How Did Paul's Failure To Live The Christian Life?

Following the death of Christ, and the martyrdom of St. Stephen, the Church was under persecution from those who would rather see the message of Christ be extinguished. No greater persecutor of Christians existed than may be found in the example of Paul, “Going from houses to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison” (Acts 8:2 New International Version). Following Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul once again emerged as a prolific character in the history of the Church . He was transformed by Christ, from a destroyer of the Gospel to one who “preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus” (Acts 9:27), planting churches throughout the region. The Apostle Paul is credited with writing at least twelve books of the New Testament scriptures, and his impact on the Church and the mission of God is formidable. Through the Pauline writings, one finds an exposition of the Gospel (Galatians 2:15-21), models for worship and the administration of the sacraments (I Cor. 11), guidelines for Church leadership (I Timothy 3), and the foundational writings …show more content…
This statement also demonstrates the deep sense of humility that Paul exhibits to the church. Despite being an apostle, he remains inadequate apart from Christ. One may also find this sense of humility when Paul describes himself as coming to the church in Corinth with “ fear and trembling” (I Cor. 2:3), and as the “least of the apostles […] because I persecuted the church” (I Cor. 15:9). Despite his frailty and his sinful nature, he shares his own struggle to build empathy with his flock, while being steadfast in his pursuit to live a life defined by the Christ lives in him (Galatians 2:20). This personal ethic gives rise to his care for the people of God gathered within each of the Christian communities that he