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Wow, what a great and sensical scenario you've set up. The fact is Paul *is* dead, which is why you have an authoritative body which succeeded him in order to safeguard the teachings of him, Christ, Peter and the other fathers of the Church.

If Paul was alive, of course we would listen to him, but not in opposition to the Church, but because he is part of the Church.

If Paul was alive, of course we would listen to him, but not in opposition to the Church, but because he is part of the Church.

And, since we have the words of an Apostle, those words have greater weight than any words from ANY source that might ensue and contradict the Apostle.

Those who have verified the words as coming from the Apostle are under the authority of the Apostle once they've verified those words.

As in the days of Josiah when the words of the Law were discovered. The words of God had greater weight than that of Hilkiah and the other priests who found them. (Of course...the hope is that they would submit themselves to the already revealed truth, and there would be unity.)