Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Persecuted (08/22/24)
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TITLE: The War Against Our Faith | Previous Challenge Entry
By Vashti (Rose) Hing
08/29/24 -
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I think about the Apostle Paul, whose Jewish name was Saul of Tarsus. Paul was a brilliant Jewish leader with significant influence among his people. He had studied under Gamaliel, the great Jewish scholar.
Paul believed that Jesus was a false messiah and one of the reasons for his belief was that Jesus claimed that He was God in the flesh, and that was a complete heresy for the Jewish religion. And Paul was so committed to Judaism that he hated all those who were following Jesus.
He got permission to persecute all Christians that he encountered. He was well known in the Christian community for his tyranny and hatred for them. So, they feared him.
Paul went about from city to city, talking evil about Christians, throwing them in prison, and even casting votes for their death.
But one day, when he was on his way to Damascus to capture the Christians and to have them put into prison and cast his vote for their death, as he was nearing Damascus, a bright light suddenly beamed down at him.
Acts 9:4-9 (NKJV) Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul why are you persecuting Me?"
Immediately, Paul responded, "Who are you, Lord?"
"Then the Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads."
So he, trembling and astonished, said, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"
Then the Lord said to him, "Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Isn't what God can do phenomenal? The one who persecuted the Christians will become a Christian and an apostle of Christ to the church for the gospel he sought to destroy!
In 1 Corinthians 15:9 (NKJV), Paul said, "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."
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