Douglas - Section 36, 37

Continuing with Clayton Douglas’ Paul-bashing article The Seduction: Judeo-Christianity OR Pauline Christianity? Saul of Tarsus: Paul. A different view, there are still a couple of pages of this article to address before we can move on to the second part of Douglas’ Paul-bashing series. Quite humbly, I hope to have already well demonstrated that Paul-bashing is not a very profitable endeavor, if by the fruit of one’s labor one expects to profit in truth and understanding. Rather, the Paul-bashers rely upon the writings of the jews, anti-christs, liberals and sexual deviants to fortify their own distorted ideas, and in the balance of his article Douglas certainly continues this pattern, as we shall see below.

<Section #36> Clay Douglas states: “Paul will be the first one to set up small communal units, stabilized with a chief for each, as well as a hierarchy, a ritual (baptism, prayer, Eucharist), and a teaching. Paul became the greatest ‘interpreter’ of Jesus’ mission who explained, in ways that Esu/Jesus himself never did, how Esu’s life fitted [sic] into a cosmic scheme of salvation and ‘grace’.”

In reply to section <#36>: As we have previously seen, in section <#4> of this response, which begins on page 41,and as he does elsewhere, Douglas denies that Yahshua Christ was the Messiah, redeemer of Israel, who was foretold as a promise to us by so many of the Old Testament prophets. Douglas holds here the same position as the jews, and so it is no wonder that he hates Paul of Tarsus so viciously that he spews page after page of lies and misconceptions by which to blaspheme him!

That Christians throughout the οἰκουμένη (inhabited world) assembled themselves into “small communal units” was not an innovation of Paul’s, but a natural extension of already extant practices. Such communities were governed by elders throughout the histories of both Hebrews and Greeks. See James 5:14; 1 Pet. 5:1 ff. and compare those to 1 Tim 5:17 ff., to see that Paul contrived nothing new or unexpected. The Christian Community governed itself. Elders were elected by the assembly. The word translated in the A.V. “ordain” at Acts 14:23 and “chosen” at 2 Cor. 8:19 is χειροτονέω (5500) and primarily means “to vote for, to elect ... Passive to be elected” (Liddell & Scott), and Paul cannot be blamed for poor translations. These elders appointed “bishops” (Greek: “supervisors”) and “ministers” (Greek: “servants”), provided they were qualified (1 Tim. 3:1-13; 4:14). Not even Paul admitted to having direct authority over the assemblies (2 Cor. 1:24), and advised them that Scripture (the law and the prophets; Acts 17:2, 11; 18:28; Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:22; 4:30; 2 Tim. 3:15-16) and the gospel (the words of Yahshua Christ; 1 Tim. 6:3-5) were the authorities. This model of Christian governance lasted until the time of Justinian, when the “universal” Romish church began to take form. Paul cannot be blamed for the devices of men of later centuries, and all who try are absolutely ignorant of history.

Neither did Paul contrive the baptism ritual, which had been employed by both Greeks (Aeschylus, Eumenides lines 448-452) and by the people of Palestine (see the Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q414 [4Q Ritual of Purification A] fragment 12 for one instance), long before John the Baptist began his ministry. Both Paul (i.e. Eph. 5:25-27) and Peter (i.e. 1 Pet. 3:21; Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-16) realized some time after the first Pentecost that water baptism was certainly not a necessary ritual for Christians. Paul cannot be blamed that the Romish church adopted the practice, ritualizing it into one of their so-called “sacraments”. This is explained at length in my pamphlet “Baptism – In What?”. Neither did Paul ritualize prayer. Neither did Paul ritualize communion (properly only the sharing of things in common), nor can he be blamed for the so-called “Eucharist” ritual of the Romish church. Paul’s very Christian example of a simple communion (the sharing of a meal in common) can be found at Acts 27:33-36, and certainly no ritual can be extracted from that!

<Section #37A> Clay Douglas states: “In other words, Paul taught that Christians would enter Heaven through ‘faith’ (Grace) alone. Jesus Christ/Esu Immanuel had taught that Christians would be judged on their ‘works’. It is also of import that Paul/Saul began to substitute the word ‘Faith’ for the required ‘Faithfulness’ which is carefully outlined in God’s Laws of the Old Testament. Hence, Paul taught that Christians needed to be full of ‘faith alone’ (Faith: Trust or reliance; a system of religious doctrines believed in.) in order to enter the Kingdom, contrary to both God’s Laws (Old Book) and Esu’s Teachings (New), which clearly stated that ‘faithfulness in the Commandments’ (and other Laws of God) (Faithfully: loyal, reliable, honorable, exact.) must be adhered to in order to enter the Kingdom. (Faith is the belief in an idea or cause. Faithfulness is following through on that code or credo with exacting actions.)”

In reply to section <#37A>: Before discussing Paul’s views on faith and salvation, which surely will be discussed fully below, some of Douglas’ own contradictions must be addressed. Here Douglas has labeled “God’s Laws” the “Old Book”, and “Esu’s [sic Yahshua’s] Teachings” the “New.” Yet earlier, in section <#33> (see page 89) of this response to Douglas’ article, Douglas states that “His [Jesus’] writings had simply disappeared”! I must ask, Mr. Douglas, which is it? Do we have the utterances of Yahshua Christ, or not? In section <#13> (see page 54) we see Douglas claim that “the scrolls of the teachings of Esu [sic. Yahshua]” were stolen. This, to borrow a line from Mr. Douglas and then use it in reference to him, is certainly “a classic example of ‘double think’”. When it suits Clayton Douglas, the teachings of Yahshua Christ are missing; elsewhere when it suits Clayton Douglas, the teachings of Yahshua Christ are in the New Testament. What hypocrisy Douglas resorts to! Clay Douglas purports to be expressing the teachings of Christ in section <#31> (“Jesus warned about the danger of false prophets”), and at section <#32> (“Jesus ... never stopped attacking the Jewish hierarchy ... Esu [sic] hadn’t chosen which of his disciples was the ‘worthiest’ ... he vaguely pointed at Peter ...”), yet out of the other side of his mouth, Douglas would tell us that his teachings were missing or stolen! Is Clayton Douglas a deceiver, or an idiot? Clayton Douglas continues:

<Section #37B> Clay Douglas states: “‘... for by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God – not the result of works, so that no one may boast.’ [New Testament, Ephesians 2:8-9]

“Is it possible that Paul/Saul chose to infiltrate the ranks of this [sic] early Christians, teaching a doctrine that opposed Jesus on several fronts, replacing Jesus’ careful lessons with a selfish teaching of desire to gain a ‘free. gift’ of salvation based only on faith and completely devoid of any behavioral requirement or obedience to law? Has Paul distracted us, recrafting us all into deformed idiots fully embracing Communistic Humanism? ... ‘To be a great magician, one must be able to present an illusion in such a way that people are not only puzzled, but deeply moved.’ S. H. Sharp.”

In reply to section <#37B>: Quoting yet another magician, Douglas again reveals his true intellectual pursuits. But claiming that Paul would have us embrace “Communistic Humanism” is another obviously hypocritical act on Douglas’ part, since he himself is a disciple of John Spong, “Humanist of the Year for 1999” as Spong’s own website boasts! Douglas himself is attempting a sleight-of-hand, destroying the noble Paul of Tarsus with the utterances of a cast of jews, anti-christs, liberals and sexual deviants! Yahshua Christ told us that we shall know them by their fruits. Over and over again Clayton Douglas verifies to us that he is in the same category with, if he is not himself, an anti-Christ jew.

To James, the idea of faith was separate from the idea of works, or good deeds, as evident at chapter 2 vv. 14-26 of his epistle. To Paul, the idea of faith included the idea of works, or good deeds. Often Paul contrasts faith to the “works of the law” (as the A.V. translates the phrase literally). Yet the “works of the law” are actually the “rituals of the law”, as the phrase is rendered in both my own translation of Paul’s letters, and in Ferrar Fenton’s version published about a hundred years ago. The “works” or “rituals” of the law are mentioned by Paul at Rom. 3:20, 27, 28; 4:2, 6; 9:11, 32; 11:6; Gal. 2:16 (trice); 3:2, 5, 10; Heb. 6:1 and 9:14. Paul, in the context of these chapters, certainly means those rituals which the law prescribed in ordinances and which have been done away with (Eph. 2:15; Col. 2:14; Heb. 9:1-10). While James was a contemporary with Paul, he received not the divine revelations that Paul was given.

The Old Testament law does not mandate kind deeds or acts of charity or love for one’s brethren, but only prescribes penalties for the crimes it describes and the rituals in its ordinances, along with some other things, such as feast days. Paul spoke of “obedience to the faith” (Rom 1:5) and expressly said that we do not make void the law through faith, but rather establish the law (Rom. 3:31). Paul says to the Ephesians: “For in favor you are being preserved through faith and this, Yahweh’s gift, is not of yourselves, not from works, lest anyone would boast, for His work we are, having been established among the number of Christ Yahshua for good works, which Yahweh before prepared in order that we would walk in them.” (Eph. 2:8-10, my own translation). Before Agrippa, Paul had testified that he preached the faith to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, “... then all the region of Judaea and to the Nations I announced to repent and to turn to Yahweh doing deeds worthy of repentance” (Acts 26:20, my translation). Paul advised Timothy: “Likewise women in moderate attire are to adorn themselves with modesty and discretion, not in wreaths and in gold or pearls or in very expensive garments, but that which is fitting with women professing fear of God, through good works.” (1 Tim. 2:9-10, my translation) and “The errors of some men are manifest beforehand, going ahead to judgement, but others then follow after. In like manner also are the good works manifest, and those being otherwise are not able to be concealed.” (1 Tim. 5:25, my translation). Paul also said “To those who are wealthy in this present age, you exhort neither to be high-minded nor to have hope in uncertain riches, but in Yahweh who provides for us richly all things for enjoyment: to do good work, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous, sharing ...” (1 Tim. 6:17-18, my translation); “All writing inspired of God is also beneficial for teaching, for evidence, for correction, for education which is in righteousness, that the man of Yahweh would be perfect, having prepared himself for all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17, my translation); “Trustworthy is this saying, and concerning these things I wish for you to maintain strongly that those trusting in Yahweh should take care to prefer good works” (Titus 3:8, my translation).

Again, Paul told the Romans: “But in accordance with your stubborn and unrepentant heart you store up to yourself anger at the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of Yahweh, who ‘will render to each according to his works’. Surely to those with endurance in good works, honor and dignity and incorruptibility they seek, eternal life. But to those of contention, and they who disobey the truth, but are persuaded by injustice: anger and wrath, affliction and strait, on every soul of man who labors to accomplish evil ...” (Rom. 2:5-9, my translation). He also told the Corinthians: “For another foundation no one is able to place besides that which is established, which is Yahshua Christ. Now if anyone builds upon that foundation gold, silver, precious stones, timber, fodder, straw, the work of each will become evident; indeed the day will disclose it, because in fire it is revealed; and of what quality the work of each is, the fire will scrutinize. If the work of anyone who has built remains, he will receive a reward. If the work of anyone burns completely, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be preserved, although consequently through fire.” (1 Cor. 3:11-15, my translation).

It should be plainly evident that Clayton Douglas has misrepresented the teachings of Paul, taking portions of passages entirely out of context and criticizing things which he has neither truly studied nor does he understand. Good works were clearly a part of Paul’s definition of faith, clearly a necessary part of a Christian’s life, and shall certainly be rewarded appropriately and proportionally. Yet there is more which I am compelled to say here, but in a short space.

One will not find the word “grace” in my translations. Although the word χάρις (5485) may mean grace, it is also favor, and much more appropriately in the New Testament. On occasions much too frequent to list here, Yahweh promised “salvation”, or preservation to the children of Israel all throughout the prophetic writings. These promises were made despite the sins (errors, transgressions of the law) committed by the Israelites. If all those who have transgressed the law, or who have failed to love their brethren, were to be destroyed, Abraham could never have descendants “as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered” (Gen. 32:12 et al.), and he may not have had any descendants at all! The promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were made regardless of the behavior of subsequent generations, which Yahweh must have foreseen. The promises of preservation (or “salvation”) to Israel were made without condition! The promises to redeem Israel were to all of Israel, and so Paul says “all Israel shall be preserved” (Rom. 11:26), and this teaching is in accordance with the prophets and with the parables of Christ. Israelites who in the end have no lasting good works are left with no reward, for which compare the above quoted 1 Cor. 3:11-15 with Luke 19:11-27. Israelites who are sinners are not admitted into the Kingdom, as Paul teaches everywhere, i.e. 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph. 5:5. In contrast, the “goat” nations, the non-Israelites, are to be totally destroyed (i.e. Matt. 13:47-50; 25:31-41), and among these are the tares (Matt. 13:37-43), which Paul also identified as the bad-fig Edomite jews (Rom. 9:1-13, 21-23), who time and again Clayton Douglas prefers to follow! It is not Paul’s fault that all those who fail to see that the (pure) descendants of Abraham through Isaac and Jacob were favored simply because of their genes, also fail to distinguish the fate of Israelites, good and bad, from the fate of the bastard races, among which are the jews. Paul took his message only to the “lost” sheep of Israel, to those Nations which were descended from Abraham (Gen. 17:5, et al.), which all of his epistles demonstrate.