How can you justify Paul’s claim as being an apostle if he is a liar, who spends a lot of time claiming he isn’t a liar? Shouldn’t one use other sources to substantiate a person’s claims? If I used my wife or children as an alibi, the police would look for someone outside my family or close-knit friends to verify my story of where I really was a so-and-so time. So how can you use an accused man’s own words to vindicate him?<\/p>\n\t
“And consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation — as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures<\/em>” (II Peter 3:15-16).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Peter’s testimony is that what Paul wrote is Scripture — sacred writings inspired by God.<\/p>\n
The book of Acts is written by Luke, the same author as the book of Luke. Luke is a meticulous historian documenting both Jesus’ life and the early church. Luke also testifies to Paul’s conversion and his commission from Jesus, citing people like Ananias to validate the events (Acts 9:13-15). Luke also documented the miracles that were done through Paul. “This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked<\/em>” (Acts 14:9-10).<\/p>\n
Since miracles are from God, this tells us that God also testified to Paul’s authority as an apostle. “God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?<\/em>” (Hebrews 2:4).<\/p>\n
Paul points out that the Thessalonians he wrote to know about his apostleship, so we can add the churches who received Paul’s letters and who distributed them to all other Christians as supporting evidence of acceptance of Paul’s claim. “For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness–God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children. So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us<\/em>” (I Thessalonians 2:1-8).<\/p>\n
The number of witnesses is sufficiently high enough that we can accept Paul’s own words on the matter, especially knowing that his writings were from the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Question: How can you justify Paul’s claim as being an apostle if he is a liar, who spends a lot of time claiming he isn’t a liar? Shouldn’t one use other sources to substantiate a person’s claims? If I used my wife or children as an alibi, the police would look for someone outside my…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[225,118],"class_list":["post-47860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-inspiration","tag-paul"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":42870,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-think-adam-and-eve-sinned-simultaneously\/","url_meta":{"origin":47860,"position":0},"title":"I think Adam and Eve sinned simultaneously","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Minister: Adam and Eve Sinned Simultaneously. In\u00a0\"How Long Is A Day?\" you said, \"If Eve was not the first to sin, then what do we do with Paul's proof in I Timothy 2:14?\" First, consider the source (Saul|Paul, aka 18 verses in Acts 22:24-29; 22:30; 23:1-5; 23:6-11). Paul's\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7708,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/objections-to-pauls-apostleship\/","url_meta":{"origin":47860,"position":1},"title":"Objections to Paul’s apostleship","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 5, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: It seems Paul compromised what he taught and preached. It's like me saying I'm going to a bar to get drunk and preach Christ Paul was a self-appointed apostle. When Christ chose the other twelve apostles, they were a witness to each other. Paul appears to be a bully\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":12761,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-dont-think-you-proved-paul-to-be-an-apostle\/","url_meta":{"origin":47860,"position":2},"title":"I don’t think you proved Paul to be an apostle","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 20, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: There are so much strife and debate among the world and believers in Christ that it seems to be a waste of time that we debate among ourselves. So please understand that I do not come in the spirit of debate, but truly searching the Scriptures to see if\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":52930,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-pauline-christianity\/","url_meta":{"origin":47860,"position":3},"title":"What is “Pauline Christianity?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Can you explain what exactly is Pauline Christianity? I've heard for years people say Paul was a false prophet but only just recently heard the term \"Pauline Christianity.\" Did Paul preach a message contrary to what Jesus taught? Answer: You will always find people and groups who wish to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58868,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/a-prosperous-journey\/","url_meta":{"origin":47860,"position":4},"title":"A Prosperous Journey","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 8, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"by Walton Weaver via\u00a0Truth Magazine\u00a0Vol. XLIV: 10 p19 May 18, 2000 Paul had a great desire to go to Rome. He knew however that if such an opportunity presented itself, God would have to open up the way. His prayer that God might do this for him is given to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":83716,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/in-defense-of-the-apostle-paul\/","url_meta":{"origin":47860,"position":5},"title":"In Defense of the Apostle Paul","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 27, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Richard Blackford We have heard it said that Paul was not an authentic apostle. They say he injected his prejudices into his writing, that he was a misogynist and a homophobe. Others don't care much for Paul because of his teaching on baptism. They also claim to be Christians,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47860"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47860\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}