Salvation: Who is our pattern for it?

It is the apostle Paul who is said to be OUR apostle today, not Peter or anyone else. 

Romans 11:13

¹³ For I [Paul] speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am THE apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: [Emphasis added]

I have some articles about this on this website.  If you have questions on this subject, I hope you’ll read and study them because of how very important this subject matter is.  Here are the links to four of them—

Paul: Do we make too much of him?

Paul: Was he the rightful replacement for Judas Iscariot?

Paul: What’s so special about his teaching?

Paul: Who exactly is this man to us?

Most churchgoers would tell you it is Peter who is our apostle, not Paul or anyone else.  They also fail to realize that these two great men didn’t even proclaim the same gospel.  Here, too, because this is so important, I have multiple articles about all this on this website.  I hope you’ll study each of these—

Peter & Paul: Did they proclaim the same message?

Gospels: Did Peter and Paul preach the same gospel?

Gospels:  What’s the difference in the two Paul talks about?

Gospel: Where did the apostle Paul get the one he preached? 

You’ll also find videos on here about all this.

#27 ~ Two Gospels – Peter’s and Paul’s – What is the difference?

#205-EP5 ~ The Apostle Paul and Ephesians intro

In all these studies and many others, I’m helping people understand exactly what’s involved in securing an everlasting home in Heaven.  Most people don’t know or they’re not sure what it takes to get there.  This is one of many subjects everyone needs to be fully familiar with.  Where a person spends all eternity depends on it.  All the content of this website is to help people with that and more.  All that’s necessary to permanently secure an everlasting home in Heaven is to believe these truths that come right out of your Bible. One thing I always try to do in all my teaching is to document the things I say with Scripture.  Don’t just believe what I or anyone else says, go to your Bible.  It is there that you’ll find all the right answers to the most important questions you’ll ever have.

2 Timothy 3:16-17t

¹⁶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God [THEOPNEUSTOS = god-breathed], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

¹⁷ That the man of God may be perfect [TELEIOS = made complete or mature], thoroughly furnished unto all good works. [Emphasis added]

Today and for many centuries “the church” has focused on the apostle Peter but it is Paul who is OUR apostle. I have both articles and videos on this website that explain all that. I’ve listed the names of those articles above in this article.  What is this next verse I’ll mention telling us?

1 Timothy 1:16

¹⁶ Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me FIRST Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. [Emphasis added]

And don’t think for a second that Peter and Paul taught the same thing about this. They didn’t! Please note the significance of these next verses.  We’ll look at Peter’s commission and message first—

Acts 2:37-41

³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

³⁹ For the promise [of salvation] is unto you [Israelites], and to your children, and to all that are afar off [dispersed Israelites living in other nations], even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

⁴⁰ And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward [SKOLIOS = crooked] generation.

⁴¹ Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. [Emphasis added]

All this was perfectly consistent with Peter’s gospel and his commission but not ours today.  Here’s more about Peter’s—

Mark 16:15-20

¹⁵ And he [Jesus Christ] said unto them [Peter and the eleven], Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

¹⁶ He that believeth AND is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

¹⁷ And these signs SHALL follow them that believe; In my name SHALL they cast out devils; they SHALL speak with new tongues [foreign languages they could suddenly and miraculously speak];

¹⁸ They SHALL take up serpents [poisonous snakes]; and if they drink ANY DEADLY thing, it SHALL NOT hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they SHALL recover.

¹⁹ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

²⁰ And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs [miracles] following. Amen. [Emphasis added]

Is this part of OUR commission today? Many accept the Matthew 28 version of it, but they don’t accept all of Mark’s account of it. Why? Aren’t those just two accounts of what was given on the same occasion? Furthermore, weren’t the apostles and others doing all these miraculous things as they’re recorded in the book of Acts? If this commission is ours, why aren’t YOU and I doing all these miraculous things? Answer: This is NOT a part of our commission.  It belonged to only believing Israelites in that time frame! Not us today! Today we only see counterfeits of this with certain people making false claims about it. But no one is doing these miraculous things today.  The apostle Paul rightly predicted that all these miraculous things would cease, and they have.

1 Corinthians 13:10

¹⁰ But when that which is perfect [TELEIOS = having reached its completion—speaking of the completion of an object (not the coming of Christ as some Bibles mistranslate it), the revelation of Scripture] is come, then that which is in part [gifts providing miraculous abilities] shall be done away. [Emphasis added]

But then also please notice Peter’s last words to us about Paul.  These are the last recorded words we have of Peter which for the most part have not been heeded by the church of today—

2 Peter 3:15-16

¹⁵ And account that the longsuffering of our Lord [the delay in Christ’s return to establish His promised earthly kingdom] is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

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 [STREBLOO = twist] , as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. [Emphasis added]

Has this twisting or perverting come about? It surely has! It goes on in every generation. Such ignorance and “wresting” still prevail today.

Question: Is this that was Peter’s gospel and his commission ours today? Answer: Certainly not! I have articles on this website about all this—

Commission: Which one is ours?

If you’re a serious disciple [student] of Christ’s teaching, you’ll study this matter thoroughly. Please don’t just gloss over all this.  These are things every believer needs to know.  It is because so many haven’t studied this thoroughly that we have the confusion of denominationalism today.  Christendom and false traditional teachings have distorted all this. There, too, I have articles and videos about all this on this website—

Traditions: Are you sure about what you believe?

#7 ~ Can religious traditions be trusted?

Paul clearly tells us that water baptism was not a part of his commission from the Lord. This means it’s not a part of ours either—

1 Corinthians 1:17

¹⁷ For Christ sent me NOT to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. [Emphasis added]

When was the last time you ever heard a preacher say he’d not been commissioned to baptize? There are a few who would say that but not many.  The apostle Paul clearly states that there’s only ONE baptism that is authorized of for us God today.  Not two or three; just ONE! I often want to ask some people—What part of ONE do you not understand?

Ephesians 4:4-6

⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

⁵ One Lord, one faith, ONE baptism,

⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. [Emphasis added]

It was Paul who was the first believer to ever become a member of this which is called the Body of Christ.

1 Timothy 1:15-16

¹⁵ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation [APODECHOMAI = worthy of being accepted without reservations], that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I [Paul] am chief [PROTOS = foremost or beginning, NOT “worst” as it is sometimes taught].

¹⁶ Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern [HUPOTUPOSIS = pattern or example] to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting. [Emphasis added]

The manner by which Paul was saved, and the purpose to which Paul was saved, were different than those before him.

It is the apostle Paul who clearly states OUR gospel message for all people today—

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

¹ Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

² By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: [Emphasis added]

Paul also cites the one baptism that is ours today—

1 Corinthians 12:13

¹³ For BY one Spirit are we all baptized into [BAPTIZO = identified with] one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. [Emphasis added]

This dry baptism that permanently identifies us with the Holy Spirit occurs today the moment someone is saved.

The details of our gospel by which people are saved today is presented in places like this next passage we’ll note—

2 Corinthians 5:18-21

¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

That’s right! We’re ALL in the ministry.  Not just some of us! We’re to work at creating opportunities to present this message to people.

¹⁹ To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Again, we’ve all been commissioned with a ministry.

²⁰ Now then we are ambassadors [PRESBEIA = representatives] for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.

²¹ 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. [Emphasis added]

If you’ve not accepted THIS gospel message Paul states, you are not saved!  It is not believing this plus something else; it is this alone. If this work of Christ is not what you’ve been depending on for your salvation, I hope you’ll immediately make the change that’s desperately needed. This is how “repentance” relates to us today.  Repentance is simply a change of mind and nothing more. It is moving from whatever else you’ve been believing to this. If needed, I hope you’ll make that change right now.  Where you’ll spend eternity depends on your beliefs about all this. Hopefully I’ll get to someday see you in Heaven because you accepted this wonderful message of God offering salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Again, 2 Corinthians 5:21

²¹ For he [God the Father] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. [Emphasis added]

Anytime anyone accepts this message they’re then at that moment saved forever. Instead of them only having some form of citizenship here on Earth, they’re made citizens of Heaven where someday they’ll get to live forever.

Philippians 3:20-21

²⁰ For our conversation [POLITEUO = citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

²¹ Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. [Emphasis added]

This all tells us that as believers in this gospel we have a lot to look forward to enjoying forever.