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[Nonson]

The Apostle Paul was a major force in the spreading of early christianity. It was his missionary work, his travels across the Roman Empire and the making of proselytes everywhere that Christianity is what it is today. But was Paul actually a follower of the teachings of Jesus? If we take Jesus' teachings as the measure, what do we find? You decide.

Matt. 23: 15, "15 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves."

This must be read in the sense that the Pharisees where converting people into spiritual error.

I Cor. 11: 1, " Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ." This is Paul belting the wrong doers of Corinth.

Acts. 23: 6, "6 But perceiving that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, 'Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead."

What is this?! Has Paul loudly cried that he was an apostle of Jesus, a Christian? Here now he is openly admitting that he is a Pharisee; the same group Jesus repeatedly condemned as hypocrites. Now, by his own words he, Paul, is a hypocrite. He was viscious in his attacks on his Jewish brethern, travelled extensively to make converts, but yet in the end, when the chips were down, he RENOUNCED his faith, and lay claim to being a Pharisee, precisely what he was prior to the much ballyho-ed event prior to entering Damascus. He chose the Pharisees over the Christ.

So, is it not quite clear that he never actually believed Jesus? Is it not likely that he was merely acting out a role for his own selfish interest? Who in light of Paul's denial would ever believe that Jesus called him? Stephen refused to renounce his faith, when he became the first martyr? -THE DESTROYER-