Like his Master, he conquered and ennobled
the Jewish, Greek, and Roman world,
owning a cloak, some books, and parchments.
He brought out treasures new and old,
that fulfilled and surpassed them in all departments.
Under Jesus, in line with Cephas,
Plato and Virgil couldn’t touch his mantel,
or handle his thesis:
because his world unhinged at the revelation,
apocalypsis, of the Lord Jesus,
regarded according to the flesh before,
according to the Spirit thereafter-
raised in power!
Destined for tribulation, a chosen vessel,
to fight beasts of Ephesus, and powers wrestle-
a trampled flower.
In one unified event Jesus recreated the man of Tarsus,
just by faith, he rose, was baptized, washing away his sins
calling on Jesus’ name-
never the same.
His name? Less than the least of all saints,
chief of sinners, not worthy to be called an apostle:
Paul the apostle.
The end of the ages has come
according to Paul.
He who is joined to the Lord is one
according to Paul.
All Scripture is God-breathed,
now we see the mystery.
Everything is eschatology
according to Paul.
As a true dialectic he specialized on one subject:
Christ crucified- faith’s object.
A gospel not from Gamaliel,
not taught by man or angel
But by a revelation of Jesus Christ.
And after, no man could give advice.
General revelation is without a single convert,
so a man must be sent to preach the word.
From heaven God’s wrath is revealed,
and in the Law man’s sin is revealed,
but the gospel reveals righteousness
that of and from God as a free gift.
Hearing with faith is to obey the gospel,
so do not think it impossible,
beyond your grasp, you don’t have to ask,
“Who will ascend? Who will descend?”
Just open your ear, the word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart:
justification by faith from the heart,
saved with confession that Jesus is Lord.
This message hidden but preached beforehand
to Abraham and David,
is now revealed in full to reach the coastlands
and make glad the nations.
Whatever is not of faith is sin
according to Paul.
We live, move, and have our being in Him
according to Paul.
Neither circumcision,
nor uncircumcision
counts for anything
according to Paul.
Through union with Christ (Paul’s axel and atlas)
every spiritual blessing, or mercy passes.
The Father eternally foreknew certain persons,
predestined them in love for adoptions as sons
chose them without aid to be holy and have
a blameless standing- ”not destined…for wrath”
(lack of intention here implies the rest have,
just as this is active choice put negatively).
Yet for Paul there is a degree of asymmetry:
The Potter prepared the mercied beforehand,
the rest prepare themselves on the other hand.
Those whom He predestined He also called,
and justified (the ground of peace with God)
implying the gift and use of faith
with metanoia, too a granted grace.
The Spirit of promise fills the holy temple
of His individual and corporate people.
Himself the Seal for the day of redemption,
the Anointing and Pledge of our inheritance,
until God redeems His possession.
Those whom He justified He also glorified,
adoption fulfilled and sin forever mortified.
Fit like the heavenly man from inner to outer
animated by the Spirit, glory, honor, and power,
and unlike Adam, imperishable.
First there’s ”the natural, and then the spiritual”
according to Paul.
