What would we believe in regarding the Gospel of Christ if Paul's writings were not part of the Bible?

But why? God spoke in old times by the prophets. While Jesus was on earth He spoke through the Son. After the resurrection He spoke through the Apostles.
All are God speaking. Why don't all have equal authority?

Yes, this is also addressed here:

I have decided to follow Jesus?

Amen.

Cameron, I think I have answered most of this already.
About the O.T. prophets they are clearly inspired from the Holy Spirit and you can see that the wisdom in these exceptional books is from GOD and written for us. The truth in all things is all that matters to me as always.

Blessings.

Yes, All Are 'Equal Authority' from God, but 'Which' are Specifically:

To Israel?:

God Made, According to Prophecy, Covenants of "faith Plus works" for
His Nation of Israel (OT, Mat-Joh, Heb-Rev)

[@JamueJ: Thus, no Conflict when]:

Rightly Divided (2 Timothy 2:15) From “Things That Differ” (online)

Or, Directly To The Body Of Christ, today?:

God Has, According to 'The Revelation Of The Mystery,' Pure Grace For
The Body Of Christ (Romans Through Philemon)

Amen.

I trust God when He put together the Bible. If He includes Paul's writings in the Bible, then I'm going to study and learn from them too.

I think it's weird when some Christians don't consider every writer of the Bible to be inspired by God. I'd be wary of such people. Like why would you think God doesn't know what He's doing when He put the Bible together??? Are you smarter than Him???


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I agree with your assessment of the OT scripture. I believe the same is true of NT scripture.

I agree GOD knows perfectly what he is doing when he put the bible together certainly, but know it is not a simple matter, the bible was throughout the ages modified, some books added and some removed, There is a link, an overview only of this process. I do not claim to know much about it, many here know much more about this than me and I believe it was discussed and argued over on other threads.

Linkhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/biblical-literature/Old-Testament-canon-texts-and-versions

Blessings

If you had to explain to a new believer how to live the christian way of life........what would you tell them?

@JaumeJ, sorry I misspelled - see post # 44. Thanks. And Peace to you.

No, it's actually not complicated.

You can completely trust God to guide you into all truth AND help you avoid anything that doesn't come from Him as you read and study the Bible.

Don't let Satan scare you into thinking that God can't guide you through the Bible. Satan is just making you focus on what might be "modified" rather than God's power to guide and protect you regarding the Bible.


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Paul did meet Jesus personally. First on the road t o Damascus. then later. when Christ taught him personally. "In the flesh" is irrelevant. And you can't have it both ways. You are either saved by grace through faith, or you are not. Obedience comes later.

That is incorrect. God anticipated the crucifixion of Christ and the shedding of His blood "from before the foundation of the world". So salvation (justification) was ALWAYS by grace through faith, starting with Abel (see Hebrews 11). What had not occurred was the giving of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and that happened on the day of Pentecost. Therefore Hebrews 12 speaks of the OT saints in Heaven as "the spirits of just men MADE PERFECT". They are distinct from "the general assembly and Church of the firstborn".

Only the gospel of Jesus Christ, how Christ died for our sins, was buried, and resurrected the third day, only trusting in this gospel message saves. Believing in anything else, even a future redeemer, cannot save. All OT saints were kept in Abraham's bosom for exercising faith in God's word, whatever that was for them, and then demonstrating their faith through obedience. That's what Hebrews 11 is all about. But we have something better than they.

Let's take the example you gave:

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Faith was accompanied by works. He did not have salvation as you and I. The best he could do is sleep in Abraham's bosom in the heart of the earth. This is not salvation. When Christ died, he went and preached the gospel to those who were dead including Abel.

The apocrypha was in the Bible, then much later removed. This was according to a group of men. As for the Bible I believe, it is penned only by the Prophets and the Apstles. There are Twelve nnames of the Twelve Aposstles on the Twelve foundations of the New Jerusalem. The twelfth Apostle replacing Judas is Mattias as foretold to be in the Psalms, chosen by God according to the leaving it in His Hand by lot.

There are not thirteen foundations of the New Jerusalem. Paul well may have been sent out, but he is not one of the Twelve no matter how many agree together he is. Keep this always in mind.

All that can be found in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and John. What was uniquely Paul's letters? would you throw out the gospel of Luke and Acts?

see post 21 that explains briefly the differences, and it is not for me to decide what could be thrown out.

Thank you brother, Indeed 12 is the number of the apostle or Christ , it is everywhere in the bible, not many people see this.

BLessings.

Then we should also make mention of the names on the doors of New Jerusalem out of pure respect for God's Word and His people, they are the Twelve Tribes of Israel. These are comprised of all who praise God in spirit and truth, the Jew first and then the Greek. All blessing in Yah.

To me Paul is crucial, his writings are guiding, inspiring and such an essential component of helping me understand.

Paul was and remains forever essential, his travels and spreading of the message of Christ is unrivalled. He established the early churches and nurtured them. His words remain guiding us all these centuries later. His courage, resilience and his life are an example to all.
I cannot imagine the New Testament without him.