Josh started chapter 7 with a story about a friend who spoke at several universities. When he arrived at one, he was surprised to find out that he was scheduled to debate with the "University Athiest". The philosophy professor was very antagonistic to Christianity. Josh's friend, Jack, was to speak first. "He discussed various proofs for the resurrection of Jesus, the conversion of the Apostle Paul, and then gave his personal testimony about how Christ had changed his life when he was a university student."
When the professor spoke he was very nervous. Since "He couldn't refute the evidence of the resurrection or Jack's personal testimony," he turned to the subject of the Apostle Paul's radical conversion to Christianity. "He used the line of argument that 'people can often be so psychologically involved in what they're combating that they end up embracing it.'" At that point Jack said, "You'd better be careful, sir, or you're liable to become a Christian."
Josh wrote that one of Christianity's most powerful testimonies is the testimony of the Apostle Paul. He was called Saul of Tarsus and, at least, one of the most ferocious opponents of Christianity. He was a "Hebrew of the Hebrews", zealous for the Mosaic law. He was taught by Gamaliel, one of the foremost teachers of the law. He called himself a "Pharisee of the Pharisees" and spoke of his zeal to persecute the infant Church.(Phil 3:3-9, Gal 1:14)
Paul was no dummy. He knew many of the writers of his day, including philosophers and poets. He was on his way to Damascus to arrest more Christians (believers of "The Way") when Christ appeared to him and asked him why he was persecuting Christ. Paul asked what Christ wanted him to do and never sought to arrest any more believers, but started teaching the doctrine he was trying to destroy! (Acts 9:1-31) In I Cor 9:1 He compared Christ's appearance to him with Christ's postresurrection appearances among the apostles (also in 15:8). Paul felt that he had to preach the gospel. (ICor9:16)
Josh continued, "We might not know all the details, chronology, or psychology of what happened to Paul on the road to Damascus, but we do know this: it radically affected every area of his life."
Josh mentioned that the "Encyclopedia Britannica" called Paul "...an intolerant, bitter, persecuting, religious bigot - proud and tempermental" before he met Christ. After Christ they described him as, "...patient, kind, enduring, and self-sacrificing."
After his conversion Paul could"...now understand that Christ's death on the cross, which appeared to be a curse of God and a deplorable ending of someone's life, was actually God through Christ reconciling the world to Himself." (Gal 3:13, II Cor 5:21) "Instead of defeat, the death of Christ was a great victory, being capped by the resurrection. The cross was no longer a 'stumbling block', but the essence of God's messianic redemption."
"Paul's missionary preaching can be summarized as 'explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead...This Jesus Whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, ' he said." (Acts 17:3) He originally didn't like Gentiles, but after he met Christ he became a missionary to the Gentiles. He also went from fighting the Church to being one of the most important writers of the New Testament Church.
Josh quoted Elias Andrews as commenting, "Many have found in the radical transformation of this 'pharisee of the pharisees' the most convincing evidence of the truth and the power of the religion to which he was converted, as well as the ultimate worth and place of the person of Christ." And Paul died a martyr for Christ.
Josh closed chapter 7 with a story about 2 professors who were going to destroy the basis of the Christian faith, but both men "became ardent followers of Jesus". They wanted to prove that the resurrection of Christ and the conversion of Paul to Christ were both deceptions, but the truth they found proved that both were true. Paul suffered for Christ for 25 years. (IICor 11:23-33) May God bless you with the same truth and understanding.
Sincerely,
Rick
When the professor spoke he was very nervous. Since "He couldn't refute the evidence of the resurrection or Jack's personal testimony," he turned to the subject of the Apostle Paul's radical conversion to Christianity. "He used the line of argument that 'people can often be so psychologically involved in what they're combating that they end up embracing it.'" At that point Jack said, "You'd better be careful, sir, or you're liable to become a Christian."
Josh wrote that one of Christianity's most powerful testimonies is the testimony of the Apostle Paul. He was called Saul of Tarsus and, at least, one of the most ferocious opponents of Christianity. He was a "Hebrew of the Hebrews", zealous for the Mosaic law. He was taught by Gamaliel, one of the foremost teachers of the law. He called himself a "Pharisee of the Pharisees" and spoke of his zeal to persecute the infant Church.(Phil 3:3-9, Gal 1:14)
Paul was no dummy. He knew many of the writers of his day, including philosophers and poets. He was on his way to Damascus to arrest more Christians (believers of "The Way") when Christ appeared to him and asked him why he was persecuting Christ. Paul asked what Christ wanted him to do and never sought to arrest any more believers, but started teaching the doctrine he was trying to destroy! (Acts 9:1-31) In I Cor 9:1 He compared Christ's appearance to him with Christ's postresurrection appearances among the apostles (also in 15:8). Paul felt that he had to preach the gospel. (ICor9:16)
Josh continued, "We might not know all the details, chronology, or psychology of what happened to Paul on the road to Damascus, but we do know this: it radically affected every area of his life."
Josh mentioned that the "Encyclopedia Britannica" called Paul "...an intolerant, bitter, persecuting, religious bigot - proud and tempermental" before he met Christ. After Christ they described him as, "...patient, kind, enduring, and self-sacrificing."
After his conversion Paul could"...now understand that Christ's death on the cross, which appeared to be a curse of God and a deplorable ending of someone's life, was actually God through Christ reconciling the world to Himself." (Gal 3:13, II Cor 5:21) "Instead of defeat, the death of Christ was a great victory, being capped by the resurrection. The cross was no longer a 'stumbling block', but the essence of God's messianic redemption."
"Paul's missionary preaching can be summarized as 'explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead...This Jesus Whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, ' he said." (Acts 17:3) He originally didn't like Gentiles, but after he met Christ he became a missionary to the Gentiles. He also went from fighting the Church to being one of the most important writers of the New Testament Church.
Josh quoted Elias Andrews as commenting, "Many have found in the radical transformation of this 'pharisee of the pharisees' the most convincing evidence of the truth and the power of the religion to which he was converted, as well as the ultimate worth and place of the person of Christ." And Paul died a martyr for Christ.
Josh closed chapter 7 with a story about 2 professors who were going to destroy the basis of the Christian faith, but both men "became ardent followers of Jesus". They wanted to prove that the resurrection of Christ and the conversion of Paul to Christ were both deceptions, but the truth they found proved that both were true. Paul suffered for Christ for 25 years. (IICor 11:23-33) May God bless you with the same truth and understanding.
Sincerely,
Rick
0 comments:
Post a Comment