The Bible in a MonthSample

Day 26: From Persecutor to Preacher, and the Truth That Transforms

Reading: Romans 1–16, 1 Corinthians 1–16

The Church is growing, fast. What started in Jerusalem is now moving into Judea, Samaria, and beyond, just like Jesus said it would. And the biggest plot twist of all? The man who tried to kill the movement becomes its loudest voice.

Saul of Tarsus is introduced as the guy holding coats while Stephen is stoned. He’s brilliant, zealous, and absolutely convinced that Christians are a threat to be eliminated. Until one day, on the road to Damascus, Jesus shows up in blinding light and says, “Why are you persecuting Me?”

And just like that, the persecutor becomes the preacher. Saul becomes Paul, and nothing will ever be the same.

Romans: Paul’s Deepest Dive

While traveling and suffering and preaching, Paul also writes. And Romans is his masterpiece, a sweeping, dense, beautifully crafted letter that answers the question:

How does God save messed-up people like us?

Paul starts by leveling the playing field: Everyone has sinned. No one is righteous. Religion won’t save you. Your good deeds won’t save you. But then comes the flood of grace:

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” “There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” “Nothing can separate us from the love of God.”

He explains how we’re justified by faith, adopted into God’s family, and empowered by the Spirit to live a new life. Romans is both theology for the mind and fire for the heart.

It ends with practical wisdom, how to love your neighbor, honor authority, and not cause others to stumble. The grace that saves you also shapes you. And Paul reminds the Roman church that their unity matters because the mission depends on it.

1 Corinthians: Dealing with a Messy Church

Next, we turn to 1 Corinthians, a raw and honest letter to a church struggling with almost everything imaginable. The Corinthian church was vibrant, gifted, but also deeply flawed. Paul addresses their divisions, sexual immorality, lawsuits among believers, confusion about spiritual gifts, and even arguments about the resurrection.

This letter shows us that early churches weren't perfect; they were full of messy, real people. Paul doesn't shy away from confronting their sins, but he does so with the heart of a pastor, calling them back to the truth of the gospel. He reminds them that their identity is found in Christ, not in their spiritual leaders or their spiritual experiences.

Key themes emerge: the centrality of the cross, the importance of unity in the body of Christ, the proper use of spiritual gifts for building up others, and the supreme importance of love (famously described in chapter 13). Paul firmly asserts the historical reality of Jesus' resurrection as the foundation of Christian faith and hope.

Despite their struggles, Paul offers a vision of what the church could be: a unified body, empowered by the Spirit, living out love, and proclaiming the resurrected Christ to a broken world.

What does this part of the story say about God?

That no one is too far gone. That grace is real, personal, and powerful. That God can take someone actively working against Him and turn them into a world-changing instrument of hope. And that the Church, flawed, persecuted, scattered, is still God’s Plan A to reach the world. Even when His people are messy, He is committed to their transformation and growth.

Takeaway: If Paul’s story teaches us anything, it’s this: Don’t count yourself, or anyone else, out. The grace that found him on that road is the same grace that finds you today. Your past doesn’t disqualify you. It just sets the stage for what God wants to do next. And remember, God works in the midst of imperfect people to build His perfect Church.