Introduction
The measure of a great man is not his bank account nor a string of degrees. A man is not
great because of what he has or who he is, but because of what he is and what he does.
Millionaires come and go and are forgotten. Kings and queens become names in dusty history
books. PhDs live and die having made little, if any, mark in the world and are soon forgotten.
Yet Paul lives in the heart of every reader of the N.T. Why was he great?
He could change when he learned he was wrong:
He was a Pharisee. Looking back on his life, he said: “I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee and profited in the Jews religion.” (Acts 23:6) He was the greatest enemy of Christ. Acts 7:57-58:
“Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.”
Acts 8:1-3:
“And Saul was consenting unto his death. … As for Saul, he made havoc on the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”
Yet Paul became the greatest advocate for Christ and the most persecuted for his change. Let us consider some reasons why Paul was great.
Paul could feel sorrow for sin:
He always felt remorse at the thought of his early life. 1 Timothy 1:12-13:
“And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
Acts 22:20:
“And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.”
He was not like so many today. He was not sorry because he got caught or marred his reputation. He had a godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10). “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” Godly sorrow is being sorry that one has sinned against God. This was Paul’s sorrow. All need the attitude of Joseph. Genesis 3:9: “How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God”?
Paul was humble, yet he had self-respect:
He was always humble before God (Philippians 3:9):
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”
Philippians 4:13:
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
1 Corinthians 9:27:
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
He always bowed his will to the will of his God. Yet, he had self-respect and demanded respect from others. (Acts 16:37) His self-respect came from knowing he was right with God.
Paul was able to compare values and choose the best:
He gave up all things - birth, position, etc. Philippians 3:7:
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
This he did that he might suffer with Christ (Philippians 3:10):
“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”
His heart was set on glorifying God and saving his own soul. If we have the disposition of Paul, we will always compare values and chose to do that which would glorify God and save our own souls.
He never looked back:
Some members are more like Demas than Paul (2 Timothy 4:10). They are more concerned with what they left behind than what is ahead. They have too much conscience to quit the Lord altogether, and not enough love for the Lord to really put Him first. Paul did not long for things behind; he reached forth to things ahead. Philippians 3:13-14:
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Paul had a purpose in life:
He was not just fighting the air (shadow boxing). 1 Corinthians 9:26:
“I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”
He knew where he was going and why. Some today do not have a sense of direction; they just drift with the tide. We must have wisdom and keep our eye on the Lord and the faith He authored. Hebrews 12:2:
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Paul had faith in the outcome:
He knew whom he trusted (2 Timothy 1:12):
“I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day.”
Today, some have said: “I just do not believe I can make it anyway,” which is an admission that they are only halfheartedly serving. We, like Paul, must fully believe the crown is ours. (2 Timothy 4:6-8)
All the money in the world cannot buy, all the prestige in the world cannot give a man what Paul had when he walked out under blue Italian skies to keep his date with the Roman headsman. But if we faithfully serve the Lord, we can face death with the same serenity, the same peace, the same confidence with which it was faced by Paul.
These are marks of a great man. Let us try to develop them in our lives.
Jesse Jenkins
