Paul’s Plan: Truth Matters
Paul laid down foundational truths for new believers (and itinerant workers as well as elders were instructed to carefully pass these on).
We know that Paul felt an urgency in these, teaching new believers both publicly and privately (Acts 20:20)
- “I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” –Acts 20:20, 21
- “Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you… For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:” –I Cor 11:2, 23
- “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” –II Thess 2:15
- “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust. // Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” –I Tim 6:20; II Tim 1:13
- “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” –Titus 1:9
- These foundations included:
- Instruction in remembering the death of the Lord and expecting His return I Cor 11:23-26
- The accounts of the resurrection I Cor 15:3-18
- A whole list of what Bill Dillon (God’s Work in God’s Way, Brown Gold Publications) called, “rich doctrinal truths” shared so quickly can be seen from I Thessalonians, including, “election, 1:4; Holy Spirit, 1:5-6, 4:8, 5:19; assurance, 1:5; Trinity of the Godhead, 1:1,5,6; conversion, 1:9; second coming of Christ, 1:10, 2:19, 3:13, 4:14-17, 5:23; walk of the believer, 2:12, 4:1; sanctification, 4:3, 5:23; Day of Jehovah, 5:1-3; resurrection of Christ and believers, 4:14-18; man as body, soul and spirit, 5:23.