Who Said That?

"Thus, we look in vain for a statement in which Paul would speak about himself as an actual sinner.  When he speaks about his conscience, he witnesses to his good conscience before men and God."

OK, who said that?  You know the drill!  No google searches or cheating.  Leave your guess in the comments section.

Update on Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 04:33PM by Kim Riddlebarger

These words come from Krister Stendhal's famous essay, "The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West" (p. 91).

I guess Paul's comments in 1 Timothy 1:15 about being the worst of sinners doesn't count.  I keep forgetting that these guys don't think Paul wrote the pastoral epistles. 

Comments

[Pr. Lehmann]

It's so ridiculously stupid that it must be Joyce Meyer.

[Lane Keister]

It sounds to me a bit like E.P. Sanders, or maybe Stendahl.

[Brett]

I'm gonna go with Niel Anderson. "No longer a sinner" seems to be a theme in his work.

[GrinningDwarf]

Yeah...I think Neil Anderson is a good guess.

[Chris Sherman]

My first inclination was that of someone of the holiness movement ilk, but more likely an NPP person. But who? I don't know. Someone confused.

[DB]

I am not sure who said this, but Paul said,

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." 1 Tim. 1:15 (ESV)

How illuminating Paul is on Paul.

[Steven Carr]

My first inclination is to say someone either non-reformed or NPP, but this could be a trick question. It might be a statement of Calvin's taken out of context. It couldn't definitely be Joyce Meyer, though. She doesn't have the intellect to say, "Thus, we look in vain, etc."

[Michelle]

It may be obvious, but I'm guessing NT Wright.

[Zrim]

Pr. Lehmann,

I don't know that Joyce uses words like "Thus," or phrases like, "we look in vain..."

[Rev. Charles Lehmann]

Steven and Zrim make good points. I gave dear ole Joyce a bit too much credit. Props to DB for pointing out the obvious insanity of the quotation.

[lee n. field]

Let's play "pin the tail on the heterodoxy".

I peeked, so I won't guess.

[Mike Ratliff]

How about E.P. Sanders?

[BJ Buracker]

Yeah,I would definitely guess a NPP guy. I'd say either Wright or Sanders.

[Jason Goroncy]

Krister Stendahl

[Philip Walker]

Surely it's Finney?

[jAsOn]

My first guess was Bart Ehrman, but seeing the other responses, an NPP guy seems more likely...oh yeah I forgot, Ehrman doesn't care what Paul said.

[Ivan]

Paul?
This quote is a direct denial of the claim in Jesus' description of what comes out of every human heart [Mk 7]!!

Perhaps the quote is by someone who has some distorted view of Sanctification which over-emphasizes that we are "saints" but totally, and I might add naively neglects we are still "sinners".


Tony Evans?
Rick Warren?
Ricahrd Abanes?

Joel Osteen would affirm the first part of the statement too, but doesn't have the capacity / experience in forming any categories, so it is not him.

Good question; I refuse to cheat.
So, I guess I will have to wait.