Watching Out For The Paul Within Us

Rev. Erik Swanson
September 13, 2026

You can watch the entire sermon here.

I consider my grandparents to have been wise and caring people. I remember one conversation with my grandmother about basketball and a new pair of shoes I was excited to show off to my friends. I told her I was looking forward to showing them up. She gently challenged me: “Oh Erik, you don’t want to show up people. That is not the right thing or the kind thing. Just do your best.” I didn’t particularly like hearing it, but she was right. She was calling out the competitive and judgmental part of me that wanted to bolster my own ego by pushing someone else down.

The Judgmental And Righteous Voice

I believe that voice lives in many of us. Last week, we looked at Paul’s teaching about overcoming evil with good, including the troubling image of “heaping burning coals” on our enemies. Today, I want to look more closely at Paul himself and at the “voice of Paul” that can live within each of us—the voice that can become judgmental, righteous, and convinced that we know what is right.

The Story Of Paul

Saul, who became Paul, was a strict Pharisee trained under Gamaliel. He was deeply committed to his beliefs and worked aggressively to destroy the early Christian movement, even approving the death of Stephen. Then he experienced a dramatic encounter with Christ that transformed his life. He became one of Christianity’s most influential advocates, and his letters became an important part of the Bible.

But Paul’s transformation did not completely erase his hard-driving personality. He carried some of that intensity into his teaching, and some of his words are harsh and difficult to reconcile with the graciousness of Jesus’ message. That reminds me that we should not simply accept everything in Scripture literally or unquestioningly. We need to discern, wrestle with it, and listen for the Spirit.

Doing Things “Right” – The Pharisee Voice

Paul’s emphasis on law and what is right or wrong also reflects something that exists in all of us. We can become very upset when someone does things differently from the way we believe they should be done. Churches have split over questions of what is “right.” Families can reject people who do not follow established traditions. Even seemingly minor rules can become sources of hurt and division. When I become dismissive or judgmental toward others because they are not doing things the “right” way, I am listening to that Pharisee voice within me.

The Importance Of Discernment

Paul’s story also reminds me of the importance of discernment. He was once passionately convinced that persecuting Christians was right, and later became passionately convinced that following Christ was right. His transformation is inspiring, but it is also a warning about how confidently we can hold beliefs without having the whole truth. We need to remain open to deeper understanding and to the possibility that the Spirit may transform what we think we know.

This connects directly to Paul’s teaching about overcoming evil with good. I wish he had left out the image of burning coals and simply focused on our own behavior. We cannot control how others respond to us; we can control how we respond to them. My grandmother’s wisdom brought me back to that reality: basketball was about me doing my best, not about proving myself by defeating someone else.

Carrying Our Convictions To The World

I believe we need passionate, committed people willing to speak out for love, peace, and justice. But how we carry those convictions into the world matters. We must remain aware of the hard, judgmental voice within us. We need to seek deeper truth, honor those who see differently, and remember that the gospel calls us to love and serve one another.

May we be courageous enough to stand for what we believe while humble enough to keep listening for the Spirit—and wise enough to recognize the voice of Paul lurking within us.

Amen.