Came to die for our sins and show those of us whom God would call to salvation in this age the way to repent and come out of our miseries.
SEE ALSO:
The Road to Eternal Life and Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion
PAUL
Jewish Name=Saul (Acts 8:1)
Roman Name: Paulos
Born ca. 2 BC
From the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Phil 3:5)
Son of a strict pharisee (Acts 23:6; II Tim 1:3)
Native of Tarsus of Cilicia (Acts 9:11; 21:39; 22:3)
Citizen of Rome and Freeborn (tried only in Roman courts) Acts 16:37; 22:25-28)
Probably of a wealthy family, but rejected when he left Judaism (Phil 3:8)
Tentmaker (leathermaker) (Acts 18:1-3)
Educated by Gamaliel in Jerusalem at age 12 (Acts 22:3; 26:4; Gal 1:14)
Knew Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek (Acts 21:40; 22:2)
Affiliated with Sanhedrin (Acts 8:1; 26:10)
An Apostle Romans 1:1-7; I cor 1:1; Gal 1:1; II Tim 1:11
Personal Appearance II Cor 10:1, 10; 11:6, probably had an eye problem Gal 4:13; II Cor 12:7
Trials in his ministry II Cor 11:23-28
Had a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus which transformed him from attacking Christians to preaching Christianity. The zeal he had displayed for Judaism now promoted the gospel of JC.
After spending 3 years in Arabia, he returned to Damascus to preach the message of Christ which had been directly given to Paul by Christ (I cor 9:1; 15:8; Acts 26:15-16). He fled the angry Jews and King Aretas in damascus, expecting a warmer reception in Jerusalem. In his 15 day visit he became acquainted with Peter and James, the brethren there overcame their skepticism of Paul (Acts 9:23-31). The Jews did not accept his new message.
Paul returned to home town of Tarsus, resuming trade of leathermaking while preaching (Acts 9:30; Gal 1:21). Barnabus later brought Paul to Antioch, where he ministered for a year (Acts 11:25-26). After Paul and Barnabus brought famine relief to Christians in Jerusalem they returned to their headquarters in Antioch.
Paul's early ministry, until about AD 45, is believed to be the period in which Paul faced persecution in the synagogues (2 cor 11:23-24)The president of the synagogue possessed the authority to flog anyone within its hall who contradicted the basic tenets of Judaism.
Paul's
life revolved around the central hub of the gospel which Christ commissioned him
to preach to the Gentiles, to Kings, and to Israel (Acts 9:15). His first
apostolic journey took Paul through Asia Minor, establishing churches in
Southern Galatia (Acts 13:1-14:28). After the council at Jerusalem, the
gospel travelled further west to Macedonia and Greece on Paul's second journey
(Acts 15:26-18:22). The third tour revisited churches in Asia Minor,
Macedonia, and Greece (Acts 18:23-20:2)
His 2 year imprisonment in Caesarea delayed Paul's plans to extend the ospel to Spain (Ro 15:28). He witnessed to rulers during his trial in Caesarea, which resulted in the opportunity to take his apostolic influence westward to rome. For 2 years Paul was imprisoned in his own rented home, from where he wrote epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippans. After his release, tradition claims Paul finally preached the gospel inspain.
Most historians attribute the urning of rome in AD 64 to Nero, who planned to rebuild the city with much grandeur. The citzenry violently objected, so Nero looked to the Christians for his scapegoats. Nero's madess lead to Paul's second Roman imprisonment The reality of impending death inspired Paul's second epistle to Timothy, in which he rejoices in fulfilling his commission. Tradition claims Paul was beheaded in Rome.
Rev 12:9 The Apostle John says Satan deceives the whole world. "deceives", not deceived. It started in the past and is an ongoing process that is not yet finished. Revelation shows Satan's deception will continue until God intervenes to put an end to his influence over mankind.
Satan's first seduced humanity when he deceived Eve in the form of a snake in the book of Genesis. Eve set in motion a tragic pattern that has followed ever since. Choosing to decide their own way - which is in reality nothing more than falling prey to Satan's deceptive influence (1 John 3:10) rather than the truth of God. Sin - rebellion against God's instruction - had entered the world (Rom 5:12)
Because Satan caused Eve to sin, he was truly a "murderer from the beginning" even though he did not need to physically harm her, he knew that if he could influence them to sin-to disobey God-they would bring death on themselves (Rom 6:23 wages of sin is death).
Why is the world so full of misery? Gal 6:7-8 "We reap what we sow". Our actions bring consequences. We haven't learned that some of our choices lead to tragic results regardless of our intentions.
The prophet Hosea understood the principle of cause and effect as he observed the sad spiritual state of the kingdom of Israel in the 700s B.C.(idolatry, violence and sexual immoralty were rampant in his time Hosea 2 and 4). Within a few years, the Assyrian empire swept down from the north and lay the Israelity kingdom waste.
SEE ALSO:
