The apostle Paul was a remarkable man. After he became a Christian, he lived for approximately twenty-five years in service to the Lord. Interestingly, the Bible tells us about Paul’s conversion (Acts 9), and very little concerning the next fifteen years of his life. We begin to learn more about Paul in Acts 11 when Barnabas goes to Tarsus to request his assistance in ministering to the new converts in Antioch.
During the last decade of his life, Paul traveled nearly 8,000 miles on three missionary journeys, and over 2,000 miles as a prisoner being escorted to Rome. It is estimated that Paul helped to start at least twenty congregations of the Lord’s church in the ten years before his death. His preaching of the gospel was probably responsible for thousands of souls being saved. How ironic, seeing how Paul “was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor and an insolent man” concerning Christianity (1 Timothy 1:13).
Paul’s credentials as an apostle are overwhelming, and yet, there were false teachers, or “ministers of the devil” who were able to cast doubt concerning Paul’s apostolic authority (2 Cor. 11:15). In order to maintain/reclaim credibility Paul had to do something that made him very uncomfortable (2 Cor. 11:1). He had to list his credentials in order to show the differences between his claim to be an apostle of Christ, and the false teachers who claimed to have authority from God (2 Cor. 11:22-31).
Paul wrote, “Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:23-28).
Paul is living proof that faith without works is dead (James 2:26) and that those who live a life pleasing to God will suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12; John 15:19-20). Paul is basically saying, “Look at my scars. I have received 195 stripes from the Jews, numerous beatings from both the Romans and Gentiles, stoned and left for dead, shipwrecked three times, imprisoned, suffered from cold, I have been hungry and thirsty, etc.: all for the cause of Christ. Where are the scars of these so-called apostles? They are ministers of the devil” (2 Cor. 12-15).
Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Paul makes it obvious. A true disciple of Christ bears scars from his faithfulness. How about you? Are you a true disciple of Christ? If so, where is the hostility centered at you for your convictions? Where are those who have most certainly rejected you because of your principals? Where are the friends and family members who have alienated you because of your faithfulness to the Lord and His teaching? Where are your scars?
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