Paul, Religion, College Term Papers.com


		Data Bases
		• Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism?

		Links
		• Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com

		Free Essays
		• Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers

Search Lots of Essays

Back to Subjects - Religion

Paul

Paul The Apostle Paul was born around the year of 3 A.D. in the Jewish community of Tarsus. When he was born, his strict Pharisee parents dedicated him to the service of God and did all they could to bring him up as good Jew. From age five to ten he studied under his father, a Jewish Pharisee. His father taught him the scriptures and traditional writing. Paul was sent to Jerusalem at about ten years old to attend the rabbinical school of Gamaliel. Gamaliel was the most famous rabbi who is mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 5:34). Gamaliel soon discovered Saul was an enthusiastic student and expected great things from him. He felt that he would be a great leader. Saul was dedicated in all his learning that he captured the heart of his teacher. He was a devoted student that had a real love for learning the scriptures and worship. When Saul was in his mid-twenties he went home to Tarsus. Saul left Jerusalem with the knowledge and experiences he learned from Gamaliel's school. Saul did not believe Jesus was the Messiah because Jesus often denounced the Pharisees and seemed to oppose all their rules. He had once heard that Jesus taught the people to disobey the rabbis and had caused chaos in the synagogues. All true Jews accused Him as enemy of Israel. Saul believed that anyone who followed Jesus should be put to death. With this thought in mind he returned to Jerusalem and offered his service to the high priest to persecute anyone who is opposed to the way of the synagogue. Saul took his job so fiercely that every worshipping assembly feared his name. He had a temper and was merciless. He was quick to punish. Saul literally dragged believers, cast them into prison, and sentenced them to death. Angered by his futile efforts to stop the spread of Christianity, Saul prepared a trip to Damascus, where he had heard many Christians were hiding. Not only were they hiding, they were also preaching Christ in the synagogues there. So, accompanied by a troop of armed temple guards, Saul rode out of Jerusalem to the city of Damascus. As they neared the outer edge of the city, a shaft of light much brighter than the noonday sun suddenly fell upon the little company. The group fell to the ground trying to protect their eyes from the blinding light. A voice from heaven spoke to Saul. "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"(Acts 9:4). Then Saul asked, "Who are you Lord?"(Acts 9:5) The voice replied, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute"(Acts 9:5). Then Saul asked what he should do. Jesus answered "But get up and go into the city, where you will be told what you must do (Acts 9:6). Saul was blinded for three days and neither ate nor drank during that time. In Damascus, there was a certain disciple named Ananias. The Lord came to him in a vision. In that dream the Lord commanded Ananias to look for Saul and put his hands on him that he may receive his sight. Ananias went out in the city of Damascus and found Saul. He did what the Lord told him to do, and Saul received his sight and was baptized. Saul was now a converted Christian. He would live a life for the cause of Christ. Paul's understanding of why Jesus had to die is clearly expressed in Paul's writings in Romans. Paul states in Romans 6:23,"first part", "For the wages of sin is death". This means that blood must be shed for sin that has been committed and Paul states in Romans 11:23 "For God has shut up all in disobedience that he might show mercy to all". This means that all men, "being sinners," are deserving of death. Paul also states in Romans 3:20. "Because, by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in his sight"; "for trough the law comes the knowledge of sin". Otherwise working hard can save no one and keeping the law because all have sinned and the wages of sin is death, therefore we must die. However it says in the last part of Romans 6:23 that the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord. It was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in the forbearance of God he passed over the sin previously committed. Of his righteousness at the present time that he might be justifier of the one whom has faith in Jesus. It also says in 2Cor 5,14. For love of Christ control us having concluded this, that one died for all therefore all died. Bibliography:

Word Count: 780