Greetings Pipiripi,
May i point out two things before i get answering the 'think not' part?
If Jesus is our master or teacher, why then we don't obey His teaching? If we have to choose who to follow, which one do we follow, Jesus or Paul? Jesus says don't called nobody your master, because I am your only master. Paul was guide by Jesus and obey His Words.
The Apostle Paul was Apostle of Jesus Christ, called by Him and set apart by Him to do His work.
All that God said and required in the Old Testament was not challenged or defied by Jesus as He said, " I and My Father are one" John 10:30
I am one that bear witness of Myself, and the Father that sent Me beareth witness of Me.
John 8:18
And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.
John 8:20
We know that the Prophets must be taken as being sent by God and we would not consider ignoring their words because they spoke the Word of the LORD. In the same way we have the Apostles. How do we know?
Jesus said.
Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
Luke 11:49
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:42
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Acts 4:33
By Whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for His name:
Romans 1:5
That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
2Peter 3:2
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Jude 1:17
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
Revelation 18:20
(remember, this thread that you started is about answering Biblically)
So, it is never about following Paul, as you suggest, for The Apostle(s) were sent by God to fill up that which remained and men were to follow them as living examples of Jesus Christ and God.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
2Corinthians 1:5
Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
1Corinthians 11:1
And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:
1Thessalonians 1:6
We need to get serious about this if we are to quote an Apostle with what Jesus said, namely Matthew, as you have. [same for John]
Another thing is that we are not UNDER the Law but under Grace [thankfully] and we have the Law written in our hearts.
We also can be one with God and Jesus Christ as He said they will be in us and dwell with us and abide wiith us. We will be filled with the Spirit and be ministers of His. So, anyone abiding in Him will only do the same as He has always required [well, they ought to because they have both the Law and the Lawgiver and the Judge in them]
You see? We are not under the Law.
The Law remains but we are not under it.
It is not our master.
I will copy paste here what i posted in another thread recently [sorry folks, if i am repeating myself] which sort of very crudely paints the picture for you:
God made Adam - Adam [no use-by date prior to disobeying God] - sin/death - Commandments/Law + Promise/Prophecy - Jesus Christ and those who believe [no use-by date]
*no use-by date = Life
re-run:
Adam, don't or you will die
Adam does and his heart is 'severed' and he was dead 'in his heart'
All who followed (99.9999% of them) were in the same boat
They needed the Law and Commandments and the Promise and Prophets written down because they did not have it in their dead/darkened/blind hearts [note: evil hearts of unbelief = also, evil is the opposite of live - evil live or live|evil ]
God said He would send His Spirit and write His Law upon the hearts AND because He is Faithful and True, He did.
Jesus has opened the Way, being Himself the Way for all to enter. The Law of sin and death is cactus... it is done, it is finished, in and by and through Him, Who became our Propitiation for our sins, taking the whole written law against us and nailing it to His cross. He died and was resurrected, the firstborn from the dead that in Him we may have Life, eternal life with , no use-by date [and we now have His Law written in our hearts], our eyes have received sight and we no longer grope in darkness but walk in the Spirit, the Spirit of Life in Christ which has made us free from the Law of sin and death !
Which is back to, or
restored to, how Adam was, before he disobeyed.
Praise the Lord !!!
also, read this:
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in
your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and
be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard,
and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to His saints: To whom God would make known what
is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.
Colossians 1:21-29
Bless you ....><>
thanks for reading!