Was Paul a False Teacher?
This question came up through a TikTok comment. TikTok is one of the best places to be theologically sharpened because you get exposed to all sorts of beliefs. Basically, there are some skeptics who believe that the Apostle Paul isn’t credible because he wasn’t among the original disciples who walked with Jesus. According to these skeptics, they claim Paul’s conversion could have been a demonic encounter and Paul is one of the false teachers Jesus warned about. They say he was a false teacher who deceived people into believing that salvation was available to the Gentiles, not just the Jews. As a result, people who believe this about Paul don’t think salvation is available to everyone– only the Jews.
It probably sounds absurd if you, like me, have never even questioned the veracity of Paul’s conversion and writings. To be honest, this isn’t even a valid argument and in case you ever encounter someone who believes this claim, here are four reasons that refute it:
The plan for salvation has always been for the whole world, not just the Jews.
Genesis 22:18 – “And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your [Abraham’s] offspring because you have obeyed My command.”
Isaiah 49:6 – “He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you [Jesus] as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Luke 2:29-32 – “‘Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.’”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son; whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
2. God is sovereign.
Paul was one of the main players in establishing the Church. How could the God of the universe, who is sovereign, allow an apostle to be a deceiver and have the amount of influence that he did?
Also, thirteen of the twenty-seven New Testament books are written by Paul. That’s basically 50% of the New Testament. If God wanted to speak to us through His Scriptures, why would He allow Paul’s “false doctrine” to corrupt it? We need to trust that God is sovereign enough to have protected the compilation of His written Word and that the books of the Bible we have are divinely inspired by God.
3. Paul’s conversion would not make sense.
We have to remember who Paul was; he was a zealous Jew who was persecuting Christians before his conversion. He was already doing the devil’s work, so why would the devil then approach him, pretending to be Jesus, and commission him to be the apostle to the Gentiles? Additionally, we know that God works in ironic ways when He changes lives, which is why He chose Paul, the most zealous Jew, to preach that salvation isn’t exclusive to Jews.
Additionally, Paul always calls himself a bondservant of Christ and points to Jesus. He always encourages believers to avoid sin because of their identity in Christ. False teachers point people away from Jesus as their source of life and salvation.
4. Peter agreed with Paul.
If Paul was a deceiver, then we would have to claim that Peter was deceived too; but, in 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter references Paul’s writings. He says, “Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.”
In case you ever encounter this absurd belief, now you know how to defend the truth!