A Three-year Sabbatical: The Ultimate "Seminary" Education

 I'll be referring largely to two passages here, so I've pulled them up in a link. Click Here or any of the scripture references in the post for the passages to pull up all in one place!

In Monday's post, we discussed the brief background of S(P)aul and his story. Paul, as he is later known, was at one time the leading zealot of "Christian" persecution (I only use quotations because Christ's followers have not yet been called Christians). After his conversion he became the "Apostle to the Gentiles" (Gal 2:8) and the single largest contributor to the writings of the New Testament. The conversion might seem sudden but there was a lot of training that took place. By looking into Paul's other writings we can gain a more comprehensive view of his story.

Immediately after Saul is converted he begins to preach the word in Damascus, right where he was. His heroic escape (Acts9:25), however, comes later in the story after his second stay in the city. Galatians 1:11-24 is Paul's defense of his authority to preach, which we mentioned in Monday's post. Not only was he called by God, but he says in v.15-17 that when he was called, he "did not consult any man" or even "go see the apostles in Jerusalem" but instead went immediately to Arabia and then came back to Damascus. During his time in Arabia, we can assume that God revealed himself in many ways to Saul, based on Barnabas' testimony in Saul's defense (Acts9:27) and his own defense in Galatians 1:11-12.

In Acts 9:27, the word for "see" translates loosely. It could mean that he physically saw with his eyes, but also that he saw with his mind or even that he "became acquainted with by experience." We also know that one of the requirements for being an "apostle" is that you personally walked with and experienced Christ (Acts 1:21 separate link). The implications of this are very important. First of all, he would have been a normal disciple had he simply been taught by the Twelve but it took him three years (Galatians 1:18) to make their acquaintance. The second reason is that in reading Paul's letters in the NT you may be tempted to question certain things. He covers topics of Christian living in more detail than Christ himself did, and in many cases, says things that we have no record of Christ saying. If you believe Paul's experience to be true you will understand that anything he said outside of what issues Christ spoke specifically to are supplemental and not contradictory. They came from Christ's personal  revelation to Paul after his own death. He was preparing Paul to go out and preach to the Gentiles and teach them how to live and the audience would be much different that Christ's audience of religious Jews.

The second bit of proof is that Saul endured incredible amounts of punishment for his beliefs. Read the 2 Cor passage for Saul's account of his sufferings. This is not Larry King bringing your opponents on his show or picketing outside your home. Saul survived life-threatening, physical torture for his faith in Christ. Had this been a lie that he had fabricated, he would have lost EVERYTHING he had built up until the point of his conversion (remember, he was an ambitions man) and then been beaten within inches of his life for nothing and stuck to his guns? No person would do that. We can assume that there was something more than Saul himself behind his ministry. Additionally, the fact that he endured all that he did and lived speaks to the power of God to deliver His servants when they are faithfully attempting to fulfill His will. 

As you read through the New Testament and find challenging passages, try to find confidence in the fact that it was truly God-inspired and not just for that society at that time. Trust that it is God's voice being given to you. We are, after all, the gentiles in the "ends of the earth" who Paul was sent to minister to. See you Sunday!