Is it true that if the apostle Paul had let his past as Saul effect a lot during his ministry as a missionary, he would not have been nearly as effective?

 

Is it true that if the apostle Paul had let his past as Saul effect a lot during his ministry as a missionary, he would not have been nearly as effective?

No. Rabbi Sha’ul (Paul) was a zealot for Judaism before he became a zealot for Yeshua, and The Way.

Rabbi Sha’ul remained a zealot for the Torah his whole life. In Acts 18 and 21 we see Rabbi Sha’ul being tested by Jews and willingly taking the Nazir Vow and later sacrificing animals for himself and four other men, worth about $15,000 today.

But when Gallio became the Roman governor of Achaia, the unbelieving Jews made a concerted attack on Sha’ul and took him to court, saying, “This man is trying to persuade people to worship God in ways that violate the *Torah*.” Sha’ul was just about to open his mouth, when Gallio said to the Jews, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case of inflicted injury or a serious crime, I could reasonably be expected to hear you out patiently. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law, then you must deal with it yourselves. I flatly refuse to judge such matters.” And he had them ejected from the court. They all grabbed Sosthenes, the president of the synagogue, and gave him a beating in full view of the bench; but Gallio showed no concern whatever. Sha’ul remained for some time, then said good-bye to the brothers and sailed off to Syria, after having his hair cut short [end of Nazir Vow from Numbers 6] in Cenchrea, because he had taken a [Nazir] vow; with him were Priscilla and Aquila. Acts 18:12–18 (CJB)

“What, then, is to be done? They will certainly hear that you have come. So do what we tell you. We have four men who are under a vow. Take them with you, be purified with them, and pay the expenses connected with having their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to these rumors which they have heard about you; but that, on the contrary, you yourself stay in line and keep the *Torah*. “However, in regard to the *Goyim* who have come to trust in Yeshua, we all joined in writing them a letter with our decision that they should abstain from what had been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled and from fornication.” The next day Sha’ul took the men, purified himself along with them and entered the Temple to give notice of when the period of purification would be finished and the offering would have to be made for each of them. The seven days were almost up when some unbelieving Jews from the province of Asia saw him in the Temple, stirred up all the crowd and grabbed him. “Men of Isra’el, help!” they shouted. “This is the man who goes everywhere teaching everyone things against the people, against the *Torah* and against this place! And now he has even brought some *Goyim* into the Temple and defiled this holy place!” acts 21:22–28 (CJB)

Today’s pastors twist Sha’ul to sound like a Gentile. Peter warns:  And think of our Lord’s patience as deliverance, just as our dear brother Sha’ul also wrote you, following the wisdom God gave him. Indeed, he speaks about these things in all his letters. They contain some things that are hard to understand, things which the uninstructed and unstable distort, to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. 2 Peter 3:15–16 (CJB)

It’s clearly stated Rabbi Sha’ul sacrificed animals for himself and four others after Yeshua resurrected. There was no need for a Christian convert to keep the Nazir Vow. Christians have never advocated for keeping the sacrifices. He remained zealous Jew for Torah!