Muslims claim Paul is a false apostle Part 3

Muslim claim:

Evidences that Paul was a False Prophet

1– Glorifying Jesus Christ!

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13-14 ESV)

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—” (Galatians 3:13 ESV)

My response:

As for “Evidences that Paul was a False Prophet,” you claim as such evidence:

1- Glorifying Jesus Christ!

You cite John 16:13, 14, which have no evident connection with your claim. These are good verses, but they show that the Holy Spirit would guide into all truth and would also glorify Christ, not Himself. The Holy Spirit did just those things as He guided the Apostles of Christ in their teaching and writing ministry. What we have of their writing ministry is found exclusively in the 27 primary source first century documents which we have in the New Testament.

Additionally, you cite Galatians 3:13,

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—” (Galatians 3:13 ESV)

You fail to show what connection this may have with Paul being a “False Prophet.” Certainly in the case of Galatians 3:13 Paul is citing Old Testament Scripture to correctly teach what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for those who believe and exhibit allegiance to Him.

Jesus Himself told us:

Joh 5:23  That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Jesus further said:

Joh 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Muslim claim:

2– Hypocrisy (Lying Techniques)

Jesus Christ said:

“Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you.”(Matthew 7:15 CEVDCI)

“Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.” (John 18:20 ESV)

But Paul said:

“When I am with the Jews, I live like a Jew to win Jews. They are ruled by the Law of Moses, and I am not. But I live by the Law to win them. And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the law of Christ. When I am with people whose faith is weak, I live as they do to win them. I do everything I can to win everyone I possibly can.” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22 CEVDCI)

My response:

2- Hypocrisy (Lying Techniques)

Your citation of 1 Corinthians 9:20, 21, 22 is very misleading (itself a “Lying Technique!”) because you fail to take into account the immediate and near context of the passage. Paul states at the beginning of the chapter:

1Co 9:1 I am free. I am an apostle. I have seen the Lord Jesus and have led you to have faith in him.
1Co 9:2 Others may think that I am not an apostle, but you are proof that I am an apostle to you. (CEV)

Paul’s proof that he was genuinely an Apostle of Christ was that the Corinthians owed their faith in Christ to Paul because it was through the ministry of Paul that they had become followers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul asserts this same truth in another passage in his second letter to the Corinthians:

2Co 13:3  Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.
2Co 13:4  For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.
2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Paul asserts that the evidence that our Lord Jesus Christ spoke through him was the fact that it was through Paul’s ministry of preaching the Gospel of Christ to them that they had become Christians. Paul tells them to examine themselves: are they Christians? If and since they are, that is the proof that Christ had spoken to them through Paul.

Back to the text you cite, 1 Corinthians 9:20-22, the context shows Paul is explaining why he did not charge for his services as he preached the Gospel of Christ. Paul shows that even the Scripture teaches he had a right to be paid for his ministry, but he chose to teach and preach the Gospel for free so that he would not be under any possible obligation to those who supported him financially. That way, he would gain the more:

1Co 9:16 I don’t have any reason to brag about preaching the good news. Preaching is something God told me to do, and if I don’t do it, I am doomed.
1Co 9:17 If I preach because I want to, I will be paid. But even if I don’t want to, it is still something God has sent me to do.
1Co 9:18 What pay am I given? It is the chance to preach the good news free of charge and not to use the privileges that are mine because I am a preacher.
1Co 9:19 I am not anyone’s slave. But I have become a slave to everyone, so that I can win as many people as possible. (CEV)

Paul then explains just what he does to win as many people as possible. When ministering to the Jews, he was in a position to present himself as one of them because by birth, background, and training he was

Philippians 3:5
5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
King James Version

And so for each of the other groups he mentions, he used great tact in reaching out to them so as not to hinder his opportunity to share with them the Gospel of Christ.

Read in its proper context then, Paul is not exhibiting hypocrisy nor is he using lying techniques as you mistakenly suppose.

Muslim claim:

As for “Evidences that Paul was a False Prophet,” you claim as such evidence:

3– Saw Satan:

Jesus Christ said:
“Jesus told them: I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning.” (Luke 10:18 CEVDCI)
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:23-24 ESV)
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, who didst claim the Gentiles as an inheritance!” (Isaiah 14:12 JUB)
“What a comedown this, O Babylon! [Rome] Daystar! Son of Dawn! Flat on your face in the underworld mud, you, famous for flattening nations!” (Isaiah 14:12 MSG)

My response:

I see absolutely no legitimate connection the verses you cite with any possible claim that Paul was a false prophet. You are welcome to enlighten me by explaining your line of reasoning.

I see you supplied the added text in your next comment below:

But Paul said:
“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:3-5 ESV)

Any connection of the texts you cited to the record of Paul’s conversion to faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is extremely tenuous indeed. The conversion of Paul on the Damascus Road constitutes one of the most remarkable proofs of the truth of Christianity. How else but by the miraculous encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ Himself can we account for such a change from the chief persecutor of the Christians then known as followers of the Way to the most effective and successful propagator of the Gospel to both Jew and Gentile?

 

 

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