Part 1: Who Was Paul and Why He Matters
A Man of Two Names and One Turning Point
Few figures have shaped Western faith, philosophy, and history more than the Apostle Paul.
Before he became Christianity’s greatest missionary, he was its fiercest opponent.
Born Saul of Tarsus, Paul was a devout Pharisee, educated under the renowned teacher Gamaliel. He was brilliant, zealous, and determined to preserve the Jewish faith from what he saw as heresy — the movement claiming that a crucified man named Jesus was the Messiah.
Then, on a dusty road to Damascus, his world shattered.
According to his own letters, Saul was stopped by a blinding light and a voice from heaven:
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” — Acts 9:4
That encounter changed everything. The persecutor became a preacher. The skeptic became the servant. The scholar became the storyteller of grace.
From Saul to Paul — A Story of Transformation
After his conversion, Saul took the Roman name Paul, reflecting his new mission: to bring the message of Jesus not just to Israel, but to the nations.
He traveled across the Mediterranean world — planting churches, mentoring leaders, and writing letters that would become the theological backbone of the New Testament.
Paul’s life holds paradoxes that resonate across every worldview:
A religious extremist transformed by love.
A brilliant intellect who said knowledge without love is nothing.
A man imprisoned and beaten, yet writing about joy, peace, and freedom.
Whether you see him as a mystic, philosopher, or messenger — Paul’s story is one of profound inner change.
Why Paul Still Matters Today
Historically: His letters are the earliest surviving Christian writings — decades before the Gospels were compiled.
Culturally: He challenged power structures, introduced radical equality (“neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free”), and reshaped moral thought for centuries.
Spiritually: He took the teachings of Jesus and translated them into the language of everyday life — forgiveness, purpose, and hope in suffering.
Paul invites both believers and skeptics into the same question:
What if transformation isn’t just possible, but promised?
Reflection
If someone read your letters 2,000 years from now, what story of transformation would they tell?
Next in the Series
Continue the journey →
Part 2: Paul’s Letters in Order — A Complete Chronological Reading Guide
Learn how to read his 13 letters in the order he wrote them, with context, outlines, and a 10-week study plan.
