Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

Paul spent the first part of his life in comfort, ease, and luxury. He enjoyed dual citizenship as both a Jew and a Roman, which afforded him incredible freedom to travel. Paul had a world-class education, membership in the prestigious religious group known as the Pharisees, and respect as a powerful leader who was actually given legal authority to kill people in the name of God.

However, the trajectory of his life changed radically and instantly when Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus. After Ananias baptized him, Paul went away to Arabia (see Galatians 1:17) and then returned to Damascus to share his faith. Acts 9:20 says, “He proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying ‘He is the Son of God.’” I imagine the people of Damascus were shocked. They probably thought, Isn’t this that radical Pharisee who hates followers of Jesus? What in the world is he doing? This must be a trick!

But Paul’s words were no trick, and his conversion was no deception. Soon, this former Pharisee’s faith was put to the test. He discovered a plot against his life concocted by the same Jewish leaders he had partnered with before salvation to hunt down Christians. Paul escaped Damascus and returned to Jerusalem. When he arrived, the disciples there were reasonably suspicious. After all, Paul was responsible for the torture, imprisonment, and death of some of their friends and family members.

A believer named Barnabas stepped up as a spokesman for Paul and shared Paul’s testimony with the apostles. Paul “went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:28). Once again, the Jews tried to kill him, so the apostles sent him back to his birthplace, Tarsus. Paul spent the next eight years preaching in and around Tarsus, and then Barnabas came and found him and brought him to Antioch. Acts 11:26 tells us, “In Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.”

Paul traded all the comforts of the world to serve Jesus Christ. He lost everything—his social status, friends and family, and safety and security. Paul may have even lost his wife to divorce. Leadership in the Pharisee party required marriage; after his conversion, there is no mention of Paul being married. In fact, he is emphatic that he is single, which may indicate that he was either a widower or that his devout Jewish wife divorced him upon his conversion. As a result, Paul lived most of his adult life like Jesus—a chaste, unmarried, and fatherless man fully devoted to ministry.

Today’s Reflection

What does it mean to you to be a witness for Jesus?