Jason, you don't find it odd that you put Jesus Christ's words above the apostle Paul's words? You said, if you had to choose you'd go with Jesus, but the problem with that is that they are in agreement. It isn't an either or, or for that matter should you even suggest such.
The word of God is inspired by the Holy Spirit. In the word of God, since it is all inspired, you cannot put emphasis over one section than another. Or, the red letters over the rest of the bible. That is dangerous. You ignore all that Jesus taught the apostle Paul and stay in the past of what was progressive revelation. Jesus, Himself, said He couldn't teach some things until the Holy Spirit came.
I think your emphasis of only focusing on the words of Jesus in your bible is sincerely wrong. If you do that you miss out on so much that God found necessary to share in the epistles. Indeed, you miss the very foundation that is Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. You still think your forgiveness and obedience somehow plays a part in your justification, yet to do so ignores what Jesus accomplished on our behalf (through His obedience). That is, reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins.
You keep recommending reading the four gospel accounts. I suggest you move past those four accounts and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ that Jesus, Himself, revealed to the apostle Paul. You say you savor the words of Christ? He is speaking through the rest of the NT. My suggestion? Keep reading.
Jesus words are the gospel Ben. what concept of paul do I not know? I began with paul aa a young teenager. what you are not accepting is I have already been through the entire Bible back and forth to and fro here and there. I had a knowledge of the "romans road" to salvation at the age of 18. I held to just say I believe, already been there went no where for me until I started taking Jesus words as Jesus words. honestly, it doesn't matter what I say to any of you guys. you wont see or hear me. what do I not uinderstand of the gog ? you want my understanding of Paul ??? and the path to salvation? you want other than Jesus knowledge ? ok ben okay.
this is the plan of salvation from start to finish : God creates man, man is good, innocent of evil. God gives man the earth and everything on it and says " this one tree you must not eat the fruoit of or you will die." a warning to protect mans life. satan twists Gods true word by questioning, and then twisting it just enough to turn His mind against Gods word. Eve takes the serpents word over Gods and eats the poison fruit, adam does the same. Just as God said man dies. the Law comes because man has no idea of Good and evil what is sin? what is right and wrong = law. Gods standards. BUT man has been corrupted in their thinking now, they are in effect, rebels by nature being born of the first sinners, sin is in their blood now, its part of who man is. they cannot keep a holy and good Law. So they corrupt the good law with traditions, and man made rules. the Law is only meant to reveal mans sinfulness and therefore need for a savior. because Gods Law must be upheld by man.....Jesus is made flesh, a man, in order to fulfill Gods Law and His word in the Garden. Jesus didn't eat the fruit, He took the death upon Himself because MAN ate the fruit. we transgressed , he accepted the punishment for our wrong....okay.
so were at the point condensed of course, where Jesus has come and fulfilled the curse of the Law ( death of man) BUT Jesus was innocent, so Justice did this. Death is only a result of sin, Jesus had no sin of His own, so when He went to face death, it had no hold upon Him, He overcame death FOR man, because of mans transgression. He rose having all authority over sin and deaths prior dominion over mankind. ( with me so far?) so the spirit???? the spirit is a new clean free from sin and death spirit, back to the garden in essence, but now with the knowledge that evil can oinly result in death, transgressing Gods word of Life, leaves only death.
the reason the gospel is our new "law" is because Jesus is who He is and has done what He has done. He took our transgression of the law of sin and death, and replaced it woith a law of the living Kingdom of God. Gods same nature as law is evidenced in the Gospel. there is Justice in Christ just as the Law had justice, mercy is what perfected the Law in Christ. He overcame the strict stone unforgiving laws for us to free us from it. but He did not leave us without a law to guide and proitest us that is what the gospel is, our Law. it is very different from the stone law. obedience to Jesus things provided forgiveness, mercy, justice, it is a law of grace in Christs teachings. Grace is not to be taken as a free gift, and then we don't freely give it back to Jesus. there is an exchange in Grace. freely we receive, and we give. freely we are forgiven and freely we forgive, weare merciful as we received Mercy...ect. Justice is perfected in Jesus nottaken away. it is just to forgive, it is not just to be forgiven and then not forgive. operfect Justice is how you treat others according to Gods word, is the manner of your own Judgement. that is the gospels principle and it does indeed apply.
so paul? was the chosen instrument" to bridge the division between jewish nation and the world. He did not bring a different Gospel, but took Jesus gospel to the rest of the world. there is only the one Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul is a servant of Jesus gospel and in no way would approve of any other Gospel. when He says by faith, gotta uinderstand faith, and you said here scripture goes togwether, so I ask you ben, what of James contention of faith? does it or does it not include action on the part of the person who has faith? or does that now not apply because its not a way to trap me? if you see your own words to me, then How is james idea of faith less than pauls? or would we put james and paul together and not subtract anything, but take it as together? meaning, faith withoiut action is dead????? your words ben?
and honestly I will never evvvver budge from Jesus words, that's where pauls words will lead anyone who has faith, doirectly to the true gospel. the gog is only a misunderstanding of paul. and it negates so much of what Jesus said. paul makes perfect sense when you learn the gospel. I trust in the words Of Jesus I do not follow paul he didn't die, he wasn't made Lord, He is a fellow worker, a brother. Jesus is the Lord. the gospel is just the gospel. why do you think ": the gospel according to Matthew, the gospel according to mark, the gospel according to Luke, the gospel according to John. what do you not see about wehat the true gospel is ? there are four accounts in Gods word of the gospel. there is no other gospel found anywhjere in Gods word. without Jesus His word in the GOSPELs there is no salvation, no gospel on earth to be found. I knew paul at 18 can quote you most of His letters. not boasting just letting you know, I been through paul, understand him well. understand how the gog is made by man I get it bud. been there and its a direct line to the gospel and its power. pauls main thing was to reveal the atonements power in the believer he had others, but His writings especially romans is about the death and new life through the atonement.
Faith is james plus paul. its not just thinking something is true, its acting like you do. and there is no way ill ever NOT take Jesus words, He is the light in the word, makes the rest of it clear...........I don't need or care about anyones approval, I have the gospel of Jesus Christ, that is approved By God. I got one teacher and Hes correct