Paul, A Pacemaker (3) - Reaching Out

Reaching Out
PAUL, A PACEMAKER (3)

Section IV: A Pacemaker

As mentioned previously, the apostle had many admirable qualities in his life and work and we have considered his tenacity, versatility and practical ability. Now we look at his Scripture sense, spiritual life and spiritual power.

Natural qualifications, however useful in their place, are of no avail by themselves in spiritual work. They will not bring the world in obedience to Christ. Paul, however, was rich spiritually for his special work.

(4) Scripture Sense. The “sword of the Spirit” is the Word of God. Missionaries must be mighty in the Scriptures. Paul owed his knowledge of the Old Testament to his thorough training as a Jew. Though his family lived at Tarsus, a city of the Gentiles, his early religious education was carefully attended to. Afterwards as a young man, he underwent a full course of instruction in Jerusalem, and became versed both in the Scriptures and in the religious literature of the Jews, being distinguished above all his fellow students. After conversion to Christ, the Bible, as he knew it, became an illuminated book. His Scripture knowledge, thus lit up, proved a mighty weapon in missionary work. He used it with convincing power in the various synagogues, in persuading Jews and proselytes and inquirers that Jesus is the Christ. His speeches on such occasions display a familiar and thorough acquaintance with the sacred writings and show plainly the object he had in view in citing them. When he stood on his defense, he appealed to the authority of God (Acts 26). He counseled his fellow ministers to make God’s Word their rule of life.

In short, his history shows conclusively the necessity to the missionary of a sound and thorough knowledge of Bible truth. This when applied to the hearts of men, both convinces the unconverted and also strengthens babes in the faith. A missionary must let his preparation be the study of God’s Word, his own heart, and the hearts of others.

(5) Spiritual life. The apostle’s history, as a Jew, is proof positive of the fact that it is possible to be “religious” in an eminent degree, and yet to be destitute of real spiritual life. We cannot fail to be struck by the emphasis which is laid in Acts on the conversion of this future pacemaker. We have no less than three separate accounts of it, and Luke is not in the habit of wasting words.

Paul himself refers to it in his epistles, loving to dwell on it with warm gratitude. To him, it was the real starting point of his life and the first great preparation for missionary work. “Spiritual life first; then serve” is a rule plainly exemplified in his history. And his spiritual life actually started at his conversion, “And now why tarriest thou, arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins . . .” (Acts 22:16). However, his spiritual life continued and was maintained and nourished and replenished. Neither the fatigues of travel nor the friction due to constant opposition availed to interrupt or retard it. It flowed on and on, deeper and fuller all the time.

The secret is not far to seek. It lay in his habit of constant communion with God. We have dwelt already on his Bible study. We know him also to have been a man of prayer. On certain definite occasions he is seen retiring from the company of others to hold private communion with God. In seasons of sickness and trial, he went again and again to the throne of grace. The reality of a man's faith and spiritual life is nowhere so severely tested as in the mission field. Only those who are thoroughly converted, and know how to derive life and strength from God, ought to embark upon this work. But to such, missionary life brings rich opportunities.

(6) Spiritual Power. Spiritual life, for God’s missionary, must be supplemented by spiritual prayer. Before entering on evangelistic work, Paul was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Without this, he could not be a successful worker. The power to win souls does not lie in natural advantages or intellectual ability, however useful these may be. It lies in God's power through His Holy Word – the Bible.

It was in the power of God that the apostle entered upon his foreign work, defeated the forces of darkness, formed his plans of action, moved great cities, chose and appointed preachers and proclaimed the Word of God. The book of Acts is full of God’s power. We meet it on almost every page. It confronts us at every turn, and Paul's missionary history is a clear picture of the working of its energy and grace. Every worker at home and abroad ought to be filled with the Spirit, but His almighty power is nowhere more sorely needed than in the mission field. We are face to face there with the powers of darkness in their most acute forms.

Look at this crowd, for instance, gathered round a devil temple for their annual festival. The image of the demon, a monstrous shape representing a woman treading one child under foot and holding another to her mouth ready to devour it, has been decked with garlands. Many goats have been slain before the shrine, and the blood of some of them drunk warm, as it flowed from the gashed necks of the victims, by the devil dancers. The weird music, discordant and wild, goes on and on. Several devil dancers, who are supposed to have received the spirit, are whirling round and round to the strains of the music, faster and faster as the time is quickened. One of the dancers is a woman, with her hair disheveled and flowing down her back. There is a frenzied look in her excited eyes as she dances frantically round and round. Some of the spectators look on awed. Others seem careless and indifferent. Many have brought their offerings, for they seek in this way to recover from sickness or to bring rain for their crops, or relief from some malignant influence. It is a scene, once witnessed, never to be forgotten; but it represents the religion of tens of thousands in the world today. Satan and his evil spirits in such surroundings seem to rule and reign. Is there not a crying need for Christ’s messengers to be filled with the knowledge of God’s Word? Who is sufficient to cope with such things, but God himself? Is not our Lord's command reasonable, and more than reasonable, from the point of view of missionary work, when He said to His apostles, “Tarry ye in the city until ye be clothed with power from on high”? Although we do not receive the Holy Spirit in the same way as did the apostles, should we not tarry before entering the missionary field, and pray for guidance, strength and wisdom? Missionaries can never be successful if more time is spent working for Christ than spent with Him in prayer.