Thank you G9, for another scripture filled, thoughtful reply.
I was discussing with Post his statement that Zechariahs and Saul were described as the same, both blameless according to the law.
I'm not interested into being drawn into a juvenile insult throwing contest as if we are still in grade school, although I have been drawn in to them in the past. I am more interested in studying God's Word as instructed. It is with this intent that I offer the following.
I posted some glaring differences between what the "law of the Pharisee" was as described by the Author and Finisher of my Faith, and how the same Word describes Zechariahs.
Luke 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife
was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name
was Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw
him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias:
for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just;
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
So Zechariahs knew God, and was known of God and God heard his prayers. Zechariahs was not blind, did not kill innocent people, did not prescribe to the "law of the Pharisees".
If you can find scriptural evidence that calls this understanding into question, please post it.
Here is what the word says about Saul.
1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and
slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said,
I am Jesus whom thou persecutest:
it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man,
how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem:
14 And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.
15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord,
even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me,
that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes
as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
Jesus addresses this whole "slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord" that Saul was doing.
John 7:
19 Did not Moses give you the law,
and yet none of you keepeth the law?
Why go ye about to kill me?
Is there any indication that Zechariahs refused to obey God's Laws given through Moses, or that he killed innocent people, Prophets as was the tradition of the Pharisees?
John 8:
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me,
a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God:
this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father,
even God.
42 Jesus said unto them,
If God were your Father,
ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
This is how Jesus described the Pharisees that you and Post preach were "blameless" before God. Paul was the perfect Pharisee and Paul was killing innocent people for simply following what the Law and Prophets instructed them to follow.
Post preaches that Paul was "Blameless before God" according to God's Laws. And that him and Zechariahs are the same according to the "Law".
But as you can see, this teaching is not true. Saul was a murderer of innocent people, Zechariahs was not.
1 Cor. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
Why didn't Saul know Jesus when He came, and Zechariahs did?
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech?
even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.
He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
So Saul was a perfect Pharisee and followed their "LAW" perfectly, blameless. He was made righteous by the "Works" of the Pharisees version of the Levitical Priesthood. He followed the traditions of the Fathers more zealously than his peers.
But Jesus clearly described the "traditions of the fathers" of the Pharisees as "Commandments of men" and not from God.
I don't know why you and Post are so set on promoting doctrines that are not Biblical. Are you doing it on purpose? Are you just following some teaching of man? I shouldn't judge your motive to teaching falsehoods, rather, I should show from God's word where you are mistaken. The rest is up to you guys.