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What made Paul the man he was


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I love to study the life of those who had done great exploit for God. what was it that made Paul the man he was ?

 

Paul‘s personal life is one unparalleled dedication and undistracted focus to pursue after Jesus in such a radical way. The whole of the man, his whole life and being is absorbed in this ONE thing: that I May know Him (Philippians 3:8, 14). Christ Himself is the supreme quest, the life vision, the object of Paul’s desire. Paul has but one vision, one dream, one goal, one ambition:

 

I suffer the loss of all things that I may win Christ

That I may know Him: the power of His resurrection, the fellowship of His sufferings

That I may attain

I follow after

I press towards the Mark

 

There is no aspect of God’s grace that so powerfully transform the heart that when God reveals God to the human Spirit. Paul was a strategic vessel in God’s plan for the spreading of the gospel to the gentiles. But Satan tried to hinder him but Paul was unstoppable. His secret! This is what made Paul unstoppable, this is what made Paul the man he was: his life vision was the pursuit of the intimate knowledge of the resurrected Christ in his glory

 

It has been said that the world has yet to see what God can do with a man whom He can fully possessed. Paul was such a man and the world has witnessed it effect.

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Many great men and women of God had the discipline to apply themselves to serving God.

Read about David Brainard, William Carey, Jim Elliot etc how they stuck at a task despite it being difficult.

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Paul seemed like a dedicated and focused person to begin with. He applied that to persecuting Christians before his conversion because he mistakenly believed it was the right thing to do. He's really a solid example of God's forgiveness and how even a person who once scorned Christianity can be used greatly by God.

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4 hours ago, jacquelineinfo3@gmail.com said:

what was it that made Paul the man he was

Hi  and welcome to WCFs,

My immediate thought is that it is God alone that made Saul and at the time of His choosing named him Paul turned him about to his repentance and new birth.

Saul was well educated high in the order of those that taught and enforced Rabbinical laws the Pharisees and the  under the Law of Moses. He certainly did not want of Jesus faith. He denied Him as Messiah and killed the followers of it, those that had acquired the faith  of Jesus.

 In him it was God that did the impossible,  the reconciliation to Him that is  Jesus the Christ. Jesus, in a Christophany appearance literally stopped Saul in his determined hard set heart as he traveled to get Him. The Holy Spirit I suspect was part and parcel of this turning about and after a period of three days blinded, in a total fast, and in the presence of his own  "posse" Saul was released by the Holy Spirit born again and named of God, Paul of Tarsus.

It was and still is all of God and by God for the glory of God. It is a testimony of the absolute sovereign power of God.

That is my own take on it at this time.

 

Acts 9:1-19 English Standard Version (ESV)

 

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest  and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.  Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him.  And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”  And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”  The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.  Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.  And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,  and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”  But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”  But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”  So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;  and taking food, he was strengthened.

For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

 

 

 

 

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He wasnt afraid to stand alone uncompremisingly. 

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The man himself was FULLY FOCUSED, FULLY DEVOTED, AND DETERMINED to die to self that Christ may live in him.  that what made him unstoppable . not many are prepared to lay down their life's for Christ to THAT EXTENT.

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Paul was willing to be damned to Hell if that would cause His Jewish Brethern to be saved......that is Love personified......Paul was the coolest man that ever lived......tradition says that when it was time to got to the chopping block to get his head chopped off......he ran to that chopping block.....he sang hymns when he was being taken to jail.....now that’s COOL!

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GRACE made Paul to be the man he became. See what God can do with a lump of clay?! :)

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An aspec of Paul we have all ignored is that he knew what it was to be rejected, to be dispised, rediculed and to suffer.

He was misunderstood. strawman arguments used against him and falsly accused of profiting from the gospel.

He gave up his privileged background, a career working for the ruling sanhedren to be a wandring missionary.

We know nothing of his home, if he had one, wife, family etc from the bible it appears he didn't have these.

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This is just one “small” aspect, but I still believe worthy to ponder.

Not having a family (wife and kids) probably helped him a lot to be so darn committed!  (Didn’t have to concern himself with their needs which freed him up to be completely concerned about “the church’s needs.”)

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