Paul proved an apt pupil. he outstripped many of his fellow students in his enthusiasm for ancestral traditions and in his zeal for the Jewish law. At that time, the Church presented a threat to all that Paul held most dear. Its worst offense was its proclamation of one who had suffered a death cursed by the Jewish law as Lord and Messiah. - Deut. 21:22-23 - The survival of Israel demanded that the followers of Jesus be wiped out.
The first martyr of the Christian Church was Stephen, one of the outspoken leaders. In the Gospel of Luke, Paul publicly associated himself with Stephen's executioners and then embarked on a campaign designed to suppress the Christians community. Paul related how he "persecuted the Church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it". - Gal. 1:13 -
At the height of Paul's campaign of repression, he was confronted on the road to Damascus by the risen Lord Jesus Christ. In an instant his life was reoriented. The Jewish law was replaced as the central theme of Paul's life by Jesus Christ. He became the leading person of the cause which he had tried to overthrow. The realization that Jesus whom he had been persecuting was alive and exalted as the Son of God exposed the weakness of the Jewish Law. He now saw that his persecuting activity had been sinful; yet the law instead of showing him the sinfulness of such a course had really led him into sin.
The Jewish Law had lost its validity. Paul's learned that it was no longer by keeping the law that a person was justified in God's sight but by faith and love in Christ. Throughout the proclamation of Christ, Paul became a venerated figure. Paul's liberating message has proved its vitality throughout the centuries. Repeatedly, when the Christian faith has been in danger of being shackled by legalism or tradition, Paul's message has allowed the gospel to set man free.
The relevance of Paul's teaching for human life today may be brought out in a summary of four of his leading themes:
1. True religion is not a matter of rules and regulations. God does not deal with men and women like an accountant ( amount, fact and figure) but He accepts them freely when they respond to His love. He implants the Spirit of Christ in their hearts so they may extend His love to others.
2. In Christ men and women have come of age. God does not keep His people on puppet strings but liberates them to live as His responsible sons and daughters.
3. People matter more than things, principles and causes. The highest of principles and the best of causes exist only for the sake of people. Personal liberty itself is abused if it is exercised against the personal well-being of others.
4. Discrimination on the ground of race, religion, class and sex is an offense against God and humanity alike.
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Sunday, May 24, 2009
I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!
I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.
HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -
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