Why does mainstream Christianity lack understanding of Paul's deep doctrines?
Mainstream Christianity lacks understanding of Paul’s deep doctrines because it has settled for elementary truths and has never moved into the deeper things. Paul’s letters are written to believers, and while these doctrines are not required for salvation, God expects His children to learn, grow, and grasp all He has done for them.
Les explains that Paul always writes only to believers, not to the unsaved world, though the truth is still appropriate for them. Paul’s deep doctrines about dying with Christ and being raised with Him are not necessary for salvation; a new, untaught person can be saved without knowing them. But once a person becomes a child of God, God expects that believer to learn, grow, and gain a graphic understanding of all God has done on their behalf. The problem with so much of mainstream Christianity, Les says, is that it may have the elementaries but has never gone into the deeper things, so it consequently has no understanding of these deep doctrines Paul was privileged by the Holy Spirit to give in his letters.