Although he was the leading persecutor of Christians in the first years of the new faith, Paul became a believer in Jesus, and the most influential voice–after Jesus Himself–in the history of the church. In reading the Scriptures “here a little there a little” (Isaiah 28:10), one can glean much of the personal history of the apostle Paul to see that indeed he was one of the “heroes of the faith.”
Paul reveals much about himself in Acts 22:3: “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.” So we can see that he was highly educated and was also a “Pharisee, and the son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6).
But after His conversion, Paul was really a changed person. He was now a humble man. He did not flout his formal high social standing or the education he received from the finest teachers of that day. Later, in a letter to the Church at Corinth, he said, “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9).
Paul was a highly trained Jew, and his understanding of the law, tradition, Israel’s history, and God’s grace and love had to be completely rethought. As Paul went on with his ministry, later he and Barnabas got together at Antioch, and it was there that the followers of Christ were first called “Christians”(Acts 11:26).
Paul had great confidence in Christ after his conversion, even though he went through many trials that could have defeated him. He wrote of being beaten, of shipwrecks, being in the water a day and a half, in pain and weariness, fastings often, and in cold and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:25-27). Then, after all this, he said, “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (verse 28). In spite of so many burdens, Paul kept his confidence in the gospel of Christ. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
Yes, the apostle Paul was a hero of the faith, as we can see from all his epistles. Jesus Christ was first and foremost preached, often to a hostile gathering of people who did not want the gospel to be preached. Finally, Paul was at Rome. He was arrested and placed under a loose house arrest for two years, which helped him continue his missionary work even while under arrest. He was freed and traveled about for a while, but eventually he was arrested and taken to Rome for trial. He was freed again, only later to be rearrested and accused of a capital offense, perhaps simply the charge of being a Christian leader (Acts 28:30-31). As he was waiting for trial, his writings to Timothy reflected his continued confidence in Christ. He wrote, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
These words should inspire us as we run a race to attain eternal life and battle the forces of evil continually so as to finish this course of life. Paul knew, as we can know, that as we keep the faith, there is a crown of righteousness laid up for us also. God help us to be heroes of the faith as Paul was.
By Frank Denman
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