The Story of Paul _ From Enemy of the Church to Messenger Chosen by God

A man who never met Jesus in the flesh. A man who approved of the first Christian martyr's death. A man who hunted believers, dragged them from their homes, and threw them into prison. This man wrote half of the New Testament and defined Christian theology for two thousand years.In this episode, I tell the story of Paul, the most influential Christian who never walked with Jesus during his earthly ministry. Saul of Tarsus was a Pharisee of Pharisees, trained under Gamaliel, zealous for the law. He watched the coats of the men who stoned Stephen. He breathed threats and murder against the disciples. Then, on the road to Damascus, a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground. A voice said: Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? He was blind for three days. He ate nothing. Then a disciple named Ananias laid hands on him, and scales fell from his eyes.Paul spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel he once tried to destroy. He was beaten, shipwrecked, stoned, and left for dead. He was imprisoned in Rome and, according to tradition, beheaded by Nero. He wrote letters to churches that became scripture. He was the apostle to the Gentiles. And he never stopped calling himself the chief of sinners.Turn down the lights, put on your headphones, and press play because the greatest enemy of the church became its greatest messenger, and that is the gospel in one sentence.