Consider the statement: "The Apostle Paul did more than Jesus of Nazareth to create and define the religion...
822283
disagree. for paul could not of done this;  Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior was an exceptionally significant figure on a very imperative mission during His first coming.\n\nAt the outset, Jesus’ mission written of in the New Testament, was predominantly predicted through prophecy in the Old Testament. Thus we can conclude that one of the reasons why Jesus came to earth and put on flesh was to fulfill prophecy. But what did He teach? What was the purpose of His mission? What prophecies did He fulfill? \n\n\nSinners to Repentance\n\nJesus Christ first revealed He was on a mission (sent by the Father) when He was a young boy at the age of twelve in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 2:42 & 49).\n\nThe foundation of Jesus’ mission was the message He repeatedly conveyed during His delegation on earth which was “repentance.” “Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Jesus Christ was on an essential mission to allow mankind the opportunity to convert from our habitual sinful nature into virtuous, just beings. He came to earth to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, teaching the subject of repentance to be the initial provision for eternal salvation. \n\nIn Luke 5:32 Jesus states, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” After the death of Jesus, His disciples, beginning with Peter, steadfastly preached the doctrine of repentance to the men and woman of Judea and the inhabitants of Jerusalem (Acts 2:38).\n\n\nAccess to the Kingdom of God\n\nJesus Christ was present on earth preaching the gospel of the Kingdom at a time and location where masses of people, predominately the Israelites, were under the notion they would be saved, and justified by the Law of Moses. \n\nIn John 14:6, Jesus candidly professed to the people there is only one manner in which to obtain eternal salvation and access to God the Father, and that way was through Him. By the will of the Father, (John 12:49) Jesus made several declarations He was indeed the Messiah and the world’s “key to salvation.” “I am the bread of life” (John 6:48-51). “I am the vine” (John 14:15). “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved…” (John 10:9).\n\nWe are not justified by the law, circumcision, or the sacrificing of animals. We are justified by Jesus Christ’s shed blood and by our good deeds according to His will. Specific provisions for eternal salvation can be found in John 3:5, where Jesus taught the disciples one must be baptized by water and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (after one has repented) in order to gain access to the Kingdom of God. \n\n\nJesus Came to Die for the World \n\n“For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life” (Romans 5:10)! These are the righteous words form the Apostle Paul, instructing us that indeed we have been reunited with God through the gracious sacrifice of Jesus Christ.\n\nJesus’ death propitiated God’s wrath against mankind for our multitude of sins (Hebrews 2:17, Romans 3:25). We know by the testament of the apostle Peter (2 Peter 3:9) that it is not God’s will that any souls should perish, but that all should repent and be saved. Therefore Jesus, full of grace and benevolence, ordained by the Father, came down to earth to pay the death penalty (a penalty mankind could not afford to pay, 1 Corinthians 15:3) and to reconcile us to God by purifying our souls with His shed blood (1 John 1:7). “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).\n\nWe can now be justified in the sight of God by the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son (Romans 5:9). Justification is legal acquittal from damnation by God, our judge, in which He pronounces sinners as righteous subsequent to their repentance and acceptance of Jesus as their personal savior.\n\nJ
680046
I dont know why they do, Christianity as it is known now should be called paulism.
231611
God had His reasons.\nAs it turns out, Paul was only as effective as he was BECAUSE he converted when he did.  If you read, Paul (Saul of Tarsus at the time) was actively hunting Christians for the Temple.  He was a very good Jew, loyal to God...he just did not know the truth of Christ.  So, when Paul had the most authority with the Jews, Christ chose to convert him (struck him blind, etc.).  Then, Paul could convincingly tell people of the conversion power of the Lord...using himself as the best example.
849218
That Christ was born.
506823
I always wonder about that.\n\nJesus handpicked 12 apostles, spent at least a year with them and taught them much. Now, obviously one of those 12 didn't work out so well, but I am curious why Paul is even necessary?\n\nDid Jesus screw up on the other 11 he choose as well?  Why was Paul necessary to spread the word.  He never even met Jesus, nor does he tell anything about his life, his teachings, or any real details about what Jesus wanted.\n\nIt is also fairly obvious from Acts and Galatians that Paul and the Apostles' relationship was, at best, pretty icy.  It is also fairly obvious that Paul's message is radically different from the Old Testament, and quite different in many aspects from the Gospels.\n\nBut my central point, is Paul seems utterly unnecessary, give the resume's of the othe 11 original apostles.  Given that they didn't get along, my conclusion is that Paul simply tried to elbow his way in on the nascent Christian message, and the Apostles begrudgingly let him preach to the Gentiles.  After the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, the jewish Christians (which the apostles seemingly were) were scattered or destroyed, and the only thing left was Paul's version of Christianity.\n\nThere are many other ways Paul and Jesus disagree (works versus faith, did Jesus come to take away the law, etc).  Christians (particularly evangelicals), for some reason, always take Paul's version over Jesus, which seems odd since they believe Jesus IS God.\n\nBut the question that has never been satisfactorally answered remains:  If Jesus handpicked his Apostles, why was Paul (who self-appointed himself an apostle based solely on a dream he had) necessary?
685388
I have been saying, for years, that modern Christians follow Paul, not Jesus. The Christian New Testament is in large degree a Paulist document. The books that were accepted as worthy of inclusion were chosen by religious leaders long after the time of Christ at the request of Constantine. It was his desire to make Christianism the Roman state religion. It needed to be something that was very structured so as to give control over the masses. Paul's writtings afforded them the opportunity to do that, which is why they were picked. Anyone interested in a good look at the REAL Jesus and what HE taught, as opposed to Paul, should read the Lost Gospel of Thomas. Its easy to find, just do a web search. Funny thing about that book ... Jesus was married, spoke in ways that are foriegn to many now days, and comes off looking much more like the Jesus presented by Muslim scholars and also modern Gnostics. Its also dated, as a translation of an earlier work, to 60 C.E. which makes it older than 60 C.E. and very close to the life of Jesus. Its also older than most of Paul's works. And that married part? Makes it a little hard to let that pass as a fact and still enjoin celebacy on priests, monks, and nuns by way of example, don't you think? There goes the control over a cheap source of church labor. Another funny thing that lends credence to the Gospel of Thomas is that almost every quote in it can be found in the current Christian New Testament. But the OTHERS, the ones that are left out, make all the difference in the world. Paul was who and what he was. That's between Paul and Deity. But I don't think he was an Apostle, and I don't think he spoke for true Christianity. But, hey, Thomas did a good job. ;-) ~ Peace and Blessings ~ (Just an added thought ... Luke wrote the Book of Acts.He wasn't an Apostle, he probably never knew Jesus, he came on the scene latter. He worked and traveled with Paul. Realistically, where do you think he got his information. Who gave Luke input?)
35522
God is not christian. Man invented religion not God.
482089
Paul (when he was called Saul) was the son of a religious leader (I always thought he was a Pharisee, perhaps I was wrong). Anyway, he studied law to become a religious leader, this is recorded in the Bible, although I cannot remember exactly where it was located.
133658
Only Jesus is worthy to decide that. Christianity is more action than words. Jesus said talk is cheap. He stated that people will know we are believers by our love. So will He !
205678
Paul when he took Judao-Christianity and made it just another religion to be followed by the masses.\n\n\nthough Constantine did sever the remaining Jewish ties it had and forced it upon his entire empire.
931971
Christianity as a whole has more blood on its hands than Islam does.
200744
Tough for anybody to answer.  I would say that God works on His terms, and things turned out pretty good.  If you think of the hundreds of thousands of people that lived in the areas of Jesus' ministry, it is likely that they just never ran into each other.  This is all the more likly when you consider that Paul, a Roman citizen, would have been in the upper class, while Jesus' ministry targeted the poor.  Also, Jesus' message went out to the Jews prior to the crucifixion.  It wasn't until just before his death that he gave the Great Commission, sending the disciples to all nations.
657134
Regardless of whether Jesus was a real guy, I think that the meme we see today was started by Peter and Paul.  It seems unlikely that Jesus could have come up with all of that stuff about eternal salvation on his own.
648665
I don't know if he did anything above and beyond what the others did.  But, Jesus told him that he would deny Jesus 3 times and he did.  Was a great lesson there.  Like how many times have we "denied" Him, even tho we swear we'd never do such a thing, and yet he still loves us, keeps us, and forgives us.  Peter went on to be a teacher.
398824
Christianity is a religion.
895339
St. Paul preached the NT-----this is not part of the Bible (the Holy Scriptures). I will stick to those writings in the Holy Scriptures, thank you.
670188
3 times - Read if You got time.\nActs 11:26 \nActs 26:28\n1 Peter 4:16\n\nAnd when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.(Acts 11:26)\n\nThen Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian. (Acts 26:28)\n\nYet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.(1 Peter 4:16)