Who is Paul?
Who is Paul?
The risen and ascended Lord Jesus Christ sent the Apostle Paul to be THE appointed Apostle for the dispensation of grace. This means that it is in Paul's Epistles specifically that we get our doctrine for the dispensation of grace, to build up and edify the Believers today. All of scripture is profitable for us but not all of scripture is written specifically to us. No one today is awaiting a worldwide flood like in Noah's time, we are also not under lavitical laws with a priesthood and we are not living in the time of the anti-christ or in the melennial reign of Christ, or in the dispensation of the fulness of times. We are today in the dispensation of grace.
Romans begins with "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,"
Paul was sent to preach the Gospel of the grace of God. God's good news for us today is that Christ Jesus died for our sins, was buried and rose again for our justification and that by simple faith in that gospel we can be saved! The good news is that Jews and Gentiles can be saved today by believing the gospel, as the middle wall of partition has been removed. Ephesians 2: 14-18 KJB says, "For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father."
Reading through the book of acts can be helpful to better understand the dispensational changes that occurred, as there was a period of transition that took place first from the gospel of the kingdom to the Gospel of the grace of God. And later in Romans 9-11 also better explains the dispensational differences and that we can trust God in His plan.
**Homework and Journaling Questions: Reread Romans chapter 1. Look over the first verses in each of Paul's Epistles of Romans-Philemon. Do you notice a pattern? Why does Paul always very clearly address himself as the author of each Epistle? Do you notice he mentions that he was sent by Jesus? Also notice that Paul is always addressing the saints.
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