Paul’s Spirit-inspired claims for the distinctive character of his apostleship leave no room for doubt. Consider a sampling of these.
Romans 11:13: “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I AM THE APOSTLE OF THE GENTILES: I MAGNIFY MINE OFFICE”.
Galatians 1:11,12: “But 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 CHRIST.”
Ephesians 3:1-3: “For this cause, I PAUL, THE PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST FOR YOU GENTILES,
“If ye have heard of THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD, WHICH IS GIVEN ME TO YOU-WARD:
“How that BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY….”
Colossians 1:25: “…I am made a minister, according to THE DISPENSATION OF GOD WHICH IS GIVEN TO ME FOR YOU, to fulfill [fill full, or complete] the Word of God”.
I Timothy 2:5-7: “For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus;
“Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
“WHEREUNTO I AM ORDAINED A PREACH-ER, AND AN APOSTLE (I SPEAK THE TRUTH IN CHRIST, AND LIE NOT); A TEACHER OF THE GENTILES IN FAITH AND VERITY.”
Titus 1:2,3: “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie; promised before the world began;
“But hath in due times manifested His Word THROUGH PREACHING WHICH IS COMMITTED UNTO ME, according to the commandment of God our Saviour.”
To the Reader:
Some of our Two Minutes articles were written many years ago by Pastor C. R. Stam for publication in newspapers. When many of these articles were later compiled in book form, Pastor Stam wrote this word of explanation in the Preface:
"It should be borne in mind that the newspaper column, Two Minutes With the Bible, has now been published for many years, so that local, national and international events are discussed as if they occurred only recently. Rather than rewrite or date such articles, we have left them just as they were when first published. This, we felt, would add to the interest, especially since our readers understand that they first appeared as newspaper articles."
To this we would add that the same is true for the articles written by others that we continue to add, on a regular basis, to the Two Minutes library. We hope that you'll agree that while some of the references in these articles are dated, the spiritual truths taught therein are timeless.