THE LIFE OF PAUL

The life of Paul is an example of how GOD CHOOSES PEOPLE with relevant and outstanding qualifications to successfully achieve specific goals.

There are a number of examples of this in history. MOSES WAS CHOSEN because of his unique combination of early life experience in Pharaoh's court and outstanding leadership qualities. Few in Israel at that time would have been able to achieve what Moses achieved.

Before Moses, JOSEPH WAS CHOSEN by God because of his outstanding abilities which came to the fore when he was accepted as a great administrator, in the land of Egypt and was instrumental in rescuing his people. None of his brothers appeared to have the qualities required.

PAUL came from a well to do family in Tarsus and WAS WELL EDUCATED AS A JEW, "at the feet of" an eminent lawyer of the time, Gamaliel, and was a Pharisee. He was involved in the early opposition to the followers of Christ and he was present at the stoning of the early martyr, Stephen ...(Acts 8:1).

In fact he was going to Damascus to round up more followers of Jesus Christ in order to bring them back, bound to Jerusalem when HE WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE POWER OF GOD and suddenly there shined about him a light from heaven, "and as he fell to the earth , a voice said ,Saul, Saul. why persecutest thou me?".... (Acts 9:3-5).

After his 'conversion ' the Christians were fearful of him and would not have contact with him (understandably), until one Ananias, was told to go to him.... "FOR HE (PAUL) IS A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO ME, TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES AND KINGS. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL..."..Acts 9:15).

After this dramatic change in his life's direction he had a lot to learn, but he did not learn from contact with other Christians but rather from Gods revelation over a three year period in Arabia (Galatians 1:17-18.). Paul himself said, "For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it....but by the revelation of Jesus Christ."..(Gal 1:12)

A number of the others who preached the Christian faith were simple fishermen, but Paul was educated in the Law of Moses. He knew the Plan of Salvation as revealed to Abraham, and now he understood that Christ was the culmination of the promises made to King David.. (II Samuel 7:12-16).

Paul journeyed widely throughout the Roman world, but everywhere he went, he always went to the Synagogue first and preached to his people. Many believed but often he was forced to flee from their wrath. He also preached to the Greeks or Gentiles in these cities and so HIS CONVERTS USUALLY INCLUDED BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS.

On the many occasions when he spoke to these Jewish audiences he tried to show them what had been miraculously revealed to him - THAT JESUS WAS THE LONG PROMISED MESSIAH.

At the end of his life, after he had appealed to Caesar and had been sent to Rome under detention, he spoke to the Jews and other believers there about Christ. His last observation recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, on an occasion when some of the Jews he spoke to, still believed not, was to quote from Isaiah the old but prophetic words... "Well spake the Holy Spirit by Isaiah the Prophet unto our fathers, saying, Go unto this people and say, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive."....(Acts 28:25-26.....cited from Isaiah 6:9-10).