What we know of St. Paul is he was the son of a pharisee, from a wealthy family. As such, he would not be required to do any real work. That would be done by servants.
We know he went on from there to become a tax collector, persecuting God's people. Again, he would have done no actual work.
Then, this man, who spent no time walking at Jesus' side, no time listening to Jesus' words, and no time witnessing Jesus' ministry, undergoes this magical transformation and becomes a church leader. As a church leader, he writes to the various outlying churches, one of which was in Thessalonica. In his second letter to them, this man who has never done a day's work in all his life has the gall to write the following:
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." KJV 2 Thess. 3:10.
Do you suppose Paul didn't expect to be fed when he visited? OF COURSE HE DID. Unfortunately, there has been a consistent movement toward Paul's thinking, so much so that one could be forgiven for thinking those who call themselves "Christians" today were followers of Paul rather than of Jesus. Such thinking is why I will frequently use quotes around the words Christian or Christians.
Calling myself a purple kumquat doesn't make me one any more than calling myself Christian makes me one, either. It's in what you do, not just in what you say and think, that your Christianity lies. When one's actions and words do not agree, it's the actions that speak the truth, every single time.
We know he went on from there to become a tax collector, persecuting God's people. Again, he would have done no actual work.
Then, this man, who spent no time walking at Jesus' side, no time listening to Jesus' words, and no time witnessing Jesus' ministry, undergoes this magical transformation and becomes a church leader. As a church leader, he writes to the various outlying churches, one of which was in Thessalonica. In his second letter to them, this man who has never done a day's work in all his life has the gall to write the following:
"For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." KJV 2 Thess. 3:10.
Do you suppose Paul didn't expect to be fed when he visited? OF COURSE HE DID. Unfortunately, there has been a consistent movement toward Paul's thinking, so much so that one could be forgiven for thinking those who call themselves "Christians" today were followers of Paul rather than of Jesus. Such thinking is why I will frequently use quotes around the words Christian or Christians.
Calling myself a purple kumquat doesn't make me one any more than calling myself Christian makes me one, either. It's in what you do, not just in what you say and think, that your Christianity lies. When one's actions and words do not agree, it's the actions that speak the truth, every single time.
