The Photo-Drama of Creation - The Herald

God's Chosen Vessel
Of St. Paul, Jesus said, "He is a chosen vessel unto Me
to bear My Name to the Gentiles." (Acts 9:15.)
He is first brought to our attention as one of those who
consented to the death of St. Stephen. Subsequently,
he went about "breathing out threatenings and slaughter
against the disciples of the Lord."--Acts 9:1.
When we see the power of the Truth in its transforming
influence upon the human mind, we are amazed. Yet we
should remember that God never coerces the free will. In St.
Paul's "conversion," Jesus merely showed an honest man
wherein he was wrong, and what privileges he would have in
connection with a Divinely-directed course.
St. Paul became the successor of Judas. There were to be
twelve Apostles of the Lamb--a crown of twelve stars on the
Church's brow--and twelve foundations to the New Jerusalem,
and in them were the names of the twelve Apostles of the
Lamb. We are sure St. Paul's name is amongst them. This
is in accord with the testimony that he was not one whit
behind the very chiefest of the Apostles, and was more abundant
in visions and revelations than they all. Matthias was
chosen before Pentecost and was never recognized by God.
St. Paul is the most prominent amongst the Apostles, all of
whom were glorious characters, especially chosen of God for
His special service. Like the other Apostles, St. Paul had
nothing to say respecting an eternity of torture for anybody.
He declared that those ultimately found unworthy should "be
punished with everlasting destruction." It is St. Paul who
especially set forth that Jesus must come a second time, and
then must reign until He shall have put all enemies under His
feet. Through this noble mouthpiece Jesus sent us particulars
of the resurrection of the just and the unjust, the "change"
of the Church at Christ's Second Coming, the character of
Antichrist, etc. If St. Paul's Epistles were omitted, how
great would be our ignorance on many subjects!
PD74