As I delved into the letters of Paul, I found his teachings to be complex and often misunderstood. In an imagined conversation by the bayou, I asked Paul about the accusations that he rejected God's law, the Sabbath, and the festivals, particularly referencing Galatians chapter 4 where he warned against observing days, seasons, and years. Paul clarified that he was addressing converted Gentiles, warning them against returning to their old idolatrous ways tied to stars and seasons, not speaking of God's Sabbath, which he would never call weak. He emphasized that people twist his words, ignoring the foundation in Genesis 2 and Leviticus 23 where God establishes His feasts. Paul pointed to his own statements in Acts 24:14, affirming his belief in all things written in the law and the prophets, and in Romans 3:31, where he declared that faith does not void the law but establishes it. Addressing Colossians 2:16-17, he explained that he urged believers not to let outsiders judge them on Sabbath or festivals, as these are shadows pointing to Christ, the ultimate reality, not something to be abolished. In Colossians 2:14, he clarified that Christ wiped out the record of debt, our sins, not the law itself, freeing us from the penalty of death, not from obedience. When asked about claims that he called the law a curse or that grace cancels obedience, Paul firmly denied it, stating that the curse is the penalty for breaking the law, not the law itself. He explained that God's grace removes the penalty and empowers obedience, as law, grace, and spirit work together. Quoting Romans 5:12, he noted that sin and death entered through one man, and in Romans 7:12, he affirmed the law as holy, just, and good, though it exposes human weakness and condemns us due to our failures, as in Romans 7:10. Paul further elaborated on Galatians 3:10, stating that those relying on the law for salvation remain under a curse because no one keeps it perfectly, and the penalty for failing is death, as in Romans 6:23. Yet, Christ redeemed us by becoming the curse for us, bearing the penalty, as in Galatians 3:13 and Deuteronomy 21:23. He warned against misusing grace, citing Romans 6:1, insisting that grace removes condemnation, not responsibility, and freedom from penalty does not mean freedom to sin. In discussing Romans 14, Paul clarified that it addresses unity, not abolishing God's law, allowing latitude in personal practices like days and foods, guided by love, not judgment. He referenced 1 Corinthians 9:19, explaining his approach of becoming all things to all men without compromising Christ's authority. Finally, in Ephesians 2:15, he noted that Christ abolished the antagonism between Jew and Gentile, not the law itself, summarizing that the curse is death, which Christ bore, freeing us for obedience through grace, with love and unity guiding fellowship.

Peter provides a significant witness to Paul's character, affirming him as a beloved brother and acknowledging the divine wisdom given to him. However, Peter also warns that some of Paul's writings are hard to understand, leading untaught and unstable individuals to twist their meaning to their own destruction. This difficulty lies not in Paul's material or authorship, but in the comprehension of his deep and nuanced teachings. Peter categorizes Paul's epistles alongside the other Scriptures, placing them in the same esteemed position as the writings of Moses and the prophets. Despite early disagreements between Paul and Peter, this testimony, given after most of Paul's epistles were written, serves as an endorsement with a caution about potential misunderstanding. Peter's validation implies that misinterpreting Paul's complex teachings, rather than the teachings themselves, poses the risk of spiritual harm.