The Righteous

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

1 Tim 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

Being faithful is important, and being called, we are enabled to do His work by his grace. God called the twelve disciples, and equipped them for ministry.

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Paul was the last of the apostles to be called.

1 Cor 15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
1 Cor 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1 Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Tim 1:13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

Thinking he was serving God by being zealous for his law keeping, he destroyed God's children, in ignorance.

1 Tim 1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
Rom 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Our righteousness is by faith in Jesus.

1 Tim 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1 Tim 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

If Saul can be saved, so can we. We should not write people off, but rather pray for them, that they might hear and receive the word of faith and be accounted as righteous in Christ Jesus. Paul was given a ministry to the Gentile nations and with the calling was the promise of suffering with God's grace. The faithful will also suffer and be persecuted and more so in days to come, for Jesus is coming back for his righteous and  faithful Church.