There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus- Galatians 3:28
"A man of small stature, with a bald head and crooked legs, in a good state of body, with eyebrows meeting and nose somewhat hooked"
-Barnstone, Willis. 'The Acts of Paul' in The Other Bible. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1984
We have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.- Galatians 2:16
As a missionary
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As a writer
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Had the early Christian community succumbed to the Judaiser's insistence upon the Law as a means of salvation, there would be no Christianity today.
- T. Carson et al., New Catholic Encyclopaedia, 'Paul, Apostle, St', Gale, USA, 2002, Second Edition, Volume 11, p.2
The letters are named after those they are addressed to or places where the churches are located. Traditionally he is said to have written 13 letters which are included in the New Testament. Today, biblical scholars attribute Paul's authorship to:
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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:16
Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12
Theology
Paul's letters outline his theology and this has been the basis of christian thinkers ever since.
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Ethics
Paul introduces a strict ethical framework which distinguishes Christianity from Judaism
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Tradition
Made Christianity a distinct religion from Judaism.
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Paul's insistence on salvation in Christ, rather than observance of Jewish Law, laid the foundation of his theology and contributed to the new religious movement. Christ, and the salvation he won, had to be explained in terms other than the fulfilment of Jewish Messianic expectations. The 'making disciples of all nations' began with Paul translating Christ's message to gentiles and applying it to all people and cultures.
Formulation of distinctive concepts in Christian theology had their beginning in Paul's theology. Some include the,
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7. Good works - Romans 2:6-8. "God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger."
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Love is patient, love is kind, it isn’t jealous, it doesn’t brag, it isn’t arrogant, it isn’t rude, it doesn’t seek its own advantage, it isn’t irritable, it doesn’t keep a record of complaints, it isn’t happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts in all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13
I’m talking to you like you are sensible people. Think about what I’m saying. Isn’t the cup of blessing that we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Isn’t the loaf of bread that we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one loaf of bread, we who are many are one body, because we all share the one loaf of bread.
1 Corinthians 10:15