74 - Vickie – “Michael, please read this. I believe the Apostle Paul was a deceiver.”
“I didn’t choose to question Paul. I just became troubled in my spirit and began searching for answers. I am reading this book titled….. If you read Revelations and the letter to the Ephesians you will see that Paul was likely the wolf Jesus spoke about! It makes perfect sense to me that all of Christianity has been based on the lie of Paul. (I have included the rest of Vickie’s email in today’s recording with my reply to her)”
Beyond the Surface: Discerning Truth in the Digital Age
An innumerable number of emails have come to me over the years, wanting to enlighten me, or ask my opinion on some controversial teaching they discovered during their “search” for answers, outside of the Bible. In a world flooded with so much information, how do we anchor ourselves to truth? How do we discern the voice of God amidst all the noise and conflicting opinions? Today, we reflect on the Apostle Paul, a man who has been under increasing attack in various books and videos on the internet.
Some, like Vickie in today's recording, even accuse Paul of deception. They point to perceived inconsistencies between he and Jesus’ teachings, seeking to undermine his teachings. But Jesus Himself warned us of such challenges: "If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!” (Mat 10:25)
How then do we respond to such accusations? As in my sharp rebuke to Vickie, I remind us Jesus’ words: "You will recognize them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). What are the fruits of Paul's ministry? Thirteen letters overflowing with the sacrificial love of Christ, urging us toward holiness and deeper relationship with God. Teachings that have shaped the Christian faith for two millennia, inspiring countless lives to radical devotion to Jesus. A life poured out as a living sacrifice, ultimately leading to martyrdom for the Gospel he preached.
Ironically, Paul himself warned, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy" (Colossians 2:8). He understood the danger of being swayed by empty arguments and worldly wisdom. Instead, he urged us to ground ourselves in the Word of God, which is "God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16).
My rebuke to Vickie in today’s recording was one of the harshest I’ve ever given, but the Spirit gave me words of wisdom to address this lie being increasingly perpetrated against the greatest follower of Jesus Christ that has ever lived. Please take the time to listen to my defense of Paul in today’s recording, and rejoice with me that by the mercy of God, Vickie eventually repented of this evil teaching about Paul.
