> Add to that that nobody likes to think that they might be the ones piecemealing it. Some might say that I'm ignoring the warnings of Paul, while I might say they're ignoring the words of "Jesus" [sic] Himself.

You bring up a good point that few are going to be receptive to the idea that they're the ones piecemealing Christianity. But if you're able to step back and look at things objectively, it shouldn't be hard to self-diagnose it. Of the two alternatives you describe above, it should be obvious that, by definition, *both* perspectives involve piecemealing what the Bible says, accepting some portions of it and rejecting others.

A logically sound Christian, allegedly accepting the divine truth of the whole of the Bible, must study it (2 Tim. 2:15) and understand the meaning, context, and ramifications of the whole of it. Rather than dismissing Christ's words or Paul's, one must understand how they both fit into the big picture and then figure out where we fit into that picture individually. When Christ says that not one jot or tittle of the law shall pass, while Paul says we are not under the law but under grace (Rom. 6:14, Gal. 5:18), these are paradoxical but not contradictory statements. For a Bible-believing Christian to throw out either one is a grievous error. A big picture understanding -- examining who these statements were made to, when, why, and what God's relationship with mankind was at the time the statements were made -- is important for Christian to learn, if he is not to be self-contradictory about what he actually believes.