The Acts and Pauline Epistles, Research Paper Example

While the Lord and Paul regularly conversed, through the scriptures, the Acts and Pauline Epistles indicate that there were times when Paul communicated with Him directly. One such situation is documents in Acts 18:9.  “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.” This excerpt is related to Paul’s ministry in Corinth. He was told not to fear spreading the faith in Corinth, and as a result, Paul remained in these lands for sixth months teaching the people who under Crispus, came to believe in the faith and needed to understand more to worship properly.

In many cases, the instructions given to Paul by the Lord pertain to his duties in spreading faith and worship. However, some examples of this pertain to reminding Paul of the mighty power of the lord. In 2 Corinthians, Paul exclaims “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” This affirmation of the Lord’s power occurs shortly after Paul receives a thorn in his flesh and prays for a recovery. It is evident that this “thorn” is symbolic for an ailment, although it is not specified whether the problem is medical or spiritual. However, Paul prays three times for its removal and the Lord grants his wishes. This reminds Paul of the great power of the Lord in addition to the benefits in admitting weakness so that the Lord can help us all through these troubled times.

The commands the Lord gave to Paul often concerned his well-being and ability to communicate with others regarding the faith. In Acts 22:17-21, “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;   And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.” In this scenario, the Lord delivers Paul one of three warnings to not visit Jerusalem and to leave once he arrives. Paul is intent in disobeying the Lord because he wishes to go there to die in the name of Jesus Christ. However, the Lord counters that Jerusalem is not where Paul is currently needed and his mission will not be successful. This situation demonstrates that despite Paul’s good will, humans are not always able to listen to the Lord. While his life’s mission was to be able to teach others, this scenario indicated that Paul was unable to learn himself. As a result of this situation, Paul spent four years as a prisoner. Paul still communicated with Paul and wanting Paul to serve Him, but this situation was not ideal for Paul to spread the word. This time in prison provided Paul with needed time to reflect upon his own acts and determine whether they were truly righteous in the eyes of the Lord.

A warning of Paul’s punishment for his violation of the Lord’s will is provided in Acts 23:11. “That night the Lord stood near him and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.” Paul knew that he needed to be strong as a consequence of the trouble that he had caused in Jerusalem. The Lord tells him that he will be tried as a result of his actions, which allows Paul to gain necessary information about the trial in order to maintain an advantage. Despite the trials that Paul would face, he was told to continue spreading the gospel in Rome. This reinforces Paul’s primary responsibility of bearing witness, and teaching people to fully rejoice in the words of the Lord. This represents an additional moment in which Paul is reminded of the almighty power of the Lord, and becomes humble in his presence. Paul is apologetic for his failure to learn to heed His words when he entered Jerusalem, and he intends to compensate for this by spreading the faith while in Rome, despite the presence of many who opposed his views.

Overall, these dialogues represent the humanity of Paul, who is not always able to listen to the Lord’s words, but is able to eventually learn with His help. Paul shows us that we must to our best to follow the words of the faith and to ask the Lord for help when we find that we are not able to get through these challenges on our own. The Lord is an ever present resource that helps us gain an understanding of our lives through Him, and we should not be afraid to use Him to help guide us throughout both our joys and our transgressions. Whether the Lord has communicated with Paul directly or indirectly, He has showed us how we should follow and spread the faith.