Imperfect People in the Bible Sample

Paul

The Apostle Paul, formerly called Saul, was a zealous Jew and Pharisee. His desire was to rid the world of Christianity. Instead, Jesus appears to him on the road to Damascus. This event transformed him, and he became the beloved apostle we call Paul. 

Paul was passionate about this grace he’d experienced from Jesus. So much so that he brought difficult topics to light and didn’t shy away from controversy. He played a crucial part in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. He founded many churches and wrote 13 of the 27 books that comprise the New Testament. 

Here are two takeaways from the life of Paul:

God Doesn’t Waste A Thing

Paul was a very intelligent and devout Jew. He knew his religion inside and out. He came from the right family line, did all the right things, and lived a “faultless” life in regard to the law. And in his words, “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7 NIV). Everything he learned and did in his life didn’t matter. What’s amazing about this is while Paul didn’t put confidence in his past, God absolutely used it. Everything he knew actually served him to help teach others that none of that mattered—only knowing Jesus mattered. 

Paul Was All In

From the very moment of Paul’s conversion when he was temporarily blinded on the Road to Damascus, he put his entire being into learning about Jesus. The letters he wrote to the churches he began—Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians—are full of his passion and desire to see people accept the gospel message. He wasn’t a halfway follower of Jesus  who relied on his near perfect upbringing. No, he surrendered everything and began a new life serving the Risen Savior whom he once ridiculed and mocked.

Prior to Christ intervening in Paul’s life, he did some awful things. But once Jesus saved him and called him into service to make the gospel relevant and available to all, his influence literally changed the world.