someone who killed and ridiculed Christians, to be the greatest Missionary apostale of all? Everyone can answer. Thanks for reading.
2007-07-13 07:34:17 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
wow lots of great answers so far. Thanks to all. :)
2007-07-13 08:11:42 · update #1
That's a very good question.
I've found out,God used (and still does) the worst of sinners for His best missions. Now that's true grace. Here are a list of people he used and what for.
Noah = Drunkard = To save animals and humans from a world wide flood.
Abraham = Lie = To begin a nation God chose as His own.
Moses = Murderer = To save His chosen people from slavery and bring His laws to the world.
David = Adultery = To be king of Israel.
Peter = Betrayer = To plant the first church and spread the Gospel.
The list goes on and on and I've skipped hundreds of bible heroes in Boothe New and Old Testament.
Most were the worst of sinners, yet all who sinned the most and turned to God, became the greatest of all God's chosen people.
2007-07-13 08:02:26 · answer #1 · answered by Sir Narnian 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I love the relationship between Paul and the original disciples of Jesus. His 12 disciples were normal guys. Fishermen and tax collectors. Not very well educated people. Paul on the other hand was pretty brilliant. He could hold his own with any of the day's philosopher's. I feel as though Christ chose him as an example that even the hardest heart can be changed into one that is loving. The man who killed many Christians because a servant of God. Very cool stuff.
2007-07-13 07:40:14 · answer #2 · answered by phil 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a Christian, but I'll respond from that perspective, as I once had it and can still grasp it.
It would be far more meaningful for God to choose someone like that, far more persuasive to use him as an example. The movement from one extreme to another seems convincing.
The problem, however, lies in just that. From one extreme... to ANOTHER. Ever heard of Paulism? There's a lot of criticism of his approach, and I feel that it only makes sense for such an unbalanced person to react by moving to the other end of the spectrum. I think he lost something in the process.
As others said, it seems Paul chose Paul...
2007-07-13 12:39:48 · answer #3 · answered by Skye 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
of all the aspects of Christianity Paul is the most intriguing I think. During the apostles' lifetime somebody came to them who never met Christ, and he became very influential. Look at how Lutheranism is essentially Paul (especially letter to the Romans), how the idea that is better not to marry but that most people probably should to contain their lust is so fundamentally christian and yet not Jesus' idea, etc. It creeps me out a little sometimes, but what are you going to do about it. Why Paul? Well, he seemed to know how to make organized religion work. As far as I understand it Peter was a charismatic preacher but not a strategic thinker (attacking the roman soldiers who came to arrest Jesus symbolizes his straightforwardness and therefore also unpolitical thinking to me), and James did not want to spread Christianity. In fact, one may very well say that Paul was the first to conceive of Christianity as a religion. After all, it was the converts he made that were first called 'christians'.
2007-07-13 07:47:48 · answer #4 · answered by Ray Patterson - The dude abides 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
God can transform the worst of any heathen blasphemer into an instrument to win souls. Once Paul surrendered in Damascus, in a divine encounter with Jesus (with God, there are no coincidences), his passion to destroy His Name became a fervent pursuit to spread it and His Good News. Paul's witness to the power & authority of Jesus' healing became a credible, moving testimony for soul winning.
And He still does that today, if we let Him have His way. Because of unbelief, His power & authority acquired by His work on the cross is not realized and is hidden to the "natural man".
2007-07-13 07:50:19 · answer #5 · answered by Dr. G™ 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
WAIT A MINUTE!!!!
Are you telling me that someone who ridicules Christians is liable to be stopped by God on the road to Damascus and roped into missionary work??!!
That does it, I'm definitely staying far away from any roads leading to Damascus! I'm just not cut out for the missionary field.... :)
2007-07-13 20:22:19 · answer #6 · answered by Jack B, sinistral 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Paul, really preached and lived what he believed. That's good, he was just on the wrong side, Look how focused, resolved, and headstrong he was for the right once he got on the right side. Beat him, put him in jail, cut his head off, he did not care, He lived for preaching the Gospel and just look at the results. We need lots of preachers like Paul today.
2007-07-13 08:24:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Paul stood at the stoning of Stephen doing nothing. Paul held the clothes of those who stoned Stephen to death; he saw him die a victorious death. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) heard Stephen's speech to the Jewish Sanhedrin accusing the Jewish leaders of rejecting God's way as their forefathers had
(Acts 6:12-7:53). Paul saw Stephen die as the first Christian martyr for Christ. Paul saw all of this yet he left Jerusalem on the road to Damascus to destroy Christians. God blinded Paul on the road and Jesus spoke to Paul. Paul's life changed from that moment on. One Word from Almighty God changes any person.
2007-07-13 07:45:05 · answer #8 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Because it doesn't add up. What would his motive be? Why would Paul 'convert,' leaving behind a position of power?
God shows Himself in illogical ways. There is no good reason for Saul to convert, except that God moved in his heart.
2007-07-13 07:39:59 · answer #9 · answered by super Bobo 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Personal spectulation;
1.Zeal
2. Being a Pharisee, Saul/Paul already beieved in people rising fromthe dead.
3.God could read his heart.
2007-07-13 07:54:29 · answer #10 · answered by jefferyspringer57@sbcglobal.net 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋