Title: The Theology of Paul Intro:

Does it matter what you believe? Can you believe anything you want and expect to go to heaven? Or receive God's richest blessings in your life? Do you know what you believe with regard to the Bible Doctrine (teachings) of the Bible? What do you believe about theology? (The study of God). What is your view of God, of Christ, of the Holy Spirit, of the church, of salvation, or last things? Would you believe me if I told you all 6.5 Billion people on Earth are all theologians? Every person has a view of God. Most are wrong, yet everyone has a viewpoint. People's worldview differ greatly based on their God view. So your world view is only as good as your God view. Having said that, What is the Apostle Paul's theology? What did he believe about God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, salvation, the church, and last things? Today we are going to look at Paul's view on theology proper, (God The Father). Paul's pre-conversion view: Acts 9:1 “ And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest ,” Paul's post-conversion view: Acts 9:18-20 “ And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God .” Just as Paul's life and world view changed after his conversion, so it is with all those that will trust Christ as Savior today. The irony of Paul changing mid life from a prosecutor of local churches to one of the greatest church planters and preachers of the gospel is a testament of the life-changing power of the gospel.

Opening prayer:

I. Theology Proper of Paul: What did Paul believe about God The Father? A. Paul found God to be faithful

1. I Thess. 5:24 “ Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it .”

2. I Cor. 1:9 “ God is faithful , by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”

3. I Cor. 10:12, 13 “ Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful , who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it .

4. Rom. 11:26 “And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:”

5. Rom. 11:29 “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”

6. II Cor. 1:20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

B. Paul found God to be righteous

1. Deut. 25:15 “ But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

2. Rom. 9:14 “ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.”

3. Rom. 3:5, 6 “ But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God , what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?

4. I Thess. 1:6-8 “ Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”

5. Rom. 3:25, 26 “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say , at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

C. Paul understood the wrath of God

1. Rom. 1:17, 18 “ For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”

2. I Thess. 5:9 “ For God hath not appointed us to wrath , but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”

3. I Thess. 1:10 “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

4. Rom. 2:16 “ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

5. Rom. 10:12, 13 “ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

D. Paul recognized the Lord's mercy and grace “ Mercy and grace for Paul the twin aspects of God's character that resolve the dilemma of humanity's sinfulness and God's righteousness.” Roy Zuck p.249

1. Rom. 3:19, 20 “ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

2. Exodus 33:19 “And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”

3. Rom. 9:15 “For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

4. Rom. 2:24 “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:”

5. Rom. 9:16 “ So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy .” “ God's grace and mercy became the basis on which Paul urged people to commit themselves wholeheartedly to the Lord and the accomplishment of His will.” Roy Zuck p.249

6. Rom. 6:13, 14 “ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace .”

7. Rom. 12:1 “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God , that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. “Paul viewed the experience of salvation from beginning to end as an expression of God's mercy and grace and as such he urged people to respond with wholehearted trust and obedience to God and His will.” Roy Zuck p. 249

E. Paul convinced by Creation that all of humanity is accountable to God. This is true power that God has demonstrated

1. Rom. 1:20 “ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead ; so that they are without excuse:”

2. Rom. 1:4 “ And declared to be the Son of God with power , according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:”

3. II Cor.13:4 “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.”

4. I Cor. 15:25, 26 “ For he must reign , till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”

5. Rom. 1:16 “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

6. I Cor. 1:18 “ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God .”

7. I Cor. 2:4, 5 “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power : That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God .”

8. Rom. 15:19 “ Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God ; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

9. Rom. 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost .”

10. I Cor. 5:4 “ In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ ,”

11. II Cor. 12:9 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me .”

F. Paul recognized the glory of God

1. II Thess. 1:9 “ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power ;”

2. II Cor. 3:18 “ But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord , are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

3. I Cor. 2:8 “ Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it , they would not have crucified the Lord of glory .”

4. II Thess. 2:14 “Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ .

5. Rom. 8:30 “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

6. Rom. 6:4 “ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father , even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

7. Rom. 1:21 “ Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”

8. Rom. 4:20 “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God ;

G. Paul understood the wisdom of God

1. Rom. 11:33-36 “ O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

2. Rom. 16:27 “ To God only wise , be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen”

3. I Cor. 1:21 “ For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”

4. I Cor. 2:7 “ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery , even the hidden wisdom , which God ordained before the world unto our glory:”

5. I Cor. 1:24 “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God .”