The Omaha guide., 1946-10-05
PAUL'S
AND EARLY LIFE

PERMISSION.
PAUL'S BACKGROUND
AND EARLY LIFE
LESSON TEXT-Acts 21:3e: 22.3. 81
q: 26:4. 5; Philippians 3:5, g.
MEMORY SELECTION Remembe.
now thy Creator in the days of thy you'll
-Ecclesiastes 1871.
God works through men. Wher
we study his work we study the
lives of men-an types of men
5ut all yielded to him, and used BY
him.
Paul stands out as one of the mos
.nauential characters in all history
is life and letters. which we are
10 study the next three months
I'VE had a tremendous effect Of
2 human race. Especially is thi
rue of his position and influence ii
ne Christian church.
Under God he was the one VIII
carried the gospel to the Gentil
World, and then began the gree
visionary program Of the church
.hich goes on to this very day. Hi.
.ritiogs are the steady and ey
ensive foundation Of much Of gu
-tudy and teaching Of Christian doc
i. Birthplace (Acts 21:39).
The place Of a mans birth has ?
tefinite influence on his personalit
nd usefulness. Tarsus, where Pau
gas born, was one Of the most cos.
lopolitan cities in the world of thai
.ay. 1t was a Roman province,
here men proudly held their cit
enship in the great empire. Greek.
,e language of world culture. was
ooken there.
Tarsus was a great educational
and university center. 1t was in a
rich and fertile area. 1t was at the
head of navigation on the river
Cydnus and on a great Roman high
way. 1t was the capital Of the
J%rovince.
ii. Education (Acts 22:3).
After his early training in the
home and under rabbis in Tarsus,
went to Jerusalem to study in
what vas probably the best
equipped Hebrew college of that
day, under one Of the greatest
teachers, Gamaliel.
Somewhere in his rearing he was
a trade, for every Jewish boy
esrned to support himself with his
own hands (see Acts 1879.
He was instructed in the Word 0
God, and had a consuming zeal 70
religious things. Until he was con
verted, it counted against Christian
ity, but afterward it became
flaming fire to spread the truth il
all the world.
His combined zeal and knowledg
made him a man of truly broa,
mind and tolerant spirit (Acts 5:35
39).
iii. Citizenship (Acts 22:27, 28).
The mighty power and prestige o
Rome stood behind every Roman
citizen. Paul used his citizenship
for protection. 1t helped him in hi
service for the Lord. Its prestig
vas used for Gods glory.
It is a good sign when a man i
proud of his national background
and it speaks well for the nation t
which he belongs. But Paul cam
(as every Christian does) to know
and appreciate a higher citizenship
w. Religion (Acts 1854, 81,
Though a free-born Roman cit
zen, Paul was a Jew, and loyal t
the religion Of his people. He wa
a member Of the ~strictest sect, tn
0harisees, in which his family hat
held membership for generations.
He lived consistently in the OBJ
servance Of the laws and customs 0
his religious faith, and none coult
point to any flaw in his doctrine O
failure in his life.
When he became a follower o
Christ, there was no ground OF
which anyone could dismiss his con
version and his witness as the out
break of a new viewpoint on TIL
part of a renegade Jew.
1t is to a mans credit that h,
faithfully lives up to the beliefs 0
the religion he processes. The re
suit of such sincerity will be con
version, if he, like Paul, meets
Christ and honestly faces the ques
ton Of loyalty to him.
v. Race (Phil. 3:5, g..
Paul counted it to be an honor t
be known as a Hebrew and glorieC
in the fact that he was born, trained
ana lNGu WlI144 L44QL 1d(4d4 DIS Wei
as religious circle.
No one need ever be ashamed o
his race although he may bt
ashamed of things which member.
of his race have done. But Their,
are even more things of which t.
be proud, and a man may add t
the standing of his race by Living
his own life in cleanness Of char
acter and nobility Of purpose. It i.
never a commendable thing to b
ashamed Of the race Of ones ia
Tiers.
We must remember, however
that all the things in which Pau
gloried, he found to be but refuse
when he compared them with Chris
(see Phil. 81, 81.
Everything worthwhile in a man:
life God can glorify and use. Blu
none of them, no matter how pre-
cious they may seem to be, ON.