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>>128996
Now, on the topic of Paul. Paul had a role in God's plan, and as you know, God is the great parable-teller, the Author of this grand story we know as human history aswell. The specific conditions of the world Paul found himself in was no coincidence. First Jesus came and showed everyone the wholeness of The Truth, and after that, Paul was the believer He chose to write, to teach other believers how to behave and live in this temporary broken world as the knowers of truth. Because as you know, when you choose to believe in Jesus you don't magically get powers and the ability to defeat all temptation in an instant, no, but rather it happens within you, you repent and humble yourself at first. At first you don't feel much is happening, but over time you really "DIE" to your "old self", you let go of all the shame,pride,anger,disdain,mockery that grips on your life, you "figuratively crucify" yourself by doing this. Doing it isn't easy, but once you achieve this you will see. Ask yourself, "what controls my actions - my fear, my shame, my anger? if that is the case, you haven't crucified yourself yet. When you achieve it, it really feels like as Paul says in Galatians: "it is no longer me that lives, but Christ who lives in me.". Why? Because it is no longer fear or shame that decides your actions, but the Love for God the Father that decides your actions. You understand God's heart only if you first empty yourself of all your pride and humble yourself just like Christ did. you can not achieve this only with "elite knowledge", you must humble yourself. Paul was the cleanest example of this. Paul was a person who achieved this. Once he achieved it, he moved not with his own will, but of God's. Now you might as why Paul doe. Listen, the main men of Jesus (the apostles) were not scripture professionals, lest people say "his apostles were rabbis and they made it up", no, His followers were lowly men like fishermen, laborers, a young boy, and a tax collector. Paul on the other hand was a pharisee of pharisees, he was a violent, classic stubborn jew that was taught the entirety of Scripture from his childhood, he knew the scripture like the back of his hand, and he was persecuting christians. He was on the road, on his way to Damascus to kill christians there, when Jesus appeared to him and converted paul Himself. This was to show us that even the most stubborn most calloused hearted shalom rabbi shekelstein has the ability to come to Christ if you just humble yourself. You mostly understand Paul's writings clearly only if you achieve what paul did, swallowing your pride and "crucifying your old self". So in this way Paul's writings serve as a sort of litmus test, if your heart moves the same way Paul's did, if you read the things paul did and day "yes, i would have done the same as a bearer of the truth of Christ.", then you can know that you have truly achieved it and aren't lying to yourself.