Bible Studies
HOPE FOR YOU-- WATCH PAUL GROW!
Read (see mentioned passages)
To many Bible readers, the apostle Paul is a super-saint whom we can only admire from a distance, but never emulate, or learn from, as our model of everyday-faith. But this is a false and unnecessarily discouraging view of God’s gift to us in the life of this dangerous sinner who became saint and a mature servant. As we look at Paul’s correspondence with other new followers of Jesus, we can see his self-understanding develop and grow— from being a dangerous pre-Christian to mature and humble leader. Watch him change in this survey of his letters to friends as he explains himself to them:
@ 55 AD
“I am the least of all the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
@ 57 AD
“I know that nothing good dwells within me ... Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:18, while on the road)
@ 60 AD
Reflecting on his pre-conversion days, Paul confesses: “I, too, had reason for confidence in the flesh (religion, ethnicity, family, profession, temperament, citizenship) ... but I have come to regard these as loss.. and regard them as rubbish.... I want to know Christ....” (Phil 3:4-11, from prison in
@ 61 AD
“Although I am the very least of all the saints.... this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ....” (Eph. 3:8, from Roman prison)
@ 63 AD
“Jesus came ... to save sinners, of whom I am the greatest. For that reason I received mercy...making me an example... To God be the glory for ever and ever.” (1 Tim. 1:15-17 on his Macedonian trip.)
With this understanding of Paul as a person-under-construction, we can heed his appeal to the Corinthian Christians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
Maturity, and its nine fruits (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), bring joy to God, serenity to its practitioner, and healing in all relationships— against which there is no law! (Galatians 5:22-26).•
Print
Email
