“We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans Chapter 8 verse 37) by Maria Sangeetha.

From June 2008 to June 2009, the church celebrated the Year of St Paul – a saint being given an extraordinary status – because he has an extraordinary role in our life and purpose. He was purposeful, committed to a Life Principle and this carried him from a blinding fall at Damascus to glory for eternity. This is the first of a three part series on the path of glory St Paul points us to.

Every human person is a masterpiece carved by the perfect hands of the Master Craftsman. God makes no second grade matter. And every creation of His is made with a grand purpose. “For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah Chapter 29 verse 11). Everyone has a claim to love, joy, peace and life in all its fullness. In fact Jesus would say that this was the very purpose of His coming – that we may “have life, and life in all its fullness” (John Chapter 10 verse 10).

Every one of us is born with not identical but equal facilities and opportunities for growth. “For with God there is no partiality” (Romans Chapter 2 verse 11). So when we look at those who “made it” successfully, we need to see what is it that makes the difference, the life principles that has propelled them to where they are.

“Imitate me as I imitate Christ”.

One of the greatest success stories in the history of our faith is that of St Paul of Tarsus. Though he was a contemporary of Jesus he was not among the chosen twelve. He did not even have that chance of seeing Jesus when he walked the earth. He would even count himself as “the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15 verse 9) and again as the “worst of sinners” having persecuted the very Body of Christ. After all his great striving for his ideals and faith, all he had been handled was humiliations and persecutions. So much so that he would say now that all he can and would boast about was of his weaknesses!

Yet what we see today is that the Church places and celebrates Paul alongside Peter, the prince of the Church, the rock on which the Church is built. He was a witness to the Lord and even experienced the third heavens! The bulk of the New Testament is the writings of Paul. It is considered that the theological foundations of the faith are largely drawn from the thought of Paul. Some even go to the extent of saying that Christianity as a religion was founded by Paul. This is debatable but the fact remains that Paul has been used mightily by God in guiding the Church from its very beginnings and 2000 years later the Church leans heavily on him as a model and guide for our journey to salvation.

LIFE PRINCIPLE – Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2nd Timothy Chapter 4 verse 7). St Paul was a man who made it! What was the secret of his phenomenal success that has seen him endure down the many centuries and generations to be an inspiration for us? All over the Pauline writings we see the conviction of Paul clearly and strongly echoed. The faith statement of St Paul is his life principle: “I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20). His life had a foundation – the Son of God who loved him so much to die a most horrific death all for love of this worst of sinners, His every decision and every experience was weighed and viewed by the perspective of the Son of God hanging on the Cross for love of him.

THE FAITH PRINCIPLE: “I live by faith”.

St Paul challenged kings and pagans, Greeks and Jews. Even the apostles were not spared! And today he challenges us: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”. We always see St Paul as a man of extraordinary confidence. Confidence is the one key factor for success, just as fear is the sure guarantee for failure. We are so conscious of our need to succeed that unwillingly we have placed ourselves as victims of fear. And fear destroys.

We are living in a world where success is projected as God. We cannot face failure. We often don’t even venture out because of the fear of failure. Fear of failure is what has effectively put the brakes on us doing the great things God has planned for us.

It is fear that the evil one always employ to destroy our lives. At Eden, Adam & Eve listening to the words of satan doubted the love of God and took on this unholy fear of God. In Genesis Chapter 3 verse 10 we read - “I heard the sound of Thee… and I was afraid”. Adam had begun running away from God. And he lost paradise that was placed in his hands. We will lose all that is precious just by fear of it. So dangerous is fear. So effective is fear in the hands of the enemy whose agenda is “to destroy, plunder and kill” (John Chapter 10 verse 10).

Jesus gave us the parable of the ten talents. Two of the servants invested well in what they received, got rich dividends and received grand rewards and honors from the master. The third servant, who failed and was rejected by the master, lost the little he had. And we see it all had to do with his attitude of fear that comes out in the few words he spoke, “Master, I knew you were a hard man…so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground” (Matthew Chapter 25 verses 24 & 25)

Why do we bury our talents? Why do we fail and our efforts end without bearing fruit? Why have we lost paradise? Because it is in fear that we step out. Because the image we have before us is of a God who is hostile to us.

THE FEAR FACTOR IS THE FAILURE FACTOR

Conversely we see with St Paul that the CONFIDENCE FACTOR IS THE SUCCESS FACTOR. Fear had no space in his vocabulary as he clearly declares: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self control” (2nd Timothy Chapter 1 verse 7).

FOUNDATION PRINCIPLE: “It had been founded on the rock” (Matthew Chapter 7 verse 25)

It would be a gross exaggeration to say that most of us have no faith or confidence. Everyone, including the atheist, lives by a faith, has an interpretation for everything from life to death and hence we could say even has a spirituality! Even for those whose lives are propelled by fear they have at some time or the other too lived in a confidence. But there is a vital difference.

What us the difference St Paul invites us to? For this we need to look within ourselves and find the answers.

We all live. Do we all live by faith? Surely there are many in fact who do live by faith… But the faith is in what? Am I living in the faith of the people I love… my parents, my friends, my business partners? Am I living in the faith of my influence, my popularity, my money, my talents? All these are limited and must pass away!

Again there are some who live by faith in their limitations, their bad experiences, the pattern of failures that they’ve drawn together. And some live by faith in ‘nothing’. They are like driftwood that must eventually decay and disappear.

“The price of God’s upward calling in Christ Jesus” (Philippians Chapter 3 verse 14).

Here is the difference of St Paul. He is clear about what his confidence is about. It was not about his talents or influence. It was definitely not about his righteousness. There was just one object for this faith and he spells it out clearly at every occasion. He lives by faith “in THE SON OF GOD WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20). He is more than a conqueror by faith “through Him who loved us” (Romans Chapter 8 verse 37). He speaks of righteousness by faith “in Jesus Christ” (Romans Chapter 3 verse 22).

Jesus assured us, “If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he see the light of the world” (John Chapter 11 verse 9). We will not fail if the light of such faith in Jesus guides us. If we must reach our goal we must “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 7). And this faith is sure and rewarding when it is “in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20).

Maria Sangeetha serves as the Youth Co-ordinator at DRCM and have been active in the DY ministry for more than 7 years.

Courtesy: Divine Voice June 2009 Issue