Chewing the Cud Fodder July 2026
( WARNING) if you insist on reading this very long edition , you just might learn what it means to be an imitator of the Apostle Paul …. For Gods glory !
Also ; recently a dear friend of mine made it clearly known that “ after a full pot of coffee he was able to get through an article I had composed!” 🥴😂 ….. I think he was referring to length not quality… I think !
Transformed, repurposed, redirected , on fire !
All for Gods glory !
Title
Act like Paul , be like men … yeah but !?
1 Corinthians 11:1
[1] Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
1 Corinthians 16:13 LSB
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”
First let me say; a belated Happy Father’s Day to all you Dads and to those who one day hope to be a Dad .
In a lot of ways today’s cud is aimed at Husbands, Dads , those desiring to be Dads and well men in general .
In my early years as a babe in Christ , some 47 years ago when I first studied this portion of scripture; 1 Corinthians 11:1
“Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.”
I was really taken aback , shocked that Paul, in my immature estimation was a rather arrogant dude ! Who the heck was this guy anyways . Oh , but aren’t you ever thankful that God doesn’t leave us hanging , hanging onto our own interpretations and shallow assumptions, no instead over time as we learn of Paul’s attributes, both as an enemy of Christ and then becoming one who indeed has the righteous privilege to say ; “imitate me , as I also imitate Christ “
The power in these words blossom as we learn of Paul’s testimony, his about face , totally dedicated to serving our savior and Lord , a proud man , humbled , but then totally repurposed, redirected , refitted to serve God …. No matter what . And that certainly came at a great price , yet all for Gods glory !
Considering the Apostle Paul’s statement ; “ Be imitators of me “ what were Paul’s attributes as Saul , before his calling from Christ and his attributes after Christ
The Apostle Paul’s invitation to “be imitators of me” (1 Corinthians 11:1) is rooted in the dramatic transformation of his character from Saul the Persecutor to Paul the Apostle. His life serves as a testament to the power of divine grace to redirect zeal and repurpose deep conviction.
Isn’t this true in your life and mine as well ?
Introduction: The Call to Imitate
When Paul the Apostle urged believers to imitate him, he was not pointing to his own perfection, but to the work of Christ within him.
He could say, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1). This statement implies that his post-conversion life reflected the character of Jesus so closely that following his example was a viable path to following Christ. To understand the depth of this transformation, one must contrast the attributes he possessed as Saul with those he exhibited as Paul. And it’s here where it really gets interesting, at least in my puny mind ! 😂
Attributes of Saul: The Persecutor
Before his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul was defined by a fierce, misguided devotion to Jewish tradition and law.
Zealous but Misguided Saul was characterized by extreme zeal for the traditions of his fathers.
You might say Paul was a credit with high honors student .
He described himself as being "extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers" (Galatians 1:14). However, this zeal was ignorant; he believed he was serving God by actively trying to destroy the church.
He viewed the followers of Jesus as deceitful threats to Judaism and felt compelled to eradicate them.
Do we have the same zeal for the gospel ?
Violent and Persecuting As Saul, he was a religious terrorist who ravaged the church.
His attributes included:
• Aggression: He went from house to house, dragging men and women to prison (Acts 8:3).
• Complicity in Murder: He approved of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, and guarded the coats of those who killed him (Acts 7:58).
• Hostility: He breathed "murderous rage" against disciples and sought letters from the high priest to arrest believers even in distant cities like Damascus (Acts 9:1-2).
Educated and Privileged Saul was intellectually formidable and socially privileged. He was:
• Highly Educated: Trained under the esteemed rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem, mastering Jewish law and the prophets (Acts 22:3).
• A Pharisee of Pharisees: He adhered strictly to the Law of Moses and viewed himself as blameless regarding legalistic righteousness (Philippians 3:5-6).
• A Roman Citizen: Born in Tarsus, he held Roman citizenship, a status that afforded him legal protections and social standing (Acts 22:27-28).
Attributes of Paul: The Apostle
After his conversion, the same energy that drove his persecution was redirected into unwavering service and love for the church.
Aren’t you ever thankful how God does fine surgery on our hearts and tunes them to beat for Him alone !?
The core of his identity shifted from self-righteousness to Christ-centeredness.
Humble and Dependent on Grace The proud Pharisee became a man who acknowledged his own unworthiness. Paul frequently referred to himself as the "least of the apostles" because he had persecuted the church (1 Corinthians 15:9). His attributes included:
• Reliance on Grace: He attributed his entire existence and ability to serve to the grace of God, stating, "By the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Corinthians 15:10).
• Willingness to Suffer: Unlike the Saul who inflicted suffering, Paul embraced suffering for the sake of the Gospel, enduring beatings, imprisonment, and shipwrecks without losing faith (2 Corinthians 11:23-27).
• I’m afraid that this is a weakness on my part and so many of us who live in western civilization, we truly on most of our parts have never yet been tested with severe persecution.
Bold and Fearless Witness Paul retained his boldness but used it to proclaim truth rather than suppress it.
• Immediate Proclamation: Right after his healing, he began preaching in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God, confounding those who knew his past (Acts 9:20-22).
• Uncompromising Truth: He refused to water down the Gospel to please Jews or Gentiles, often facing opposition from both groups for his steadfastness (Acts 13:45-46).
• In my humble opinion the church’s in the west are always in the mode to not rock the boat ( not all ) but out of that comes compromising true biblical doctrine that lead to “leaky theology”.
Patient and Enduring Where Saul was impulsive and violent, Paul developed profound patience and endurance.
• Preparation: He spent years in the desert and in Tarsus before his major missionary journeys, showing a willingness to wait on God’s timing.
• Oh , Lord I need a double dose on waiting on you ! How bout you ?
• Perseverance: He endured a "thorn in the flesh" and various physical weaknesses, learning to rely on God's power rather than his own strength (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).
• YUP , there’s that word again ! Dependent….. on God .
Inclusive and Mission-Minded Saul, who viewed Gentiles as outsiders, became the Apostle to the Gentiles.
• Global Vision: He dedicated his life to carrying the name of Jesus before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel (Acts 9:15).
• Church Planter: He founded numerous churches across the Roman Empire and wrote 13 epistles that form the doctrinal foundation of Christianity.
Key Transformations and Lessons
The contrast between Saul and Paul highlights specific attributes that believers are called to imitate:
Attribute As Saul (Before) As Paul (After)
Zeal Zealous for the Law; persecuted the church. Zealous for the Gospel; built up the church.
Authority Used authority to arrest and imprison. Used authority to serve, teach, and liberate.
Identity Found identity in heritage and legal status. Found identity in Christ and grace.
Action Inflicted suffering on believers. Endured suffering for believers.
Focus Exclusively Jewish traditions. Global mission to Jews and Gentiles.
Paul’s life demonstrates that no one is beyond redemption.
Dear brothers and sisters, I could write a book on that statement!
The very traits that made him a dangerous enemy of the church—his intellect, his zeal, his leadership—were sanctified and repurposed to become the greatest assets for the spread of the Gospel. When Paul said, "Be imitators of me," he was inviting others to let God transform their natural strengths into spiritual tools for His kingdom.
NEVER WEARING A MASK
Two tremendous attributes I nearly forgot were ; Paul’s extreme humble spirit ( mentioned above ) , Paul fully understood Gods amazing grace and mercy that showered him to be Christ like ; again Paul saw himself as lesser than the other Apostles .
His humbleness;
"For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." (NIV)
Paul also exhibited a very high standard of transparency;
Romans 7:14-25
[14] For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. [15] For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. [16] Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. [17] So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. [18] For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. [19] For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. [20] Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
[21] So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. [22] For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, [23] but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. [24] Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? [25] Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Paul is not afraid to share his weakness, but all in an effort to point us to the one who will destroy the strongholds in our lives , his testimony here does not focus on the exact struggles but instead points us to the solution ; a Christ centered life in submission in all humility to serving Christ our Lord and master . Paul by sharing this displays that we are all on equal footing at the cross .
Last chews of this cud ;
We are living in the day where the enemy has belittled men , where feminization has not only infiltrated our culture but also has many strongholds in many churches, God through Paul has given us the admonishment, the tools we need as men to tear down these strongholds and to be able to continue the great commission Matthew 28 , be imitators of Paul , just as he was of Christ , to act like men wether that be as a single man , a husband , a father , grandfather, or even a mentor of men .
So , was I right some 47 years ago; that Paul was just some arrogant, pious wanna be ? Absolutely not !
Praying your day is richly blessed as you walk with the king !
E 🐝
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