Impact Of Paul Impact On Christianity

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------3
SAUL’S EARLY LIFE, BEFORE HE MET JESUS------------------------3
SAUL PERSECUTES CHRISTIANS------------------------------------4
THE CONVERSION OF SAUL----------------------------------------4
PAUL’S MINISTERIAL IMPACT ON CHRISTIANITY---------------------5
THE LASTING EFFECT OF PAUL’S MINISTRY-------------------------6
CONCLUSION----------------------------------------------------8
BIBLIOGRAPHY--------------------------------------------------9

INTRODUCTION
Saul of Tarsus led the way in persecuting Jesus’ followers and destroying the church; it was not until Jesus revealed Himself to Saul and called upon him that Saul
became one of the most influential men in the early church for Jesus’s ministry, playing an instrumental role in the development of Christianity. No person apart from Jesus himself, shaped the history of Christianity like the apostle Paul.1 Paul’s career in ministry lasted about thirty years. During his career, he shaped Christianity into what it is today. Before Christ saved Paul, he was an avid persecutor of Christians. (Acts 8:3) A religious Pharisee, who believed he was doing God’s will of the destruction of those who followed Jesus. After the road to Damascus, Paul became a zealous outspoken apostle for Jesus. He brought the Jews and Gentiles together in Christ, led successful missionary journeys, planted and developed churches, mentored disciples, and became a faithful follower for Jesus Christ.
SAUL’S EARLY LIFE, BEFORE HE MET JESUS Before the apostle Paul met Jesus, he was knows as Saul of Tarsus. His given name in Hebrew means asked for or prayed for. He was born a member of the tribe of Benjamin; his given name was the name born by the most distinguished member of that tribe in Israel history.2 Little is known about Paul’s adolescent years, but Paul asserts he was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers under Gamaliel. (Acts 22:3) Gamaliel was the most eminent Pharisaic teachers of his generations.3 Paul was a Pharisee, a Hebrew of Hebrews. (Philippians 3:5) Paul was also a tent maker by trade as the law required every boy to have a trade. It was under the training of Gamaliel that Paul learned about the law, that later led him to persecute all those who spoke of the Savior Jesus Christ, Son of God.
SAUL PERSECUTES CHRISTIANS
Before Jesus graciously softened Saul’s heart, Saul persecuted Jesus by seeking out to destroy anyone who believed Jesus to be the Son of God. (Acts 9) Saul was part of a great persecution that arose against the church, and was present when the first disciple was martyred. Stephen was a disciple of Jesus and was persecuted because of his faith. He was stoned to death when he said he saw Jesus at the right hand of God the father. (Acts 7:56) Saul is present at his death, and he agrees with the stoning of Stephen. 4 According to the scriptures they laid their coats at Saul’s feet as he approved of Stephen’s death. (Acts 7:58-8:1) Saul continued on his mission to destroy the church by going from house to house and dragging off men and women and putting them into prison. (Acts 8:3) Saul’s religious upbringing was the root cause for his persecution. He believed he was doing what was required of by the law.
THE CONVERSION OF SAUL
Saul continued his zealousness to persecute the church. He went to the high priest asking for letters addressed to the synagogues at Damascus, so if he found any women or men along the way he could bring them back to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1) While traveling to Damascus, Saul encountered a sudden bright light from heaven. The light flashed around Saul as he fell to his knees. Saul heard a voice that said to him ‘Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.’ (Acts 9:4) The voice Saul heard was Jesus Christ, who chose Saul to save Saul and bless him with an influential ministry preaching the word of God.
From the moment Saul meets Jesus, his life is changed forever. Saul immediately began to preach about Jesus proclaiming He is the Son of God. (Acts 9:20) Saul’s new belief and preaching causes a shock in Damascus because people recognized him as a former persecutor, but Saul continues to preach Jesus as the Christ.5
PAUL’S MINISTERIAL IMPACT ON CHRISTIANITY
Paul did not have a chance to know Christ first hand as the other apostles did; however, this never discouraged Paul and his influential message of Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.
Paul’s new life began on the road to Damascus; a life that would have a significant impact on Christianity. Paul made three missionary journeys in the book of Acts. Throughout his journeys, Paul preached the gospel, became a church planter, and assisted in the development of church leaders and new Christians. Paul was bold, even as a new believer. He even stirred up controversy. This would characterize Paul’s ministry the rest of his
life.6
Paul, commanded by the Lord, brings the message of the Gospel to the Gentiles. The Lord instructs Paul that He has placed him as a light for the Gentiles, so he can bring salvation to the ends of the earth. (Acts 13:47) Paul has a huge task before him. He is preaching about a Jewish Messiah, and he is a Jewish preacher preaching too many Gentiles. Until Paul’s conversion, little had been done about carrying the gospel to the non-Jews.7
The word spreads throughout the region and the Gentiles who hear the message and begin rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. 8 Most believed the Gospel should only be preached to the Jews, but because Paul followed the Lord’s command it opened the door for the Gospel to be spread all over the world. The Gentiles were looked down upon as being religiously inferior. Because the Gentiles responded to the gospel in numerous amounts; a great church evolved —a Gentile church at Antioch; their members were the first called Christians.9 A great number of people were brought to the Lord. (Acts 11:34) Many Jews who believed in the law thought the Gentiles could not be saved unless they were circumcised. (Acts 15:1) Paul believed differently, he believed the Gentiles did not need to become Jews by being circumcised to become Christians.10 Paul believed that in Christ it does not matter if you are circumcised or not. They were saved by faith in Christ, and not through their works. (Galatians 5:6) The apostle Paul changed peoples’ lives by offering them the Gospel.
Paul’s primary impact he has left on Christianity after him is through his letters, but during his own time, Paul sees himself a primary prophet to the non-Jews. He desires to bring them the message of Jesus Christ, and he does this in an extraordinary way.11 Paul’s missionary journeys total three in the book of Acts. Paul had one mission, to preach the Gospels of Jesus Christ. Paul experienced jealousy among some Jewish leadership, he was beaten, stoned, imprisoned, laughed at, and mocked, but his three missionary journeys assisted in developing Christianity. In spite of the terrible things Paul endured, he also brought the gospel to a new group of people. The Gentiles, upon hearing the word of Jesus, began rejoicing and glorifying the work of the Lord.12 Paul not only preached about the gospel on his missionary trips, but though the Lord he also performed many miracles and healings. (Acts 19:11) Paul blinds a false prophet (Acts 13:6-11), Paul heals the lame (Acts 14:8-10), Paul performed miracles, healing and casting out demons (Acts 16:18 and 19:12), and Paul heals diseases (Acts 28:8-9)
THE LASTING EFFECT OF PAUL’S MINISTRY
Paul wrote many letters throughout his ministerial career. Paul’s letters are our primary source for his life and work. They are a primary source for our knowledge of the beginning of Christianity, they are the earliest datable Christian documents, the most important of them were written between eighteen and thirty years after the death of Jesus.13 Paul’s ministry and letters hold a significant place in the history of Christianity. When the Holy Spirit had come among Paul, he became empowered to do great things for Christ. The Holy Spirit had a ministry in the life of Paul to reveal the message of God to others.14 The apostle Paul was so influential in his epistles, that in 2 Peter 3:15-16, Peter equates Paul’s epistles with scripture, those who read the scriptures recognized that Paul’s writing were accepted on the same level as Moses and the writers of the Old Testament.15
According to F.F. Bruce, two historical phenomena occurred due to Paul’s ministry. The first was the nationality of the movement. Christianity was a movement in the Jewish community in the lands of Israel; Christianity was founded and discipled by Jews. 16 Shortly after, Christianity was recognized by authorities of the Roman Empire as a predominantly Gentile Cult.17 The second phenomena that became evident after Paul’s ministry was the language of the religion. Christianity arose in Asia among people who spoke primarily Aramaic, but the foundation documents have come down a Greek—a language the apostle Paul confessed to speaking and also thinking in.18 Both of these are two aspects of the same phenomenon, and they are due principally to the energy which Paul, spread the gospel of Christ in the Gentile world from Syria to Italy, during the time that followed his conversion to Christianity.19 No other apostle has been better known for their work done in Christ’s name sake.
Christians had also been called “the way” or “follower of the way” On six occasions in the book of Acts, and all in connection with Paul, the Christian faith and community are designated “the way.” In Christ’s teaching “the way” refers to two ways that lead to two different paths—one toward light, and the other toward destruction.20
CONCLUSION
The apostle Paul was a devout religious Pharisee who demanded the strictest obedience to the law. (Philippians 3:5) He persecuted Christian men and women. Before being saved by Jesus, Paul went out of his way to look for Christians to persecute (Acts 9:2). However, once Jesus found him on the road to Damascus, his life changed forever. Jesus chose Paul to fulfill great missions in His name. Once considered zealous for his cause of religion and persecution, he became zealous for the mission of Jesus Christ. Paul later described his early Pharisee religious background as worthless compared to the infinite value of knowing Jesus Christ. (Philippians 7-8) Paul describes himself as a servant of Jesus and called to be an apostle. (Romans 1) He describes Jesus as the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the one who gives grace through faith. (Romans 1:2-6) Paul’s ministry played an instrumental role in the development of Christianity by bringing the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul planted many churches in his ministerial career. He also mentored and developed leaders and disciples. Paul is one of the most influential apostles and disciples for Jesus. He has written most of the New Testament. Paul’s impact on Christianity will continue to have a lasting effect for future generations.

Bibliography “Acts 9:29”.
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Bock, Darrell L. ACTS. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.
Bruce, F. F. “Is the Paul of Acts the Real Paul?” Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library 58. (1976): 282–305.

Bruce, F.F. Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2000.

"Matthew 19:3." Commentary in Life Application Study Bible; New International Version.
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1991. Meeks, Wayne A. PBS. n.d. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/first/missions.html

Rayburn, R.S., “Christian, Names of.” In Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. Walter A Elwell, 2nd ed., 234-236. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2001.
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