Paul’s
Membership
A question came up dealing with Paul’s membership.
What
congregation was the apostle Paul a member of (or, identified with) during
his missionary journeys?
It depends on the time you are referring to.
In Acts 9, Paul came to
Jerusalem
and joined with them. However, he left
Jerusalem
and then went to
Tarsus
in verse 30. The next time we read of Saul or Paul is in Acts 11.
Barnabas goes to
Tarsus
to find Paul and bring him to
Antioch
, Acts 11.25-26. For a whole year Barnabas and Saul are at
Antioch
teaching the disciples. For that year, Saul was a member at
Antioch
. How could the elders at
Jerusalem
watch over his soul if he is somewhere else for a whole year? Continuing
on in Acts 13, Paul leaves
Antioch
for his first missionary journey. From Acts 13.4 to Acts 14.25-26, the
time where Paul leaves
Antioch
until his return is approximately one to two years. It is hard for me to say
the elders were accountable for Paul's soul while he was gone. Paul's
second missionary journey, from Acts 15.41 to Acts 18.22 covers about three
years. At one point he was in
Corinth
for a year and a half, Acts 18.11, so he would have been a member at
Corinth
. His third missionary journey, Acts 18.23 to Acts 21.16 may have lasted
five years. On that trip Paul remained at
Ephesus
for at least two years as he taught in the
school
of
Tyrannus
for two years, Acts 19.9-10.
My point being that Paul's membership moved with him
and where he was. I believe it is possible for a short period of time for
a person to not be a member of any specific congregation. A person while
moving, may no longer be a member of the congregation they have left behind and
not be a member of where they are going until they get there. This should
be for a limited period of time, for we have the responsibility to meet with the
saints.
Let me make one last point. The church at
Jerusalem
was a special case due to the apostles being there. Acts 15 deals with the
subject of circumcision and the apostles met with the church to discuss the
matter.
Jerusalem
was not a sponsoring church or overseeing all the other congregations.
The importance of
Jerusalem
was the apostles being there and they having the Holy Spirit. Some of our
denominational friends speak of the Jerusalem Council and compare their
conventions to the events of Acts 15. This is rubbish because they did not
meet to establish doctrine, but to declare the doctrine of Christ. When
Paul goes back to
Jerusalem
I believe it is because of this same fact. It was where some of the
apostles were and not because he was still a member there. –
Dennis Tucker
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