Why did the Apostle Paul believe that Jesus was God? Did he mention any reasons in his epistles?

 

The Apostle Paul did not believe that Jesus was God. There are scores of verses in his writings that show that Jesus could not have been God.

After his miraculous conversion, the book of Acts tells us that Saul (Paul’s former name) “spent several days with the disciples in Damascus” (Acts 9:19–20). What did Paul then do? Did he preach Jesus as God? Verse 20 goes on to say: “ At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Nowhere in all his writings did Paul say that Jesus is God. He never used the phrases “God the Son”, “Jesus is God” or “Jesus our God”. On the contrary, Paul talked about Jesus Christ as Lord but his Father as God, the God of Jesus Christ as the following verses show:

Ephesians 1:17 “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

Romans 1:7 “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 15:5-6 “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Colossians 1:3 “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”

2 Corinthians 11:31 “The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying.” Paul was taught well and no doubt received holy spirit to write much about God as a loving heavenly Father and his Son Jesus as a loving obedient son. He certainly was not taught about any confusing three in one God. He had no idea about a false triune mystery.

The following verse shows that Paul would not have wanted to confuse people by falsely saying that Jesus was God.

1 Corinthians 14:33 “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” (English Standard Version)

[Unless otherwis stated all Bible quotations are taken from the New International Version.]