The Danger Of Following Paul

Paul is a very interesting character. I mean, it’s just difficult to fully comprehend him. He fills his readers with awe and wonder at the same time. His zeal is unmatched by any other character; his leadership is exemplary. He is a strong choleric, almost domineering to some extent. At some points, he plays the church administrator (1 Corinthians 14:40 - “Let all things be done decently and in order”); he writes the church manual (1 Timothy 3:15 - “… that you may know how men ought to behave themselves in God’s house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”). He is a thorough evangelist, one of the most educated among the apostles, and must have possessed a very high IQ.

Paul professes humility in his writings, and to some point, it flashes through his weak human flesh. But most of the time, Paul appears a little different from the Christ he professes that’s in his early letters. He jumps the gun with exquisite zeal, traveling the world, raising churches, writing letters, admonishing, exhorting, and rebuking with all authority. You can tell, he is very sure of his calling, and without any doubt, the Spirit of God is with him. But I wish to say this trembling, and with a broken heart: the characters we see nowadays the fanatics and the offshoots have been highly inspired by Paul’s writings.

Am I disputing Paul’s writings? No! God forbid! This man was inspired by the Holy Spirit. All his writings are indeed the Word of God. But let’s be quick to understand that the Bible is the thought of God expressed through human vessels. And because the vessels are human, they have their weaknesses. God does not censor their weaknesses. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We are all unworthy vessels to be used by God. This work of the gospel belongs to the angels. However, God saw it fit to involve us so that through our participation, we may be saved. Especially those called early in life—it’s not that they were more worthy; they had more sins to deal with.

The same way we have anointed ministers of God in various positions, who, when viewed with carnal eyes, seem unworthy to serve in the capacities they hold, we might think or even know deep down that we could do a better job than they—or perhaps we have someone else in mind who should have been chosen instead. But let me tell you something: they are the chosen of the Lord, and they have been given a high honor they do not deserve. “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29). Not because they are special in deed, but special in need.

Most of the time, we are angered by the faults of a brother for whom Christ died. How then does the love of God dwell in us? And by the way, if we are able to see a brother’s or sister’s fault, I hate to break it to you, but it’s because we are actually worse than they.  (Matthew 7:3,4,5).

All I’m trying to say is that we are not called to be like Paul, or Peter, or John, or any other character in the Bible. We are called to be like Christ. These characters, just like the moon and stars, reflect some light from the Sun of Righteousness (Christ), but none entirely. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29).

I want to show you where Paul falls short of having the mind of Jesus, acknowledging that I myself am worse far worse. But the Spirit of God speaks clearly about the dangers of depending on flesh, the dangers of following a man the arm of flesh shall fail you. “Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.” (Jeremiah 17:5).

The pen of inspiration has these things to say about Paul:

The Virtue of Christian Courtesy—Paul, though firm as a rock to principle, yet ever preserved his courtesy. He was zealous for the vital points and was not regardless of the grace and politeness due to social life. The man of God did not absorb the man of humanity.—Letter 25, 1870 (Our High Calling, 236.)

Paul’s ministry was flawed because it lacked compassion; it lacked the gentle graces of Christ.

“There is an eloquence far more powerful than the eloquence of words in the quiet, consistent life of a pure, true Christian. What a man is has more influence than what he says.” (Ministry of Healing, 469.1)

Paul had the latter but lacked the former. The greatest need of the world is to see Christ—the hope of glory. This knowledge is too wonderful it cannot be portrayed single handedly by one man, but from many vessels and more surely from time spent with Him, walking with Him, receiving from Him, and learning from Him.

The danger of following Paul sparked a train of thoughts. Moses lived 120 years on earth, and it is said that when he died, he still had strength and youthful vigor. Forty years of Moses’ life were spent in the palace in Egypt, learning from the world—the Egyptian nonsense, the pomp and pride, carnal pleasure, the self-importance, the elevation of some human characters (idols), and the degradation of others. Just classic Egypt and worldliness, which Solomon later describes as vanity of vanities, a chase after smoke (Ecclesiastes 1:14).

Fair to say that moses had his fair share of the world before he was involved in heavens business, right? Now, before you get excited, let us consider the cost. When he was 40 years old, an incident occurred, and he was forced to flee Egypt for the wilderness, where he became a shepherd for another 40 years. This, I strongly believe, was to unlearn what he had corrupted his mind within the palace. The wicked principles engrafted in his mind by the wild olive tree (Egypt) were to be unlearned now he is brought to a place where he can receive meekness with meekness……uhhh!

It is written: “Therefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” (James 1:21).

The experience of the wilderness qualified Moses to lead the children of Israel for another 40 years, and the Holy Spirit even inspired him to write that he was the meekest man that ever lived (Numbers 12:3). However, there were incidents where Moses lost his cool “the meekness” that made him attractive and beautiful in character. Numbers 20:10-12 records the incident where Moses took credit for providing water, an act that disqualified him from entering earthly Canaan.

So, what am I trying to say? Christ was not fully formed in the man. That is a lifetime’s work. Even after 40+ years of walking with Him, he still had faults. What can we say of Paul, who started his ministry just two years after conversion? Paul was constantly learning and unlearning until he laid down his life later in life to be slain for Christ. Through out when he has been labouring for God he is still deeply flawed.

Bringing it home, what thinkest thou of  the ministers in whom you delight in today, the ones that speak with tongues of angels, they that bring down with their surmons?

Listen to Paul’s words: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). So, are we to follow them as they follow Christ? Meaning, we should imitate only the Christlike attributes in them. Essentially, this text is pointing us to Christ, the ultimate example we should follow.

By the way, the zeal Paul had to travel the entire world preaching the gospel of the kingdom we should possess, but according to knowledge.