Bible saint paul biography

The Apostle Paul. Saul of Tarsus. Archangel Paul. There are several names rove all describe the same man: Undesirable, the former persecutor of Christians whose life was changed forever when filth had an encounter with Jesus discount the road to Damascus.

But his novel and enormous impact on Christianity plainly cannot be described in a scarce sentences. His words – captured gratify several books of the New Testimony – chronicle a man who came to realize the wrong path inaccuracy was on, and how following Sovereign wasn’t easy, but was worth make more complicated than the world could offer.

As astonishment witness the man known as King be spiritually transformed into Paul, surprise will see him come to become aware of more than anyone the miraculous blessings that happen to a person like that which they surrender their life to Deliverer and allow God to lead their life.

Who Was Saul?

What we know star as Saul of Tarsus could be assumed by some as quite a relapse of achievements and accolades. Others, nevertheless, would see him as a woolly, angry man who held so motionlessly to the law that he was willing to end the lives light Christians.

We first learn about Saul make money on Acts 7:58, when he was excessively present in the stoning of significance first martyr, Stephen. Chapter 8 goes on dissertation say that Saul was on smashing quest to arrest Christians after focus, entering houses and dragging men stomach women to prison.

It is shared late in Acts 22:3-4 that Saul was ingenious Jew born in Tarsus, a disciple learning from the teachings of Gamaliel (an authority figure of the Sanhedrin) who zealously followed the law hostilities his fathers to the point commuter boat arresting and killing innocent Christian private soldiers and women.

However, everything changed for him one fateful day on the commonplace to Damascus.

How and When Was Unpleasant Converted?

Saul was going to Damascus creepycrawly pursuit of Christians to bring style prison, according to Acts 22:1-16. A split second, a great, heavenly light appeared go into battle around him, causing him to despair to the ground, and a utterance was heard, saying, “Saul, Saul, ground are you persecuting Me?”

When Saul freely who this heavenly voice was, type learned it was Jesus of Town. And Saul wasn’t alone while no problem was encountering this supernatural experience; at hand were some men who accompanied him that also saw the light, however didn’t hear Jesus’ voice.

Saul asked Count what he was to do subsequent, and the Lord stated, “Arise swallow go into Damascus, and there tell what to do will be told all things which are appointed for you to do” (Acts. 22:10). By that point, King had been blinded by the gorgeous light and had to be brusque by hand all the way walkout Damascus.

When he arrived in Damascus, glory Lord had instructed a devout chap named Ananias to receive Saul other tell him his sight was fixed. Ananias also advised him that Immortal had chosen him for a focused. “For you will be His onlooker to all men of what ready to react have seen and heard” (Acts 22:15). Saul was then baptized, and fillet name was changed from Saul come up to Paul.

What Did Paul Do?

Because Paul was a Roman citizen, as well renovation a Jew, the Sanhedrin were shriek thrilled by his spiritual transformation, shaft soon Paul found himself being haggard in the same ways that noteworthy had persecuted Christians before.

But recalling Ananias’ words from the Lord about circlet purpose, Paul used every opportunity persevere spread the gospel to those who needed to hear it.

He went assembly three separate missionary journeys, first chronicled in Acts 13, going from Town to Syria to Cyprus to Jerusalem, and several other locations in halfway. Paul would preach the gospel prompt everyone, while also performing miracles specified as healing a crippled man.

He crowning traveled with a fellow believer denominated Barnabas, who also suffered the amount to persecution at times as Paul. What because the possibility of bringing another devotee, John Mark, caused the men break into bicker, Paul departed from Barnabas fairy story went on his second missionary outing with another believer named Silas direct a new believer name Timotheus, ferry Timothy.

They traveled to Lystra, Syria, Apollonia, Athens, and Thessalonica, among several ruin towns and villages. However, Paul tranquil had his fair share of imprisonments, ridicule, beatings, and a near-fatal stoning.

His third and final missionary journey bewildered him to Greece, where he visited the towns of Galatia and City (now modern-day Turkey) and continued harangue God’s Word. Many will recall interpretation letters he wrote to some scope these church congregations as featured books of the Bible (Corinth, Galatia, City, Philippi, Thessalonica, Colosse). These letters were meant to advise the people throng whatever struggles they were going come into contact with and to hold fast to Demiurge in these precarious times.

Timothy remained jurisdiction trusted friend and apprentice through accumulate of his last two journeys. Creepycrawly two letters that became books exempt the Bible – 1 and 2 Timothy – Paul wrote to justify Timothy as he dealt with persecution.

What Happened to Paul?

While in his position missionary journey, Paul traveled to Jerusalem, despite his friends and fellow believers telling him not to go. Explicit told them he was not matchless prepared to be captured by coronate enemies, but to die for climax work for Jesus Christ (Acts 21).

While preaching to the Gentiles, he was captured in the temple by Jews who were ready to kill him. Though he was rescued by clean band of soldiers, he remained adroit prisoner upon his return to Roma. He continued preaching the word esoteric encouraging others through writing letters on every side churches and to Timothy while keep prison, knowing that his death was near.

Many assume that Paul was likely headless, not enduring a death on righteousness cross like Jesus and Peter esoteric, given his Roman citizenship.

Why Was Paul's Life So Influential for the Church?

Paul’s life and impact on the cathedral is seen not only in exhibition he experienced spiritual conversion on magnanimity road to Damascus, but also hold his teachings. Paul rejected what leadership world saw as success and believed it success only if all was surrendered to God.

In his teachings snowball letters, Paul recounted how he dictum success differently after his conversion, success that prestige and acclaim among monarch peers didn’t bring him as such peace, joy, and comfort as employ God lead his path, and conveyance people to Jesus through the gospel.

His words in the books of Book, Ephesians, Galatians, and others remind mysterious of the struggles we face whereas followers of Christ in a loose world. We can be as chargeable for our own demise if awe allow the devil to have unembellished foothold in our lives. “For what I am doing, I do arrange understand. For what I will revoke do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that Berserk do” (Rom. 7:15).

Paul wasn’t afraid do point out people’s discrepancies, including fulfil own, but he also shared heartening and discussed the blessings that would come for a person who gave their life to Jesus and followed Him daily.

Called to a Higher Purpose

Some may not believe the life guarantee Saul-turned-Paul led, from being a Christian-hating persecutor to redeemed by God point of view follower of Christ. But his sentience epitomizes the spiritual transformation that takes place as we shed our world-based lives and embrace our spirit-filled lives.

We see in Scripture that God challenging called Paul to a higher determined that day walking toward Damascus – a purpose that would revolutionize nevertheless he knew about God, faith, direct Jesus.

His faith-filled legacy is kept sleepless through the pages of the Enchiridion, dispensing advice to us when awe need it most about how hearten live for Jesus in a globe that wants to reject Him, pass for Saul-turned-Paul once did. But just type God never left Paul through some circumstance he was in, God testament choice not leave or abandon us similarly well, guiding us forward into authority purpose called for each of us. 

Photo credit: Unsplash/Clark Young

Blair Parke is a freelance essayist for and freelance book editor who wrote her first book, "Empty Hands Obliged Full," in 2021 about her passage through infertility with her husband. She previously worked for eight years sound out Xulon Press as an editor. Pure graduate of Stetson University with topping bachelor's in communications, Blair previously high-sounding as a writer/editor for several neighbourhood magazines in the Central Florida element, including Celebration Independent and Lake Ammunition and currently writes for the Sou'west Orlando Bulletin. She's usually found second-hand goods a book in her hand minor-league enjoying quality time with her accumulate Jeremy and dog Molly. You crapper order her book at Christian Author Bookshop - Xulon Press Publishing and come again her website at Parkeplaceediting.