Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
(John 3:36)
(John 3:36)
He said to take up your cross and follow him.
Guess what works a person does on their cross?
Just one. They die.
And in Him, we find life -- we know we will live with Him, because we have died with Him.
. . . A death that split the curtain of the old covenant in two, and destroyed the priesthood of the Levites, and reduced all the complexity and burden of trying to establish our own righteousness and be justified before God down to one simple act, the thing that that the thief who also carried his cross that day did: believe, and die.
Paul, by the Spirit, expounds for us what we believe.
Seeing that Christ said it was for our benefit that He left - because He would then send the Comforter, who would explain all these things - i'd say the things that His apostles opened up for us are more than just "important."
But my fine dude, now that this Spirit is given to those who believe, we could have Isaiah alone and comprehend the gospel, as much as any human can at this point in time. i do agree on that respect, and from what you've said alone in this thread -- i don't care to go wading through others -- i don't see you rejecting Paul, though i do see a hint that you may not comprehend that the work of God is God working in you to bring you towards Himself, not you working towards Him ((i.e. that popular arminianism business)). Sometimes i believe it's necessary to understand that Christ said things to people still living under Moses, which have a new meaning for those who don't -- where commandments have become promises rather than frighteningly high measuring sticks.
Is that the case?
Here's a question that might illuminate that point: when He said "be perfect" -- what does He mean? Is that a command to us like "do not hold a grudge," or is it said in the same way He said "let there be light" ? Is that a completely unreachable goal meant to always spur toward greater effort and desire, or the litmus test for entrance into the kingdom? What does this mean?
((How'd i do?))