, and the Bible and were also meant to be compatible to all issues with believers of Christ. Paul also wrote to Christians in Rome to guide them with faith, which led to Paul to expand Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Paul believed his duty on Earth was to spread the word of Christianity and to be on the pathway to

Further, the Covenant is central for understanding Judaism as it covers all beliefs in relation to the expectations of Jewish life. In the Covenant that God established with Abraham, God blessed him and promised to make him “the father of a multitude of nations.”- Genesis 17:4 in which Abraham was to remain loyal and serve to the rest of the world through God’s blessings. Later, God made the Covenant of Circumcision with Abraham conveyed in the sacred text of the Torah, “Here is my covenant that you are to observe, between me and you and your descendants: Every male among you is to be circumcised.”- Genesis 17:10. Hassidic Jews carry out this practice and believe it is customary that

This teaching has impacted Christianity in history through the lives of individuals but most significantly through the Reformation of the 16th Century. Martin Luther was strongly convicted on this issue, seeing it as the epitome of Paul’s teachings. Because Luther stood for this issue unfalteringly, he was persecuted and excommunicated. He and his followers formed the Protestant Church, turning away from Catholicism in disgust at their practices of indulgences to gain salvation, making his mantra, “the just shall live by faith.” (Hab. 2:4, Rom. 1:17) This was scripture that Paul had restated in his most famous and complete theological epistle, Romans. This influence of Paul brought about conflict, but also good and freedom, and a new expression of Christianity.

A similar conflict between the Gentiles and Jews took place during the early establishment of the Church. The Jews demanded that the Gentiles adhere to their laws as established by Moses, wherein they were forbidden from eating certain foods and required that all males be circumcised. McRay states, “During that time some men came from Jerusalem and tried to lay upon the Gentiles an even more stringent requirement than the earlier Jerusalem emissaries had done. It was no longer simply a matter of requiring the Gentiles to observe Jewish food laws in order to maintain fellowship with Jewish Christians. They were now demanding that Gentiles males be circumcised in order to be saved” (McRay, 2003, p. 127). Similar to today, these disagreements are presented to the Church Leadership conflict for resolution. In advising the leadership council of Saint Elizabeth Catholic church on how to resolve and maintain the fellowship between these believers, I will use Romans 14 as the fundamental basis for handling conflict resolutions.

For some background information on Paul. His original name was Sual in Hebrews announced in the new testaments. He was yoked to a rabbi so he can become a rabbi him self. Paul converted to christianity when he saw the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the road of Damascus. During his life he created three big ministries to travel through the Roman Empire, and he did this because he was planting churches. His goal was to preach to the new Christians the word of God, and to give encouragement. Paul started his mission because the Lord asked of him to do so, and so the Lord provided him with wisdom and strength to for fill his journey.