Ministry - Declaring the Whole Purpose of God
“But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God... Therefore I testify to you this day...I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God..." (Acts 20:24, 26)
Jesus had revealed to Paul that he was chosen for the "ministry" of the "gospel of the grace of God". Paul was persecuted for doing so but he understood that teaching the truth about the grace of God was the only way to be "innocent of the blood all men". He was compelled and chosen to reveal to all mankind "the whole purpose of God"...which included the following...
1. That Jesus is "...the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature..." and that through Jesus God will "reconcile all things to Himself...whether things on earth or things in heaven...he made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention...the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth." (Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:15-20)
2. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (1 Corinthians 5:14)
3. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...that God may be All in All" (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)
4. "By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God..." Ephesians 2:8-10)
5. "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life..." (Romans 6:23)
6. "For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
And my personal favorites...
7. "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15)
8. "...God our Savior...will have all men to be saved...there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all...I am telling the truth, I am not lying..." (1Timothy 2:1-7)
9. "It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
Did Paul ever "testify" about ...
1. Eternal conscious torment in hell
2. The trinity
3. The Immortality of the soul
4. Self determination (free will)
5. Vicarious/Substitutionary atonement?
Jesus had revealed to Paul that he was chosen for the "ministry" of the "gospel of the grace of God". Paul was persecuted for doing so but he understood that teaching the truth about the grace of God was the only way to be "innocent of the blood all men". He was compelled and chosen to reveal to all mankind "the whole purpose of God"...which included the following...
1. That Jesus is "...the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature..." and that through Jesus God will "reconcile all things to Himself...whether things on earth or things in heaven...he made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention...the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth." (Ephesians 1:9-10; Colossians 1:15-20)
2. "God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation." (1 Corinthians 5:14)
3. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive...that God may be All in All" (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)
4. "By grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God..." Ephesians 2:8-10)
5. "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life..." (Romans 6:23)
6. "For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous." (Romans 5:19)
And my personal favorites...
7. "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners." (1 Timothy 1:15)
8. "...God our Savior...will have all men to be saved...there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all...I am telling the truth, I am not lying..." (1Timothy 2:1-7)
9. "It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)
Did Paul ever "testify" about ...
1. Eternal conscious torment in hell
2. The trinity
3. The Immortality of the soul
4. Self determination (free will)
5. Vicarious/Substitutionary atonement?
No he did not because those doctrines are not part of the "whole purpose of God". Neither should anyone else who claims to be a believer.