WOW! What a question! It deserves a significant answer!
In Gen.12, God's covenant promise to Abraham (Israel) was that in (or through) Israel all the nations of earth would be blessed. Through Israel, salvation would come to the world (Acts 1:8, Zachariah 8:23). However, about 5 years after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Jews stoned Stephan, and this triggered the downfall of the Jewish nation. Paul writes about the fall (or blinding) of the Jews in Romans 9-11. So, does this not cause a dilemma? How would the Gentiles be blessed if the source of blessing (Israel) has fallen?
*The answer is: Paul! God keeps His word and saves Paul, a Jew (a descendant of Abraham), and equips him with a new gospel and a mystery message and sends him to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to him (Ananias), Go! For this one is a chosen vessel to Me, to bear My name before Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel. (See also Galatians 1:1)
Transliteration of ‘chosen’: eklogḗ; Definition (Strongs Lex G1589): a divine selection; Usage: a choosing out, selecting, choice by God.
Acts 22:21 Then He [the Lord] said to me, Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.
Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
Romans 11:13 I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry…
So, Paul’s conversion was key for OUR salvation. Since the salvation of the gentiles was to be through Israel, and since Israel fell in unbelief, God saved Paul and equipped him to be ‘proxy Israel’ and take salvation to the Gentiles APART from Israel.
There are other significant points to mention that illustrate the absolute importance of the conversion of Paul. Let’s look at a few more,
Paul was the first to receive the mysteries
Ephesians 3:1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit... 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ;
Our grace doctrine was penned by Paul under the inspiration of God. Paul’s 13-epistles contain the grace gospel (which provides us the means for salvation by grace today through the cross work of Jesus Christ), and the grace doctrine (which provides us the instructions we need to live out our Christian lives, not under the law, but by the walk of the Spirit of Life within us who works out of us the fruit of the spirit.)
As the first one redeemed by grace into the Body of Christ (as a pattern)
1 Timothy 1:15-16 It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief (first/foremost). But for this reason, I obtained mercy, in order that in me first*, Christ Jesus might show all patience (longsuffering) as a pattern** to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
* Paul above quotes that he was the "first"? The first of what? The only sensible answer is the first member of the Church the Body of Christ (as the only other group of believers God has in His Word is the redeemed nation Israel, and Israel is fallen at this point). Many have been saved before Paul, but he was the "first" to be saved in a new program of salvation by grace (without works).
** Paul formed a prototype of those who would follow him in salvation by the "pattern" Christ set in him. Those following being the Church, the body of Christ, saved by grace alone. This is also why Paul, apart from the only other person who said this, encouraged his converts to “follow” him and imitate him. Pal writes the following to the Corinthians,
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be followers of me even as I am of Christ.
Additional material
I can go on with additional points to illustrate the importance of Paul’s conversion for Gentiles, and the credibility Paul had for the office in which God called him. This is an incredibly important question to know about, so please read through the rest of this study about Paul's Credibility.
Comments
Post a Comment