Note: The three lessons in this series were developed for the Seminario Baxter during the spring of 2000. They were presented at the Baxter Institute in Tegucigalpa, Honduras during May, 2000. The three lessons treat the life of Paul through an overview, a survey of the early life of Paul, and conclusions from the later, more spiritually mature Paul. In reality, the first lesson was presented in two parts due to time constraints, and lessons #2 and #3 were presented in a single session. Thus lesson #1 has been divided into two parts.
Because of the context for which the lessons were prepared, the thrust is evangelistic and missionary, thus the specific title of the series. Paul's letters have served as a primary source of information, coupled with background knowledge of early Christianity, and selected missions resources.
Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free, by F. F. Bruce, has been helpful in determining the outline of this series and some of the content to be included.

The Apostle Paul, Who Is He?

Introduction
The God whose grace Paul proclaimed is God of great wonders. Creates universe from nothing, calls dead to life, justifies the ungodly. This third is greatest wonder of all: creation and resurrection are consistent with the power of the living, life-giving God, but justifying the ungodly is an obvious contradiction to this character as the righteous God, the judge of all the early, who by his own declaration in Ex. 23:7 will not justify the ungodly. This is at the heart of understanding God, and understanding Paul's overwhelming gratitude in God's actions. The very quality of divine grace is such that in extending salvation to undeserving sinners, God demonstrates that he is both just and justifier.

I. The Message of Paul
Paul ties God's work in this world into history, this is the message he must proclaim. Act 13, sets DBR into God's work in history, perhaps in parallel to Jewish struggles and persecutions. This is the universal message, to both Jew and Gentile. This is the message of the cross.

II. The Motivations of Paul
What drove Paul?

A. 1 Cor. 15:8-10, grace, 2 Cor. 12
B. 2 Cor.; 5:13-15, the love of Christ
C. Gal. 2:19-21, the cross, to be broken by the cross
D. Paul's call to ministry by God, Gal. 1:11ff; Ac 9,22,26.
E. Sense of obligation, Rom. 1:14-15; 1 Cor. 9
F. Gospel
G. Being in Christ, Christ is central, 1 Cor. 15:1; Gal. 3; Phil. 3. Christ and the cross are central to Paul's thought, "being in Christ," a major distinct marking, 2 Tim. 2:10.
H. Life in the Spirit, Rom. 89:14-16; Gal. 5:16ff; 3:1-3; the indwelling Spirit
J. The second coming of Christ

III. The Mysteries of Paul
So...when come to Paul, transition from historical Jesus to exalted Christ. It is in relationship to exalted Christ with whom Paul claimed personal, profound acquaintance that we best introduce the heart and soul of Paul the missionary.
At least four foundation truths about Jesus provide an understanding of Paul's King and Lord. Must begin with the early Pauline history and see the understanding that undergirded his life once he became a Christian.

• A. The Revealing Christ: The Glorious Light
  Little description of form exalted Christ took on Damascus Road, but was life changing event. Radiant light is Paul's recollection. That light was so glorious that he remembers it well when speaks of ministry of new covenant entrusted to him (2 Cor. 3). The dawning of faith is seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, so the light might shine out of the darkness (2 Cor. 4:4,6). This shining light dispels the blindness of unbelief.
  Because of this glorious light experience on the Damascus road, Paul looked forward to the parousia, the manifestation in glory, as this appearance would be of the same character as the Damascus road event, except that what was then a mere momentary flash would become a more enduring experience, accompanied also by the glorification of his people, whether by transformation or resurrection.
  
• B. The Resurrected/Reigning Christ: The Exalted Lord
  Paul makes coextensive the identity of the earthly Jesus and the exalted Christ, distinguishing their modes of existence (1 Cor. 15:47), and clearly extending the same principle to all spiritual creation. A personal union is necessary, not life the closest personal union in this life, for this union with the Lord makes us one spirit with him (1 Cor. 6:17). So it is that when flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom, it is as true of us as it is of Jesus himself. Now our problem is to separate this "one spirit" with Jesus from the "one Spirit" in whom all the people of Christ are united into one body. More on this during the series.
  The exalted Lord will make all enemies his footstool (1 Cor. 15:25), including death, and then the reign of Christ will merge with the eternal reign of God. The reign of Christ, the age of the Messiah, is for Paul between the present age and the endless age of come, and from certain viewpoints the two may overlap.
  When minds are liberated by faith in the crucified and risen Christ, then the bondage imposed by weak and beggarly elements is broken, and the strength of sin and the fear of dath can no longer bind with their iron grip. The destruction of these principalities and powers may be described figuratively, but the reality is release and freedom for the believer who shares in some exaltation in the heavenly places.
  
• C. The Redeeming/Resurrecting Christ: The Lord and the Spirit
  This idea, based on the phrase, "the Lord who is the Spirit," comes from 2 Cor. 3:18, based on Ex. 34:29-35. The fading glory on Moses' face is contrasted with the unfading glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor. 4). The inferior glory is passing so the surpassing glory will be evident to all. The Pauline experience suggested to him that Christ would never be conceived of apart from the spirit nor the spirit conceived of apart from him. Something similar is in the John comforter accounts. The last Adam becomes a life giving Spirit (Rom. 5), and the description is of the spirit of life in Christ (Rom. 8:2). This Spirit quickens our mortal bodies, deals with the death dealing problem of the law, is the source of our renewal (2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:14ff), and we becoming one spirit with Christ (1 Cor. 6:17). We are united with the Lord by faith, deriving eternal life now, hope of glory to come, and since through the spirit life and hope are mediated, Paul can speak of the spirit as pledge and seal.
  
• D. The Reflecting Christ: The Image of God
  Christ is the very image of God. As man in the OT, so fulfillment is in Christ. Col. 1:15 must be balanced with 1 Cor. 11:7. The same truth appears in Heb. 1:3, but we must hasten on.

IV. Summary
Consider Col. 3:4. When the people of Christ in resurrection share fully in the glorious light and image of their exalted Lord, the spirit's ministry is fulfilled. The spirit who fulfils this ministry is the spirit that empowered Jesus without measure, and for Paul, the exalted Lord whose risen life and power are conveyed to his people by the indwelling spirit is dwelling in our hearts by faith.