Effects of Paul’s Writings, Essay Example

There is a growing concern within the religious communities that the epistles of Paul are not a viable resource for authoritative information or a justifiable account from God.  Many of Paul’s teachings in the gospels are very difficult for modern men and women to accept during a time of free thinking and acceptance of people from all different lifestyle and belief systems.  Some of these teachings include speaking about a controversial process of salvation; citizens must be obedient to the laws of the state, men are to have short hair; and praying women are to have long veiled hair; and women are not to take on positions of authority in the Assembly of God (Martin par. 4).  These teachings are very difficult for many people to accept, and there is a growing perception in the world that Paul’s teachings should be disregarded or dissected to retrieve only the most acceptable pieces of information for the congregation.

On the other hand, many people consider Paul to be one of the greatest Christian figures throughout the entire gospel.  Paul has even been referred to as the “greatest Christian the church has ever had” (JesusFamilies.org par. 3).  In this case, many of the world’s population take the teachings of the “Great Apostle” Paul into account when considering how to be a true Christian.  Some professionals even rely more for the teachings of Paul than the actual teachings of Jesus Christ, although this is very rare.  Jesus and Paul are heavily compared against one another.  Paul’s writings greatly impact the perceptions and beliefs of religious individuals within Christianity.  Furthermore, they help mold the beliefs and actions of thousands of individuals as they attempt to apply to the epistles of Paul to their everyday lifestyles.  Unfortunately, the problems associated with a lack of diversity and liberal thinking cause many people to disregard these teachings.  Many individuals rationalize that because Paul was from a much different time period than our modern times, the rationale for many of his teachings is wrong and must not be shared within the religious community or acted upon by Christians today.

Bibliography

Alesandre, Marguerite. “Faith and Humanity in the Apostle Paul’s Writings.” Associated Content. 30 Aug. 2008. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/995760/faith_and_humanity_in_the_apostle_pauls_pg2_pg2.html?cat=37>.

JesusFamilies.org. “Are Paul’s writings faultless?” Jesus Families: Come truly follow Jesus. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. <http://www.jesusfamilies.org/wwbelieve/paul.htm>.

Martin, Harry S. “The Authority of the Writings of Paul.” BRF Witness 26.5 (1991). Brethren Revival Fellowship. Web. 30 Oct. 2009. <http://www.brfwitness.org/?p=577>.