Who among the characters in the Bible is given more prominence than the Apostle Paul besides Jesus? He is particularly monumental to us believers in the Church due to his writings comprising much of the New Testament. It’s difficult to read the Bible and not be completely astounded by his faith, integrity, and determination, especially in light of the amount of persecution he endured for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you didn’t know any better, you might think a man of such profound resolution and unadulterated character was born that way.

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
— 1 Corinthians 2:2

Paul’s passion was so incredible that it is inspiring beyond words, even two thousand years after he died. How could someone so magnificently in love with Jesus Christ have ever believed in his heart that Jesus was evil? It seems preposterous to even suggest, doesn’t it? Yet, it’s true! Paul admits to this very truth.

“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.”
— Acts 26:9-11

By self-admission, Paul’s passion was to persecute followers of Christ. The “raging fury” he described was something most people I know have experienced, whether for good or evil. People desire passion, for without it, life becomes mundane and purposeless. The great danger is clinging to it in the absence of wisdom.

Passion is a double-edged sword. It motivates people to accomplish great things; however, if it’s misdirected, it can be utterly perilous.

Then they cast [Stephen] out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul [later called Paul, the apostle]. And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
— Acts 7:58-8:3

An ignorant person is very often a person in bondage to lies (as Paul was for a time). An ignorant person who’s also very passionate is like a loose cannon, treacherous. Ill-conceived passion can only be cured by truth; for truth and understanding is the source of wisdom. Jesus said, “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
— Acts 9:1-5

Acts 9:6-19 describes the details of Paul’s conversion (when he became convinced of the truth). Ultimately, this was what set him free from his bondage to lies and turned his passion completely around to face in the opposite direction! Have you ever been so passionate about something that you were ready to go fisticuffs with another person, only to find out later that you were misinformed? Have you ever sworn up and down that you were righteous in your convictions, only to learn later on that you had been clinging to a lie? Have you ever wrongly accused someone of something in the absence of full understanding of their circumstances?

When Paul was given the gift of truth from Jesus Christ, Himself, his entire world was turned upside down. Everything he stood for had been decimated in an instant. Every argument against Jesus and His disciples had been abolished, leaving Paul with the most critical decision of his life. In humility, Paul accepted his newfound truth and set forth on a journey like no other. His passion had finally become righteous.

And immediately [Paul] proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.
— Acts 9:20-22

I love seeing passion oozing out of a person - to me, it’s inspiring. However, it also scares me. I’ve known a lot of people who were incredibly passionate, but awfully uninformed. As a result, I’ve witnessed these people wreak havoc on my country, their families, and even the churches. Misguided passion possesses its own fleshly desires, “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:14-15). James gives us some wonderful advice. “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).

I’ve learned to listen more and judge less. It’s often easier to judge quickly, but experience has proven that patience, an expression of humility, bears the good fruit of wisdom. Talking less and hearing more is a recipe for learning truth that sets you free. It’s when you shut your mouth and listen that the truth has a fighting chance of finding its place in your soul. Once that happens, then you’re able to repent from your previous evil and be set free from the bondage of it. Paul’s a wonderful example of this very phenomenon.

In that moment when you realize you were wrong - when all the data has been fully understood, when you stop talking and start listening - the righteous thing to do is repent in humility. It’s possible you’re on your own “road to Damascus” right now and the good Lord’s about to knock you down in order to wake you up. Maybe this blog’s the harbinger of your own deliverance. God only knows. Whatever the case may be, please humbly seek the truth - all of it - lest your passion carry on in ignorance to the detriment of yourself and those around you.

Love in Christ,

Ed Collins