Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit (Great Lives from God's Word)

by Charles R. Swindoll

It is mainly Paul’s character I wish to paint in this mere sketch of his life, clinging closely to his side through the dramatic events that unfold in the pages of Scripture.

The steel of greatness is forged in the pit. It’s true of all of us. Don’t ever forget that, especially when you’re in the pit and you’re convinced there’s no way anything of value will come of it.

The first portrait of Paul’s life painted in Holy Scripture

we first meet him as simply a “young man named Saul,” party to Stephen’s brutal murder, standing “in hearty agreement with putting him to death” (Acts 7:58; 8:1).

Paul’s hometown was no backwoods bump in the road, but a busy metropolis of diverse culture and international commerce. Its strategic location explains its significance and success.

Located a dozen miles or so from the glistening beaches of the Mediterranean, Tarsus sits cradled by the towering Taurus range—a line of rugged mountains running from the seacoast toward the north,

Though motherless from the age of nine, as the son of a prominent tentmaker, Saul became the beneficiary of an equally rich religious and intellectual heritage.

Paul’s parents were Pharisees, members of the party most fervent in Jewish nationalism and strict in obedience to the Law of Moses.

By his thirteenth birthday, Paul had mastered Jewish history, the poetry of the psalms, and the majestic literature of the prophets. His ear had been trained to the very pitch of accuracy, and a swift brain like his could retain what he heard as instantly and faithfully as a modern “photographic mind” retains a printed page. He was ready for higher education.

Paul learned to dissect a text until scores of possible meanings were disclosed according to the considered opinion of generations of rabbis . . . Paul learned to debate in question-and-answer style known in the ancient world as the “diatribe,” and to expound, for a rabbi was not only part preacher but part lawyer, who prosecuted or defended those who broke the sacred Law.

Saul lived for the day he would become a member of the Jewish Supreme Court, called then, the Sanhedrin.

Saul, now a successful lawyer in the bustling courts of Jerusalem, was most likely part of the larger audience who heard Stephen’s defense.

The more the now-bold apostles preached the good news of Christ, the more the people were converted. Everything was changing, even long-standing traditions. Jews living in Jerusalem and pilgrims visiting from around the region were embracing Christ literally by the thousands.

These were maddening times for the Sanhedrin. Their attempt to silence the followers of Jesus by crucifying their Master had backfired. And so, incarcerating the religious fanatics seemed the best strategy to prevent further proselytizing of Jews. But not even that worked. To make matters worse for the religious officials, something miraculous happened: “An angel of the Lord during the night opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out

The Jewish leaders felt certain that crucifying Christ would end everything. They couldn’t have been more wrong. Christianity flourished following His Resurrection. Now, ablaze with the power of the Spirit, the apostles were setting Jerusalem aflame through their preaching. Their zeal was contagious and their message, convincing. It wasn’t long before the religious officials found themselves among a quickly shrinking minority. That prompted them to call an emergency meeting to determine their next move.

Understand also, a growing frustration swept through the ranks of religious officials. We read, “When the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this” (Acts 5:24).

Don’t miss the significance of that added detail. These pious leaders now feared for their lives as they sensed the tide turning against them. More and more people in the streets were saying, “Don’t touch these men. They’re telling us things we need to hear . . . things which you never told us.” The blind confidence the people of Jerusalem had placed in their leaders was now eroding as their eyes were being opened to the Truth of the Gospel.

“But Peter and the apostles answered and said, ‘We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him’ ” (Acts 5:29–32).

But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and were intending to slay them. But a certain Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people, stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time. Acts 5:33–34

Gamaliel an “unexpected ally.” In the midst of flaring tempers and irrational thinking, this wise, seasoned teacher calmly rose to his feet and warned, “Take care here. Don’t rush to judgment.” In his words: “. . . stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action should be of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God” (Acts 5:38–39).

But God graciously intervened. He used the words of a wise professor to preserve the lives of those who would later play strategic roles in the formation of the Christian church. Keep that in mind when you feel your circumstances have become hopeless. No matter what you face, God is still in control, silently and sovereignly working all things out according to His perfect plan.

As I analyze these early scenes that emerge from our first glimpses of Saul of Tarsus, three observations seem worth mentioning.

First,

no matter how you appear to others today, everyone...

Second,

regardless of what you have done, no one is beyond hope.

No amount or depth of sin in y...

trump the grace...

Third,

even though your past is soiled, anyone can find a new beginning with God.

Don’t get stuck on where you were. Don’t waste your time focusing on what you used to be. Remember, the hope we have in Christ means there’s a brighter tomorrow. The sins are forgiven. The shame is cancelled out. We’re no longer chained to a deep, dark pit of the past. Grace gives us wings to soar beyond it.

Luther, along with several notable colleagues, led what came to be known as the great Protestant Reformation—a springtide of religious freedom flowing to the whole world.

Remarkably, until that happened, the brilliant theologian lived in his misery as a revered expert in the Scriptures, yet at enmity with the God who spoke to him through them.

“The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment, the manufacture of a saint is the task of a lifetime.”2

should never forget that statement. No person, no matter how bright or how sincere or how submissive, comes to Christ and enters a world of instantaneous spiritual maturity. Becoming mature is a lifelong process. The process only begins at the moment of salvation. Conversion to Christ is the initial downbeat to an entire magnum opus, which God composes of our lives.

Augustine called Paul’s conversion “the violent capture of a rebel will.” He pictured it as being like changing the nature of a wild wolf into the spirit of a lamb. Only God could do that in a depraved soul like Saul.

How did it happen? In Paul’s own words, “I was shown mercy” (1 Timothy 1:13). One day, Mercy met the rebel Saul as he pressed toward Damascus.

Amazingly, the jolt awakens our senses and we suddenly remember that God is in control.

For more than three decades Saul controlled his own life. His record in Judaism ranked second to none. On his way to make an even greater name for himself, the laser of God’s presence stopped him in his tracks, striking him blind.

For the first time in his proud, self-sustained life, Saul found himself a desperate dependent. Not only was he pinned to the ground, he was blind. His other senses were on alert, and to his amazement, he heard a voice from heaven say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4).

Saul was convinced he had been persecuting people—cultic followers of a false Messiah. Instead, he discovered that the true object of his vile brutality was Christ Himself.

Saul, who had never been under such a blazing light or heard such a magnificent voice, answered meekly and with respect, “Who are You, Lord?” Some believe that marked the moment of his conversion. But he used the Greek word kurios, which means “lord” or “master.” It was a title of respect. “Sir” would be our term today. “Who are You, Sir?” Saul was not only blind, he was confused. The authoritative voice was one he had not heard before.

The answer hit him like the blow of a stun gun: “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

There must have been several seconds of deafening silence as Saul let in the wonder. Once that happened, he stopped believing Jesus was dead. His rebel will wa...

His mind did a turnaround that would ultimately transform him ...

So many things within Saul’s thinking changed—and changed completely. He changed his mind about God, about Jesus, about the Resurrection, about those who followed Christ.

God’s certainly no “boogey man,” but the same is true of Him. We cannot hide from or escape His presence.

Psalm 139:12 says, “The darkness and light are both alike to You.” We can’t hide from the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-encompassing God.

It’s impossible to find any single place in Scripture that reveals the one-and-only way every sinner comes to Christ.

We are so conditioned by denominational backgrounds, religious traditionalism, and narrow-thinking prejudice, we miss the point of God’s grace. We tend to require more than God does! Be careful about exacting requirements on someone who genuinely turns to the Savior.