You said:
How dare you slander the Apostles of the Lord, of whom the Lord Jesus said,
Reply:
What are you defending, the words of Jesus or the apostles?
It is clear the apostles did not discern the body of Christ!
You said:
John 6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Reply:
I agree, it says "shall be taught" and it is also clear when we read the following verses that Jesus referred to his body as the bread of life which "would be" offered at the cross.
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. John 6:46 (KJV)
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 6:47 (KJV)
I am that bread of life. John 6:48 (KJV)
You said:
John 14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being [yet] present with you.
26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Reply:
Again, future tense "shall teach" and we can see that it was revealed to John at a later date but you will not find this revelation at Pentecost.
And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5:8 (KJV)
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
1 John 5:9 (KJV)
He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. 1 John 5:10 (KJV)
You said:
Paul commended the Apostles with thsese words:
Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone];
Eph 3:4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
Reply:
It says "now" revealed and by who? It says "my knowledge" (Paul's)! By what means? A "mystery" that is "now" revealed!
You said:
At the end of his life, Peter did not apologise for his mistakes:
2 Peter 3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in [both] which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
Reply:
Agreed but but he goes on to include Paul as a holy prophet and has this to say about Paul's teachings:
As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 2 Pet. 3:16 (KJV)
Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 2 Pet. 3:17 (KJV)
Peter credits PAUL as the one who delivered the things that were "hard to be understood".
If we go back a bit we will see what those things were that Paul used to instruct Peter:
But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Gal. 2:14 (KJV)
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Gal. 2:16 (KJV)
But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. Gal. 2:17 (KJV)
For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. Gal. 2:18 (KJV)
For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. Gal. 2:19 (KJV)
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal. 2:20 (KJV)
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. Gal. 2:21 (KJV)
You said:
I grant that they were slow to learn, and even that they were in error concerning eating with Gentiles, even circumcision, as recorded in Galatians. Such errors are NOT taught in their Holy Spirit inspired preaching, or in their writings.
Reply:
Again, I agree with you but actions speak louder than words and it can not be argued that they were in error and did not discern the body of Christ when it was offered as the "new" testament in his blood.
You said:
This was due to fear of man, or fear of giving offence. Peter did know he should eat with Gentiles:
Gal 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
H'e'd even had a special vision concerning Cornelius.
Reply:
Peter was instructing the Gentiles in the law of which he still believed! He withdrew because those of the circumcision believed "it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation".
I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
We should not be concerned in the offense of men for we cannot please man if the cost is offense of the cross of Christ.
