Was the Apostle Paul a False Teacher? Why Christians Must Reject This Dangerous Deception
Was the Apostle Paul a False Teacher?
Why Christians Must Reject This Dangerous Deception
The authority of Scripture, the testimony of the early church,
and the danger of rejecting an apostle appointed by Jesus Christ.
and the danger of rejecting an apostle appointed by Jesus Christ.
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A troubling accusation is gaining attention in religious discussions, particularly among self-professed 'experts' and even among certain groups online via social media. It is so serious that this blog article will be longer than most. I pray you will find it helpful in both your personal study and in your understanding of how to respond to someone who makes such false claims.
The false and troubling claim I'm speaking of is this: The Apostle Paul was a false teacher who corrupted the original message of Jesus Christ.
Their accusation comes from several directions. Some Muslim apologists argue that Paul transformed Jesus' original message into something Jesus never taught. Some within the Hebrew Roots movement accuse Paul of abandoning God's Law or teaching Christians to disobey it. More concerning still, some who profess to be Christians are now claiming that Paul's writings contradict Jesus, distort the gospel, or should not be considered authoritative Scripture. The arguments differ, but the underlying accusation is the same: Paul cannot be trusted as a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ.
Before we look at how to challenge their false claim about Paul, I want to emphatically say this first: This is not merely an academic disagreement about a historical figure. It is an outright attack upon the authority of Scripture, the unity of the apostolic gospel, and the trustworthiness of the New Testament itself. And any such claim should be rejected.
If Paul was a false apostle, then the implications are enormous. Thirteen New Testament letters bear his name. The book of Acts records his conversion, calling, missionary work, and ministry. The other apostles recognized his ministry. The earliest generations of Christians received and circulated his writings. To reject Paul is not simply to disagree with his interpretation of a particular passage. It is to place oneself in opposition to the testimony of the New Testament concerning one of Christ's appointed messengers.
The church must not be naïve about these claims. We should understand where they come from, examine them carefully, and answer them faithfully from Scripture. And we must recognize something even more serious: the Bible itself warns that false teachers will arise, distort the truth, and attempt to lead people away from the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, let's get started with how and why this is wrong and should be rejected.
1. This Is Not a New Argument: The History of Attacks Against Paul
Those who reject Paul sometimes present their position as though they have uncovered a truth hidden from Christianity for nearly two thousand years. They suggest that the early followers of Jesus practiced one religion, but Paul invented another. History tells a very different story.
The early rejection of Paul
By the second century, certain groups had already begun rejecting Paul's apostolic authority. One example was the Ebionites, a group associated with Jewish-Christian beliefs and continued observance of the Mosaic Law. According to the second-century Christian writer Irenaeus of Lyons, some Ebionites rejected Paul because they regarded him as an apostate from the Law.
In Against Heresies (1.26.2), Irenaeus specifically records that they repudiated Paul for this reason. This matters because the false accusation that Paul abandoned the Law is not a modern discovery. It was known in the earliest centuries of Christianity, and it was challenged by Christian leaders much closer to the apostolic age.
Other movements distorted Paul in different ways. Marcion, a second-century false teacher, elevated a mutilated collection of Paul's letters while rejecting the unity of the Old and New Testaments. Irenaeus opposed both the rejection of Paul's authority and the misuse of Paul to separate Christ from the God revealed in the Old Testament.
These historical controversies illustrate an important truth: False teaching does not always reject Scripture outright. Sometimes it rejects portions of Scripture; sometimes it distorts them to make them say something God never intended.
Later Muslim criticisms of Paul
Centuries after Paul lived, Islamic traditions developed false accusations that Paul had corrupted the message of Jesus. Some Muslim polemical writings portrayed Paul as responsible for introducing doctrines inconsistent with Islam's understanding of Jesus, including beliefs about Christ's divinity and Christian salvation. These arguments have a long history in Muslim-Christian debates, though Muslim perspectives on Paul have not been uniform.
But the historical problem with this claim is substantial. Paul's ministry, letters, and reception by Christian communities predate the emergence of Islam by centuries. More importantly, core Christian beliefs concerning Jesus' divine identity, crucifixion, resurrection, and saving work are not dependent on Paul alone. They are also found in the Gospels, Acts, and other New Testament writings. Rejecting Paul cannot erase the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, or the early church.
Modern Hebrew Roots and professing Christian critics
In more recent religious discussions, some voices associated with Hebrew Roots or Torah-observant Christianity have raised similar criticisms. We should make an important distinction: not everyone associated with the Hebrew Roots movement rejects Paul, and some seek to harmonize his letters with their understanding of Torah observance.
Nevertheless, where a teacher claims that Paul was an impostor, that his letters contradict Jesus, or that Christians must reject his authority to recover true Christianity, that teaching must be confronted. Likewise, professing Christians who insist that the words of Jesus are trustworthy but the writings of Paul are not have created a false division within the New Testament.
The issue is not whether a particular Christian fully understands Paul's letters. Peter himself acknowledges that some of Paul's teachings are difficult to understand (2 Peter 3:16). The issue is whether we submit to the Scriptures God has given or reserve the right to discard portions we find objectionable. A difficult passage invites us to study Scripture more carefully, not to reject Scripture's authority.
The Hebrew Roots movement also raises other serious theological concerns, particularly regarding its emphasis on returning to the Mosaic Law and, in some expressions, treating Old Testament covenant requirements as binding upon Christians under the New Covenant. Such teachings can obscure the fulfillment of the Law in Christ, the distinction between the Old and New Covenants, and the sufficiency of Christ's finished work. These issues deserve careful biblical examination and correction, but they extend beyond the scope of this article. Our focus here is specifically on the false accusation that Paul was not a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ Himself Appointed Paul as an Apostle
The most fundamental problem with calling Paul a false apostle is that Scripture explicitly identifies him as a man appointed by the risen Jesus Christ. Paul did not simply decide to become an apostle. He did not establish his ministry by personal ambition or appoint himself to spiritual authority.
Before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus was a persecutor of the church. He approved of Stephen's death (Acts 8:1). He entered homes and dragged Christians into prison (Acts 8:3). He traveled toward Damascus intending to arrest followers of Jesus (Acts 9:1–2). Then the risen Christ confronted him.
In Acts 9:3–6, a light from heaven flashed around Saul, and Jesus addressed him directly. Christ did not merely correct Saul's theology. He stopped a persecutor of His church and transformed him into a servant of the very gospel he had opposed. The Lord then spoke to Ananias concerning Saul: "This man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites" (Acts 9:15, CSB). Notice whose decision this was. Jesus calls Paul "my chosen instrument." Paul's authority was not grounded in his intelligence, education, religious background, or persuasive ability. It was grounded in the calling of Jesus Christ.
Acts records Paul's conversion and commission in three places: Acts 9, Acts 22, and Acts 26. These are not three unrelated claims but complementary accounts within Luke's historical narrative. Paul likewise explains in Galatians 1:11–12 that the gospel he preached was not invented by man or received merely through human instruction, but came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. And in 1 Corinthians 15:8–10, Paul places his encounter with the risen Christ alongside the resurrection appearances to the other apostles.
His calling was unusual, but it was not illegitimate. To claim that Paul was a false apostle contradicts the biblical testimony that Jesus Christ appointed him. A person may reject Luke's account or deny that the risen Christ spoke to Paul. But that person must recognize what he or she is doing: rejecting the testimony of Scripture, not merely exposing an allegedly untrustworthy preacher.
3. The Apostle Peter Explicitly Affirmed Paul's Writings as Scripture
One of the clearest refutations of the accusation against Paul comes from the Apostle Peter. In 2 Peter 3:15–16, Peter writes about Paul and acknowledges that some of his letters contain difficult teachings. Peter identifies Paul as a beloved brother, recognizes the wisdom given to him, and explains that unstable people distort his writings.
Then Peter makes a remarkable statement: "The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:16, CSB)
Consider the implications. First, Peter recognized Paul as a beloved brother in Christ. Second, Peter acknowledged that Paul wrote according to wisdom given to him by God. Third, Peter warned that people were twisting Paul's writings. Fourth, and most importantly, Peter places Paul's writings in the category of Scripture.
The words "the rest of the Scriptures" are significant. Peter is not simply saying Paul's letters are interesting religious commentary. He compares the distortion of Paul's writings with the distortion of the other sacred writings. This is a powerful testimony to Paul's apostolic authority. The very apostle who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry affirmed the writings of the apostle who encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus road. Peter does not warn the church to reject Paul. He warns the church against those who distort Paul. And the next verse makes the practical implication unmistakable:
"Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position." (2 Peter 3:17, CSB) Peter's command is not to become suspicious of Paul. It is to guard against the teachers who twist apostolic truth. That warning is just as necessary today.
4. The Other Apostles Recognized Paul's Gospel and Ministry
Some critics attempt to create a division between Paul and the original apostles, particularly Peter and James. They argue that Paul preached salvation by faith while the Jerusalem apostles taught salvation through obedience to the Mosaic Law. But this division collapses when we examine the relevant passages in context.
The Jerusalem Council: Acts 15
In Acts 15, certain men were teaching that Gentile believers must be circumcised according to the Law of Moses in order to be saved. This was not a minor disagreement about cultural customs. It directly concerned the gospel and the requirements of salvation.
Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem, where the apostles and elders considered the matter. Peter reminded the assembly that God had given the Holy Spirit to Gentile believers and had purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:7–9). Then Peter asked why they would place a yoke upon the Gentile disciples that neither their ancestors nor they themselves had been able to bear. He concluded: "On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are." (Acts 15:11, CSB)
Peter did not oppose Paul by insisting that Gentiles must obey the Mosaic Law to be justified. Peter affirmed salvation by grace. James then spoke, appealing to the prophets and affirming that Gentile believers should not be burdened with circumcision and the full requirements of the Mosaic covenant as conditions of belonging to God's people.
The council's letter rejected the unauthorized demand for circumcision and gave instructions intended to support the unity and holiness of the churches (Acts 15:19–29). The Jerusalem Council demonstrates that Paul's gospel was not an independent religious invention rejected by the apostles in Jerusalem. The gospel of salvation by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ was the gospel they recognized together.
The right hand of fellowship: Galatians 2
Paul provides further testimony in Galatians 2:7–9. James, Cephas (Peter), and John, whom Paul describes as recognized pillars, acknowledged the grace given to Paul and extended to him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship. They recognized that Paul had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with ministry to the circumcised. This was a distinction in their principal missionary assignments, not two contradictory gospels. There was one Savior, one gospel, and one salvation by grace, preached among different peoples.
What about Paul confronting Peter?
Critics frequently point to Galatians 2:11–14, where Paul publicly opposed Peter at Antioch. They claim this confrontation proves Paul was at odds with the original apostles. But the passage actually shows the opposite of what they argue.
Peter had previously eaten with Gentile believers. When certain men associated with the circumcision party arrived, he withdrew from fellowship with the Gentiles out of fear. Paul confronted Peter because his conduct was inconsistent with the truth of the gospel. Peter's behavior did not reflect the gospel Peter himself had affirmed in Acts 15.
Paul was not preaching a different Savior or a competing means of salvation. He was insisting that the conduct of Christians must remain consistent with the gospel they profess. Even genuine apostles could sin, act hypocritically, and require correction. Apostolic authority did not make Peter personally infallible. The confrontation therefore illustrates the importance of gospel fidelity, not the illegitimacy of Paul's apostleship.
5. Paul Did Not Contradict Jesus Christ
A common objection is that Jesus preached one message while Paul preached another. This claim typically depends upon isolating selected statements, overlooking their biblical context, or treating theological explanation as though it were theological contradiction.
Jesus and Paul did not have identical earthly ministries. Jesus fulfilled His messianic mission through His life, death, and resurrection. Paul proclaimed the accomplished work of Christ and explained its implications for the church. Different historical settings and audiences do not establish contradictory gospels.
For example, consider several central doctrines.
Jesus declared that He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
Paul proclaimed that Christ gave Himself for our sins (Galatians 1:4).
Jesus taught that those who believe in Him have eternal life (John 3:16). Paul explained that sinners are justified by faith apart from the works of the Law (Romans 3:28).
Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another (John 13:34–35). Paul instructed believers to serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13–14).
Jesus warned against the hypocrisy of outward religion without genuine obedience to God (Matthew 23:23–28). Paul taught that believers must not use grace as an excuse to continue in sin (Romans 6:1–2).
And Paul plainly states in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are matters of first importance, received and passed on in accordance with the Scriptures.
Paul was not replacing Jesus. Paul was proclaiming Jesus: crucified, risen, exalted, and coming again. The idea that Christianity must choose between Jesus and Paul rests upon a false choice. The church follows Jesus Christ, and part of following Christ is receiving the apostolic testimony He authorized.
6. Paul Did Not Invent Christianity: The Gospel Was Already Being Preached
The accusation that Paul invented Christianity encounters another major obstacle: Paul's own letters preserve gospel teaching that he received from others. In 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the message he delivered to them as being of first importance: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He appeared to Peter, the Twelve, and numerous other witnesses. He subsequently appeared to Paul himself.
Paul explicitly distinguishes what he received from what he passed on. He was not announcing a religion of his own invention. He was transmitting the gospel of the crucified and risen Christ. The strongest statement comes in verse 11, where Paul refers to the other apostles and explains that whether it was he or they who preached, the gospel message was the same.
The resurrection of Christ was not Paul's private doctrine. His atoning death was not Paul's private doctrine. The proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ was not Paul's private doctrine. The gospel Paul preached was the gospel the other apostles preached.
That is consistent with the preaching recorded in Acts. In Acts 2, Peter proclaims the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ and calls his hearers to repentance. In Acts 4:12, Peter declares that salvation is found in no one else. In Acts 10:43, Peter explains that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name.
These teachings precede Paul's major missionary ministry. Furthermore, Paul's account in Galatians 1–2 demonstrates that the Jerusalem apostles were already proclaiming Christ before his missionary work had developed. The central doctrines of Christianity did not originate with Paul. They originated in the person and work of Jesus Christ and were proclaimed by His apostles.
This is especially important when responding to the claim that Paul transformed Jesus into a divine Savior whom the earliest Christians did not recognize. The Gospel of John opens by identifying the Word as God (John 1:1), and Thomas confesses the risen Jesus as his Lord and God (John 20:28). In Matthew 28:18–20, the risen Jesus declares His universal authority and commands baptism in the singular name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Peter identifies Jesus as the Holy and Righteous One and the source of life in Acts 3:14–15.
These are not teachings dependent upon Paul's letters. We cannot simply remove Paul from the New Testament and discover a Christianity without the deity of Christ, His atoning death, His resurrection, or salvation through faith in Him. Those truths are woven throughout the apostolic testimony.
7. Paul Did Not Teach Christians to Live in Lawlessness
One of the most persistent accusations against Paul is that he taught believers to disregard God's commandments. Some argue that because Paul taught justification apart from the works of the Law, he must have rejected the moral requirements of God. This completely and fundamentally misunderstands Paul's teaching. Paul distinguished justification from obedience.
In Romans 3:28, Paul teaches that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. But immediately afterward, he asks whether faith invalidates the Law. His answer in Romans 3:31 is emphatic: absolutely not. The distinction is between obedience as the means of earning a righteous standing before God and obedience as the fruit of a transformed life. Paul does not teach that God's moral character has changed or that Christians are free to indulge in sin.
In Romans 6:1–2, he explicitly rejects the suggestion that believers should continue in sin so that grace may increase. In Galatians 5:13, he warns Christians not to use their freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but to serve one another through love. In Romans 13:8–10, Paul explains that love fulfills the Law, including commandments against adultery, murder, theft, and coveting. Paul's teaching does not eliminate holiness. It establishes that holiness flows from God's saving grace rather than serving as the means by which sinners purchase their salvation. Christ fulfilled the Mosaic covenant
The central issue in many Hebrew Roots criticisms is the relationship between the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant established through Jesus Christ. Jesus declared in Matthew 5:17 that He came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. Fulfillment does not mean that every provision of the Mosaic covenant remains binding upon the church in precisely the same covenantal form.
The New Testament teaches that the sacrificial system anticipated Christ's once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1–14), that Christ is the mediator of a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6–13), and that believers are not to be judged regarding food, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths (Colossians 2:16–17). These teachings do not contradict the Old Testament. They explain its fulfillment in Christ. Acts 15 likewise establishes that Gentiles were not required to receive circumcision and take on the Mosaic Law as conditions for salvation. Indeed, Paul's concern in Galatians was that false teachers were adding requirements to the gospel that undermined the sufficiency of Christ.
Galatians 5:2–4 warns those seeking justification through circumcision that they are placing themselves under an obligation to keep the whole Law and abandoning reliance upon Christ as their sufficient Savior. This does not mean every Christian who observes a Jewish festival or Sabbath custom has rejected the gospel. Paul himself allowed liberty in the observance of particular days (Romans 14:5–6). The decisive issue is whether such observances are made requirements for justification, covenant membership, or spiritual acceptance before God. Christ plus nothing is the ground of our justification. Genuine faith in Christ then produces a life of obedience to God.
What about James and Paul?
Another accusation claims that James 2:24 contradicts Romans 3:28. Paul says justification is by faith apart from works of the Law. James says a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. But these writers are confronting different errors.
Paul opposes the notion that sinners can attain righteousness before God through works of the Law. James opposes the notion that a person can claim to possess saving faith while exhibiting no corresponding fruit of obedience. James describes a kind of claimed faith that has no works and is therefore dead (James 2:17).
Paul teaches the same necessary connection between saving faith and transformed living. Ephesians 2:8–10 brings both truths together: salvation is by grace through faith, not by works; yet believers are created in Christ Jesus for good works. Romans 6 likewise insists that those united to Christ cannot regard slavery to sin as compatible with their new identity.
There is no contradiction between being justified by faith and demonstrating that faith through obedience. Works do not purchase salvation. They give evidence of living faith. James confronts empty profession. Paul confronts works-based righteousness. Both uphold the gospel.
8. The Early Church Received Paul as a Genuine Apostle
The historical testimony against the claim that Paul was an impostor is especially significant. The writings of early Christians show that Paul was not a controversial outsider whose teachings were eventually imposed upon an unwilling church. Rather, Christian leaders within the first generations after the apostles recognized his authority, respected his writings, and encouraged believers to follow his teaching. These witnesses were much closer to the apostolic age than those who now claim that Paul's teachings were a later corruption.
Clement of Rome — late first century
Clement of Rome wrote to the Corinthian church, generally dated near the end of the first century. In chapter 47 of his first letter to the Corinthians, Clement directs the church to consider Paul's earlier letter. He calls Paul the blessed apostle and treats Paul's written instruction as authoritative for resolving the divisions troubling the Corinthian congregation.
Clement even describes Paul's instruction as given under the Spirit's inspiration. This is remarkable because Clement was writing to a church that had personally received Paul's ministry only decades earlier. There is no suggestion that Paul had corrupted Christianity. Instead, Clement appeals to Paul's teaching to correct the church.
Ignatius of Antioch — early second century
Ignatius of Antioch was another important early Christian leader whose surviving letters are generally dated to the early second century. In his Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 12, Ignatius speaks of Paul with tremendous respect. He identifies Paul as holy and blessed and expresses his desire to follow in Paul's footsteps. Ignatius did not regard Paul as a theological enemy of the original disciples of Jesus. He honored him as a faithful servant of Christ whose ministry was connected to the church's reception of the gospel.
Polycarp of Smyrna — early to mid-second century
The testimony of Polycarp of Smyrna is especially important. Polycarp belonged to the early generation of church leaders associated with the apostolic tradition. Irenaeus, who knew Polycarp in his youth, reported that Polycarp had been instructed by apostles and had known individuals who had personally seen Jesus Christ. According to early church testimony, Polycarp personally knew the Apostle John and was instructed by him.
Polycarp's own letter to the Philippians provides direct evidence of his view of Paul. In chapter 3, Polycarp describes Paul as blessed and glorified, praises his wisdom, and explains that Paul had taught the Philippians the word of truth. He encourages them to study Paul's letter because it would strengthen them in the faith.
Consider the significance. Here is a Christian leader connected to the earliest generations of the church, encouraging believers to learn from Paul's writings. If Paul had introduced a false gospel that contradicted Jesus, why did Polycarp uphold his teaching? The historical evidence points in the opposite direction. Polycarp regarded Paul as a trustworthy apostolic teacher.
Irenaeus of Lyons — late second century
As I said earlier, Irenaeus, who had known Polycarp, directly confronted those who rejected Paul's authority. In Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 15, Irenaeus argues that those who accept Luke's Gospel while rejecting Paul's apostleship must reckon with Luke's account of Jesus personally calling Paul.
Irenaeus exposes the inconsistency of accepting Luke's testimony selectively while refusing the portions that establish Paul's divine commission. He also opposed those who falsely separated Paul's gospel from the message preached by Peter and the other apostles.
His defense was not merely an appeal to church tradition. He argued from Scripture, showing that the apostles proclaimed the same God and the same Lord Jesus Christ.
The historical conclusion
The testimony of these early Christian writers is consistent: Clement regarded Paul's writing as authoritative. Ignatius honored Paul as a faithful servant of Christ. Polycarp encouraged Christians to study Paul's teaching. Irenaeus defended Paul's apostleship and refuted those who rejected it. None of these men created Paul's apostolic authority. That authority came from Jesus Christ. Their testimony matters because it demonstrates how early Christians understood Paul's ministry. The idea that the church knew Paul to be an impostor but later elevated him to apostle status does not fit the surviving evidence. We have testimony from Christians remarkably close to the apostolic age affirming Paul, while the accusations against him appear in groups the early church identified as departing from apostolic Christianity.
Now, of course, Church history is not our final authority. Scripture is. But the historical evidence strongly supports what Scripture already teaches. Paul was not an impostor who invented Christianity. He was received by the early church as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
9. Rejecting Paul Undermines the Sufficiency and Inerrancy of Scripture
For Christians who affirm the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, and sufficient Word of God, the attack upon Paul raises an unavoidable theological problem. What authority determines which portions of Scripture are trustworthy?
Second Timothy 3:16 teaches that all Scripture (not your favorite part) is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Second Peter 1:20–21 teaches that the prophetic word did not originate in human will but came as men spoke from God while being carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Biblical inerrancy means that Scripture, rightly understood according to its intended meaning, is wholly truthful in everything it affirms. Biblical sufficiency means that God has provided in Scripture everything necessary for knowing Him savingly and for faithful Christian belief and life. These doctrines do not mean that every biblical passage is equally easy to understand. Nor do they mean every interpreter is correct. They mean that Scripture cannot be discarded whenever it confronts our beliefs.
The problem with selecting which apostles to believe
I saw a YouTube video the other day with a young lady claiming: "I believe Jesus, but I reject Paul because Paul contradicted Jesus." That statement may initially sound like a defense of Christ's authority. But how does such a person know what Jesus taught?
The teachings of Jesus have been preserved for us through the inspired testimony of the New Testament. Matthew and John record His life and words. Mark and Luke provide apostolic-era accounts. Luke also wrote Acts, which identifies Paul as a chosen instrument of Jesus. Peter, who heard Jesus preach and witnessed His resurrection, affirmed Paul's writings. The same New Testament that preserves the words of Jesus also establishes Paul's apostolic authority.
To accept the biblical testimony about Jesus while dismissing its testimony about Paul requires an independent standard for deciding which portions of that testimony are reliable. That standard is then placed above Scripture. The practical result is that the individual, rather than God's Word, becomes the final judge of what may be believed.
Does this mean we should never examine difficult questions?
Certainly not. Christians should study carefully, consider historical evidence, evaluate interpretations, and seek to understand apparent difficulties within the biblical text. The Bereans were commended because they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether Paul's preaching was true (Acts 17:11). Their example shows that apostolic preaching was not an invitation to thoughtless acceptance. It was to be examined according to God's revealed Word. The Bereans did not reject Paul because his teaching challenged their assumptions. They examined the Scriptures to determine whether his message aligned with God's revelation, and they found it sound. That is the appropriate Christian response.
We do not protect the authority of Jesus by rejecting the Scriptures that testify to Him.
A person who persistently rejects Paul's writings as false is not merely questioning a pastor's interpretation or disputing a secondary doctrine. He is challenging the authority of part of the New Testament itself. That is a grave error.
10. Scripture Warns That False Teachers Will Distort the Truth
The seriousness of this issue is not simply that someone has developed an incorrect opinion about Paul. It is that such teaching can cause people to question the authority of God's Word, reject the apostolic gospel, and place their confidence in a false understanding of Jesus Christ. The Bible warns repeatedly that this kind of deception will occur. Jesus warned that false teachers would arise.
In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns His disciples to beware of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. The warning is significant because deception does not always present itself as open opposition to Christianity. Sometimes it appears religious. Sometimes it uses the language of faithfulness. Sometimes it claims to possess a deeper understanding of God's Word. And sometimes it presents itself as an effort to recover original Christianity from supposedly corrupt traditions.
But the issue is not whether a teacher sounds confident, sincere, or knowledgeable. The issue is whether his teaching agrees with the truth God has revealed. Jesus also warns in Matthew 24:24 that false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform signs intended to lead people astray. Spiritual deception should not surprise the church. Jesus told us to expect it. Paul warned that false teachers would come from within the church.
In Acts 20:28–31, Paul addresses the elders of the church in Ephesus. He commands them to guard themselves and the flock because savage wolves will come among them. He also warns that men will arise from within the church itself, distorting the truth to draw disciples after themselves. This is a sobering warning. The danger does not always come from an obvious enemy of Christianity. It can come from individuals who speak the language of Christianity, claim to honor Jesus, and present themselves as teachers of biblical truth. A teacher may repeatedly profess love for Jesus while undermining the authority of the very Scriptures through which Jesus is proclaimed. That is why the church must evaluate doctrine rather than merely accepting religious professions.
Paul himself warned against another gospel
In Galatians 1:6–9, Paul expresses astonishment that the Galatian believers were turning to a different gospel. He explains that this supposed alternative is not another legitimate gospel at all. Then Paul declares that even if he himself or an angel from heaven were to preach a gospel contrary to the one already received, that messenger should be condemned. Notice what Paul does not say. He does not declare that his personal authority gives him permission to invent new doctrine. He submits even his own preaching to the established gospel. This is precisely the opposite of the conduct one would expect from a man attempting to substitute his own religion for the message of Christ. Paul was so committed to the unchanging gospel that he placed even himself under its judgment. The message, not the personality of the messenger, was decisive.
Peter warned specifically about the distortion of Paul's letters
We return to 2 Peter 3:16–17 because Peter's warning is so directly relevant. Peter says that untaught and unstable people twist Paul's writings, just as they twist the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. This does not establish that every critic of Paul has precisely the same motives or degree of guilt. It does establish that distorting apostolic Scripture is spiritually dangerous and that Christians must guard against being led astray by such errors. What we are seeing in these accusations against Paul is not evidence that biblical Christianity has been exposed as fraudulent. It is a reminder that the church must remain vigilant against those who twist the truth.
11. Are Those Who Reject Paul Simply Mistaken, Intentionally Deceptive, or Not Christians at All?
Possibly all of the above. This question must be answered with both biblical seriousness and appropriate caution. Not every person who expresses doubt about Paul is in the same spiritual condition. But neither should the church minimize the consequences of persistently rejecting an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Scripture provides categories that help us understand the danger:
Some are seriously mistaken and need correction
A person may encounter persuasive but misleading arguments online and begin questioning Paul's authority without understanding the biblical or historical evidence. Perhaps they have never carefully studied Acts 15, Galatians 2, or 2 Peter 3. Perhaps they have been told that Paul taught lawlessness and have never been shown Romans 6. Perhaps they have inherited distorted interpretations from someone they trust. Such individuals need patient, clear, biblical instruction. Second Timothy 2:24–26 teaches that the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must instruct opponents with gentleness, in the hope that God will grant repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. We should not immediately assume that every confused or misled person is deliberately deceiving others. But neither should we tell them that rejecting apostolic Scripture is harmless. We must love them enough to correct the error and show them why their position is incompatible with the biblical testimony.
Some knowingly and intentionally mislead others
Scripture also warns about people who intentionally distort religious teaching. Second Corinthians 11:13–15 describes false apostles and deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. Titus 1:10–11 warns about rebellious people, empty talkers, and deceivers who upset entire households by teaching what they should not for dishonest gain. Second Peter 2:1–3 warns of false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies and exploit people through deceptive words. These passages make clear that deliberate religious deception is real. Some teachers are not merely confused. They seek followers, status, influence, money, or authority, and they are willing to distort the truth to obtain them. Still, we should be careful about claiming to know the hidden motives of a particular individual without sufficient evidence. We can identify what someone teaches. We can demonstrate where that teaching contradicts Scripture. We can warn against its consequences. God alone knows the heart perfectly.
Some may demonstrate that they do not possess saving faith
This is perhaps the most serious possibility. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian truly belongs to Jesus Christ. Jesus warns in Matthew 7:21–23 that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. First John 2:19 describes people who departed from the fellowship of believers and whose departure revealed that they did not truly belong. First John 4:1 commands believers to test the spirits because many false prophets have gone out into the world. A person may claim to follow Jesus while rejecting essential truths about Him and the gospel. A person may use Christian language while denying the authority of the apostolic testimony. A person may insist that he is restoring genuine Christianity while actually leading others away from the truth upon which genuine Christianity rests. A profession of faith does not automatically validate a person's doctrine or demonstrate that he has been born again. Does every misunderstanding of Paul mean someone is unsaved? No. Christians can misunderstand difficult passages, hold inconsistent beliefs, and require correction. But a settled, informed, and unrepentant rejection of the apostolic gospel is not a harmless interpretive disagreement. When someone persistently repudiates the authority of Christ's apostles, rejects inspired Scripture, or substitutes another means of salvation for the gospel of grace, the church has reason to question whether that person's profession of faith is genuine. We cannot pronounce the eternal destiny of every individual who makes such claims. But we also cannot offer assurance of salvation to someone who knowingly rejects the gospel revealed in Scripture. The appropriate response is to call such a person to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
The church must identify false teaching and protect the flock
And THIS is why I'm taking time to write this article in such an exhaustive manner. The flock needs to know the truth and have it explained thoroughly and diligently. Titus 1:9 teaches that an elder must hold firmly to the faithful message so that he can both encourage with sound teaching and refute those who contradict it. Notice that both responsibilities belong to the shepherd (i.e., me, as your pastor). The shepherd must encourage believers with the truth. He must also refute those who oppose it. Biblical pastoral ministry is not merely about comforting people. It also involves protecting them from spiritual danger.
Romans 16:17–18 instructs believers to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching they have learned, and to avoid them. Second John 9 warns that whoever does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. These are not suggestions that Christians should become suspicious of every person who asks a difficult question. They are commands to recognize that doctrine matters, that false teaching is dangerous, and that the church must not give spiritual legitimacy to those who persistently undermine the gospel. We must be patient with those who are confused, firm toward those who are unrepentant, and vigilant against those who deliberately lead others astray.
12. Why the Church Must Cling to Sound Doctrine
The defense of Paul's apostleship is ultimately about something greater than Paul's reputation. It concerns the truthfulness of God's Word and the preservation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul himself would never have wanted the church to elevate him above Jesus. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:12–13 against the divisions that developed when believers identified themselves with particular Christian leaders. His question was very simple: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Paul understood that salvation does not come from Him. It comes from Jesus Christ. But the fact that Paul was not the Savior does not make his apostolic teaching optional. The risen Christ appointed apostles to bear authoritative witness to His person and work. Ephesians 2:20 describes the church as being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. A foundation cannot be dismissed without consequences for the structure built upon it.
Sound doctrine protects the church
In Ephesians 4:11–16, our sermon text for this coming Sunday, 10/18, Paul explains that Christ gave leaders to equip the saints for ministry and build up the body of Christ. One purpose of that ministry is that believers would no longer be immature, tossed about by waves, and carried away by every wind of teaching through human cunning and deceptive schemes.
This picture is still relevant for us today. Religious arguments spread quickly through videos, social media, podcasts, and online discussions. A confident speaker can present a handful of verses, smile on camera, claim to have discovered a hidden contradiction, and persuade an unprepared listener that centuries of Christian teaching have been wrong.
But confidence is not authority. Novelty is not truth. And an argument is not biblical simply because it contains Bible verses. Christians must be rooted in Scripture deeply enough to recognize when verses are removed from their contexts or used to contradict the rest of God's revelation.
Sound doctrine leads us to Christ
The purpose of studying Scripture is not simply to win theological arguments. It is to know the God who has revealed Himself through His Word. Jesus tells His opponents in John 5:39–40 that the Scriptures testify about Him, yet they refuse to come to Him for life. We should therefore never confuse biblical knowledge with saving faith. Someone can know Greek words, quote ancient historians, understand the differences between religious movements, and still be spiritually lost.
The goal is not to win a debate about Paul while missing the Savior Paul proclaimed. The goal is to understand, believe, and obey God's Word because it reveals Jesus Christ. That includes the glorious truth that sinners cannot save themselves through religious effort, moral improvement, or obedience to the Law. We need the righteousness of another. We need the forgiveness of sins. We need the Savior who lived without sin, died in the place of sinners, and rose victoriously from the grave. That is the gospel preached by Peter. That is the gospel preached by John and the other apostles. And that is the gospel preached by Paul.
13. What Should Christians Do When They Encounter These Claims?
The church should respond neither with panic nor with indifference. We have been given the Word of God, and it is sufficient to expose error and establish us in the truth. There are several practical responsibilities for every believer.
First, know the Scriptures.
Do not depend upon isolated verses, short videos, or the persuasive arguments of internet personalities. Read Acts, Romans, Galatians, and the rest of the New Testament in their proper contexts. Learn how the Bible fits together as one unified revelation centered upon Jesus Christ.
Second, test every teacher.
First John 4:1 commands believers to test the spirits. No teacher, pastor, scholar, apologist, or internet personality is above examination. Compare what is taught with the whole counsel of God's Word.
Third, reject any gospel that adds to or subtracts from the finished work of Christ.
Salvation is not found in Christ plus circumcision, Christ plus ceremonial observance, Christ plus human merit, or Christ plus a supposedly hidden religious revelation. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.
Fourth, refuse to treat false teaching as harmless.
A doctrine that undermines the authority of Scripture or distorts the gospel is not merely another interesting religious perspective. It is dangerous because eternal souls are at stake.
Fifth, correct others with both conviction and loving truth.
Speak the truth clearly, and lovingly. Refute error biblically. Do not ridicule sincere questions or unnecessarily antagonize someone who has been misled. Yet do not confuse kindness with silence. And remember that true love does not leave people comfortably deceived. You may be the only person positioned to speak the truth in the moment or opportunity at hand.
Finally, remain firmly rooted in Christ and His Word.
We do not need a newly discovered version of Christianity that discards the apostles. We need to believe and obey the gospel already entrusted to the church.
Conclusion:
You Cannot Faithfully Follow Christ While Willfully Rejecting His Apostolic Word
The accusation that Paul was a false teacher is not supported by the testimony of Scripture or by the witness of the earliest generations of the church.
Jesus Christ appointed Paul as His chosen instrument. Luke recorded his conversion and ministry. Peter affirmed his writings as Scripture. James, Peter, and John recognized the grace given to his apostolic ministry. The Jerusalem Council upheld salvation by grace rather than imposing the Mosaic Law as a condition of justification. Paul proclaimed the same crucified and risen Savior as the other apostles. And early Christian leaders such as Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Irenaeus recognized and defended his ministry.
The evidence is substantial and consistent. Paul did not corrupt the gospel of Jesus Christ. He faithfully proclaimed it.
Those who claim otherwise must ultimately reject or radically reinterpret a substantial portion of the New Testament testimony. For those who claim to be Christians while teaching that Paul was a false apostle, this should be a serious warning.
You cannot claim to submit fully to the authority of God's Word while knowingly repudiating the writings God has given through His appointed apostles. You cannot defend the sufficiency of Scripture while declaring that significant portions of Scripture are spiritually dangerous. And you cannot faithfully preserve the gospel while dismissing the apostolic witness that Christ Himself commissioned to proclaim it.
Some who make these claims are confused and need instruction. Others may be knowingly deceptive. Still others may be revealing that, despite their Christian profession, they have never truly understood or believed the gospel. That distinction belongs ultimately to God, who knows every heart.
But the church's responsibility is unmistakable. We must confront error, guard the flock, proclaim Christ, and hold firmly to the truth.
Paul warned Timothy: "For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3, CSB)
That warning should cause every Christian to examine not merely what he believes, but why he believes it. Do we submit our understanding to Scripture? Or do we search for teachers who will give us permission to reject the parts of Scripture we find difficult? Are we willing to be corrected by God's Word? Or have we made our own interpretation the final authority? The church does not need to reinvent Christianity. It needs to remain faithful to the truth God has already revealed.
The solution to deception is not a new apostle, a secret history, a reconstructed gospel, or a supposedly purer Christianity discovered by rejecting the New Testament. The solution is to return continually to the Scriptures, rightly understood, and to the Savior they proclaim.
And if you have been persuaded that Paul is a false apostle, I urge you to consider what you are rejecting. Read the Scriptures for yourself. Examine the testimony of Christ's apostles. Consider the consistent witness of the early church. Do not allow a persuasive teacher to draw you away from the gospel through which God calls sinners to salvation.
For anyone who has placed confidence in religious observance, personal righteousness, or a reconstructed version of Christianity, the call of the gospel remains the same: Repent of your sin and trust in Jesus Christ. He alone is the Savior. He alone bore the judgment sinners deserve. He alone rose from the dead. And He alone is able to save all who come to God through Him. As Paul himself wrote in Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (CSB)
Paul's message was never ultimately about Paul. It was about Christ. Therefore, let us reject the deception, hold firmly to the Scriptures, and cling to Jesus Christ—the crucified and risen Savior proclaimed by all His apostles.
The false and troubling claim I'm speaking of is this: The Apostle Paul was a false teacher who corrupted the original message of Jesus Christ.
Their accusation comes from several directions. Some Muslim apologists argue that Paul transformed Jesus' original message into something Jesus never taught. Some within the Hebrew Roots movement accuse Paul of abandoning God's Law or teaching Christians to disobey it. More concerning still, some who profess to be Christians are now claiming that Paul's writings contradict Jesus, distort the gospel, or should not be considered authoritative Scripture. The arguments differ, but the underlying accusation is the same: Paul cannot be trusted as a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ.
Before we look at how to challenge their false claim about Paul, I want to emphatically say this first: This is not merely an academic disagreement about a historical figure. It is an outright attack upon the authority of Scripture, the unity of the apostolic gospel, and the trustworthiness of the New Testament itself. And any such claim should be rejected.
If Paul was a false apostle, then the implications are enormous. Thirteen New Testament letters bear his name. The book of Acts records his conversion, calling, missionary work, and ministry. The other apostles recognized his ministry. The earliest generations of Christians received and circulated his writings. To reject Paul is not simply to disagree with his interpretation of a particular passage. It is to place oneself in opposition to the testimony of the New Testament concerning one of Christ's appointed messengers.
The church must not be naïve about these claims. We should understand where they come from, examine them carefully, and answer them faithfully from Scripture. And we must recognize something even more serious: the Bible itself warns that false teachers will arise, distort the truth, and attempt to lead people away from the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, let's get started with how and why this is wrong and should be rejected.
1. This Is Not a New Argument: The History of Attacks Against Paul
Those who reject Paul sometimes present their position as though they have uncovered a truth hidden from Christianity for nearly two thousand years. They suggest that the early followers of Jesus practiced one religion, but Paul invented another. History tells a very different story.
The early rejection of Paul
By the second century, certain groups had already begun rejecting Paul's apostolic authority. One example was the Ebionites, a group associated with Jewish-Christian beliefs and continued observance of the Mosaic Law. According to the second-century Christian writer Irenaeus of Lyons, some Ebionites rejected Paul because they regarded him as an apostate from the Law.
In Against Heresies (1.26.2), Irenaeus specifically records that they repudiated Paul for this reason. This matters because the false accusation that Paul abandoned the Law is not a modern discovery. It was known in the earliest centuries of Christianity, and it was challenged by Christian leaders much closer to the apostolic age.
Other movements distorted Paul in different ways. Marcion, a second-century false teacher, elevated a mutilated collection of Paul's letters while rejecting the unity of the Old and New Testaments. Irenaeus opposed both the rejection of Paul's authority and the misuse of Paul to separate Christ from the God revealed in the Old Testament.
These historical controversies illustrate an important truth: False teaching does not always reject Scripture outright. Sometimes it rejects portions of Scripture; sometimes it distorts them to make them say something God never intended.
Later Muslim criticisms of Paul
Centuries after Paul lived, Islamic traditions developed false accusations that Paul had corrupted the message of Jesus. Some Muslim polemical writings portrayed Paul as responsible for introducing doctrines inconsistent with Islam's understanding of Jesus, including beliefs about Christ's divinity and Christian salvation. These arguments have a long history in Muslim-Christian debates, though Muslim perspectives on Paul have not been uniform.
But the historical problem with this claim is substantial. Paul's ministry, letters, and reception by Christian communities predate the emergence of Islam by centuries. More importantly, core Christian beliefs concerning Jesus' divine identity, crucifixion, resurrection, and saving work are not dependent on Paul alone. They are also found in the Gospels, Acts, and other New Testament writings. Rejecting Paul cannot erase the testimony of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, or the early church.
Modern Hebrew Roots and professing Christian critics
In more recent religious discussions, some voices associated with Hebrew Roots or Torah-observant Christianity have raised similar criticisms. We should make an important distinction: not everyone associated with the Hebrew Roots movement rejects Paul, and some seek to harmonize his letters with their understanding of Torah observance.
Nevertheless, where a teacher claims that Paul was an impostor, that his letters contradict Jesus, or that Christians must reject his authority to recover true Christianity, that teaching must be confronted. Likewise, professing Christians who insist that the words of Jesus are trustworthy but the writings of Paul are not have created a false division within the New Testament.
The issue is not whether a particular Christian fully understands Paul's letters. Peter himself acknowledges that some of Paul's teachings are difficult to understand (2 Peter 3:16). The issue is whether we submit to the Scriptures God has given or reserve the right to discard portions we find objectionable. A difficult passage invites us to study Scripture more carefully, not to reject Scripture's authority.
The Hebrew Roots movement also raises other serious theological concerns, particularly regarding its emphasis on returning to the Mosaic Law and, in some expressions, treating Old Testament covenant requirements as binding upon Christians under the New Covenant. Such teachings can obscure the fulfillment of the Law in Christ, the distinction between the Old and New Covenants, and the sufficiency of Christ's finished work. These issues deserve careful biblical examination and correction, but they extend beyond the scope of this article. Our focus here is specifically on the false accusation that Paul was not a genuine apostle of Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus Christ Himself Appointed Paul as an Apostle
The most fundamental problem with calling Paul a false apostle is that Scripture explicitly identifies him as a man appointed by the risen Jesus Christ. Paul did not simply decide to become an apostle. He did not establish his ministry by personal ambition or appoint himself to spiritual authority.
Before his conversion, Saul of Tarsus was a persecutor of the church. He approved of Stephen's death (Acts 8:1). He entered homes and dragged Christians into prison (Acts 8:3). He traveled toward Damascus intending to arrest followers of Jesus (Acts 9:1–2). Then the risen Christ confronted him.
In Acts 9:3–6, a light from heaven flashed around Saul, and Jesus addressed him directly. Christ did not merely correct Saul's theology. He stopped a persecutor of His church and transformed him into a servant of the very gospel he had opposed. The Lord then spoke to Ananias concerning Saul: "This man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites" (Acts 9:15, CSB). Notice whose decision this was. Jesus calls Paul "my chosen instrument." Paul's authority was not grounded in his intelligence, education, religious background, or persuasive ability. It was grounded in the calling of Jesus Christ.
Acts records Paul's conversion and commission in three places: Acts 9, Acts 22, and Acts 26. These are not three unrelated claims but complementary accounts within Luke's historical narrative. Paul likewise explains in Galatians 1:11–12 that the gospel he preached was not invented by man or received merely through human instruction, but came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. And in 1 Corinthians 15:8–10, Paul places his encounter with the risen Christ alongside the resurrection appearances to the other apostles.
His calling was unusual, but it was not illegitimate. To claim that Paul was a false apostle contradicts the biblical testimony that Jesus Christ appointed him. A person may reject Luke's account or deny that the risen Christ spoke to Paul. But that person must recognize what he or she is doing: rejecting the testimony of Scripture, not merely exposing an allegedly untrustworthy preacher.
3. The Apostle Peter Explicitly Affirmed Paul's Writings as Scripture
One of the clearest refutations of the accusation against Paul comes from the Apostle Peter. In 2 Peter 3:15–16, Peter writes about Paul and acknowledges that some of his letters contain difficult teachings. Peter identifies Paul as a beloved brother, recognizes the wisdom given to him, and explains that unstable people distort his writings.
Then Peter makes a remarkable statement: "The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures." (2 Peter 3:16, CSB)
Consider the implications. First, Peter recognized Paul as a beloved brother in Christ. Second, Peter acknowledged that Paul wrote according to wisdom given to him by God. Third, Peter warned that people were twisting Paul's writings. Fourth, and most importantly, Peter places Paul's writings in the category of Scripture.
The words "the rest of the Scriptures" are significant. Peter is not simply saying Paul's letters are interesting religious commentary. He compares the distortion of Paul's writings with the distortion of the other sacred writings. This is a powerful testimony to Paul's apostolic authority. The very apostle who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry affirmed the writings of the apostle who encountered the risen Christ on the Damascus road. Peter does not warn the church to reject Paul. He warns the church against those who distort Paul. And the next verse makes the practical implication unmistakable:
"Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stable position." (2 Peter 3:17, CSB) Peter's command is not to become suspicious of Paul. It is to guard against the teachers who twist apostolic truth. That warning is just as necessary today.
4. The Other Apostles Recognized Paul's Gospel and Ministry
Some critics attempt to create a division between Paul and the original apostles, particularly Peter and James. They argue that Paul preached salvation by faith while the Jerusalem apostles taught salvation through obedience to the Mosaic Law. But this division collapses when we examine the relevant passages in context.
The Jerusalem Council: Acts 15
In Acts 15, certain men were teaching that Gentile believers must be circumcised according to the Law of Moses in order to be saved. This was not a minor disagreement about cultural customs. It directly concerned the gospel and the requirements of salvation.
Paul and Barnabas traveled to Jerusalem, where the apostles and elders considered the matter. Peter reminded the assembly that God had given the Holy Spirit to Gentile believers and had purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:7–9). Then Peter asked why they would place a yoke upon the Gentile disciples that neither their ancestors nor they themselves had been able to bear. He concluded: "On the contrary, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are." (Acts 15:11, CSB)
Peter did not oppose Paul by insisting that Gentiles must obey the Mosaic Law to be justified. Peter affirmed salvation by grace. James then spoke, appealing to the prophets and affirming that Gentile believers should not be burdened with circumcision and the full requirements of the Mosaic covenant as conditions of belonging to God's people.
The council's letter rejected the unauthorized demand for circumcision and gave instructions intended to support the unity and holiness of the churches (Acts 15:19–29). The Jerusalem Council demonstrates that Paul's gospel was not an independent religious invention rejected by the apostles in Jerusalem. The gospel of salvation by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ was the gospel they recognized together.
The right hand of fellowship: Galatians 2
Paul provides further testimony in Galatians 2:7–9. James, Cephas (Peter), and John, whom Paul describes as recognized pillars, acknowledged the grace given to Paul and extended to him and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship. They recognized that Paul had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with ministry to the circumcised. This was a distinction in their principal missionary assignments, not two contradictory gospels. There was one Savior, one gospel, and one salvation by grace, preached among different peoples.
What about Paul confronting Peter?
Critics frequently point to Galatians 2:11–14, where Paul publicly opposed Peter at Antioch. They claim this confrontation proves Paul was at odds with the original apostles. But the passage actually shows the opposite of what they argue.
Peter had previously eaten with Gentile believers. When certain men associated with the circumcision party arrived, he withdrew from fellowship with the Gentiles out of fear. Paul confronted Peter because his conduct was inconsistent with the truth of the gospel. Peter's behavior did not reflect the gospel Peter himself had affirmed in Acts 15.
Paul was not preaching a different Savior or a competing means of salvation. He was insisting that the conduct of Christians must remain consistent with the gospel they profess. Even genuine apostles could sin, act hypocritically, and require correction. Apostolic authority did not make Peter personally infallible. The confrontation therefore illustrates the importance of gospel fidelity, not the illegitimacy of Paul's apostleship.
5. Paul Did Not Contradict Jesus Christ
A common objection is that Jesus preached one message while Paul preached another. This claim typically depends upon isolating selected statements, overlooking their biblical context, or treating theological explanation as though it were theological contradiction.
Jesus and Paul did not have identical earthly ministries. Jesus fulfilled His messianic mission through His life, death, and resurrection. Paul proclaimed the accomplished work of Christ and explained its implications for the church. Different historical settings and audiences do not establish contradictory gospels.
For example, consider several central doctrines.
Jesus declared that He came to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).
Paul proclaimed that Christ gave Himself for our sins (Galatians 1:4).
Jesus taught that those who believe in Him have eternal life (John 3:16). Paul explained that sinners are justified by faith apart from the works of the Law (Romans 3:28).
Jesus commanded His disciples to love one another (John 13:34–35). Paul instructed believers to serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13–14).
Jesus warned against the hypocrisy of outward religion without genuine obedience to God (Matthew 23:23–28). Paul taught that believers must not use grace as an excuse to continue in sin (Romans 6:1–2).
And Paul plainly states in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are matters of first importance, received and passed on in accordance with the Scriptures.
Paul was not replacing Jesus. Paul was proclaiming Jesus: crucified, risen, exalted, and coming again. The idea that Christianity must choose between Jesus and Paul rests upon a false choice. The church follows Jesus Christ, and part of following Christ is receiving the apostolic testimony He authorized.
6. Paul Did Not Invent Christianity: The Gospel Was Already Being Preached
The accusation that Paul invented Christianity encounters another major obstacle: Paul's own letters preserve gospel teaching that he received from others. In 1 Corinthians 15:3–8, Paul reminds the Corinthians of the message he delivered to them as being of first importance: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He appeared to Peter, the Twelve, and numerous other witnesses. He subsequently appeared to Paul himself.
Paul explicitly distinguishes what he received from what he passed on. He was not announcing a religion of his own invention. He was transmitting the gospel of the crucified and risen Christ. The strongest statement comes in verse 11, where Paul refers to the other apostles and explains that whether it was he or they who preached, the gospel message was the same.
The resurrection of Christ was not Paul's private doctrine. His atoning death was not Paul's private doctrine. The proclamation of salvation in Jesus Christ was not Paul's private doctrine. The gospel Paul preached was the gospel the other apostles preached.
That is consistent with the preaching recorded in Acts. In Acts 2, Peter proclaims the crucifixion, resurrection, and exaltation of Jesus Christ and calls his hearers to repentance. In Acts 4:12, Peter declares that salvation is found in no one else. In Acts 10:43, Peter explains that everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His name.
These teachings precede Paul's major missionary ministry. Furthermore, Paul's account in Galatians 1–2 demonstrates that the Jerusalem apostles were already proclaiming Christ before his missionary work had developed. The central doctrines of Christianity did not originate with Paul. They originated in the person and work of Jesus Christ and were proclaimed by His apostles.
This is especially important when responding to the claim that Paul transformed Jesus into a divine Savior whom the earliest Christians did not recognize. The Gospel of John opens by identifying the Word as God (John 1:1), and Thomas confesses the risen Jesus as his Lord and God (John 20:28). In Matthew 28:18–20, the risen Jesus declares His universal authority and commands baptism in the singular name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Peter identifies Jesus as the Holy and Righteous One and the source of life in Acts 3:14–15.
These are not teachings dependent upon Paul's letters. We cannot simply remove Paul from the New Testament and discover a Christianity without the deity of Christ, His atoning death, His resurrection, or salvation through faith in Him. Those truths are woven throughout the apostolic testimony.
7. Paul Did Not Teach Christians to Live in Lawlessness
One of the most persistent accusations against Paul is that he taught believers to disregard God's commandments. Some argue that because Paul taught justification apart from the works of the Law, he must have rejected the moral requirements of God. This completely and fundamentally misunderstands Paul's teaching. Paul distinguished justification from obedience.
In Romans 3:28, Paul teaches that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. But immediately afterward, he asks whether faith invalidates the Law. His answer in Romans 3:31 is emphatic: absolutely not. The distinction is between obedience as the means of earning a righteous standing before God and obedience as the fruit of a transformed life. Paul does not teach that God's moral character has changed or that Christians are free to indulge in sin.
In Romans 6:1–2, he explicitly rejects the suggestion that believers should continue in sin so that grace may increase. In Galatians 5:13, he warns Christians not to use their freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but to serve one another through love. In Romans 13:8–10, Paul explains that love fulfills the Law, including commandments against adultery, murder, theft, and coveting. Paul's teaching does not eliminate holiness. It establishes that holiness flows from God's saving grace rather than serving as the means by which sinners purchase their salvation. Christ fulfilled the Mosaic covenant
The central issue in many Hebrew Roots criticisms is the relationship between the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant established through Jesus Christ. Jesus declared in Matthew 5:17 that He came not to abolish the Law or the Prophets but to fulfill them. Fulfillment does not mean that every provision of the Mosaic covenant remains binding upon the church in precisely the same covenantal form.
The New Testament teaches that the sacrificial system anticipated Christ's once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1–14), that Christ is the mediator of a better covenant (Hebrews 8:6–13), and that believers are not to be judged regarding food, festivals, new moons, or Sabbaths (Colossians 2:16–17). These teachings do not contradict the Old Testament. They explain its fulfillment in Christ. Acts 15 likewise establishes that Gentiles were not required to receive circumcision and take on the Mosaic Law as conditions for salvation. Indeed, Paul's concern in Galatians was that false teachers were adding requirements to the gospel that undermined the sufficiency of Christ.
Galatians 5:2–4 warns those seeking justification through circumcision that they are placing themselves under an obligation to keep the whole Law and abandoning reliance upon Christ as their sufficient Savior. This does not mean every Christian who observes a Jewish festival or Sabbath custom has rejected the gospel. Paul himself allowed liberty in the observance of particular days (Romans 14:5–6). The decisive issue is whether such observances are made requirements for justification, covenant membership, or spiritual acceptance before God. Christ plus nothing is the ground of our justification. Genuine faith in Christ then produces a life of obedience to God.
What about James and Paul?
Another accusation claims that James 2:24 contradicts Romans 3:28. Paul says justification is by faith apart from works of the Law. James says a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. But these writers are confronting different errors.
Paul opposes the notion that sinners can attain righteousness before God through works of the Law. James opposes the notion that a person can claim to possess saving faith while exhibiting no corresponding fruit of obedience. James describes a kind of claimed faith that has no works and is therefore dead (James 2:17).
Paul teaches the same necessary connection between saving faith and transformed living. Ephesians 2:8–10 brings both truths together: salvation is by grace through faith, not by works; yet believers are created in Christ Jesus for good works. Romans 6 likewise insists that those united to Christ cannot regard slavery to sin as compatible with their new identity.
There is no contradiction between being justified by faith and demonstrating that faith through obedience. Works do not purchase salvation. They give evidence of living faith. James confronts empty profession. Paul confronts works-based righteousness. Both uphold the gospel.
8. The Early Church Received Paul as a Genuine Apostle
The historical testimony against the claim that Paul was an impostor is especially significant. The writings of early Christians show that Paul was not a controversial outsider whose teachings were eventually imposed upon an unwilling church. Rather, Christian leaders within the first generations after the apostles recognized his authority, respected his writings, and encouraged believers to follow his teaching. These witnesses were much closer to the apostolic age than those who now claim that Paul's teachings were a later corruption.
Clement of Rome — late first century
Clement of Rome wrote to the Corinthian church, generally dated near the end of the first century. In chapter 47 of his first letter to the Corinthians, Clement directs the church to consider Paul's earlier letter. He calls Paul the blessed apostle and treats Paul's written instruction as authoritative for resolving the divisions troubling the Corinthian congregation.
Clement even describes Paul's instruction as given under the Spirit's inspiration. This is remarkable because Clement was writing to a church that had personally received Paul's ministry only decades earlier. There is no suggestion that Paul had corrupted Christianity. Instead, Clement appeals to Paul's teaching to correct the church.
Ignatius of Antioch — early second century
Ignatius of Antioch was another important early Christian leader whose surviving letters are generally dated to the early second century. In his Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 12, Ignatius speaks of Paul with tremendous respect. He identifies Paul as holy and blessed and expresses his desire to follow in Paul's footsteps. Ignatius did not regard Paul as a theological enemy of the original disciples of Jesus. He honored him as a faithful servant of Christ whose ministry was connected to the church's reception of the gospel.
Polycarp of Smyrna — early to mid-second century
The testimony of Polycarp of Smyrna is especially important. Polycarp belonged to the early generation of church leaders associated with the apostolic tradition. Irenaeus, who knew Polycarp in his youth, reported that Polycarp had been instructed by apostles and had known individuals who had personally seen Jesus Christ. According to early church testimony, Polycarp personally knew the Apostle John and was instructed by him.
Polycarp's own letter to the Philippians provides direct evidence of his view of Paul. In chapter 3, Polycarp describes Paul as blessed and glorified, praises his wisdom, and explains that Paul had taught the Philippians the word of truth. He encourages them to study Paul's letter because it would strengthen them in the faith.
Consider the significance. Here is a Christian leader connected to the earliest generations of the church, encouraging believers to learn from Paul's writings. If Paul had introduced a false gospel that contradicted Jesus, why did Polycarp uphold his teaching? The historical evidence points in the opposite direction. Polycarp regarded Paul as a trustworthy apostolic teacher.
Irenaeus of Lyons — late second century
As I said earlier, Irenaeus, who had known Polycarp, directly confronted those who rejected Paul's authority. In Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 15, Irenaeus argues that those who accept Luke's Gospel while rejecting Paul's apostleship must reckon with Luke's account of Jesus personally calling Paul.
Irenaeus exposes the inconsistency of accepting Luke's testimony selectively while refusing the portions that establish Paul's divine commission. He also opposed those who falsely separated Paul's gospel from the message preached by Peter and the other apostles.
His defense was not merely an appeal to church tradition. He argued from Scripture, showing that the apostles proclaimed the same God and the same Lord Jesus Christ.
The historical conclusion
The testimony of these early Christian writers is consistent: Clement regarded Paul's writing as authoritative. Ignatius honored Paul as a faithful servant of Christ. Polycarp encouraged Christians to study Paul's teaching. Irenaeus defended Paul's apostleship and refuted those who rejected it. None of these men created Paul's apostolic authority. That authority came from Jesus Christ. Their testimony matters because it demonstrates how early Christians understood Paul's ministry. The idea that the church knew Paul to be an impostor but later elevated him to apostle status does not fit the surviving evidence. We have testimony from Christians remarkably close to the apostolic age affirming Paul, while the accusations against him appear in groups the early church identified as departing from apostolic Christianity.
Now, of course, Church history is not our final authority. Scripture is. But the historical evidence strongly supports what Scripture already teaches. Paul was not an impostor who invented Christianity. He was received by the early church as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
9. Rejecting Paul Undermines the Sufficiency and Inerrancy of Scripture
For Christians who affirm the Bible as the inspired, inerrant, and sufficient Word of God, the attack upon Paul raises an unavoidable theological problem. What authority determines which portions of Scripture are trustworthy?
Second Timothy 3:16 teaches that all Scripture (not your favorite part) is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Second Peter 1:20–21 teaches that the prophetic word did not originate in human will but came as men spoke from God while being carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Biblical inerrancy means that Scripture, rightly understood according to its intended meaning, is wholly truthful in everything it affirms. Biblical sufficiency means that God has provided in Scripture everything necessary for knowing Him savingly and for faithful Christian belief and life. These doctrines do not mean that every biblical passage is equally easy to understand. Nor do they mean every interpreter is correct. They mean that Scripture cannot be discarded whenever it confronts our beliefs.
The problem with selecting which apostles to believe
I saw a YouTube video the other day with a young lady claiming: "I believe Jesus, but I reject Paul because Paul contradicted Jesus." That statement may initially sound like a defense of Christ's authority. But how does such a person know what Jesus taught?
The teachings of Jesus have been preserved for us through the inspired testimony of the New Testament. Matthew and John record His life and words. Mark and Luke provide apostolic-era accounts. Luke also wrote Acts, which identifies Paul as a chosen instrument of Jesus. Peter, who heard Jesus preach and witnessed His resurrection, affirmed Paul's writings. The same New Testament that preserves the words of Jesus also establishes Paul's apostolic authority.
To accept the biblical testimony about Jesus while dismissing its testimony about Paul requires an independent standard for deciding which portions of that testimony are reliable. That standard is then placed above Scripture. The practical result is that the individual, rather than God's Word, becomes the final judge of what may be believed.
Does this mean we should never examine difficult questions?
Certainly not. Christians should study carefully, consider historical evidence, evaluate interpretations, and seek to understand apparent difficulties within the biblical text. The Bereans were commended because they examined the Scriptures daily to see whether Paul's preaching was true (Acts 17:11). Their example shows that apostolic preaching was not an invitation to thoughtless acceptance. It was to be examined according to God's revealed Word. The Bereans did not reject Paul because his teaching challenged their assumptions. They examined the Scriptures to determine whether his message aligned with God's revelation, and they found it sound. That is the appropriate Christian response.
We do not protect the authority of Jesus by rejecting the Scriptures that testify to Him.
A person who persistently rejects Paul's writings as false is not merely questioning a pastor's interpretation or disputing a secondary doctrine. He is challenging the authority of part of the New Testament itself. That is a grave error.
10. Scripture Warns That False Teachers Will Distort the Truth
The seriousness of this issue is not simply that someone has developed an incorrect opinion about Paul. It is that such teaching can cause people to question the authority of God's Word, reject the apostolic gospel, and place their confidence in a false understanding of Jesus Christ. The Bible warns repeatedly that this kind of deception will occur. Jesus warned that false teachers would arise.
In Matthew 7:15, Jesus warns His disciples to beware of false prophets who come in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. The warning is significant because deception does not always present itself as open opposition to Christianity. Sometimes it appears religious. Sometimes it uses the language of faithfulness. Sometimes it claims to possess a deeper understanding of God's Word. And sometimes it presents itself as an effort to recover original Christianity from supposedly corrupt traditions.
But the issue is not whether a teacher sounds confident, sincere, or knowledgeable. The issue is whether his teaching agrees with the truth God has revealed. Jesus also warns in Matthew 24:24 that false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform signs intended to lead people astray. Spiritual deception should not surprise the church. Jesus told us to expect it. Paul warned that false teachers would come from within the church.
In Acts 20:28–31, Paul addresses the elders of the church in Ephesus. He commands them to guard themselves and the flock because savage wolves will come among them. He also warns that men will arise from within the church itself, distorting the truth to draw disciples after themselves. This is a sobering warning. The danger does not always come from an obvious enemy of Christianity. It can come from individuals who speak the language of Christianity, claim to honor Jesus, and present themselves as teachers of biblical truth. A teacher may repeatedly profess love for Jesus while undermining the authority of the very Scriptures through which Jesus is proclaimed. That is why the church must evaluate doctrine rather than merely accepting religious professions.
Paul himself warned against another gospel
In Galatians 1:6–9, Paul expresses astonishment that the Galatian believers were turning to a different gospel. He explains that this supposed alternative is not another legitimate gospel at all. Then Paul declares that even if he himself or an angel from heaven were to preach a gospel contrary to the one already received, that messenger should be condemned. Notice what Paul does not say. He does not declare that his personal authority gives him permission to invent new doctrine. He submits even his own preaching to the established gospel. This is precisely the opposite of the conduct one would expect from a man attempting to substitute his own religion for the message of Christ. Paul was so committed to the unchanging gospel that he placed even himself under its judgment. The message, not the personality of the messenger, was decisive.
Peter warned specifically about the distortion of Paul's letters
We return to 2 Peter 3:16–17 because Peter's warning is so directly relevant. Peter says that untaught and unstable people twist Paul's writings, just as they twist the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. This does not establish that every critic of Paul has precisely the same motives or degree of guilt. It does establish that distorting apostolic Scripture is spiritually dangerous and that Christians must guard against being led astray by such errors. What we are seeing in these accusations against Paul is not evidence that biblical Christianity has been exposed as fraudulent. It is a reminder that the church must remain vigilant against those who twist the truth.
11. Are Those Who Reject Paul Simply Mistaken, Intentionally Deceptive, or Not Christians at All?
Possibly all of the above. This question must be answered with both biblical seriousness and appropriate caution. Not every person who expresses doubt about Paul is in the same spiritual condition. But neither should the church minimize the consequences of persistently rejecting an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Scripture provides categories that help us understand the danger:
Some are seriously mistaken and need correction
A person may encounter persuasive but misleading arguments online and begin questioning Paul's authority without understanding the biblical or historical evidence. Perhaps they have never carefully studied Acts 15, Galatians 2, or 2 Peter 3. Perhaps they have been told that Paul taught lawlessness and have never been shown Romans 6. Perhaps they have inherited distorted interpretations from someone they trust. Such individuals need patient, clear, biblical instruction. Second Timothy 2:24–26 teaches that the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but must instruct opponents with gentleness, in the hope that God will grant repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. We should not immediately assume that every confused or misled person is deliberately deceiving others. But neither should we tell them that rejecting apostolic Scripture is harmless. We must love them enough to correct the error and show them why their position is incompatible with the biblical testimony.
Some knowingly and intentionally mislead others
Scripture also warns about people who intentionally distort religious teaching. Second Corinthians 11:13–15 describes false apostles and deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. Titus 1:10–11 warns about rebellious people, empty talkers, and deceivers who upset entire households by teaching what they should not for dishonest gain. Second Peter 2:1–3 warns of false teachers who secretly introduce destructive heresies and exploit people through deceptive words. These passages make clear that deliberate religious deception is real. Some teachers are not merely confused. They seek followers, status, influence, money, or authority, and they are willing to distort the truth to obtain them. Still, we should be careful about claiming to know the hidden motives of a particular individual without sufficient evidence. We can identify what someone teaches. We can demonstrate where that teaching contradicts Scripture. We can warn against its consequences. God alone knows the heart perfectly.
Some may demonstrate that they do not possess saving faith
This is perhaps the most serious possibility. Not everyone who claims to be a Christian truly belongs to Jesus Christ. Jesus warns in Matthew 7:21–23 that not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. First John 2:19 describes people who departed from the fellowship of believers and whose departure revealed that they did not truly belong. First John 4:1 commands believers to test the spirits because many false prophets have gone out into the world. A person may claim to follow Jesus while rejecting essential truths about Him and the gospel. A person may use Christian language while denying the authority of the apostolic testimony. A person may insist that he is restoring genuine Christianity while actually leading others away from the truth upon which genuine Christianity rests. A profession of faith does not automatically validate a person's doctrine or demonstrate that he has been born again. Does every misunderstanding of Paul mean someone is unsaved? No. Christians can misunderstand difficult passages, hold inconsistent beliefs, and require correction. But a settled, informed, and unrepentant rejection of the apostolic gospel is not a harmless interpretive disagreement. When someone persistently repudiates the authority of Christ's apostles, rejects inspired Scripture, or substitutes another means of salvation for the gospel of grace, the church has reason to question whether that person's profession of faith is genuine. We cannot pronounce the eternal destiny of every individual who makes such claims. But we also cannot offer assurance of salvation to someone who knowingly rejects the gospel revealed in Scripture. The appropriate response is to call such a person to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.
The church must identify false teaching and protect the flock
And THIS is why I'm taking time to write this article in such an exhaustive manner. The flock needs to know the truth and have it explained thoroughly and diligently. Titus 1:9 teaches that an elder must hold firmly to the faithful message so that he can both encourage with sound teaching and refute those who contradict it. Notice that both responsibilities belong to the shepherd (i.e., me, as your pastor). The shepherd must encourage believers with the truth. He must also refute those who oppose it. Biblical pastoral ministry is not merely about comforting people. It also involves protecting them from spiritual danger.
Romans 16:17–18 instructs believers to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching they have learned, and to avoid them. Second John 9 warns that whoever does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. These are not suggestions that Christians should become suspicious of every person who asks a difficult question. They are commands to recognize that doctrine matters, that false teaching is dangerous, and that the church must not give spiritual legitimacy to those who persistently undermine the gospel. We must be patient with those who are confused, firm toward those who are unrepentant, and vigilant against those who deliberately lead others astray.
12. Why the Church Must Cling to Sound Doctrine
The defense of Paul's apostleship is ultimately about something greater than Paul's reputation. It concerns the truthfulness of God's Word and the preservation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul himself would never have wanted the church to elevate him above Jesus. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:12–13 against the divisions that developed when believers identified themselves with particular Christian leaders. His question was very simple: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Paul understood that salvation does not come from Him. It comes from Jesus Christ. But the fact that Paul was not the Savior does not make his apostolic teaching optional. The risen Christ appointed apostles to bear authoritative witness to His person and work. Ephesians 2:20 describes the church as being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. A foundation cannot be dismissed without consequences for the structure built upon it.
Sound doctrine protects the church
In Ephesians 4:11–16, our sermon text for this coming Sunday, 10/18, Paul explains that Christ gave leaders to equip the saints for ministry and build up the body of Christ. One purpose of that ministry is that believers would no longer be immature, tossed about by waves, and carried away by every wind of teaching through human cunning and deceptive schemes.
This picture is still relevant for us today. Religious arguments spread quickly through videos, social media, podcasts, and online discussions. A confident speaker can present a handful of verses, smile on camera, claim to have discovered a hidden contradiction, and persuade an unprepared listener that centuries of Christian teaching have been wrong.
But confidence is not authority. Novelty is not truth. And an argument is not biblical simply because it contains Bible verses. Christians must be rooted in Scripture deeply enough to recognize when verses are removed from their contexts or used to contradict the rest of God's revelation.
Sound doctrine leads us to Christ
The purpose of studying Scripture is not simply to win theological arguments. It is to know the God who has revealed Himself through His Word. Jesus tells His opponents in John 5:39–40 that the Scriptures testify about Him, yet they refuse to come to Him for life. We should therefore never confuse biblical knowledge with saving faith. Someone can know Greek words, quote ancient historians, understand the differences between religious movements, and still be spiritually lost.
The goal is not to win a debate about Paul while missing the Savior Paul proclaimed. The goal is to understand, believe, and obey God's Word because it reveals Jesus Christ. That includes the glorious truth that sinners cannot save themselves through religious effort, moral improvement, or obedience to the Law. We need the righteousness of another. We need the forgiveness of sins. We need the Savior who lived without sin, died in the place of sinners, and rose victoriously from the grave. That is the gospel preached by Peter. That is the gospel preached by John and the other apostles. And that is the gospel preached by Paul.
13. What Should Christians Do When They Encounter These Claims?
The church should respond neither with panic nor with indifference. We have been given the Word of God, and it is sufficient to expose error and establish us in the truth. There are several practical responsibilities for every believer.
First, know the Scriptures.
Do not depend upon isolated verses, short videos, or the persuasive arguments of internet personalities. Read Acts, Romans, Galatians, and the rest of the New Testament in their proper contexts. Learn how the Bible fits together as one unified revelation centered upon Jesus Christ.
Second, test every teacher.
First John 4:1 commands believers to test the spirits. No teacher, pastor, scholar, apologist, or internet personality is above examination. Compare what is taught with the whole counsel of God's Word.
Third, reject any gospel that adds to or subtracts from the finished work of Christ.
Salvation is not found in Christ plus circumcision, Christ plus ceremonial observance, Christ plus human merit, or Christ plus a supposedly hidden religious revelation. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.
Fourth, refuse to treat false teaching as harmless.
A doctrine that undermines the authority of Scripture or distorts the gospel is not merely another interesting religious perspective. It is dangerous because eternal souls are at stake.
Fifth, correct others with both conviction and loving truth.
Speak the truth clearly, and lovingly. Refute error biblically. Do not ridicule sincere questions or unnecessarily antagonize someone who has been misled. Yet do not confuse kindness with silence. And remember that true love does not leave people comfortably deceived. You may be the only person positioned to speak the truth in the moment or opportunity at hand.
Finally, remain firmly rooted in Christ and His Word.
We do not need a newly discovered version of Christianity that discards the apostles. We need to believe and obey the gospel already entrusted to the church.
Conclusion:
You Cannot Faithfully Follow Christ While Willfully Rejecting His Apostolic Word
The accusation that Paul was a false teacher is not supported by the testimony of Scripture or by the witness of the earliest generations of the church.
Jesus Christ appointed Paul as His chosen instrument. Luke recorded his conversion and ministry. Peter affirmed his writings as Scripture. James, Peter, and John recognized the grace given to his apostolic ministry. The Jerusalem Council upheld salvation by grace rather than imposing the Mosaic Law as a condition of justification. Paul proclaimed the same crucified and risen Savior as the other apostles. And early Christian leaders such as Clement, Ignatius, Polycarp, and Irenaeus recognized and defended his ministry.
The evidence is substantial and consistent. Paul did not corrupt the gospel of Jesus Christ. He faithfully proclaimed it.
Those who claim otherwise must ultimately reject or radically reinterpret a substantial portion of the New Testament testimony. For those who claim to be Christians while teaching that Paul was a false apostle, this should be a serious warning.
You cannot claim to submit fully to the authority of God's Word while knowingly repudiating the writings God has given through His appointed apostles. You cannot defend the sufficiency of Scripture while declaring that significant portions of Scripture are spiritually dangerous. And you cannot faithfully preserve the gospel while dismissing the apostolic witness that Christ Himself commissioned to proclaim it.
Some who make these claims are confused and need instruction. Others may be knowingly deceptive. Still others may be revealing that, despite their Christian profession, they have never truly understood or believed the gospel. That distinction belongs ultimately to God, who knows every heart.
But the church's responsibility is unmistakable. We must confront error, guard the flock, proclaim Christ, and hold firmly to the truth.
Paul warned Timothy: "For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear." (2 Timothy 4:3, CSB)
That warning should cause every Christian to examine not merely what he believes, but why he believes it. Do we submit our understanding to Scripture? Or do we search for teachers who will give us permission to reject the parts of Scripture we find difficult? Are we willing to be corrected by God's Word? Or have we made our own interpretation the final authority? The church does not need to reinvent Christianity. It needs to remain faithful to the truth God has already revealed.
The solution to deception is not a new apostle, a secret history, a reconstructed gospel, or a supposedly purer Christianity discovered by rejecting the New Testament. The solution is to return continually to the Scriptures, rightly understood, and to the Savior they proclaim.
And if you have been persuaded that Paul is a false apostle, I urge you to consider what you are rejecting. Read the Scriptures for yourself. Examine the testimony of Christ's apostles. Consider the consistent witness of the early church. Do not allow a persuasive teacher to draw you away from the gospel through which God calls sinners to salvation.
For anyone who has placed confidence in religious observance, personal righteousness, or a reconstructed version of Christianity, the call of the gospel remains the same: Repent of your sin and trust in Jesus Christ. He alone is the Savior. He alone bore the judgment sinners deserve. He alone rose from the dead. And He alone is able to save all who come to God through Him. As Paul himself wrote in Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me." (CSB)
Paul's message was never ultimately about Paul. It was about Christ. Therefore, let us reject the deception, hold firmly to the Scriptures, and cling to Jesus Christ—the crucified and risen Savior proclaimed by all His apostles.
Historical sources for further study
For readers who wish to examine the historical testimony rather than simply accept summaries, the following primary sources are particularly useful: Clement of Rome, First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 47; Ignatius, Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 12; Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians, chapter 3; and Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 15.
These historical documents are not additions to Scripture and do not carry Scripture's authority. They serve as important historical witnesses to the early church's recognition of Paul's apostleship and teaching.
For readers who wish to examine the historical testimony rather than simply accept summaries, the following primary sources are particularly useful: Clement of Rome, First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter 47; Ignatius, Letter to the Ephesians, chapter 12; Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians, chapter 3; and Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book III, chapter 15.
These historical documents are not additions to Scripture and do not carry Scripture's authority. They serve as important historical witnesses to the early church's recognition of Paul's apostleship and teaching.
"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” -- John 3:3
Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?
Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?
Posted in Coffee Hour w/ Pastor John
Posted in False Teacher, Doctrine, Apostle Paul, Hebrew Roots, Islam Apologetics, Deception, Romans 3:28, James 2:24, James 2:17, Romans 14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 10, Colossians 2, Galatians 1, Galatians 5, Matthew 28, Matthew 23, Romans 3, John 13, Romans 6, Galatians 2, Acts 15, 2 Peter 3, Acts 9, Acts 8, peter, Paul, Apostles, False Doctrine, False Teaching, Attacks against Paul, Jerusalem Council, Lawlessness, Justified by Faith not Works, Early Church Received Paul as Genuine Apostle
Posted in False Teacher, Doctrine, Apostle Paul, Hebrew Roots, Islam Apologetics, Deception, Romans 3:28, James 2:24, James 2:17, Romans 14, Ephesians 2:8-10, Hebrews 10, Colossians 2, Galatians 1, Galatians 5, Matthew 28, Matthew 23, Romans 3, John 13, Romans 6, Galatians 2, Acts 15, 2 Peter 3, Acts 9, Acts 8, peter, Paul, Apostles, False Doctrine, False Teaching, Attacks against Paul, Jerusalem Council, Lawlessness, Justified by Faith not Works, Early Church Received Paul as Genuine Apostle
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