Looks as though I've fallen, eh hem, a few months behind. Oops
A most astonishing misconception has long dominated the modern mind on the subject of St. Paul. It is to this effect: that Jesus preached a kindly and simple religion (found in the Gospels) and that St. Paul afterwards corrupted it into a cruel and complicated religion (found in the Epistles). This is really quite untenable. All the most terrifying texts came from the mouth of Our Lord: all the texts on which we can base such warrant as we have for hoping that all men will be saved come from St. Paul. If it could be proved that St. Paul altered the teaching of his Master in any way, he altered it in exactly the opposite way to that which is popularly supposed. But there is no real evidence for a pre-Pauline doctrine different from St. Paul's. The Epistles are, for the most part, the earliest Christian documents we possess. The Gospels come later. They are not 'the Gospel', the statement of the Christian belief. They were written for those who had already been converted, who had already accepted 'The Gospel'. They leave out many of the 'complications' (that is, the theology) because they are intended for readers who have already been instructed in it. In that sense the Epistles are more primitive and more central than the Gospels - though not, of course, than the great events which the Gospels recount. God's act (the Incarnation, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection) comes first: the earliest theological analysis of it comes in the Epistles: then, when the generation who had known the Lord was dying out, the Gospels were composed to provide for believers a record of the great Act and of some of the Lord's sayings.
-C.S. Lewis
The Business of Heaven
To start out I believe the Word of God is truth. I also believe, contrary to which many will argue today the God who created everything was fully capable of compiling a book for us all to read which would teach us of His will, His Spirit, His plans, and truth. All those books that have been found that are "missing" from the Holy Bible, I personally believe that my Lord didn't want them in the Holy Bible. All the talk of human error in compiling the scriptures, again, I'm pretty sure the Creator of countless galaxies, stars, planets, all life; I'm pretty sure He could circumvent human error.
Secondly the Word says:
the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
-1 John 2:27
God's Word is living. The Holy Spirit was sent from Christ to teach us, lead us, guide us, and so forth. To argue that anything in the Word of God, or for that matter anything which the Holy Spirit has convicted you of is false is flat out futile (if you're arguing with someone who believes the Holy Bible to be truth). That is unless your convictions are contrary to the Word. God does not ever work against Himself. God is never changing, always constant. His Word, His Holy Word has been given us by Him. He uses man to be His hands and feet, His instruments; He is still in control.
In short, it is my belief that if you study the scriptures, if you have a prayer closet that's in constant use and the Anointing which you have received from Him abides in you (which cannot be contrary to His Word) then, well I think then there would be considerably less debate in this amazing world, at least among fellow believers in Christ.
