PAUL'S GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EARLY CHURCH

Paul's great contributions to the early church



Paul's great contributions to the early church

Paul's Ministry In The Early Christian Church

Paul of Tarsus is an extremely significant figure in Christianity and is said to have an unequalled place, through his key contributions of Writings and letters which now form a fundamental section of the New testament, his significance at the Council of Jerusalem and his key role in establishing Christianity its own entity as separate from Judaism.

Paul of Tarsus is considered to be the greatest missionary of early Christianity and some call him the second founder of Christianity (Harris, 1988). Through Paul's writings and missionary Journeys to the communities of Antioch, Galatians, Romans, Philippians and many more he was able to establish Christianity as a separate entity from Judaism for the first time. Up until this time Christianity was simply a sect of Judaism, but through Paul's dedication to writings and his missionary Journeys he was able to establish some of the earliest Christian communities seen as their own entity, separate from Judaism for the first time (Marrow, 1986).

One of the main contributions that led to the separation of Christianity from the Jewish Sect was the Council of Jerusalem {a meeting of Church leaders to discuss the Jewish law}. At this meeting the question was whether Gentile converts needed to be circumcised, while many were agreeing to this ideal Paul encouraged liberation from the law instead stressing that faith alone would bring salvation and there was no need for circumcision (Dockery, 2001). "All are saved through faith in Christ, rather than observance of Jewish Law." "True circumscion is not outward but rather inward circumcision of the heart in spirit and in the letter of praise is not from humans but god". This was an extremely significant development in that never before was Jewish law questioned to be second to God (Harris, 1988).

Paul also made a significant and lasting contribution to Christianity through his writings which now form over of the New Testament, through which he wrote to Christian communities about beliefs, lessons, advice and support. Through his writing Paul incorporated ideals of the theology of Christ and the Church, the salvation of God, sexual morality, marriage and encouraging liberation from Jewish Law. For we walk by faith not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love" (Gal. 5:6). "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8).

These letters are still forming a basis of Christian teaching today and are often drawn on in times of church renewal such as the Protestant and Catholic reformation. For example in His letter to the Romans Paul shows the significance of ceremonies and rituals still practiced today in reconciliation and baptism. "We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by ...