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I followed Paul's example.
And I can say, with him, "But I certify you, brethren, that
the gospe1 which was preached of me· is not after man. For I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it, but �the revelation of
Jesus Christ. . • But when it pleased God, who. • .called me by His
grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Hirn among the
heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood. Neither
. . ." �ent I to a Biblical Seminary, but I went into night-arid-day
study of the Word of God, mostly on my knees. (Galations 1:11-17).
·The Apostle Paul says, verse 17, that instead of going to other
MEN, he went into Arabia. Apparently Jesus Christ, IN PERSON, manifested
Himself and taught Paul there. For Paul said later, ". . . Have I not seen
Jesus Christ our Lord. . .?" (I Cor. 9:1). "
. And that He rose
again the third day according to the scriptures; and that He was seen
of Cephas, then of the twelve:
.And last of all He was seen of me
also, as of one born out of due time" (I Cor. 15:4-6,8).
The twelve original Apostles received their teaching direct from
Jesus IN PERSON. The Apostle Paul spent some three years in Arabia,
and apparently that was the time when he saw JESUS IN PERSON, and was
taught directly by Jesus Christ. But as Jesus is the Word in Person,
so the Bible is the Word of God IN PRINT.
Now back to Galatians l; "Then after three years (in Arabia) I
went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.
But other of the Apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's Brother"
(Gal. 1: 18-19). Continue on, "Then fourteen years after I went up
again to Jerusalem wlth Baranabas, and took Titus with me also.
And I went up by revelation, and communicated to them that gospel
which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were
of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision
(to the Gentiles) was committed unto me, as the gospel of the
circumcision (Israel) was unto Peter; For he that wrought effectually
in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty
in me toward the Gentiles" (Gal. 2: 1-8).
The word "apostle" means "one sent forth."
The meaning here is unmistakable--as Peter was the chief Apostle
to Israel and Judah, so Paul was chief Apostle to the Gentiles.
Nevertheless, when All of the Scriptures on the subject are put
together, it becomes certain that Peter, in fact, was the over-all
chief Apostle.
The New Testament·Church of God received all its teachings,
practices, customs, FROM THE APOSTLES, with Peter chief over all the
others.
I know well, that, in view of Roman Catholic teachings regarding
Peter being the first pope, this statement will be challenged by many-
but it is TRUE, nevertheless!