The Apostle Paul

When looked at more closely, the younger brother and older brother show an unexpected similarity in their sins throughout the parable of the prodigal son. Keller states in his book The Prodigal God that the goal of this book is to lay the essentials of the gospel, and to either introduce or reassure the message of both this story and the gospel. This parable is thought of as one of the best readings in the Bible to help someone grasp the understanding of God’s

Both law and grace are emphasized in the Bible. The Apostle Paul writes in his book of Romans, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” In this passage the the Apostle Paul saying that no one can be saved from following God’s law. His thoughtful reasoning is that God only made the law because of our constant sinning. In the book of Matthew, Jesus states, “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus tells that his blood is the fulfillment of the covenant God made with man. What Jesus is saying because of the sacrifice anyone who believes in him will be forgiven. In the Bible it states that no one can follow the law given by God because it originated from sin but those who believes in Christ are saved because of the grace given by God.

Paul’s distinctive contribution to Christianity is his heresy- the doctrine of salvation by faith. A salvation available not just to the descendants of Abraham, but to the pagan, non-Jewish world as well. When he was writing to those in the Roman capital, Paul makes the declaration that proved to be the cornerstone of all his writings Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live

What were the key social and cultural factors that enabled the Gospel to spread so quickly through the Roman Empire? Using primary and secondary sources, discuss with particular reference to Paul’s writings and the Book of Acts.

Paul has gone on several missionary journeys, Paul first traveled to Ephesus for a short visit closer to the end of his second missionary journey which was on the positioned on the southwest coast of modern day turkey, one of the immense cities in that region of the world was Ephesus. The prosperous commercial center and home for the praising of the goddess Diana is the Roman capital. Even though Paul succulently studied at the local synagogue with the Jews and was offered to stay for a longer period of time, he arranged plans to visit them after he traveled to Jerusalem. On Paul’s third missionary journey he returned to Ephesus for a longer time period, and extended stay of three years. After Paul’s earlier success with turning John’s twelve disciples, he then spent around three months in the local synagogues teaching. There was obstruction to Paul’s doctrine that forced him to depart from the synagogues, but for a period of about two years Paul was able to remain teaching in the school of Tyrannus. The ending affect was the gospel eventually spread from Ephesus throughout Asia Minor. Eventually with the continuation of some of the local idol maker’s disturbances forced Paul to leave Ephesus. As Paul neared the end of his third missionary journey, he stopped at Miletus, meeting with the elders of the church of Ephesus. Paul has reminded the elders of his

Though Jesus was sinless and undeserving of death, he offered himself as a sacrifice in atonement for all sin (Invitation to World Religions, pg.418). Paul was always emphatic in maintaining that salvation cannot be earned by “works”, whether humans’ effort to obey the commandments in the Torah or excellent work in general. Instead, he taught that the salvation made possible by Christ’s sacrifice is a gift, the ultimate expression of God’s love and grace. Salvation is given to those who respond to God’s grace in faith, the conviction that God has acted through Jesus Christ to amend for human sin. Although Paul was very clear in teaching that salvation depends on God’s grace and the individual’s turning to God in faith, he did not dismiss the importance of works (Invitation to World Religions, pg.419). For Paul, faith does more than bringing salvation; it unites the believers with Christ in a “newness of life”. He believed that the spirit lives in believers and brings them into union with God. As a divine presence within, the spirit encourages the growth of spiritual virtues, the greatest which is love and makes all Christians one in the church often called “the body of Christ”.

Christianity over the course of history has a vast influence on individuals, society and the way believers conduct themselves. It provides morals, practices and ethics that every Christian attempts to live by. Throughout the many denominations in the Christian church, Paul of Tarsus had a significant influence on the faith. His contribution to the development and expression of Christianity is immense and can be seen to stem from his writing and missionary journeys which have implemented his ideas and interpretations onto the development of Christianity. After Jesus, Paul was arguably the most significant figure in Christianity as his teachings form a significant part of the New Testament. Like may other Pharisees of that time in history, Paul sought to suppress the early Christian movement. He accused early Christians of blaspheming against God and breaking Mosaic Law. However, Paul had a life-changing experience when he had a vision of Jesus, and he spent the remainder of his life as a missionary for the early church. Centuries after his ministry, his teachings still influence Christian theology.

It seems strange that so little is known biographically about one of the most important figures in Christian history, but this only serves to add to the mystery and grandeur surrounding the Apostle Paul of Tarsus. Much, however, is known of the time after his conversion to Christ and what he did to contribute to Christianity in this period, and it is this that leaves a greater legacy than the simple facts of his life. The contributions that he made towards the cause of Christ and the spreading and formation of Christianity are what he is perennially remembered for.

Our source of knowledge of the apostolic work of Paul comes first from the Book of Acts. The epistles written by Paul serve to further our knowledge of his mission. These letters were written to churches that he had founded or churches that were known to him. Luke’s account of Paul introduces us to the basic facts about this important biblical figure. A more complete understanding of Paul’s journeys can be gleaned from his letters. These epistles were written almost at the time they occurred and they comprise some of the earliest works contained in the New Testament.

The people were angry with Jesus in much the same way as they were Paul, however, so the trials were quite similar in scope. We also sense the Paul knew he was going to be imprisoned in much the same way that Jesus long ago foretold of his own arrest and subsequent crucifixion. 7. Identify the leaders of the Jerusalem church and the missionaries who first helped carry “the new way” into the larger world beyond the Jewish capital. There were a number of leaders from the early Jerusalem church who help carry the message outside of the region, including Philip and Stephen.

Paul wrote letters to churches and went on long, dangerous journeys in order to share the Word. Humbly serving the Lord, no matter what the cost, he became a disciple who made disciples. His personal, deep relationship with Timothy reveals the kind of atmosphere and level of commitment required in discipleship. The discipleship model Paul follows allows for a personally invested relationship between any amount of gathered people whether it be an entire church congregation, a small group, or

St Paul made an impact upon Christianity as an Apostle, a theologian and as a letter-writer. Out of the 27 books contained in the bible, Paul wrote a total of 13. Paul’s writings made a significant

Another key point is, the epistle of Ephesians teaches on redemption also the conduct of the believer. Paul put much emphasis on how to obtain access to God, unity bond, secret power that leads to putting on the whole armor of God producing a godly life. It is important to remember Paul teaches about the clarification and the explanation of family also church on how to gain strength through the Spirit. This Scripture says it best (Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT, “Now all the glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more that we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Jesus Christ through all generations forever and ever

Believers have been unified in salvation by grace and are called to live like Christ.

Paul whose name was Saul was an early Christian missionary and theologian, known as the Apostle to the Gentiles was born a Jew in Tarsus, Rome. As a minor, he was trained as a rabbi but earned his living as a tentmaker. A zealous Pharisee, he persecuted the first Christians until a vision of Jesus, experienced while on the road to Damascus, converted him to Christianity. Three years later he met St. Peter and Jesus ' brother James and was henceforth recognized as the 13th Apostle. From his base in Antioch, he traveled widely, preaching to the Gentiles. By asserting that non-Jewish disciples of Christ did not have to observe Jewish law, he helped to establish