Identity Theft by Ron Cantor Page A

where is it written in the New Covenant that the Bishop of Rome would hold the seat of authority over Church doctrine—ever? Let alone, forever? If such an idea were even biblical, Jerusalem, not Rome, would have been the obvious choice, as the Acts 15 Council, the first doctrinal conference of elders and apostles, was held in Jerusalem. And of course we know that Yeshua does not return to Rome to set up His millennial kingdom, but to Jerusalem.” (See Zechariah 14:1-4.)
    “I know that some of these things are probably a bit confusing to you, David—‘Millennial Kingdom,’ ‘Jerusalem Council,’ etc. I realize that much of this is new, but just stay with me and it will all be clear in the end. The main point I want you to see here is that God never intended for there to be any central authority on earth that controlled the faith and doctrine of every believer. He alone holds all authority, and it is to Him and to His Word that men must come. People can, and should, read His Word for themselves.”
    Notes
----
    1 .   This doctrine was adopted by the Roman Catholic Church in the First Vatican Council of 1869-1870.
    2 .   G.W. Foote and J.M. Wheeler,
Crimes of Christianity
(London: Progressive Publishing Co., 1887), 123.

Chapter Eleven

N ICE J EWISH B OYS : S AUL ,
J ACOB , AND J UDAH
    “David, you asked about Paul. He is the central author of the New Covenant—at least of the letters to the congregations—and his name was actually Saul of Tarsus. He was both Jewish and a Roman citizen, not to mention a rabbi of the Pharisees. He studied under Gamaliel, one of the most respected rabbinical scholars of his day. He was so zealous for God and convinced that Jewish people who believed in Yeshua were deceived that he sought to arrest Jewish believers and even approved the stoning to death of Stephen, a leader among the first Jewish believers.”
    Acts 7:58–8:1 appeared and I made a mental note to look it up afterward. Right now, I was hanging on the angel’s every word. “However, on his way to Damascus to arrest Messianic Jews—Jews who believe in Yeshua—he was knocked to the ground and blinded by a great light. I remember that day! We angels weren’t too crazy about this guy. I mean, he was throwing Jewish believers in jail and even having some killed! But the Father said, ‘This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’ (Acts 9:15-16).
    “At the time, I quietly thought,
He deserves to suffer all right
, but couldn’t quite see how this guy would ever be preaching to the Gentiles. But, as always, Father knows best.
    “Yeshua had a little chat with Saul on the Damascus road and convinced him that he was on the wrong side of the issue. After this dramatic encounter, he became a believer and actually began to share the good news of Yeshua with Jewish people. In fact, he immediately went into the synagogues and began preaching.”
    “Wait a minute! Are you telling me that the primary writer of the New Covenant was a Jewish rabbi, 1 and that after persecuting believers, he became one himself and actually went into Jewish synagogues preaching about Yeshua?”
    “You’re starting to get it, David,” he said with a big grin.
    “Well, why don’t Jewish people know this?” I demanded.
    “That is why you are here David—to answer that exact question! But not quite yet.” He continued telling Paul’s story. “Many years later, as he traveled throughout the known world seeking to help both Jews and Gentiles discover a dynamic, personal relationship with the King of the universe, the Bible refers to the fact that he had two names.” On my screen appeared: “Then Saul, who was also called Paul…” (Acts 13:9).
    “Sadly, for centuries Christians have taught that Saul changed his name to Paul after he became a believer. In other words, he had to get rid of his Jewish name and take