How few know about Paul, Godβs apostle to the nations!
Not Matthew, or Mark or Luke; not Peter or James or John, but Paul alone wrote:
βFOR I SPEAK TO YOU GENTILES (or, YOU OF THE NATIONS] INASMUCH AS I AM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES [NATIONS]: I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICEβ (Rom. 11:13).
And remember, Paul wrote this by divine inspiration. But note well that Paul did not magnify himself, but his office, to which he had been appointed by the glorified Lord. In defending his apostleship before the Galatians, he wrote:
βBut I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
βFor I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christβ (Gal. 1:11,12).
In many other passages the Apostle claims to speak as a direct representative of Christ (See I Cor. 11:23; 15:3; Eph. 3:2,3; I Thes. 4:15; etc.). To Timothy Paul wrote in I Tim. 6:3-5 concerning his own writings:
βIf any man teach OTHERWISE, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothingβ¦β
This could not demonstrate more emphatically Paulβs claim that his words were βthe words of our Lord Jesus Christ,β received from Him by direct revelation. To the Corinthians, who questioned this, the Apostle wrote:
ββ¦IF I COME AGAIN I WILL NOT SPARE, SINCE YE SEEK A PROOF OF CHRIST SPEAKING IN MEβ (II Cor. 13:2,3).
The proof of this claim? This was overwhelming indeed, for Paul was used more than any other apostle to found churches and lead men into the knowledge and joy of salvation. To the Corinthian believers he wrote what he could have written to many thousands of others: βThe seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lordβ (I Cor. 9:2). source
[β¦] The Apostle Paul had opposition from without and from within the companyΒ of believers, and had much to be discouraged about, but he didnβt quit. HisΒ testimony was: βseeing we have this ministryβ¦we faint notβ (II Cor. 4:1).Β He kept his heart focused on serving the Savior, with Galatians 6:9 in mind:Β βAnd let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if weΒ faint not.β Simply put, heaven and reward from the Savior strengthened theΒ resolve of this servant. It can for us too. [β¦]