Paul’s tragic flaw

Paul’s tragic flaw was his belief that Jesus was immediately and triumphantly coming back to earth, for it caused him and the Church to devalue everything that didn’t promote rapid Church growth.  More specifically to our discussion, Paul’s incorrect End-Times theology caused him to devalue human sexuality.  As he told the Corinthians, sex and interpersonal commitments like marriage were to avoided if at all possible, for they took away from the time one had to witness for Jesus (1 Corinthians 7)!

In the name of expediency, the missionary task became the only task and the world was left to rot.  In such a context, issues of liberation were seen as tangents that only would distract the Church—and social justice was damned to hell.  The significance of an early return of Christ is easily seen in an issue like slavery.  Although Paul was likely against slavery as being a welcome part of the “Kingdom of God,” he clearly chose not to champion the issue for the sake of the gospel (cf., Philemon—Paul’s timid letter to a Christian slave owner on behalf of a runaway slave).  Peter went so far as to even insist that slaves reverently obey not only good masters "but also to those who are harsh" (1 Peter 2:18)!  Despite our Abolitionist reading of the Bible today, the Bible itself passed on the opportunity to be an Abolitionist document.

So how are we to respond to Paul and the other biblical writers’ tragic flaws?  The answer is to focus on the great principles of the Bible—the big ideas that hold everything together.  This is because true wisdom is only found in the timeless principles of Scripture, not the temporary, culture bound specifics that are built upon them.  As for the Abolitionists’ accomplishment, they found principles in Scripture that trumped Paul and Peter’s “don’t rock the boat” sentiments.  In this sense the Bible itself is on a spiritual journey, as the Spirit is ever restless over its flaws and our lack of comprehension.  On this journey the Bible is continually becoming the Word of God, but it only gets there to the extent the Spirit is able to illumine our stubborn minds to see beyond the page to the Word it represents.

Paul’s tragic flaw has cost the Church dearly.  Listen up, we are not ignoring our Christian duties by loving and being loved by others!  Neither is our need to be touched, held and even erotically healed anything but an embrace from Christ himself.  It is his gift to us—a gift Paul tragically missed out on.