Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Could the Apostle Paul Get It Wrong?

Could the Apostle Paul Get It Wrong?

Last updated on: January 20, 2025 at 11:27 pm by Keith Giles

0 Comments

Could the Apostle Paul Get It Wrong? 2025-01-20T23:27:38+00:00 Keith Giles

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

IMAGE: Keith Giles

If you’ve spent any time diving into the writings of the Apostle Paul, you’ve likely wrestled with some big questions. Questions like: Could Paul ever have been wrong about something? Could his views have changed over time? And what did Paul really mean when he talked about being “in Christ”?

The Humanity of Paul

First, let’s be clear: Paul was human. He wasn’t some untouchable, infallible being floating around in the first century. He was a guy who had strong opinions, made mistakes (just ask Barnabas or John Mark), and grew in his understanding of what it meant to follow Jesus.

Even in his letters, you can see Paul wrestling with new ideas as he encounters different people and situations. For instance, his early letters, like 1 Thessalonians, are less developed theologically compared to his later writings, such as Romans or Ephesians.

So, could Paul have been wrong about something? The short answer is yes.

The longer answer? It depends on what you mean by “wrong.”

Paul might not have had a fully developed understanding of every theological nuance from the start, but that doesn’t mean his insights lack value. It means he was growing, just like the rest of us.

Who Is “In Christ”?

One of the most profound ideas Paul wrestled with was the concept of being “in Christ.” This phrase appears repeatedly in his letters and is central to understanding his theology. But what did Paul mean by it? Did he see it as a designation for only those who explicitly believed in Jesus, or was it something bigger?

In his earlier writings, Paul seems to emphasize belief as a key component. For example, in Galatians 3:26-28, he writes, “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” Here, Paul connects faith and baptism with being “in Christ.”

But later, in letters like Colossians and Ephesians, Paul’s language broadens. He starts talking about Christ as the one in whom “all things” hold together (Colossians 1:17) and describes a cosmic unity where Christ fills “everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:23). It’s almost as if Paul’s understanding of what it means to be “in Christ” expands to include not just believers, but all of creation.

Also, in the book of Acts, Paul announces to idol-worshipping pagans that God is their Father which would mean that they were the Children of God, and then he tells them that this same God is the one we all live, move and have our being in.

So, did Paul change his mind? Or was he simply growing in his understanding of what God was revealing to him?

Perhaps both.

A Theology of Growth

One thing we can learn from Paul is that theology isn’t static. It’s dynamic. Paul’s letters show us someone who is constantly learning, rethinking, and deepening his understanding of God’s love. This is a good reminder for us today. Just because we’ve always believed something doesn’t mean we can’t revisit it, question it, or even change our minds.

Take Paul’s views on the inclusion of Gentiles. Early on, he was zealous for the law and couldn’t imagine a world where Gentiles were included in God’s family without becoming Jewish first. But after his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, everything changed. He spent years rethinking his theology and came to see that “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).

This shift didn’t happen overnight. It took time, reflection, and probably some heated debates. But Paul’s willingness to grow allowed him to become one of the most inclusive voices in early Christianity.

We should also assume that Paul’s ability to change his mind didn’t end on that road to Damascus. He, like the rest of us, has permission to change what he thinks over time.

Could Paul Be Wrong?

The question isn’t just whether Paul could have been wrong. It’s whether we’re willing to embrace the same humility he did. Paul wasn’t afraid to admit when he needed to change his perspective. He wasn’t afraid to say, “I don’t have it all figured out, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:12).

So, could Paul have been wrong? Absolutely. But that’s not a bad thing. It’s a reminder that faith is a journey, not a destination. It’s about growing, learning, and being open to the Spirit’s leading—just like Paul.

What About Us?

If Paul could change his mind, why can’t we? Why do we cling so tightly to our interpretations and traditions, as if admitting we might be wrong is the ultimate failure? In reality, it’s the opposite. Being willing to question, rethink, and grow is a sign of maturity, not weakness.

So, let’s follow Paul’s example. Let’s be willing to admit when we don’t have all the answers.

Let’s stay open to the possibility that God is bigger, more inclusive, and more loving than we’ve ever imagined.

And let’s never stop growing in our understanding of what it means to be “in Christ.”

The newest book from Keith Giles, “The Quantum Sayings of Jesus: Decoding the Lost Gospel of Thomas” is available now on Amazon. Order HERE>

Keith Giles is the best-selling author of the Jesus Un series. He has appeared on CNN, USA Today, BuzzFeed, and John Fugelsang’s “Tell Me Everything.”

He co-hosts The Heretic Happy Hour Podcast and his solo podcast, Second Cup With Keith which are both available on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Podbean or wherever you find your podcast fix.

Previous Post

January 17, 2025

INNER CIRCLE: Levi Rebukes Peter

Next Post

January 22, 2025 Why I Am NOT A Creedal Christian

Recent Comments

0 | Leave a Comment

"Googled: “In psychology and everyday language, intelligence is the capacity to learn, understand, reason, think ..."

Herm

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"It's so weird to me how anyone thinks that getting basic income is in any ..."

Scott Santens

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"Sounds very much like what Pope Leo wrote in Magnifica Humanitas - a lot of ..."

ffeineandsugar

AI Is A Gateway to the ..."

"As it is written in the canonical Gospels:But as many as received Him, to them ..."

Herm

INNER CIRCLE: God’s Transcending Love

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Art Biblicism Christian Politics Cosmic Christ Deconstruction Discipleship Dispensationalism Divine Unity Ekklesia End Time Stuff Eschatology Evergreen Following Jesus Gender General Christian Topics Gnostics God's Love Gospel of Judas Gospel of Mary Gospel of Philip Gospel of the Kingdom Gospel of Thomas Gospel of Truth Hell Historical Jesus Inner Circle Investigative Reporting Islam LGBTQ Issues Marriage Mental/Emotional Health Mystery Non-Duality Philosophy Podcast Poetry Politics Poverty Preemptive Love Prophecy Psychology Quantum Theology Racism Reconstruction Satire Sex Technology Theology Uncategorized Universalism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which disciple brought his brother to Jesus, saying, 'We have found the Messiah'?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter Andrew James John

Books by This Author Books by Keith Giles

See All Titles »