Can You PRAY IN YOUR MIND Without Speaking?
Prayer has to do with communicating with God; in other words, it’s talking to your Creator. While prayer is normally associated with speaking verbally, even if it’s just whispered, it is possible to pray to God in your mind. Here’s an example of this in the Scriptures when childless Hannah went to the Tabernacle:
9Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. 10In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. 11And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”
12As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. 13Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard.
1 Samuel 1:9-13a
Not only does the Bible not condemn Hannah for praying in this manner, but the LORD answered her prayer, as observed by verses 20 and 27.
Of course prayer should be voiced verbally in normal circumstances due to the power of words and speaking in faith, but obviously the LORD is perfectly able to ‘hear’ a prayer from one’s heart. Let me give an example from my own life: Sometimes I’ll be in bed ready to go to sleep. Carol might be sleeping at my side or not, but I’ll pray in my heart by giving thanks for this or that; it’s basically a quiet state of praise & worship and a great prep for sleep. David did this, as observed in this verse:
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
It could be argued that David was talking specifically about meditation, but the phrasing suggests both prayer (communion) and meditation.
Here are some other relevant passages to chew on:
The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked,
but gracious words are pure in his sight.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
“’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.“
“…all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.”
1You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4Before a word is on my tongue
you, Lord, know it completely.
Closing Word
While atheists like to make fun of believers for having a relationship with their “invisible friend,” people were created to have a relationship with their Creator. In other words, fellowship with God is perfectly normal and is actually the first order of life. This explains Christ’s statement “seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33). (Please notice that he said “seek first” and not “seek only”).
As far as personal relationship goes,
- Adam communed with God in the Garden of Eden, even after his fall (Genesis 3:8-13);
- Enoch “walked with God” and they were so close that the LORD simply “took him away,” presumably so they could be together in Heaven (Genesis 5:22-24), but also as a type of the future Rapture;
- Moses communed with God in the Tent of Meeting wherein the LORD dwelt on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant between the two gold-sculptured cherubim (Exodus 33:11);
- Asaph walked with his Creator so closely that they figuratively held hands (Psalm 73:23-25); and…
- David, of course, was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14 & Acts 13:22).
All of these people from the Old Testament had a relationship with the LORD despite the fact that they had an inferior covenant with God. Today a vastly superior covenant is available to all people through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:6-7). This is the awesome message of the gospel — we can reconcile with our Creator, be forgiven of sin, have a relationship, and receive eternal life & immortality (2 Timothy 1:10).
Related Topics:
What Are THE BASICS of Christianity?
Does Christianity Make a Person INACTIVE or LAZY?
Biblical Christianity does not support laziness or the idea that God provides everything whilst the believer just sits on his/her derrière. Rather, the LORD is the believer’s helper (e.g. Psalm 121:2). Being your helper is vastly different from being your do-everything-for-you-so-you-don’t-have-to-do-anything-at-all-er.
For instance, God called the apostle Paul to take three missionary journeys in the eastern Mediterranean and set up assemblies from Judea to Rome over the course of almost two decades, which was an in incredibly arduous task. The LORD helped him accomplish this, but certainly didn’t do it for him. Paul had to get off his rump and carry it out, suffering many persecutions and hardships in the process (2 Corinthians 11:23-33).
As for laziness, the Bible is expressly against it, e.g. the proverb “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Proverbs 13:4 ESV). Meanwhile the church in Thessaloniki had a rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).
Related Topics:
What Are the BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY?
REPENTANCE Is the First Doctrine of Christianity (for Jews AND Gentiles)
The Greek word for ‘repent’ is metanoia (meh-TAHN-oy-ah), which means to change your mind for the positive and therefore make practical reformations, if applicable. Repentance is dependent on first receiving a word of truth, whatever that truth might be (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17). After all, why would you change your mind about anything if you don’t first receive new information or a revelation? If you believe such a word of truth — that is, you have faith concerning it — you’ll change your mind accordingly and, consequently, your actions, one way or another.
This explains why repentance and faith go hand-and-hand; they’re two sides of the same coin, as pointed out by both Christ and Paul in the Scriptures (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). The fact that they go hand-in-hand reveals why repentance and faith are the first two doctrines of biblical Christianity, as verified by Hebrews 6:1-2.*
* For details on the six basic doctrines of Christianity, go here.
This, in turn, explains why the very first word of John the Baptist’s first sermon was ‘repent,’ as well as Jesus Christ’s first sermon:
1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Matthew 3:1-2
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
Keep in mind that the New Covenant — i.e. the New Testament — started with the preaching of John the Baptist, as verified by the LORD (Luke 16:16).
While John’s ministry was short-lived — lasting only about a year — Christ continued to preach repentance during his 3.5 years of earthly ministry:
1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Luke 13:3-5
Did the Apostles of Christ in the 1st Century Follow Suit?
Of course. Read for yourself what James, Peter and John taught…
James
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
6But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.” c
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
James 4:6-10
While the apostle doesn’t technically mention ‘repent’ or ‘repentance’ in these passages, it’s precisely what he was talking about.
Peter
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
1Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
1 Peter 2:1-2
Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.
As with the examples from James’ epistle, Peter doesn’t technically mention the words ‘repent’ or ‘repentance’ in the latter two cases, but that is indeed what he was talking about.
John
8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:8-9
Confessing your sins is “keeping with repentance,” as John the Baptist put it (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8). Practice this regularly (and daily, if necessary) because it keeps your spiritual arteries clear of the build-up of unconfessed sin, which will block the flow of God’s grace/favor into your life if ignored.
What About Paul?
Paul was an apostle of the Lord too, as verified by several passages, it’s just that he didn’t meet Christ personally until after the Lord’s resurrection, which is why he referred to himself as one “abnormally born” (1 Corinthians 15:3-9).
The difference between Paul and the prior apostles is that he was commissioned to reach the Gentiles primarily (Galatians 2:8 – 2:9), but not exclusively, seeing as how Jews lived all over the landscape and were a minority in virtually every predominantly Gentile fellowship (1 Corinthians 9:19-21).
Did Paul preach repentance, like the other apostles? Absolutely:
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
Notice how Paul’s preaching corresponds to the aforementioned first two doctrines of biblical Christianity: Repentance and faith (Hebrews 6:1-2).
Consider a couple of other examples from Paul’s epistles:
9Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men a 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Paul was talking to believers here, not unbelievers. He stressed “do not be deceived” on the matter: Those who live a lifestyle of sin without care of penitence “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” However, believers who “keep with repentance” (Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8) are forgiven on a daily basis and “cleansed from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
19The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21
Once again, Paul was speaking to believers and stressed that “those who live like this” — obviously without care of repentance — “will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
Paul was talking about those who claim to be Christians while their impenitent actions clearly deny the Lord. It explains why Christ said that you can recognize people who falsely represent God “by their fruit” (Matthew 7:15-23). And, by the way, all genuine believers are called to represent God as witnesses and even speak for Him (Ephesians 5:1; 1 Peter 4:11).
The Lord Preached Repentance to Believers After His Ascension
This can be observed with the resurrected Christ’s instructions to five of the seven predominantly Gentile churches in Revelation 2-3, as follows:
- Ephesus: The Lord commanded them to “Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Revelation 2:5).
- Pergamum: Christ warned them to “Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth” (Revelation 2:16).
- Thyatira: The Lord told them, “I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds” (Revelation 2:20-25).
- Sardis: Yeshua urged them to “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you” (Revelation 3:2-3).
- Laodicea: Christ instructed them, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent” (Revelation 3:19).
The Lord used the word ‘repent’ seven times while addressing these five New Covenant assemblies. Keep in mind that Revelation was the final book of the New Testament canon of Scripture and thus it contains the final written instructions of Jesus Christ to his Church. Was he in error to speak to predominantly Gentile believers in this way? It’s a rhetorical question.
Why Is This Important?
The reason this scriptural info is vital is because there’s a whole segment of Evangelicals today who claim that keeping with repentance is irrelevant to salvation when, in fact, it’s the very first doctrine of biblical Christianity with faith being the second (Hebrews 6:1-2). Again, repentance and faith go hand-in-hand; they’re two sides of the same coin (Mark 1:15; Acts 20:21). If you don’t “change your mind” corresponding to the truth you receive — whether that’s the Christian gospel or any other truth — than you don’t actually believe it, which means you don’t really have faith.
Then there’s the camp who claim that Gentile believers are only obligated to follow Paul’s instructions in his thirteen epistles from Romans to Philemon, which isn’t true as proven in this article. They also claim that Paul didn’t preach repentance, which is also a brazenly false doctrine, as observed by the crystal clear passages noted above, amongst others.
Related Topics:
What Are the BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY?
Once Saved Always Saved? — ANSWERING THE BEST ARGUMENTS
Does Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION Only Apply to Jewish Believers?
Are Believers ONLY to Receive From THE EPISTLES OF PAUL?
Did PAUL’S MESSAGE Contradict Jesus & James’ Gospel?
The SIX BASIC DOCTRINES of Christianity
Beware: The Enemy Will Attack BECAUSE OF THE WORD
Did you ever learn some exciting new truth from the Scriptures and suddenly found yourself facing troubles or persecutions out of nowhere? How can this be explained? It’s the kingdom of darkness trying to steal that particular truth from you, along with the corresponding blessings. The Lord explained it in his Parable of the Sower:
3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Mark 4:3-9
The disciples didn’t understand the parable, so the Lord explained the symbolism:
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
Mark 4:13-20
Verse 15 plainly shows that the kingdom of darkness will actively try to steal the word of truth that was sown in your heart from you. Notice how Luke’s account describes this:
“Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.”
This parable doesn’t just refer to the word of the gospel of Christ, but any truth from God’s Word that “saves” you in one manner or another — blessing your spiritual walk and life in general — such as the word of truth concerning healing by faith or spiritual growth.
I’m sharing this article as a warning to growing believers: The enemy does not want you to mature spiritually and be set free of the flesh; he doesn’t want you to receive any blessing from the LORD and be fruitful in the kingdom of God. So, the kingdom of darkness will up the ante in troubles and persecution to compel you to spit out the word you received. The enemy does this “because of the word” or, as the KJV and NKJV put it, “for the word’s sake.” Don’t let the kingdom of darkness rob you. Resist and stand in faith, as Peter instructed:
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
8Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
10And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1 Peter 5:6-10
Peruse the suggested articles below to effectively arm yourself spiritually so you’ll overcome when the enemy inevitably attacks…
Related Topics:
What Are THE FOUR STAGES of Spiritual Growth?
The Seven Keys to SPIRITUAL GROWTH
What Are the BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY?
What Is the ARMOR & WEAPONRY of God?
SPIRITUAL WARFARE — Do You Know What You’re Fighting For?
What Are the Seven BODY GIFTS in the Church?
Led of the Spirit, Paul cited seven gifts in the body of Christ:
4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your a faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, b do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:4-8
Every member of the worldwide Church has at least one of these gifts and should be operating in it on a regular basis. Let’s examine all seven…
1. Prophesying
Believers who have this gift shouldn’t be equated with occultist fortunetellers. The root word for prophesying (prof-ay-TIH-ah) is prophétés (prof-AY-tays), which means “an interpreter or forth-teller of the divine will.” A prophetic word includes the interpretation of tongues and is encouraging. It’s able to touch believers in that specific area where they need ministered. For example, Acts 15:32 says, “Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.” This is the purpose of the prophetic gift in the Church and reveals why it is so necessary — it encourages and strengthens believers. If you are ever in the spiritual doldrums, a strategic prophetic word is just thing to break you out of the malaise and spur you forward.
The difference between this “body gift” and the fivefold minister who functions in the position of prophet, is the level of anointing and scope of ministry.
2. Serving
The Greek word for this gift is diakonia (dee-ak-on-EE-ah), which stems from the root dee-AH-koh-nos (dee-AK-on-os). It means:
- To attend to someone
- Offer charitable aid
This is obviously where we get the word deacon. All official deacons in an assembly function in this gift, but not every believer who has the body gift of serving is a deacon in the official sense of the position. Official deacons function as ushers, secretaries, sound operators, security guards and so forth. Those with the “body gift” of serving perform similar services, such as greeting visitors and helping them to feel comfortable in the fellowship or getting a cup of coffee for the pastor or visiting minister and so forth. They’re just not official deacons and operate in a sort of “behind-the-scenes” capacity.
3. Teaching
The Greek word is the verb didaskó (did-AS-koh), which means to impart knowledge, instruct or “cause to learn.” Believers with this gift have a knack for understanding the Scriptures and explaining them to others, making a verse “come alive” with interesting insights.
As with the gift of prophesying, the difference between believers who function in this “body gift” and fivefold teachers is the level of anointing and scope of ministry.
4. Encouraging
This is self-explanatory. The Greek verb is parakaleó (pah-rah-kah-LEH-oh), which means:
- To give help
- To exhort; that is, urgently counsel, spur forward or admonish
- To comfort
5. Giving
This gift is also self-explanatory. It means to support someone or a group of people financially or materially. Every official ministry in the Church will have key givers who offer considerably more than tithing congregants. Those who have this gift have a knack for making money, sort of like a “Midas touch.” After all, you can’t give money or anything else unless you first have it or make it. Are you following?
This gift is vital because effective ministry costs money. I’m not just talking about the cost of getting God’s Word out to people and the technology and mediums necessary to do that (sound systems, books, tracts, websites, hosting, maintenance, etc.) but also the money and housing for fivefold ministers to focus on prayer and the ministry of the word as opposed to working a secular job to pay the bills. See Acts 6:1-4 to get my drift.
6. Leading
The Greek verb is proistemi (pro-IS-tay-mee), which means “to maintain, be over, rule.” Hence, believers with this gift have the grace to oversee others. You could say they’re “naturally born leaders.” It’s the gift of oversight.
We looked at the gifts of prophesying and teaching above. Just because someone has the ability to prophesy or teach, it doesn’t mean they have the grace of oversight. For instance, I’m a teacher and can teach on hundreds of topics effectively, as this website illustrates, but I have little interest in overseeing believers. By contrast, all group leaders, pastors and apostles (or those called to these positions) will have this gift.
It’s a good and necessary gift in the body of Christ, as long as the person is walking in the spirit. If not, head to the hills.
7. Showing Mercy
The Greek verb for this gift is eleeó (el-eh-eh’-o), which means to have and show compassion in word or deed. Like most of these gifts, it’s pretty self-explanatory.
What is your gift? Search you’re heart in prayer. Whatever it is, please operate in it on a regular basis. The body of Christ needs it… and you.
Related Topics:
What Are the Nine GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT?
The FIVEFOLD MINISTRY Gifts — Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher
PROPHETS — New Testament and Old Testament (There’s a Difference)
Official Prophets (Ministers) and Independent Prophets (Ministers)
MINISTERIAL ABUSE — The Diotrephes Spirit vs. the Davidic Spirit
What is Cessationism and is it Biblical?
What Are the BASICS OF CHRISTIANITY?
Does Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION Only Apply to Jewish Believers?
There’s a popular teaching going around the Evangelical community that claims the Great Commission is only for Jewish believers and that Gentile believers are only obligated to fulfill what they call Paul’s commission. What does the Bible say?
Let’s start with defining Jesus Christ’s “great commission” from the Scriptures. Here it is from the Gospel of Matthew:
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20
If the Great Commission only applies to “Israel’s apostles” and only to the Jewish people they were commissioned to reach, why did the Lord instruct in verse 19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”? The Greek word for “nations” is ethnos, which means all ethnicities/peoples, not just people of Hebraic descent. Christ goes on to instruct in the next verse: “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” He was talking to the original disciples who very soon became apostles and instructs them to teach “all nations”—all ethnicities around the globe—to “obey everything” he commanded them.
It is true that these eleven disciples he was addressing were of Jewish heritage, so what? Led of the Spirit, Paul later pointed out:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
Also see Romans 10:12.
Now let’s consider several other arguments from this flawed perspective and compare them to what the rightly-divided Scriptures say. All of these dubious arguments (in red italics) appear on a meme that’s going around:
‘The four gospels don’t apply to Gentile believers, only Paul’s epistles from Romans-Philemon’
The Lord plainly instructed his disciples (who, again, became the apostles):
“The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached”
This clearly shows that the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:6) started with the ministry of John the Baptist.
Speaking of which, the people who embrace this false doctrine basically teach that there are two new covenants, one for Jewish people and another for Gentiles. But…
- There aren’t two new covenants, just one.
- There aren’t two gospels; just one.
- There aren’t two Great Commissions; just one.
The eleven apostles simply focused on reaching the Hebrews whereas Paul focused on reaching the Gentiles (Galatians 2:8 – 2:9). They had to adjust their approach accordingly, which explains Paul’s statement: “To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law” (1 Corinthians 9:19-21).
What is “Christ’s law”? It’s the law of love, which the Lord plainly taught in Matthew 22:37-40; and Paul likewise preached (Galatians 6:2), nicely summing it up as: “Whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8).
Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 9 shows that he didn’t exclusively reach and minister to Gentiles since there were Hebrews practically everywhere he traveled, which explains what he told the Ephesian elders: “I have declared to both Jews and Greeks [Gentiles] that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21). Notice that he didn’t preach one gospel to the Jews and a different gospel to the Gentiles. Also notice that, whether a person is a Jew or a Gentile, turning to God through the gospel is a matter of repentance and faith, which go hand-and-hand, as Jesus taught (Mark 1:15). This explains why repentance and faith are the first two basic doctrines of Christianity, as revealed in Hebrews 6:1-2. They’re two sides of the same coin because, if you believe something (that is, have faith), you’ll change your thinking accordingly — that is, repent — which naturally has an effect on your actions or lifestyle.
One last thing on this topic, if Paul taught a different gospel from the one James, Peter and John taught, why were some Gentile believers in Corinth — an assembly that Paul pioneered — saying “I follow Cephas” (i.e. Peter) and “I follow Apollos,” as observed in 1 Corinthians 1:12-13? Keep in mind that Peter and Apollos were commissioned to focus on reaching the Jewish people (Galatians 2:8 – 2:9).
Similarly, why were there believers in Peter’s audience who also received from Paul’s epistles, as observed in 2 Peter 3:16? This shows that Paul and Peter (as well as James, John and Apollos) all taught the same gospel of Christ. They just acclimated the Christian message in relation to the people they were assigned to reach, whether Gentile or Jew. You’ll see this in the modern day: One minister will be commissioned to reach the general demographic of a certain area whereas another minister will focus on reaching minorities in the inner city; one minister will acclimate the gospel to reach simple rural folks while another will adjust it to serve educated metropolitan people. It’s the same message of Christ, just tweaked to effectively reach the people in question.
‘Paul said “Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” so Gentile believers don’t have to baptize believers as Christ instructed in Matthew 28:19‘
This argument fails to acknowledge the previous three verses of 1 Corinthians 1:17 where Paul noted that he baptized Crispus, Gaius and the household of Stephanas (1 Corinthians 1:14-16). The other people in Corinth who believed the gospel were simply water baptized by other believers. Paul’s focus at the time — his mission — was to plant assemblies across the landscape by preaching the gospel of Christ, teach the believers the basics, and move on to start additional assemblies.
Keep in mind that the Church fulfills the Great Commission in a collective sense, which is why Paul said, “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation” (1 Corinthians 14:26). Likewise, he elsewhere taught…
6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-8
In short, Christianity is not a matter of one person doing everything, but rather all believers fulfilling their particular assignment, small or great.
‘Paul’s commission doesn’t include signs and wonders, like Christ’s Great Commission’
This implies that Paul’s ministry didn’t include signs and wonders, yet he plainly said to the Corinthian believers: “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4). And, later: “I persevered in demonstrating among you [Gentiles] the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles” (2 Corinthians 12:12).
This is not to suggest that all genuine believers in the worldwide Church — including fivefold ministers — are going to believe in or flow in the gifts of the Spirit, as explained here.
‘Christ’s last words to the Church were from Heaven to Paul, not the Great Commission’
Actually, Jesus addressed the seven churches in Asia (Turkey today) in the final New Testament book, which we known as Revelation, given to John via Christ around 95 AD (some 28 years after Paul’s last epistle of the New Testament). These seven assemblies were made up mostly of Gentiles, but not exclusively since there were Jews in each of them. In Revelation 2-3, the Lord addresses all of these churches as seven units of believers wherein he doesn’t once change his message corresponding to whether the believers were Jew or Gentile. Chew on that.
‘Paul’s commission is to “rightly divide the word of truth” and “preach the word” (2 Timothy 2:15; 4:2)’
Contextually, this was Paul’s instructions to his protégé Timothy corresponding to the young man’s duties as a pastor in Ephesus, although they apply to all believers in a general sense. Such instructions are not a separate commission, but rather part of Christ’s Great Commission, specifically:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
All believers are called to fulfill this commission, whether Jew or Gentile.
This article is also available in book form as part of chapter 7 of…
Related Topics:
Are Believers Only to Receive From THE EPISTLES OF PAUL?
Did PAUL’S MESSAGE Contradict Jesus & James’ Gospel?
When Did THE NEW TESTAMENT Start? When Did THE CHURCH Begin?
What Is THE BEREAN SPIRIT? How Do You Cultivate It?
HERMENEUTICS — Proper Bible Interpretation
Why Did God Love Jacob but HATE ESAU?
Paul quoted God from the Hebraic Scriptures, saying: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated” (Romans 9:13). This raises several theological questions, including: Why did the LORD hate Esau? Was Esau in conflict with God? Isn’t God love, according to 1 John 4:16?
For answers, let’s start with the source of Paul’s quote:
1A prophecy: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi. a
Israel Doubts God’s Love
2“I have loved you,” says the Lord.
“But you ask, ‘How have you loved us?’
“Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob, 3but Esau I have hated, and I have turned his hill country into a wasteland and left his inheritance to the desert jackals.”
Malachi 1:1-3
Esau and Jacob were twin sons of Isaac and grandsons of Abraham, our father of faith (Galatians 3:6-9). Only one of them could provide the family line through which the Messiah would come. God chose Jacob and thus made a covenant with him for that special role and not Esau. Thus ‘hatred’ for Jacob could be viewed as hyperbole in contrast God’s loyal love for Jacob, who was chosen to be a key instrument in God’s plan for humanity’s redemption.
Hyperbole is exaggeration for effect. To illustrate, consider Christ’s radical statement:
“If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”
Since the Lord clearly instructed us elsewhere to love others, including our parents (Mark 12:30-31; Matthew 15:1-4), we know he’s employing hyperbole here. In other words, our love for God is to be so great that our love for parents, spouses, children and siblings should seem like hatred by comparison.
Here’s another way of looking at it: Since Jacob played an important role in the redemption of humanity and Esau didn’t, you could say that God loved making redemption available for fallen humanity and hated the idea of humanity remaining in a fallen state.
For additional insights, consider how the writer of Hebrews describes Esau:
16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
Hebrews 12:16-17
Esau gave up his birthright for a single meal (Genesis 25:27-34) and this reveals something about his character: He put immediate gratification above long-term interests. Thus the writer of Hebrews describes him as “godless,” which is the Greek word bebélos (beh’-bay-los), meaning “worldly, profane, a godless person.” In other words, Esau was Earth-focused and therefore generally disinterested in the things of God & eternity. You could say he was interested only in the here-and-now. Despite his flaws, Jacob was the opposite, which can be observed in his amazing encounter with the LORD in Genesis 32:22-32.
Thus God favored Jacob above Esau. Nevertheless, Esau prospered greatly in the two decades after Jacob fled from his brother’s wrath (Genesis 27:41) and the LORD answered Jacob’s prayers, softening Esau’s heart (Genesis 33:1-11).
Related Topics:
GODLINESS and RELIGION — What’s the Diff?
HEBREWS / ISRAELITES / JEWS — Why Did God Choose Them?
REDEMPTION — God’s Plan of Liberation for Humanity & Creation
Why Did Paul BOAST in 2 Corinthians 11?
The Bible shows that arrogant boasting of one’s achievements, possessions or plans is carnal and foolish (Jeremiah 9:23-24; 1 Corinthians 5:6; James 4:16). The book of wisdom puts it like this:
Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.
So, why did Paul the apostle boast of several things in this passage…
12And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
16I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
30If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.
2 Corinthians 11:12-33
Paul started the assembly in Corinth around 50-52 AD before moving on to pioneer other fellowships. In his absence, some tried to stake their claim as apostles and called into question the very one who pioneered the assembly, raising doubts about Paul’s character, motives and methods, even criticizing his supposedly weak presence in comparison to his forceful letters (2 Corinthians 10:9-11).
Paul plainly admits in this passage that he is “speaking as a fool” and was “out of [his] mind to talk like this” (verses 21 and 23), but he was backed against the wall and had no recourse but to defend himself against the carnal individuals who were unjustly trying to discredit him. As such, he lists his impressive ministry ‘credentials’ in verses 21-28.
Consider this Psalm passage:
Though the LORD is on high, Yet He regards the lowly;
But the proud He knows from afar.
Psalm 138:6 (NKJV)
Those close to the LORD and serving in the fivefold ministry are (ideally) extremely humble people. They are not boasters, but rather let their works and service speak for themselves. However, higher levels, bigger devils. In other words, anyone advancing the Kingdom of God will draw attack: The Enemy will raise up false believers to slander God’s servants in an attempt to discredit them by poisoning people’s minds with lies and negative spinning. That’s what was going on in Corinth. If this happens to you, like Paul, you might have no recourse but to “speak like a fool” to defend yourself and your service for the Kingdom (verses 21 and 23; 2 Corinthians 12:11).
I used to have a negative view of President Trump’s occasional bragging during his first term, but then it struck me that, similar to Paul, he was forced into a corner to “speak like a fool” due to the continuous slander of the lamestream media and LIEberal political opponents.
Related Topics:
LEGALISM — Understanding Its Many Forms
Avoiding Ministerial PITFALLS and ABUSES
MINISTERIAL ABUSE — The Diotrephes Spirit vs. the Davidic Spirit
Are Believers ONLY to Receive From THE EPISTLES OF PAUL?
There’s this false doctrine going around that Paul taught a separate gospel to that of Jesus Christ and his apostles, namely James, Peter & John and what is written in their epistles, not to mention the prophetic book of Revelation. The four gospels of Christ are dismissed as well. As such, followers of this doctrine teach that the only New Testament books relevant to Gentile believers are the thirteen epistles from Romans to Philemon (and maybe the chapters in Acts spotlighting Paul’s ministry). The core issue, of course, is that they think that Paul didn’t teach the necessity of repentance, but this is also gross error.
If Paul taught a separate gospel to that of Christ, James, Peter and John, why did he write epistles to the same people that Peter wrote to, as verified by Peter here:
15Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:15-16
If Paul only preached to Gentiles, why did he plainly say:
“I have declared to both Jews and Greeks [aka Gentiles] that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus”
“First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and demonstrate their repentance by their deeds.”
He preached this to both Jews and Gentiles, not just Jews, which is also observed in yet another statement he made:
20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
It’s true that Paul was commissioned to reach the Gentiles (Acts 9:15; Galatians 2:9), but the above passages show that he ministered to Jews at the same time, such as the smattering of Hebrews at the Antioch fellowship in Galatia (Galatians 2:11-13). He acclimated the message of Christ to those he was reaching and added details, but this didn’t change the core truths.
Consider how the Lord Christ instructed five of the seven churches addressed in Revelation to repent of this or that (2:4-5, 2:15-16, 2:20-23, 3:1-3, 3:14-19). These assembles were composed of mostly Gentile believers, but Jewish believers as well, not just one or the other. Can you imagine the Lord saying to these assemblies: “Now this particular message about repentance is only for the Jews present, not the Gentiles. You Gentiles follow Paul’s gospel, not my gospel; so you don’t have to repent of anything, ever.” The idea is absurd.
Repentance and faith go hand-in-hand, as observed by Paul’s statement in the aforementioned Acts 20:21, as well what Christ taught (Mark 1:15), not to mention the writer of Hebrews, who pointed out that repentance is the first basic doctrine of Christianity, followed by faith (Hebrews 6:1). To ‘repent’ simply means to change your mind corresponding to the particular truth you receive, which is the result of actual faith or belief. You can look up the Greek word here. Of course, if you truly change your mind, it will be reflected in your actions and lifestyle.
Now let’s address the “different gospel” that Paul condemned in this passage:
6I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
Galatians 1:6-9
This “different gospel” is not a reference to the gospel of Christ preached by the Lord’s apostles, like James, Peter and John, but rather the false doctrine that the Judaizers preached to the Gentiles in Galatia, which was rooted in the idea that observance of the ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant were necessary for eternal salvation, such as the practice of circumcision, traditional fasts and observing various holy-days (Galatians 2:3, 4:10). This is what Paul condemned as anathema, not the gospel of Christ & his apostles.
James, Peter and John all agreed that Paul was commissioned by God to focus on reaching the Gentiles with the gospel of Christ and had their blessing. Witness for yourself:
6As for those who were held in high esteem—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism—they added nothing to my message. 7On the contrary, they recognized that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the uncircumcised, a just as Peter had been to the circumcised. b 8For God, who was at work in Peter as an apostle to the circumcised, was also at work in me as an apostle to the Gentiles. 9James, Cephas c and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.
Galatians 2:6-9
As you can see, nothing is said about Paul preaching a different gospel from the one that James, Peter and John preached. Paul was simply focusing on reaching the Gentiles while the other apostles were focused on reaching the Hebrews.
As far as the moral law goes, we are not under the law, but we uphold it, as Paul said: “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law” (Romans 3:31). But how do believers “uphold the law”? He plainly taught: “in order that the righteous requirement of the law [i.e. the moral law, not the ceremonial or dietary laws] might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:4). In other words, living by the spirit — i.e. walking in the spirit — is the answer to fulfilling the moral law and living free of the corrupt desires of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:16; Romans 13:14). Peter taught the same thing in different words in 2 Peter 1:4.
Paul plainly instructed Gentiles: “Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men a nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). He elsewhere spoke of those who “claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him” (Titus 1:16). He happened to be speaking to Titus, who was a Gentile. Notice that Paul didn’t add anything to the effect of: “I’m only referring to Jewish believers here since Gentile believers aren’t obligated to repent of immorality.”
Christ taught similarly in Matthew 7:15-23 (more on this momentarily).
The Law of Christ (the Law of Love) vs. the Law of Moses
What law did Christ and the apostles preach to believers, including Paul? They preached the law of Christ—as opposed to the law of Moses (John 1:17)—which is the law of love (1 Corinthians 9:19-21; Galatians 6:2). It has three applications: LOVE GOD and LOVE OTHERS as you LOVE YOURSELF (Matthew 22:37-40). James also clearly preached this law (James 2:8). Paul explained the law of love as such: “whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8), which includes tough love when appropriate (Proverbs 27:5). This is the law that all believers in Christ are under, whether Jew or Gentile.
The Mystery of the Ages
As for the mystery of the ages, it’s “Christ in you, our only hope for glory” (Colossians 1:27 NCV), which takes place through spiritual regeneration and is augmented by the indwelling Spirit (Romans 8:9). As such, Paul said that believers are “created to be like God in true righteousness” (Ephesians 4:22-24), spiritually speaking. Jesus Christ taught this (John 3:3-6), James taught this (James 1:18), Peter taught this (1 Peter 1:3) and John taught this (1 John 3:9). By the Spirit, Paul added meticulous detail to this awesome message (2 Peter 3:15-16), but this didn’t change the essence of it.
Separating From Other Believers Based on the Idea of Only “Following Paul” Is Nothing New
Some Gentiles in Corinth did this way back in the 1st century as detailed here:
11My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas b ”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized in my name.
1 Corinthians 1:11-15
As you can see, Paul rebuked believers for saying “I follow Paul” in a sectarian sense (not to mention the others listed). He was totally against the divisions in the body of Christ that such a position caused and he would have the same attitude today.
Closing Word
The false doctrine that Paul taught a totally separate gospel to that of Christ & his apostles — one that stresses useless mental assent misnamed ‘faith’ — will result in “many” appearing before Christ at the Judgment saying ‘Lord, Lord,’ but he will respond: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23).
Lastly, the idea that believers can only feed from Paul’s 13 epistles from Romans-Philemon in essence cuts out 14 books of the New Testament, which — needless to say — smacks of “taking away” from God’s Word (Revelation 22:19; Proverbs 30:5-6; Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32). It’s a satanic strategy to cut believers off from huge portions of New Covenant Scripture! It’s what Paul called (by the Spirit) a doctrine of demons (1 Timothy 4:1)!
For relevant insights on this topic, see this excellent 6-minute video by Dennis Pollock:
For important details, please check out our sister articles: Did PAUL’S MESSAGE Contradict Jesus & James’ Gospel? and Does Christ’s GREAT COMMISSION Only Apply to Jewish Believers?
This article is also available in book form as part of chapter 7 of…
Related Topics:
What Are the SIX BASIC DOCTRINES of Christianity?
New Testament Believers are NOT UNDER THE LAW (Torah)
What Is the MYSTERY OF THE AGES?
When Did THE NEW TESTAMENT Start? When Did THE CHURCH Begin?