First Century Christianity
A surface reading of the New Testament gives
a totally wrong idea of the nature of First century Christianity,
and the big issues of that time.
 First
Century Christianity (6 pages in PDF format)
James vs Paul
The bottom line is that there were 2 totally
different first Century Christianities - The
Christianity of Paul and the Christianity of James.
In the Book of James we see clues of a
direct literary head to head by James against Pauls teaching
in Romans..
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Paul
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James
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Rom 3 vs 30 since it is
one God who will justify circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision
through faith.
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Jam 2 vs19 You believe that there is
one God, you do well; even the demons believe and tremble. 20 But will
you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
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Rom 4 vs 1 What then shall we say that
our father Abraham has found, according to flesh? 2 For if Abraham was
justified by works, he has a boast; but not before God. 3 For what does
the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for
righteousness."
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Jam 2 vs 21 Was not Abraham our father
justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Do you see how faith worked with
his works, and from the works faith was made complete? 23 And the
Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was
imputed to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God."
24 You see then how a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
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The issue of Paul vs James has largely been swept under the carpet. But by syncretising the two opposing schools of
Paul and James, subsequent spin of the authoritarian orthodox church
(for example the book of Acts) has wrecked our ability to see what the true nature of Christianity,
and we have lost sight of the Kingdom of God that Jesus preached.
Kingdom of Heaven (Jesus/Paul) syncretised with Kingdom of Israel (James) resulting in Christian Church.
For more see
Two Gospels? and Two
Kingdoms (in PDF format)
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