The theological confusion in the Church today is basically the result of her rebellion against the authority of Paul as the divinely-appointed apostle for the present βdispensation of the grace of Godβ (Eph. 3:1-3).
On every hand Paul is referred to merely as one of the apostles, sometimes even as one of the twelve, though the record of Scripture proves that he could not possibly have qualified as one of the twelve (See Matt.Β 19:28Β and cf. Acts 9:1).
In Galatians 1 and 2 the Apostle throws down the certificate of his apostleship, as it were, to those who questioned it in his day. He opens his argument with the declaration:
ββ¦I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christβ (Gal. 1:11,12).
The Scriptures teach beyond the shadow of a doubt that Paulβs apostleship and message were absolutely unique and separate from that of the twelve or of any who had preceded him. This is what Christendom as a whole has refused to accept. Is it any wonder, then, that they confuse Godβs prophesied kingdom program with βthe mystery,β committed to Paul for us in this present dispensation?
The Scriptures emphasize not only the Apostleβs constant use of the first person pronoun, βI,β βme,β βmy,β but the unique character of his apostleship and message. Ignore this fact and confusion must inevitably result; accept it and a hundred seeming contradictions in Scripture disappear. source
