Paul's Conversion
“But even before I was born, God had chosen me. He was kind and had decided to show me his Son, so that I would announce his message to the Gentiles. I didn’t talk this over with anyone.” (Galatians 1:15,16, Contemporary English Version)
Paul does not deal with the circumstances of his conversion but describes it in theological terms. The Galatians were acquainted with the events that brought about Paul’s salvation. For his purpose here, this theological description is more powerful.
In this letter, salvation by grace apart from works is emphasized. So it is in Paul’s description of his own salvation. He was saved when it pleased God. This does not mean that Paul had no choice or that Paul could not have rejected what God offered.
God offers salvation when and to whom He desires. A person cannot be saved at any time. He can only be saved at such times as God through the Spirit offers him salvation. However, God offers salvation, He does not force it upon a person. At those times that God extends His invitation, the individual has the opportunity to decide if he will accept or reject it.
Paul states that God separated him from his mother’s womb. The Greek word means to set apart for some purpose. Before he was born, God had a purpose for the life of Paul. Does that mean that Paul had no choice in the matter? Was Paul just a puppet responding as a robot to God as He pulled Paul’s strings? No! God’s purpose for Paul’s life was based upon God’s foreknowledge. God knew how Paul would respond. But Paul still exercised his free will.
God’s purpose in Paul’s life as described in this passage was that Jesus Christ would be revealed in Paul. This is God’s desire for all people. God desires that every person be saved, and that after salvation Christ would be revealed in him or her. As the song says, “We are the only Jesus that some may ever see!”
God’s purpose in Paul’s life went beyond this general thought to a more specific one. He desired that Paul preach Christ among the Gentiles, that is, the non-Jewish people. Paul was chosen as by God as an Apostle to the non-Jews. This was his special God given ministry.
God has a specific ministry for all His children. At conception, He forms us in a certain way. As we grow, He gives us experiences that develop us in a certain fashion. When we are saved, He gives us particular spiritual gifts as He desires. As a potter fashions a pot for a specific purpose, so God seeks to form our lives for a specific purpose. Yet so often, rather than fulfilling our God given ministry, we follow after selfish pursuits, or seek after a ministry for which God has not prepared us.
When God saved Paul by His grace, Paul did not seek the counsel of man. This is not meant to be a pattern for us to follow. When a person is saved, he or she needs instruction by man. God, however, instructed Paul.
God called Paul as an Apostle to the Gentiles. God taught Paul what he was to preach. Paul’s apostleship was divine. Paul’s message was divine.
Paul does not deal with the circumstances of his conversion but describes it in theological terms. The Galatians were acquainted with the events that brought about Paul’s salvation. For his purpose here, this theological description is more powerful.
In this letter, salvation by grace apart from works is emphasized. So it is in Paul’s description of his own salvation. He was saved when it pleased God. This does not mean that Paul had no choice or that Paul could not have rejected what God offered.
God offers salvation when and to whom He desires. A person cannot be saved at any time. He can only be saved at such times as God through the Spirit offers him salvation. However, God offers salvation, He does not force it upon a person. At those times that God extends His invitation, the individual has the opportunity to decide if he will accept or reject it.
Paul states that God separated him from his mother’s womb. The Greek word means to set apart for some purpose. Before he was born, God had a purpose for the life of Paul. Does that mean that Paul had no choice in the matter? Was Paul just a puppet responding as a robot to God as He pulled Paul’s strings? No! God’s purpose for Paul’s life was based upon God’s foreknowledge. God knew how Paul would respond. But Paul still exercised his free will.
God’s purpose in Paul’s life as described in this passage was that Jesus Christ would be revealed in Paul. This is God’s desire for all people. God desires that every person be saved, and that after salvation Christ would be revealed in him or her. As the song says, “We are the only Jesus that some may ever see!”
God’s purpose in Paul’s life went beyond this general thought to a more specific one. He desired that Paul preach Christ among the Gentiles, that is, the non-Jewish people. Paul was chosen as by God as an Apostle to the non-Jews. This was his special God given ministry.
God has a specific ministry for all His children. At conception, He forms us in a certain way. As we grow, He gives us experiences that develop us in a certain fashion. When we are saved, He gives us particular spiritual gifts as He desires. As a potter fashions a pot for a specific purpose, so God seeks to form our lives for a specific purpose. Yet so often, rather than fulfilling our God given ministry, we follow after selfish pursuits, or seek after a ministry for which God has not prepared us.
When God saved Paul by His grace, Paul did not seek the counsel of man. This is not meant to be a pattern for us to follow. When a person is saved, he or she needs instruction by man. God, however, instructed Paul.
God called Paul as an Apostle to the Gentiles. God taught Paul what he was to preach. Paul’s apostleship was divine. Paul’s message was divine.
posted by David Frank Wilson | 2:47 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home