We often paint our favorite Bible characters with broad, colorful brushstrokes, exaggerating

their virtues and obscuring their flaws.

But the honorable man we're featuring in our next study had a shocking background. Paul, before he became the most prolific writer of the entire New Testament, was a religious

terrorist.

Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindall presents the unfiltered story of this fascinating

biblical character, with the first message in an in-depth study titled,

Paul, a man of grace and grit.

So how did Paul make his radical transformation?

Well, Chuck starts at the very beginning.

Today I want to begin a new series on the life and times of the Apostle Paul.

And in order to do that, we need to go back prior to his conversion, and I want to read the

scripture that would relate to a portion of that time out of Acts chapter 7 toward the end of that chapter so if you've got a Bible handy

would you please turn to act 7 and locate verse 54 and having done that just put your finger in

Philippians 3 a little letter of Philippians I want to read three verses from the third chapter of Philippians 3. A little letter of Philippians. I want to read three verses from the third chapter

of Philippians also, which also touches on his life long before Christ. Acts chapter 7, verse 54.

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and began gnashing their teeth at him,

that is, at Stephen. But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory

of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

And he said, behold, I see the heavens opened up and the son of man standing at the right

hand of God. And they cried out with a loud voice and covered their ears and they rushed upon him with one impulse.

And when they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him. And the witnesses laid aside

their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

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