Paul
said he delivered to the Roman Christians a system of truth (ROM 6). Who
better to lay out truths about our redemption than this zealous Jew
turned Christian on the way to Damascus (ACTS 9). So revolutionary was his
conversion and subsequent revelations that he took what Christ gave
him and called it "My Gospel" (ROM 2, ROM 16, 2 TIM 2)!
He
not only taught this everywhere he went, but in his writings he
addressed the new Christians on those truths they were not following.
Every church had its own identity and its own problems, but like a
puzzle we can glean from Paul's writings in this 5th gospel.
The
first 4 gospels mainly showed us Jesus earthly life and ministry, yes
even His sacrificial death on Calvary. (Ministry yes! Because ministry
really means service.) Jesus ministry was first and foremost was to
His Father.
He
came to reveal who His Father was and how much He loves each of us.
And the religious leaders wanted to kill Him for this.
He
came to train up His disciples, His understudies, to take center
stage when He left to prepare our home in heaven for us.
He
taught us about relationships--with the Father & with each other. How
we are to live!!!
And
He was preparing Himself for the ultimate sacrifice--the Lamb of God,
taking our place on the sinner's cross. And opening the door into the
Holy of Holies.
This
5th Gospel took in the whole panorama of our redemption. Explaining
what was happening behind the scenes of this physical state of
existence. Paul escorted us into the mind and will of God, showing
our tri-partite nature and revealing that long hidden secret...Christ
In You, The Hope Of Glory!!! (COL 1)
How
did we get there? How did we come from being of the very nature of
the devil and now having the very life and nature of God Almighty
bursting in abundance in our new man. (EPH 2)
Paul
goes as far as to guide us with the Holy Spirit's help to know and
fulfill Jesus' ministry on this earth. Ambassadors for Christ. In
union with the Master. Co-crucified with Him. Sharing & partaking
of His life in this mortal body. Co-laborers with the Lord.(2 COR 5, GAL 2, 1 COR 1, 2 COR 6)
Even
the Apostle Peter condoned Paul's ministry by declaring that Paul's
words were hard to understand but nevertheless they were scriptural. (2 PET 3)
