Was Paul keeping the law when he persecuted the church?
Yes. Scripture presents Paul as a religious Jew who was beyond measure persecuting the assembly of God and wasting it, profiting in the Jews' religion. He was doing everything the Book instructed, yet this was before God called him by His grace to reveal His Son in him.
Les explains that Paul was a religious Jew, fully engaged in the Jews' religion and doing everything that the Book instructed, yet at that time he persecuted the assembly of God beyond measure and wasted it. This was before it pleased God, who separated him from his mother's womb, to call him by His grace and reveal His Son in him, so that he might preach Him among the heathen, the Gentiles. Les points out this was the flip side: Paul's former zeal in Judaism preceded his later calling and apostolic purpose.
For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
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Was Paul a religious Jew who kept everything the Book said before he was saved?
Paul was a religious Jew who was doing everything the Book instructed, and yet in the Jews' religion he persecuted the assembly of God beyond measure and wasted it.