by Shawn Brasseaux
Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World
Back in the late 1880s, J. I. Patton, then-president of Princeton University, wrote: “Unless Christendom goes back, back, back, to the Pauline doctrines and the atoning blood, it is on, on, on to apostasy and despair.” I agree 100 percent. One of the greatest travesties in all of Christendom is a failure to recognize the distinction between Peter and the eleven apostles’ ministry to the nation Israel (Matthew 10:5-7), and Paul’s ministry as “the apostle of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:13 KJV); hence the enormous amount of confusion and Biblical illiteracy.
I want to challenge you in 2010 to start studying the Pauline epistles, because many church members are not being taught these doctrines revealed only to Paul. Multitudes are ignoring God’s Word (especially Paul’s epistles), and are placing way too much emphasis on emotions.
Paul the Apostle warned Timothy “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). All 66 books of the Bible are inspired and God-breathed, but not all of it is written to us. For instance, the Old Testament is profitable for basic Bible learning, but it does not contain salvation. Outside of Paul’s epistles, there is no plan of salvation for us today.
How many church members are expecting to go to heaven, but they totally ignore Paul! Start the year right spiritually: I would encourage you to get an AV King James Bible and start reading Romans chapter 3, and then read Romans 5:1-11. When you have a firm understanding of these passages, then read the entire book of Romans. Afterward, read through the rest of Paul’s epistles from the Corinthian letters to Philemon. Then read the New Testament. Finally, start in Genesis and read on to Revelation.
I wish you a good year, and I hope you will take the challenge. If you believe God’s Word, it will change your life forever (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux) 
ambassadors for the risen Christ ministries 