You can make any attempt to reason with me concerning this matter, but I am using the best logic there is. I have a Bible that from the word go to the end is full of great examples to learn from. But ultimately, when you have the literal words of God in the flesh to explain it, no one else can compete with that. And the fact you OSASers are butt hurt over the fact I would rather listen to GOD than man, is rather alarming. Whose word is more important between all the people of the Bible verse God in human form? All of those people needed God, God did not need any of those people. I have the best source like drinking water from the tap. I have God Himself explaining how I should live. When I have that luxury of God's direction, why would I care what what Paul, Moses, Abraham, the prophets think. It's like choosing your pastor's opinion over what God said. And I choose what God said. How what God said became not good enough for you is beyond all logic and reasoning. My salvation is based solely on what Jesus promised, not what Paul defined. And clearly I am not alone, the Disciples and the Council led by James also did not follow Paul's example, they followed Jesus. And that is excellent proof WHOSE INSTRUCTIONS actually matter, God's!!
You want to see what the disciples and the council decided (and thought of Paul)? You keep trying to pit the apostle Paul against them, yet they called Paul "beloved" (Acts 15:25). They knew that Paul and Barnabas "hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Acts 15:26).
You keep saying that Paul and Jesus are in opposition, that Paul and the council (including disciples) are in disagreement but let us hear God's word.
Acts 15:22-23 King James Version (KJV)
22 Then
pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch
with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed
Barsabas and Silas,
chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
If they were in disagreement, why would Paul be beloved and why would the apostles send "chief men among the brethren" with them? They accepted the Gospel as Paul presented it. Read Acts 15, even 14. The Gentiles (some of whom were converted through Barnabas's and Paul's preaching) were considered brethren, sincere converts. If Paul's Gospel is contrary to the disciples, apostles and council, how could they possibly consider the gentiles converted through their ministry as fellow believers?
This idea you have presented is patently false. The grace message you so oppose is a message even one of the original twelve endorsed.
Acts 15:7-11 King James Version (KJV)
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 But
we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
Peter defended Paul and Barnabas, the conversion of the Gentiles (through their preaching, and their stance on legalism), and even stated that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ "we shall be saved."
You ought to repent of this silliness that you have proposed, maligning one of the Lord's servants and the truth itself.
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