I spent over three decades in the mainstream church.
I was taught a doctrine that requires Paul to have a higher authority than either Yeshua (Jesus) or Yehova (God).

First of all, is that even possible?
Can a man, even if he is an apostle, override the things that Yeshua and Yehova told us?

Can a man, an apostle, say things that override what Yeshua said in prophecy for future times, after this apostle is no longer around?

Before we go any further, I am not a Paul-basher or a Paul-denier.
Paul was an apostle, chosen by Yeshua on the road to Damascus (instead of that Mathias guy).
Paul was inspired by the Ruach (holy spirit), and everything he said is true, inspired scripture.

So what’s the problem then?
Some (not all) of his writings are misunderstood and incorrectly taught.

Wow, really?  A knucklehead like me is going to counter accepted mainstream teachings that have been around for too many generations to count?

Yes.
Yes, I am.

Why?  Because I read scripture.
Most people are told what the bible says and means by seminary trained men.
Experts.
Educated religious leaders.
Check out Matthew 23 to see what Yeshua (Jesus) thought of educated religious leaders of His time.  Warning, it is not pretty…

Anyway, if you believe ‘the law’ has been done away with, as is taught in mainstream churches, I give you this challenge today:
1.  Read the direct quotes of God (Yehova, YHWH, Adonai, Elohim) in the bible.
2.  Read the direct quotes of Yeshua (Jesus, Messiah, the Christ) in the bible.
3.  Compare what they say to your doctrine and the things you have been taught.
4.  When you see they don’t align and are sometimes complete opposites, it is time to make a decision.
5.  Will you follow your Creator and your Savior, or will you follow what men teach about the writings of Paul?

As you study these things, pray for understanding as James 1:5-8 tells us to do:
⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

If you take on this challenge and see the disparity between mainstream doctrine and the words of your Creator and Messiah, you will wonder how this could have happened.
Don’t feel dismayed. It was a problem in the first century church, just as it is today.
Peter warned us of this problem way back then.  Unfortunately, the mainstream message violates Peter’s warning…

2Peter 3:14-18
¹⁴ Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; ¹⁵ and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, ¹⁶ as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.
¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; ¹⁸ but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.