Imagine if you were a first-century Christian meeting the Apostle Paul—or Saul of Tarsus, as he was called by his Jewish name. Instead of admiring him, you likely would have feared him as you faced this violent persecutor of believers. With this fact and other details in mind, we start this study of Paul's thought with an examination of his life. Why not just jump into his theology? Because, as Dr. Waters affirms, we "can't separate Paul the theologian from Paul the man, and Scripture certainly does not." In this lesson, then, we will learn of Saul before his conversion on the road to Damascus. His life and experiences were shaped by the Lord for His purposes.