Topic > Paul's Faith - 978

Controversies arise regarding the definition of faith, because it is often defined in many different and conflicting ways by religious people. Even demons have faith (James 2:19) – but only one faith is true. We have learned that faith is necessary to please God and is also a key to salvation. However, faith is commonly defined either as a firm belief in something for which there is no evidence, or as belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion. For Christians, faith is based primarily on the work and teachings of Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 11:1 Paul defines faith this way: “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the substance of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) The passage confirms that, according to scripture, faith is truly a leap of faith. It's a risk to believe in something we don't see. As a result, it has become synonymous with salvation. For Paul, faith and salvation begin in the cross and resurrection of Christ; it also concerns the justice and reconciliation granted by God to men. The word belief in the passage exudes the idea of ​​bringing forward evidence that demonstrates an idea, especially an idea that is contrary to the reality of the facts. The core of this article is to analyze the relationship between Faith and salvation, as well as to contrast Paul's doctrine with Jesus'. In recent years, a paradigm shift in the New Testament has led researchers to question whether the Church accurately understood first-century Judaism and the apostle Paul. These accusations cannot be easily brushed aside, because they directly affect our understanding of salvation. The New Testament is known as the last and definitive revelation of God, through Jesus Christ. The events are no longer the focus of the card... the death and resurrection of Jesus. In fact, this is the main reason why their definitions of faith and salvation differ. What also distinguishes Paul from Jesus is his massive interest in the Holy Spirit and Gentile mission, his negative attitude toward the Old Testament and teachings about the church as a "body." In my opinion, Paul taught a doctrine that opposed teachings attributed to Jesus. He replaced Jesus' selfless actions with a selfish desire to obtain the gift of salvation. Despite the widespread and uncritical adulation of Paul by those who listen to others rather than think for themselves, Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to James Smith that “Paul was the first corrupter of the doctrines of Jesus.” (Works, 1829 edition, vol.4, p.327.) And finally, the English playwright quoted “it would be a better world if Paul had never been born.”