Paul From Law Enforcer to Gospel Champion

Document Type:Research Paper

Subject Area:Religion

Document 1

However, Paul received the revelation while on the way to Damascus that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah who was to save Israelites. His conversion was attributed to the messianic revelation that he received on his way to Damascus, which witnessed his conversion to a gospel champion. The incident prompted Paul to identify what was crucial in reinterpreting the shameful death of Jesus Christ. As the Messiah, Jesus bore the burden of punishment rested on sinners with his life, which acted as the redemption for a human. These facts explain Paul’s conversion of mind that was attributed to his sudden belief in the Messiah. There could be no compromise whatsoever of believing in the two since one had to be chosen over the other.

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The particular dilemma kept Paul in a compromising situation for a prolonged period before he encountered his salivation. Furthermore, it was contented on whether salvation could come to man by the Jewish law or by Christ. The book of Galatians explains how Paul is anxious to emphasize the apostolic authority. He is devoted to the divine origin of the mission entrusted to him (Galatians 1:1). As a result, the representatives of Judaism including Paul ganged against the church, an activity that could be termed as persecution. However, Paul’s actions of oppression majorly touched on the Hellenistic wing of the church attributed to the fact that he believed he was the zealous Pharisee for the law3. He perceived the Christian Hellenists as opposing the law by teaching salvation, which made him bring Christians to public trial and persecution.

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These acts are evident when he advocated for the first Christian martyr as stated in the book of Acts, “they all rushed at him (Stephen), dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul And Saul was there, approving his death" (7:57-8:1)4. The high priest was prohibited from sending his officers to the synagogues to arrest people whose behaviors were disapproved. The persecution of Christians was encouraged not because they believed in the wrong theology but because they were perceived as a menace to Rome and the desire of Jews to prevent a possible messianic uprising. Furthermore, it seems that Paul’s assigned task in Damascus does not match the persecution activities.

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It is impossible to align that Paul received his letters from the High Priest, which authorized him to arrest any Christian believers in Damascus. It was one way through which one could escape the jurisdiction of the High Priest including the Romans that belief that the followers of Jesus had left Judea for Damascus. On the Road to Damascus The events that occurred on the road to Damascus relate to the dramatic conversion of Apostle Paul. These events provide a clear picture of the end of the Jewish law and the transformation of a multitude of people including Paul6. Some scholars would term the particular conversion as a “ Damascus Road Experience,” which is a process that witnessed all believers follow Paul’s behavioral pattern, (Acts 9:1-9, 22:6-11, 26:9-20).

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The different accounts sum up to the details of the experience while on this road. On his way to Damascus, Paul had a letter given to him by the high priest in Jerusalem. He promoted the baptism of Paul and set him ready to be received by the disciples, (Acts 9:15-16, 22:12-16)7. It is at the same place where Paul went for three days without taking or drinking anything, where he also received his sight that had been taken away while on the road. The Damascus road experience describes the conversion process of Paul, which is somehow exceptional and even dramatic. Notably, many people receive Christ in unique life-changing events, with the majority describing the experience as a real understanding of the gospel of Jesus, which is different from Paul’s events that are unique on its own.

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However, these experiences have various similarities in that; salvation is caused by God, by his own will, and according to his purpose and plan, (Acts22: 14). His dramatic conversion is considered as the beginning of a fantastic journey that would bring thousands to Christ, which implies that everyone is commissioned to live in obedience to the Lord, (John 14:15). These also including loving one another in the Lord (1 John 2:23) and sharing Christ’s fellowship and even imitating him behaviors (Philippians 3:10)8. Spreading to the world about the beautiful teachings of Christ should be the desire of everyone. The Appearances at Damascus The first remark of Saul’s conversions is witnessed where he confesses to seeing Jesus, the savior. Saul saw Christ’s appearance(1 Cor.

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He holds that though he is dedicated to teaching the doctrine, he is not doing it out of choice. His encounter with Christ has changed him entirely and assigned him a mission that had to be fulfilled regardless of the situation. Even more, the Damascus occurrences rarely resemble a typical conversion process. These can explain how Paul claims to have seen Christ in his glory, which tells why the Damascus appearances are distinct from appearances during the Easter, which are found in the Gospel. Furthermore, in the book of Galatians, Saul relates his experiences to an apocalypse (1:12), which he refers to a glorious manifestation where Jesus revealed himself to him as the Son of God and is the same way he will appear at the end-time.

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Saul preached the doctrine of Christ, which can be justified by teachings of his resurrection. He went further and said that there are living witnesses of the resurrected Messiah including the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies. Saul taught the Greeks about the resurrection in a synagogue in Thessalonica. The scriptures he taught showed that Christ’s sufferings were of vital importance and he rises from the death had saved the humanity from their sins. A percentage of the Thessalonians believed in his teachings, and the envious Jews forced him to run away (Acts 17: 1-9). He explained to the idolaters that there was one God, whom they did not recognize. He reminded them of the final day of judgment and more so for those who had refused to repent (Acts 17:22-31).

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However, some Greeks mocked him for talking about the resurrection, which witnessed him emphasize God as the Creator of all things and He should not be compared to other creations. Paul preached of love for one another and the need to seek Christ and live lives full of repentance always11. Although some people mocked him, a few believed in his teachings. As a result, he became the most determined apostles that suffered brutal pain including persecution, which was a life of hardship while preaching the gospel. Paul believed that the same Jesus who transformed him called upon all the lost and the burdened for redemption. Furthermore, surrendering to Jesus the way Paul did could give them total control over their lives.

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