Paul
Spiritual Leadership
By: Alfred Gonzalez
“Paul a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God, which he had promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:” Romans 1:1-4
A.W. Tozer called Paul the world’s most successful Christians. It is sheer irony and miracle that God would select one of the most aggressive opponents of the early Christian movement and make him into its most outstanding leader.
Paul had gained a certain amount of notoriety. He was an accomplished linguist, theologian, prosecutor (attorney) whose accomplishments were well known by both the secular realm as well as the Christian circle who feared him. Sanders notes, “Paul was uniquely equipped for the major role to which God called him. A present-day parallel to this amazing man would be someone who could speak in Chinese in Beijing, quoting Confucius and Mencius; write cogent theology, and teach it a Oxford; and defend his cause using flawless Russian before the Soviet Academy of Sciences.” By any standard Paul was one of the most versatile leaders church history has ever known.
Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the Road to Damascus changed His definition of Success from one of a worldly nature and personal perspective to that of a spiritual nature and an eternal perspective. Paul intimately met on that old dusty road the master of his eternity. This encounter with our Lord lit a fire in Paul’s heart that would burn hot contagiously for the rest of his life. The Voice of God entreated him with everything inside of his beating heart, chastened and criticized by everything inside of his mind he believed in the voice of the God who called him by name. Paul heard the Voice and called him Lord. Paul personally knows the master he served. He knew his voice and He obeyed.
Jesus’ first command of Paul was that he “Arise and go into the city and you will be told what you must do”. Jesus taught his son to listen and obey, a lesson Paul would never forget. Paul knew his role as one of a bond-servant. Paul was a great leader because he was fist taught how to follow and he followed a leader that was worth following. Paul submitted himself the authority in which he knew to be true. Paul became a great spiritual leader when his heart and mind were captured by Jesus Christ.
Paul was also a great leader because he believed in the gift of Jesus’ love for him. In Romans chapter 7 Paul describes his struggle with his flesh and begins chapter 8 with There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Paul as he walked down the road to Damscus thinking on the man he had just had stoned to death met Stephan’s father who basically asks him why did you kill my son. Pauls eyes met the eyes of Jesus which told the story. Paul I love you anyway. So much so that in Romans chapter 8:38-39 Paul’s faith brought him to say “ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul believed in the value of the gift that Jesus had given him. So much so that it lead him to give the gift himself unconditionally. This experience with Jesus allowed Paul a perspective on the cost of ministry that few leaders have today. Paul knew he was but the chief beggar leading other beggars to bread. Paul’s humbleness came from the memory of looking into Jesus’ eyes while still having Stephan’s blood on his hands. He remembered clearly his lowly state before he met the master. He knew his guilt uncovered and his penalty at hand Jesus not only showed him mercy by with holding what he deserves but issued grace to love the unlovable. Paul knew the cost of following Jesus because prior to his conversion he was the cost for being a Christian. He knew that what ever he received for following the lord he had dished out several times and as with Stephan he saw that the love of God could not be beaten from a man. He learned to live is Christ and to die is gain. Death had lost its sting when eternity’s light gave glory to God.
Paul was a great leader because he had his master’s heart for the lost. In Romans 9:1 Paul says “I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit,That I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accurse from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh.” Paul’s heart broke for his unsaved countrymen. Paul’s heart was one of self sacrifice for those he was called to serve. John 15:13 Says “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”. Paul’s heart was for the lost.
Paul was equipped by the Lord. Paul had a brilliant gasp of the Old Testament studying under Rabbi Gamaliel. He was articulate and well versed in culture and politics. All of which the Lord had trained him in his secular life style. God took the wretched man that he was and made him into a spiritual leader. Paul died never knowing that you or I would be reading his writings. He spread Christianity throughout the world and made sure that the Christianity he spread was New Testament grace. As A.W. Tozar says “The popular notion that the first obligation of the church is to spread the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth is false. The churches first obligation is to be spiritually worthy to spread it.” If the disciples had gone forth as missionaries before the day of Pentecost it would have been a spiritual disaster, for they could have done no more than make converts after their likeness, and this would have altered for the worse the whole history of the Western world and had consequences through out the ages to come. Paul was filled with the spirit. He was sold out for Christ. We would rather die then quit. He stood firm he stood alone when necessary and he stood for Jesus.
As a spiritual leader Paul saw the desire to serve as a leader as a good work which came with qualification. In his first letter to Timothy 3:1-7 “This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ( for if a man does not know how to rule his won house, how will he take care of the church of God); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” Paul cites the qualification of a spiritual lead with clarity and assertively. The tone of Paul’s writing leaves the reader with the impression that he is describing the highest of position. A job description to be taken seriously. Paul starts the qualifications by stating you must first be managed your self by the spirit. You are to be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, ect… Before you can manage others you must first be yielded to the spirit and manage your own choices you must be manageable by the spirit then he says that your household must be in order. Your first ministry is your home. You must be lead by the spirit and you must lead your family to be lead by the spirit. Paul even tells us why he says “for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God? Paul declares with clarity that the Lord will not expand your territory if you cannot handle the ministry he has already given you. As a Christian leader we are to be representatives of our faith for we carry the name of Christ. We are to be above reproach and we are to take the calling seriously. We are to desire the excellence in which God has called us to while walking in the confidence of Grace. It is a fine balance between holiness and Grace. In our obedience to Gods word we strive for holiness but its by His Grace that we are saved. Paul was a great leader because he was great a following. Paul was a man worthy of following but more importantly he was a man who followed the only one worthy of being followed.
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