Short Office
Sermons / Quick Bible Studies
Written by Eric and Ann Johansen
Why We Should Follow The Apostle Paul
Acts 9:21 …all
that heard him were amazed…
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I wanted to pass along a study my wife and
I have been working on for some time. It is the result of me realizing
that I could not quickly, effectively and, most importantly, thoroughly
answer the question, “Why the apostle Paul?” I wanted something I could
easily put in my Bible and be ready to give an answer.
The Holy Bible tells us to follow him!
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1 Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore
I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
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1 Corinthians 11:1 Be
ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
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Philippians 3:17 Brethren,
be
followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us
for an ensample.
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1 Thessalonians 1:6 And
ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the
word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
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2 Thessalonians 3:7-9
For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not
ourselves disorderly among you; (8)
Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour
and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
(9)
Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you
to follow us.
The Holy Bible says Paul is the apostle to the Gentiles!
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Acts 26:17-18 Delivering
thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
(18)
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
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Romans 11:13 For
I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles,
I magnify mine office:
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Romans 15:16 That
I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering
the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.
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Ephesians 3:1-2
For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
(2)
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given
me to you-ward:
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1 Timothy 2:7
Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth
in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and
verity.
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2 Timothy 1:11
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of
the Gentiles.
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2 Timothy 4:17 Notwithstanding
the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching
might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was
delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
The Holy Bible says we will be judged by the Apostle Paul’s gospel!
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Romans 2:16 In
the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according
to my gospel.
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1 Corinthians 14:37
If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge
that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the
Lord.
Also see:
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2 Timothy 2:8
Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the
dead according to my gospel:
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Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,
so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I
have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace
of God.
The Apostle Paul is the only author in the Bible to warn us of the possibility
of receiving another Jesus, another gospel and another spirit!
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2 Corinthians 11:1-4 Would
to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with
me. (2)
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you
to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. (3)
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his
subtly, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is
in Christ. (4)
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not
preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received,
or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear
with him.
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Galatians 1:6-11
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the
grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7)
Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert
the gospel of Christ. (8)
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you
than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (9)
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (10)
For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I
yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (11)
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is
not after man.
See also:
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1 Timothy 4:1-2
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of
devils; (2)
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
The Apostle Paul delineates the gospel of the circumcision and
the gospel of the uncircumcision!
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Galatians 2:1-16
Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and
took Titus with me also. (2)
And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel
which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of
reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. (3)
But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be
circumcised: (4)
And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily
to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring
us into bondage: (5)
To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth
of the gospel might continue with you.
(6) But of these who seemed to be
somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth
no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added
nothing to me: (7)
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision
was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
(8)
(For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision,
the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) (9)
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the
grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands
of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
(10)
Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also
was forward to do. (11) But
when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he
was to be blamed. (12)
For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles:
but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them
which were of the circumcision. (13)
And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas
also was carried away with their dissimulation. (14)
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of
the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou
the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
(15) We who are Jews by nature, and
not sinners of the Gentiles, (16)
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the
faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might
be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
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Ephesians 2:11
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who
are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision
in the flesh made by hands;
However, keep in mind the difference between
physical circumcision and spiritual circumcision:
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Physical Circumcision (The cutting off of flesh)
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1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision
is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments
of God.
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Galatians 5:6 For
in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision;
but faith which worketh by love.
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Galatians 6:15
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision,
but a new creature
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Spiritual Circumcision (The Circumcision of Christ)
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Colossians 2:11
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ:
The Apostle Paul reveals rightly dividing!
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2 Timothy 2:15 Study
to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly
dividing the word of truth.
See also:
-
2 Timothy 3:16 All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,
for reproof, for correction,
for
instruction in righteousness:
-
Be careful not to read this verse incorrectly! All scripture is given by
inspiration of God but it does not mean that all scripture is profitable
for doctrine "to" you today, for if that were true then you may
be required to build an ark to save yourself (Genesis
7), or you might be required to be baptized in water so that
your sins can be placed in remission (Mark 1:4,
Luke 1:77, Luke 3:3, Luke 24:47, Acts 2:38), and you better
be very careful to “Obey them that have the
rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls”
(Hebrews 13:17).
The Lord himself set Paul to be a light of the Gentiles!
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Acts 13:47 For
so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light
of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends
of the earth.
-
Compare that to these verses:
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Matthew 5:14 Ye
are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be
hid.
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John 8:12 Then
spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light
of life.
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John 9:5 As
long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Certain mysteries were only revealed to the Apostle Paul!
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Romans 11:25
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery,
lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is
happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
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Romans 16:25-26
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and
the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery,
which was kept secret since the world began, (26)But
now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according
to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for
the obedience of faith:
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1 Corinthians 4:1
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards
of the mysteries of God.
-
1 Corinthians 13:2 And
though
I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all
knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains,
and have not charity, I am nothing.
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1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold,
I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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Ephesians 1:9 Having
made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure
which he hath purposed in himself:
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Ephesians 3:3 How
that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore
in few words,
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Ephesians 3:4 Whereby,
when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
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Ephesians 3:9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which
from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things
by Jesus Christ:
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Ephesians 6:19 And
for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open
my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
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Colossians 1:26 Even
the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now
is
made manifest to his saints:
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Colossians 1:27 To
whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery
among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
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Colossians 2:2 That
their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto
all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
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Colossians 4:3 Withal
praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance,
to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
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2 Thessalonians 2:7
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth
will let, until he be taken out of the way.
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1 Timothy 3:9 Holding
the
mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
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1 Timothy 3:16 And
without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest
in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the
Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Finally, the Apostle Paul was given a better way!
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Acts 18:24-26 And
a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty
in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. (25)
This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the
spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing
only the baptism of John. (26) And
he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla
had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God
more perfectly.
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1 Corinthians 12:31 But
covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent
way.
*See these verses for more detail on the relationship between the Apostle
Paul and Aquila and Priscilla.
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Acts 18:2
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come
from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded
all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
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Acts 18:18
And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave
of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla
and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
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Romans 16:3 Greet
Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:
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1 Corinthians 16:19
The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in
the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
If you say you are a Christian I hope you know that you
have the right Jesus! If you can't answer that with authority I challenge
you to take the time to read your King James Bible, using these notes and
references as a starting point and ensure that you have trusted in the
risen Saviour, Ephesians 1:12-13. If
you have not trusted in the finished work of The Lord Jesus Christ then
may today be the day you decide to quit trusting in yourself and trust
in the one who died for you!
I hope that you read and reread The Book of books, the King James
Bible! It alone will show you who God is and how we are to live our
lives to please him.
King
James Bible Church of Celina, Ohio
Missionary/Evangelist/Pastor
- Mike Paulson
www.scatteredchristians.org
The
entire King James Bible is written FOR us, but it is not all written TO
us!
We
learn from the "For" and we learn to apply the 'TO!"