Is it foolishness to still be following the doctrine Of Jesus the mystical christ? Are the words of Christ true? These and many more are the questions raging through the heads of people. But a man called Paul has the answer to these questions. This article aims at using the words and life of Paul to answer whether the doctrines of Christ is worth following.
For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me – 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (KJV)
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better – Philippians 1:21-23 (NKJV)
People keep wondering why Christian believers still preach the doctrines of Christ. Some people see it as foolishness, while others see it as sign of joblessness; just like in the days of the apostles, to the Jews it was a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God – 1 Corinthians 1:23-24
Let’s consider Paul now, who tested both sides and gave a conclusion whether the doctrines of Christ were worth following.
In Acts 7:58, when they cast Stephen out of the city, and stoned him, the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul, who was giving consent to his death. And in Acts 8:3, Saul made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Also, in Acts 9:1-2, Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Then, on his way to Damascus, Saul encountered Jesus whom he was persecuting and his life changed. He became a disciple of Jesus and joined the group of those who were being persecuted for the doctrines of Christ – Acts 9:1-30.
Saul, now Paul, increased in the knowledge of Christ and became a great apostle of Christ to the point that he labored more than the rest of the apostles, though he was the least of them all – 1 Corinthians 15:9-10. He wrote 2/3 of books of the new testaments based on the revelations he got from Christ Himself – Galatians 1:11-12.
Paul suffered so much for the name of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:22-33) but to him, to continue living is to continue living for Christ and to die would be gain since he would depart to be with Christ, which he considered as being far better – Philippians 1:21-23.
