Scribes of Scripture - the Apostle Paul: Imitator of Christ

From: The Christian Shepherd: 2004 By: Thomas A. Roach

• 6 min. read • grade level: 7

“Be my imitators, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1 JnD).

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 2:5⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)).

We first meet Paul at the stoning of Stephen where he (then called Saul) “was consenting unto his death” (Acts 8:1¹And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Acts 8:1)).

As to his background, Paul speaks for himself: “I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus... brought up... at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God.... I persecuted this way unto the death.... I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem... to be punished.... As I made my journey... suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? And I answered, Who art Thou, Lord? And He said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest” (Acts 22:38).

A Chosen Vessel Saul learned from Ananias that he was a chosen vessel to bear the Lord’s name before the Gentiles and to suffer for His name’s sake. He learned that in persecuting believers, he persecuted the Head in heaven (Acts 9). Later on, Saul (which means “requested”) became Paul (meaning “little”). “Saul who also is called Paul” (Acts 13:9⁹Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, (Acts 13:9)).

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy.... And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant” (1 Tim. 1:12-14¹²And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; ¹³Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 1:12‑14)).

Paul’s Gospel

What formed Paul’s gospel (Gal. 2:2²And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. (Galatians 2:2); Rom. 2:16¹⁶In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:16)) was fresh revelation. He did not get it by reading the Old Testament. Six things were revealed to him from Christ in glory:

1. We are justified by faith, not by works of the law (Acts 13:38-39³⁸Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: ³⁹And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).

2. Believers are united to Christ; it is expressed by one loaf on His table (Eph. 1:22-23; 3:27; 1 Cor. 10:17¹⁷For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:17)).

3. We are to break bread in remembrance of Him till He comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26²³For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ²⁴And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁵After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. ²⁶For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. (1 Corinthians 11:23‑26)).

4. Christ will come to take us to heaven before the judgments fall on the earth (1 Thess. 4:13-18¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13‑18); 2 Thess. 2:1¹Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (2 Thessalonians 2:1)).

5. If a believer dies, he is absent from the body and present with the Lord, which is far better (2 Cor. 5:6-9⁶Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁸We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. ⁹Wherefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. (2 Corinthians 5:6‑9); Phil. 1:21,23²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23)).

6. At His coming our bodies will be changed to be like His incorruptible body of glory (Phil. 3:21²¹Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)).

“I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.... But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by His grace, to reveal His Son in me... immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia.... Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother. Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem... by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles” (Gal. 1:11-19; 2:12¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. ¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹³For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: ¹⁴And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. ¹⁵But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, ¹⁶To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: ¹⁷Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. ¹⁸Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days. ¹⁹But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. (Galatians 1:11‑19)
¹²For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. (Galatians 2:12)).

Paul’s Boast

If anyone could boast in the flesh, Paul could even more. Seven things which made him somebody in this world he counts loss and filth (see Phil. 3:5-6⁵Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; ⁶Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. (Philippians 3:5‑6)). Christ was all to him. “That I may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him.... This one thing I do.... I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8-14⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, ⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: ¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; ¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. ¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. ¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:8‑14)).

Paul’s Thorn

He had another experience affecting the rest of his life which caused him to need a thorn in his flesh, lest he become proud. “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago.... Such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God know-eth)... was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor. 12:24).