Two different listeners with the same question:
Listener #1: Galatians1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
Paul was giving out thrashings in Jerusalem to the Kingdom believing Jews Peter’s LF, NOW” he is PREACHING that FAITH” Kingdom Gospel. Can you explain that thanks, Rodney taught that, SO what does FAITH mean that Paul destroyed and now he's teaching that Faith, the faith can not be Kingdom, but sure sounds like it. Blessings.
Listener #2: I'm listening Trey. I just have a question. Galatians 1:23 says Paul preached the faith he wants destroyed .
TTR: Galatians 1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;
22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.
Paul was “unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ.” He didn't see them. He didn't preach to them. When the churches in Judaea had “heard only” of Paul, Paul was in the regions of Syria and Cilicia, not in the region of Judaea.
Did the “little flock” Judaean churches need to have faith in Christ? Yes.
Does Paul's gospel require faith in Christ? Yes.
Why was Paul persecuting those churches? Because they had faith in Christ.
Let's look at what Stephen was preaching just before he got stoned to death:
Act 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
Who is the “Just One?” Jesus.
Stephen told them that they were responsible for betraying and murdering Jesus Christ. It made them mad enough to kill him. Paul (then Saul) was right there listening to Stephen's sermon – which was a kingdom gospel sermon. Did what Stephen preach require them to put faith in Jesus Christ?
Let's take it a step further... did the kingdom gospel require belief in the death, burial & resurrection of Christ?
Here's what Paul says about it when dealing (in context) with those who say there is no resurrection: 1Co 15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
In combating the false claim that there is no resurrection, Paul says that ALL the apostles preach the death, burial & resurrection of Christ. Paul also says that the “grace of God which was with me” caused him to labor more abundantly than all of the other Apostles. And that God's grace which was bestowed upon HIM was not in vain.
So, to recap: Gospel of the Kingdom includes believing in Christ, including the death, burial, & resurrection of Christ.
Gospel of the Grace of God includes believing in Christ, including the death, burial & resurrection of Christ.
Paul, as Saul, persecuted the Church of God who was also “in Christ” (they believed in the death, burial & resurrection of Christ.)
Paul didn't believe in Christ (as the Son of God) nor did he believe in the death, burial & resurrection of Christ. As Saul, he persecuted those who DID believe in Christ.
Paul was struck blind and saved by grace (no other way he could be saved after blaspheming the holy ghost) on the road to Damascus. After that, Paul is preaching faith in Christ – and the death, burial, & resurrection of Christ as it is the FOUNDATION for His Gospel of Grace.
23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us--little flock who believed in Jesus/death burial resurrection--in times past now preacheth the faith--Jesus/death burial resurrection--which once he destroyed.
24 And they glorified God in me.
Saul wasn't going around trying to kill them for believing in Christ anymore – because he now (as Paul) is preaching Christ also.
We can't say that just because there are commonalities between the gospel of grace and the gospel of the Kingdom – that they are one in the same. Likewise, we can't assume that just because Paul references a common component of his gospel with the gospel of the kingdom – then Paul is preaching the gospel of the kingdom, no more than we can claim that Peter is preaching Paul's gospel of grace (just because Peter says “grace.”)
To figure out what to some have become “problem verses” you just have to start from the correct premise. But if your premise is off – such as thinking that Paul is preaching the kingdom gospel because he just “doesn't know any better yet” then you end up with all sorts of wrong conclusions, even more “problem verses” and baseless theories. I'm all for being open to learning. But when “new ideas” begin to compromise what we KNOW to be the truth of the scriptures, according to God – we should make sure that we're just "learning" for the sake of understanding what others believe. Otherwise, you'll end up drifting off into the gnostic idolatry of worshiping your own perceived “spiritual knowledge.” -And that's a fine line which Rodney has apparently leapt right over, taking as many as he can along with him.
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