From Enemy to Apostle

Before being beaten and imprisoned, planting multiple churches, and authoring much of the New Testament, Paul had no equal as a Pharisee in his dedication to the law and his persecution of the early church—but God called Paul to be an Apostle. Join Dr. Guy Waters in this twelve-part series as he identifies key moments in Paul's life and considers the essence of Paul’s God-centered theology. Paul's inspired writings and the story of his life continue to be a precious gift to the church, used by God to encourage and equip His people in every generation.

Imagine if you were a first-century Christian meeting the Apostle Paul—or Saul of Tarsus, as he was called by his Jewish name. Instead of admiring him, you likely would have feared him as you faced this violent persecutor of believers. With this fact and other details in mind, we start this study of Paul's thought with an examination of his life. Why not just jump into his theology? Because, as Dr. Waters affirms, we "can't separate Paul the theologian from Paul the man, and Scripture certainly does not." In this lesson, then, we will learn of Saul before his conversion on the road to Damascus. His life and experiences were shaped by the Lord for His purposes.