Key Verse: “though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” Philippians 3:4-7

Everyone has a past. It must be a good feeling to be totally comfortable with your past and to live with no regrets. The problem is that we all have regrets. We all have things we have done and wish we could redo. There are so many mistakes that leave us ashamed. There are actions we try to bury but keep coming back to haunt us. What has been done, has been done and can’t be undone.

Paul is one of the great heroes of the Bible. It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Jesus who has had more of an influence on Christianity than Paul. Paul had devout Jewish parents and raised in the important port city of Tarsus. Scholars believe His father was likely a Roman general or administrator and that is why he was granted Roman citizenship. Paul’s grew up with the elite of society. Paul describes himself in Philippians 3:5 as “a Hebrew of Hebrews.” He was taught by the leading Rabbi. He had undoubtedly memorized all 613 commandments and much of the Old Testament.

As we reflect on this portion of Paul’s life, it seems he was set up to succeed. It would appear that he was in a different league to us. But this is just half of Paul’s story (or at the time Saul).

Paul’s religious life and zeal blinded him to the truth. In 1 Timothy 1:13 he writes. “I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man,…I acted in ignorance and unbelief.” Paul had been taught the Jesus as his followers were against God and so Paul obtained permission to persecute the church at home and abroad. As the crowd stoned Stephen, Paul cheered them on and held their coats. Paul’s goal was to wipe out Christians everywhere.

Have you ever believed something so strongly it has blinded you from the truth? Here we see the power of God to change a life. God took a man who intensely persecuted the Church (see Galatians 1:13) and by His grace used him to build the Church throughout the world and write much of the New Testament. Furthermore, God used his upbringing amongst the gentiles and his Jewish education to bring the gospel “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16).

If your life is full of regret and you are ashamed of the things you’ve done, remember Paul. Jesus has the power to completely turn your life around, cleanse you and give you a new start. He is the only one who can do anything about a sinful past. God promises to blot out your sins and moreover, He promises in Joel 2:25 to “repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.”

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