Was Paul an abrasive preacher or filled with compassion?

[Felicity]

The first 30 years or so the Church was mostly Jewish. Have to keep that in mind. Things would have become more interesting after the Gentiles became part of the equation for sure.

[Truly Blessed]

Paul was both abrasive at times and compassionate. It goes with being a spiritual leader. He preached the truth in love, but there were also times when he had to rebuke and correct. Undergirding all that Paul did however was his awareness of the call of God and his desire to please God rather than man.

I find it amazing that Paul was so open minded to all that God was doing through him. When you realize he was a Jew called to minister to the Gentiles, the traditional thinking he would have had to overcome to carry out his mission would have been enormous.

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

If I was a betting woman! I knew you would arrive!!!

Elymas - taking hold of a devil - with authority.

Woman with spirit of divination - talking hold of a devil - with authority.

Good example, but his authority here is different than what I was talking about. It's a conversation condoning........ I think this might turn into an argument.

I'm just going to drop it. It doesn't really matter anyway.

He called him 'thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness?"

[Steve Epley]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

Paul was both abrasive at times and compassionate. It goes with being a spiritual leader. He preached the truth in love, but there were also times when he had to rebuke and correct. Undergirding all that Paul did however was his awareness of the call of God and his desire to please God rather than man.

I find it amazing that Paul was so open minded to all that God was doing through him. When you realize he was a Jew called to minister to the Gentiles, the traditional thinking he would have had to overcome to carry out his mission would have been enormous.

Call the law TB & me agree.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Felicity

The first 30 years or so the Church was mostly Jewish. Have to keep that in mind. Things would have become more interesting after the Gentiles became part of the equation for sure.

The 30 years of transferring from law to grace. What a time that had to have been. What a tremendous pressure of ostracizing that had to be going on for many of the Jews!

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

Paul was both abrasive at times and compassionate. It goes with being a spiritual leader. He preached the truth in love, but there were also times when he had to rebuke and correct. Undergirding all that Paul did however was his awareness of the call of God and his desire to please God rather than man.

I find it amazing that Paul was so open minded to all that God was doing through him. When you realize he was a Jew called to minister to the Gentiles, the traditional thinking he would have had to overcome to carry out his mission would have been enormous.

This is how I see him more than anything. I don't think you could be that open to God's direction and have an abrasive character. He'd be kicking against the pricks every day.