[AHIYAH]

Originally Posted by Amilius777

I really don't think Paul was the last person Christ spoke to. I think Christ whether it be from Jesus or the God within us all that keeps speaking in our everyday lives.

The reason Saul of Tarsus had a direct encounter with Christ was probably because he knew of him while he was alive. Saul also was a rigid and devout Pharisees who kept the Law. He was a great candidate or example of the kind of teaching Jesus was getting at.

Jesus didn't teach anything new. He was simply amplifying the true, greater parts of the Law, the spirit of the Law that needs to be lived out on Earth if one is to bring the kingdom of heaven into their lives, to ascend. The way out for souls who feel overburdened by the material realm.

The other parts weren't entirely discarded by Christ. Jesus was still a man of his time. He even said once "how come your not killing your own children for being disobedient". We don't usually think of this when we think of the New Testament but Jesus was a devout spiritual Jew (raised among the Essenes), and kept the Law as best anyone could. But Jesus realized in his own life that there is something greater behind the letter of the law and that is Compassion, Mercy, and Forgiveness; the hallmarks of his teachings. Those energies are far more powerful and trump the "eye for an eye". Those aspects exist, the Law of Karma can not be avoided but we are not suppose to be the deliverers of Karma. Karma (biblical term is Wrath of God) is left up to people with their own devices.

Saul came to this realization himself after having murdered and killed so many followers of Jesus. Saul realized that the Law was in fact making him a zealous, mean, cruel hearted person. He thought one needed to do such things.
And guess the number ONE REASON most people KILL?
MORAL CAUSE. Majority of murderers kill because they feel the other party was being immoral, or wronged them, or they weren't keeping religious law. Even the greatest serial killers felt they were doing things for a just reason.

This comes from our obsessive need for moral order, karma, law, etc. But that isn't always justice. That is retribution. Justice is when both parties forgive, understand, and evolve. And if anything needs to be paid they will have to pay it themselves in this life, or another life, or after life but it's always a temporary thing.

Redemption violence, retributive justice is the sin that killed Christ and kills most innocent people everyday. It needs to stop and that is why Paul was a perfect candidate as to show someone transformed.

I almost completely agree with this well put together post, its only a minor issue and that is the part where Paul was a Pharisee and he kept the law. Um sort of agree, it's just the Law in question I have an issue with, according to Yeshua when describing them at times they are the 'commandments of men' type people, just like today in so many forms. So heavy were those commandments of men that were put on other men it felt like a millstone was tied around their necks and thrown in to the flood I mean ocean. He also went on to say that those law makers(according to their greed) wouldn't go in themselves. At times He says things like "why do you also break the commandment of God with your traditions" when talking about the Pharisees. Don't get me wrong theres some things in that Judaism I agree with, to a certain extent. So yes I agree that Shaul did keep the Law according to the Pharisees before the change. Now I know the debates about Paul and there's a lot of things I agree with what he says just differently to most. So the change was when he realised the leaven in the Pharisaical system/law and ofc Shaul would've heard about Yeshua because word travels quickly in those days(and others) by word of mouth. He would've come upon some of his teachings and realised who was his enemy. Shaul couldn't see it at first because of his zealous nature, but later the message hits home. It usually happens this way. Thanks for the read, appreciate it.