What were Paul's creditials in the fact he was called to serve Christ. He was Jew and qualified as a priest. He was from Tarsus. He knew not the apostles but he did meet them. He was blinded by a great light and voice within that light ask Paul why he persecuted him. Acts 9 tells his testimony. Yet by what creditials did Paul preach. He was a scholar and he knew his Old Testament as any Hebrew man would have known it. He persecuted the church. It was not the way the Christians died that convicted him, or how they sang as they walked to prison, it was light of Jesus that blinded him that caused him to stop and not only stop but he had to wait for his healing of the removing of scales from his eyes.

What convicts a man to go and suffer as he had caused others to suffer? What caused him to turn around, it is his experience of Lord speaking to him that convicted him of his sin. Paul waited before going and seeing the disciples but he had knowledge of Christ through Scrolls we call today Old Testament scripture. He had knowledge of personal experience of his call, he also had conviction of faith to believe in Jesus who would teach by His Spirit. It was enough. If you are called into ministry in a formal position what is it going to take for you to began to preach. Many say Seminary is required. Paul probably did not attend a seminary but probably had some form of secondary education about the Jewish faith already. Why am I laying heavy on this education, to preach to a crowd you only have to share your testimony. To tell others about Jesus all you need to know is share how Christ saved you. For ministry it more then just sharing your testimony but taking time to read and study to know scripture. It is important if you love Jesus to learn the word of God and everything you can about God and faith. Those days of stumbling may come only to allow your faith to be tested tried and deliverance brought because of faith. One has to be so convicted to face persecution to know that your faith is more important then your trial. Yet you must know why you willing to take the risk, not just because you experienced God's saving grace, but you need the word to help you understand who God is. Yes God can teach you by his Spirit. To have a well rounded faith you need to learn what you can to enable, and to help you with sound theology/doctrine. You will learn when you study, you might not agree whole heartily with everything, then you have to ask did those facing the situation agree and whose side where they on, God's or Satan.

Paul changed his name at some point one because God changed his name, and two because probably where he persecuted the church of Christ. Yet he share he persecute the church. How is Old Testament knowledge good, it helps with understanding why Christ came to be the Savior of the world. It gives the beginning point of sin, the down fall of society without God and the building of society with God. How is knowing the New Testament as we have it today, by knowing about Christ journey on earth. Perhaps the reason Paul does not talk in his ministry of Christ early years but about faith, is because he knew not the Gospel as we have opportunity today to know it. He taught by the understanding of Old Testament law. It did not make him less a Christian, or less knowledgable about Christ. He seen Christ on the other side of the cross. The walk of faith the same journey as Abraham and Moses. The same need of circumcision of the heart, without the need for sacrifice on the altar on the sacrifice on the cross.

Why learn about Paul and his creditials, to know that matters not your background or former religious beliefs if any. On the day of salvation God begins to minister to your heart of who he is. You do not need to be able to read to know Jesus. You need not to full understand all the Bible to share your testimony. Yet there are elements of your testimony that should be lining up with scripture and the Christian faith if you believe in Christ. No one perfect, we all are human, but faith is something that should be belief in Christ and repentance because of sin. That were the prayer to God to reveal our sins is important, not only when saed but after salvation, so that he can do the work of correcting and molding us into the treasure we are becoming for His kingdom. Are you willlng to share what you know about Christ today?

Dear Heavenly establish the believers in not only faith but facts about who you are and how you desire to mold us ina perfect treasure. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: 2Corinthians 4:6-13 KJV
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;