Who was there like Paul? Before his conversion, Paul, then known as Saul, persecuted the followers of Jesus. He was given the awesome privilege of seeing the risen Christ and went from persecuting those of the Way to being one of the persecuted. Earlier Paul, then Saul, witnessed the stoning of Stephen and held the coats of the men who accused Stephen. As an aside, when Stephen saw heaven opening up he saw Jesus standing at the right side of God. Standing not seated as usually described; a special honor for Stephen.
Paul may have spent several years after his conversion on the road to Damascus being tutored by the Master Himself. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul speaks to the simplicity of the gospel; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Paul also tells of the wonders of “The Blessed Hope.” 1 Corinthians 15:51-53,”Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”
For those who will pass/ have passed before the Blessed Hope, there is hope through the risen Christ, 42 “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.”
As for my favorite Pauline verse(s): 2 Timothy 4:6-8, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
At the end only Luke and possibly Mark were with Paul. However one quick bite of the axe and Paul was alive in Christ.
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