The Future’s “Great Reset”?
How About the Past’s “Great Pivot”!
By GFI board member, Mark Woita
I am currently reading through the Book of Acts. The Apostle Paul has long been one of my favorite persons in the Bible. He is arguably the most important and influential Christian of all time! After all, Paul was personally chosen, converted, and discipled by Jesus (Acts 9)! He wrote more of the New Testament than any other writer (13 of the 27 books)!
Paul was born “Saul of Tarsus” in Asia Minor and was first and foremost a Jew, but he also knew Greek, and (importantly) was also a Roman citizen. It is likely that he was from a common family, as he wrote in Koine Greek, the common Greek, and not the elegant literary Greek of the philosophers. Additionally, he learned to “work with his own hands” (1 Corinthians 4:12), and during his missionary journeys, Paul worked part-time in his trade as a tentmaker, so as not to be a burden financially to others (Acts 18:3).
Being a common man, nonetheless, Paul was a highly educated and devoted Jewish Pharisee, an expert in the Jewish law, having been taught by Gamaliel. Acts 5:34 states that Gamaliel was “… a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people ….” By Paul’s own account, he (Paul) was the best Jew and Pharisee of his generation (Philippians 3:4-6 and Galatians 1:13-14). Post-conversion, Paul claimed to be the least of the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
As a devout Pharisee, Saul passionately persecuted the early Christians and the church (Acts 8:1-4, 9:1-2). Post conversion, Paul reached out first to his Jewish brethren with the gospel of Jesus. But his message was rejected by them. Therefore, Paul declared to those Jews, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first. Since you repudiate it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, WE ARE TURNING TO THE GENTILES.” (Acts 13:46) (emphasis mine) “When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life, believed.” (Acts 13:48)
The Old Testament is primarily about God’s chosen people of Israel, the Jews. In Acts 13:46 (above), the Apostle Paul makes the “GREAT PIVOT” and turns his focus, and that of most of the New Testament, to the Gentiles … giving hope to the nations! Paul became the “Apostle to the Gentiles” (Acts 22:21) … leading millions to faith personally (3 missionary journeys) or via his writings. For me, it was through reading his letter to the Romans that I came to faith, decades ago.
These days we hear much about the future “Great Reset” … whatever it may entail, and perhaps it is a cause for much concern. However, the Apostle Paul’s GREAT PIVOT 2,000 years ago is a certain and everlasting blessing to all who believe. Blessed be the Name of our Lord!
Great history – it was just a few years ago that I came to understand that Paul WAS Saul and met , converted while on the road to …. much like some others in biblical history. So, it might be today, with Donald J. Trump, Robert J. Borer,…., ! We will not no the hour or the day – but Hurry Jesus or re-institute your devine providence over this Nation – as with George Washington,…., and allow us to lead the way to your kingdom in the face of the growing evil our Christian based Nation faces!