Pauls epistles are hard to understand

[civic]

Listen to what the inspired Apostle Peter said about Pauls letters. Some things Paul teaches in his letters are difficult/hard to understand.

If this is true and it is, what makes anyone think they fully understand Ephesians 1, Romans 9-11, Predestination, election, chosen just to name a few.

2 Peter 3
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

 

[Studyman]

Listen to what the inspired Apostle Peter said about Pauls letters. Some things Paul teaches in his letters are difficult/hard to understand.

If this is true and it is, what makes anyone think they fully understand Ephesians 1, Romans 9-11, Predestination, election, chosen just to name a few.

2 Peter 3
Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

I have found that the secret, for lack of words, to understanding anyone would be to consider all or most of the things they said. For instance, it would bring greater clarity to Peter's message, if a person considered more than just one sentence in one Chapter of Peter's Epistles. Let me show you the effect it has when a person does this.

2 Pet. 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons "ought ye to be" in all holy conversation and godliness,

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent "that ye may be found of him" "in peace, without spot, and blameless".

15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul "also" according to the wisdom given unto him "hath written unto you";

So here we find Peter making the declaration that both him and Paul's instruction to men is to "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him (God) in peace, without spot, and blameless.

16 As also "in all his epistles", speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are "unlearned" and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

Notice here that it is the "Unlearned and Unstable" who twist Paul's teaching, as they also do the Law and Prophets, (other scriptures, yes?) which Paul declared concerning the religious sects of his time's accusation him of teaching against the Law and Prophets.

Acts 24: 13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse me. 14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing "all things" which are written in the law and in the prophets:

Paul also confirms this truth in Acts 26.

19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they (ALL) should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

21 "For these causes" the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, "saying none other things" than "those which the prophets and Moses" did say should come:

23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be "the first" that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. 24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, "thou art beside thyself"; much learning doth make thee mad. 25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

So it seems Festus would be one of the "unlearned and unstable" who "wrest" the other Scriptures, and therefore, didn't understand Paul's words because he didn't believe all things which are written in the Law and Prophets, which teach every man everywhere to "Repent, Turn to God, Do Works, worthy of repentance".

In this way I can discern one or more of this world's many religious sects and businesses teaching about Paul's epistles. If it aligns with the teaching of Moses and the Prophets, then it's more than likely true. If it teaches against Moses and the Prophets, it has been twisted by an ""unlearned and unstable" preacher, who also twists the Law and Prophets.

After all, Paul did teach:

2 Tim. 3: 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

In this way I can be protected, as Peter advises in the last sentence of 2 Peter 3.

17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being "led away" with the error of the wicked, (Like Festus) fall from your own stedfastness.

This is how someone can understand Paul's Epistles, in my experience, according to the Scriptures.

 

[Salty]

Paul was a very intelligent and well-educated man. He was the author of 3/4 of the New Testament.

1 Corinthians 14:20
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for solid food. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and dissension among you, are you not worldly? Are you not walking in the way of man?


1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ...

 

[Grace ambassador]

Paul was a very intelligent and well-educated man. He was the author of 3/4 of the New Testament.

Precious friend, what do you think, follow 1/4, 3/4, or 100% of the NT as "directly To and For me"?:

I have decided to follow Jesus?​

Amen.

 

[Salty]

Precious friend, what do you think, follow 1/4, 3/4, or 100% of the NT as "directly To and For me"?:

I have decided to follow Jesus?​

Amen.

We can all learn from Paul's teaching. It was not directly to us as we were not yet born. But if the shoe fits, we should all wear it.

 

[Grace ambassador]

We can all learn from Paul's teaching. It was not directly to us as we were not yet born. But if the shoe fits, we should all wear it.

So, precious friend, would say "we should learn from Paul's teaching [ 3/4 NT ]," but "follow Christ's earthly teachings to the twelve [ 1/4 NT ] "if the shoe fits"?

What think ye?

 

[Salty]

So, precious friend, would say "we should learn from Paul's teaching [ 3/4 NT ]," but "follow Christ's earthly teachings to the twelve [ 1/4 NT ] "if the shoe fits"?

What think ye?

Let's combine the two.

In Romans 7, Paul showed us that Christians still wrestle with remaining, indwelling sin. He says: “But what I hate I do”. But, at the same time, Christians have experienced a revolution in consciousness—a real disgust over sin and an inability to find any lasting pleasure in it: “But what I hate I do.”

These two facts keep us from either the legalism that says: Real Christians don’t struggle with sin anymore, or the permissiveness that says: Real Christians are human; they sin just like anyone else. The Spirit of God has come in and transformed our “inner being” and self so we want God and holiness, but our “flesh” or “sinful nature” is still powerful enough to keep us from doing what our new desires want.

But Romans 7 does not say everything about the Christian life. Our new condition—a “double nature”—can actually lead to more distress unless we “live … according to the Spirit”...Paul gives us directions on how to live in the Spirit in Romans 8. Unless we do, we will find ourselves continually doing what we hate.

Abiding in Christ and being led by the Spirit is how we walk in victory. We get a new pair of shoes.