HOPE! - Paul... A Gentle Apostle?

Within Paul’s letters we can see that while Paul is passionate and firm in his faith and in the life he now lives in Christ, he also knows humility and gentleness. He recognized that he does not deserve this calling that he has received from God. He writes of how he used to be an enemy of the church, persecuting it, but that God in His mercy called him out of this life and made him to be an apostle of Christ to the Gentiles. He is humbled by God’s gentleness and grace towards him, and by the great privilege he has to proclaim the good news of Christ to the world.

He knows that he is unworthy of all he has received. He says in 1st Corinthians, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.” He recognizes that it is only by God’s grace that he has become an apostle of Christ. And there is hope for a violent man like Paul to be transformed into the gentle likeness of Christ – then there is hope for us!

He also describes Christ and how Christ came to earth in gentle humility, even though He was God. Paul says that we all must become like Christ, gently serving one another. Paul has applied this to his own life, and he calls on other believers to do the same. He includes himself in this command. He is not exempt. Just as Christ did not refuse to let go of His authority and position as God, so should we who follow Christ be willing to give up our place in life for the sake of Christ, considering all others to be of greater worth than ourselves. We must also be willing to give up our lives in order to be a gentle servant like Christ was. For Paul, this was likely true in the literal sense as well as spiritually. Just as Christ “humbled himself and became obedient to death” so also it is commonly believed that Paul was beheaded for the sake of Christ his Lord.