We have several lines of evidence indicating that he undertook aggressive evangelism in his home province of Cilicia.21. So, in potential at least, you are the chief of sinners. What do you think of yourself? But we dare not overlook perhaps the most important reason. It was the sin that brought down Lucifer, who fancied that he could rise to the place of the Most High (Isa. After Paul's first missionary journey, a very fractious issue threatened his further outreach to gentiles. Afterward Peter remained in Joppa for "many days." Two brethren in the church at Joppa hurried to Peter and pleaded with him to come quickly. He did not know that the theme of the law and the prophets is Christ. Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." Newly freed from his sin, he may communicate a greater enthusiasm for Christ. An old saying best captures this truth: "There, but for the grace of God, go I." He wanted Peter to make sure that the whole body of Christ received adequate spiritual nourishment. He himself wrote that "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called" (1 Cor. When Isaiah saw the Lord, he cried out, "Woe is me! Perhaps there were godly Jews in the region who, as they beheld the new religious movement known as the Way, were standing aloof from it only because they desired clearer evidence that it was truly a work of God. 17:20). He was not an enthusiast who was given to “an overheated imagination”; he was a disciplined logical scholar of the first magnitude. Do you think that you are no worse than most people? Rather, we go out and seek to bring them in. And now as always they enjoyed the comfort of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Although Saul was conversant in the language being spoken, which was Hebrew (Acts 26:14), the accusing words left him confused. The result is that many grew stronger in their Christian faith and practice. It must have seemed as if the sun itself had leaped toward the earth. Some have contended that the use of the term “brother” (9:17) indicates that Saul was recognized already as a Christian. Upon the arrival of Saul's company in the city, his companions arranged for him to stay in the house of a certain Judas on a street called Straight. Lord George Lyttelton (1708-1773) was an Oxford educated scholar who also served with great distinction in the British Parliament. “Washing away one’s sins is here clearly connected with baptism and the calling on Jesus’ name” (1990, 330). God’s program of education for Saul had three parts. Your eyes are opened to the greatness of His mercy. When Jesus was visiting Simon the Pharisee, an immoral woman came in and washed Jesus’ feet with her tears—tears of sorrow for her sin and of gratitude for God’s forgiveness. He implies that what he was seeking instead was a divine tutor. It hardly needs to be mentioned that long ago Luke passed the test of being a superb historian. Later in the Book of Acts we learn that for a few years at the end of this period, Saul’s work for Christ was largely confined to Syria, where he served as a pillar of the church in Antioch (Acts 11:25–26; 13:1–3). Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches" (2 Cor. Sir William Ramsay, who investigated Luke’s writings in the light of archaeological data, contended: “Luke’s history is unsurpassed in respect of its trustworthiness” (1979, 81). And the record of how that occurred is as amazing as it is inspiring. Saul’s suspicion was therefore correct. So it was important that they learn respect for the men God had appointed as their leaders. With a voice of triumph, Peter called in the believers waiting outside. With these thoughts in view, three common errors must be addressed. It was pointless because it gave the answer. God greatly used Saul as soon as he was saved. In fact, we find him still in his sins at the time Ananias arrived (22:16). The Lord continued, "It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks" (Acts 26:14). It requires some reasonable explanation. In his epistle to the Galatians, Paul recollects that after his conversion, he did not seek an interview with the apostles back in Jerusalem, but rather he went to Arabia and spent time there before returning to Damascus (Gal. McClintock, John and Strong, James. We too should see ourselves as the chief of sinners. He prayed for help in understanding what the Lord wanted him to do. It was exactly the practice he needed before going abroad to the larger gentile world. Acts 9:1-19 and Acts 22:6-21. 15:8). In the moment before Saul's sight returned, it seemed as if scales fell from his eyes. How would you have felt? Tit. But who was available to teach him? Another account of Ananias’s visit to Saul appears later in the Book of Acts (Acts 22:11–16). The date was probably in the late 30s (see Appendix 1). “And he said, Who art thou, Lord? ISSN: 1559-2235. Lyttelton concluded: And so, as McClintock & Strong suggested, this argument itself constitutes “a demonstration sufficient to prove Christianity to be a divine revelation” (1969, 592). Yet because He loves you, He offers to cancel the penalty for your sin and give you a place in heaven forever. The church already there was perhaps founded by Jews who had been converted at Pentecost, but now its ranks were doubtless swollen by refugees from Jerusalem. First of all, we must insist that the accounts must be viewed as harmonious documents. Soon, his reputation among Christians was that he had "destroyed" (literally, "made havoc of "1 or "spoiled"2) the church in Jerusalem (Acts 9:21). to have washed themselves, or . 3:23). And he did, only fifteen days after he arrived (Gal. An absence of some acquaintance with the name “Paul,” tells more about one’s self than ought to be known. ChristianCourier.com. 1:26). A strong party of Jews in the church at Jerusalem were offended that he excused gentile converts from some requirements of Old Testament law, especially circumcision. This lesson on Saul’s conversion teaches students that God completely transforms a person’s life when they believe in Jesus. From the fact that three different accounts of Saul’s conversion are recorded in Acts, we know this event had to play a crucial role in the expansion of the church. As the chief of sinners, you deserve nothing but His anger. You appreciate God’s willingness to forgive your sins. When we see ourselves as basically no better than any murderer or drug addict, we gain a new compassion for every lost soul. The believers in Joppa did not call for Peter until after Dorcas was dead. Looking at yourself as the chief of sinners has three benefits. Spokesmen for this kind of legalism started carrying their teaching to churches with gentiles. He says, literally, "And saw him all those inhabiting Lydda and the Saron, who turned to the Lord. He was not deceived by the fraud of others for he claimed his revelation to be independent of the other apostles. His last trial before he was beheaded by the Romans was in Rome, so it is possible that the emperor himself, the vile Nero, sat in judgment upon Paul and heard him speak. The history of tyrants shows what wickedness the human heart will produce in the complete absence of restraints. Whittaker. Saul was simply making a strong effort to please God.

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