Dr Paul Allen

St. Paul and St. Barnabas at Lystra. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees , hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” ( Matthew 23:15 ) Among the eight “woes” in Matthew 23 is this frightening possibility that false teaching will produce double wickedness—a multiplying effect that redounds to terrible consequences. Jesus said that these self-righteous and hatefilled Pharisees were of the devil ( John 8:44 ) and were so intent on resisting the truth that they were ready to kill if they could silence the message of liberty. Paul condemned Elymas the sorcerer as “full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness” ( Acts 13:10 ). During a great revival in Iconium , “the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles , and made their minds evil affected against the brethren” ( Acts 14:2 ). And they were not conten...

The Holy Spirit depicted as a dove, surrounded by angels, by Giaquinto, 1750s. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Book of Acts shows that Paul and his fellow evangelists were filled (kept on being filled) with joy and the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52). Persecution and trouble only made them press on with even more joy. Paul’s converts also were filled with the same joy (16:34). It was a joy that came as the Holy Spirit gave honor and glory to Jesus . Paul also gave all the glory to Jesus. His message, ministry, and personal life centered in Jesus. He never forgot that heavenly vision (26:19). Constantly, he spoke of being in Christ. He refused to try to satisfy the Jews with signs or the Greeks with (philosophic) wisdom. He simply preached Christ crucified ( 1 Corinthians 1:22, 23; 2:2). Then the signs followed in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power (v. 4). That is, signs followed, not to convince skeptics, but in response to the faith of those who believed. A good example is...