Saul In fact, as Saul would later write, he realized that he was chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. ANANIAS From the fact that three different accounts of Sauls conversion are recorded in Acts, we know this event had to play a crucial role in the expansion of the church. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Their attempt to deceive the apostles was an attempt to deceive God putting the Spirit of the Lord to the test (v. 9) and they paid the price! (9) On the road to Damascus, Saul did far more than to see a bright light and to hear a voice from heaven. Paul would later use this expression (in the plural) to address his unbelieving Jewish opponents, as in Acts 22:1. WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. Saul was not seeking God. Saul was saved in spite of himself. What a terrible revelation this isthat all are sinners, even the best, the most religious, the most righteous! Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard (Isaiah 58:8). The details of what was said and done when Ananias arrived are fuzzy. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things have been created through Him and for Him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?d Web3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. It is impossible to overestimate the worth to the student of Christianity of this event from every angle because we have in Pauls Epistles his own emphasis on the actual appearance of Jesus to him as the fact that changed his whole life (1 Cor. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. What are 3 long term physical effects of tobacco use? 87-89), plays out the two views of Sauls conversion, the first (and seldom held the view of Ramsay), that Saul was suddenly and radically converted; second, that there was a considerable process involved. What can you say about Christianity when its most outspoken and zealous opponent suddenly claims to have seen the risen Christ, and to have trusted in Him as the Messiah? Ananias son of Nebedeus (or Nedebeus) was a high priest who, according to the Acts of the Apostles, presided during the trials of the apostle Paul at Jerusalem (Acts 23:2) and Caesarea (Acts 24:1). How true are two of the proverbs, which read: The mind of a man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps (Proverbs 16:9). Were they some of those converted to Christ through his preaching? This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. Acts 9:10-19 Acts 22:12-16 - Webflow (6) Sauls salvation was a conversion, a radical change. It was Gods initiative all the way. Granted, his experience is unique and dramatic. Sauls Baptism. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. He had heard of all the terrible things Saul had done to Christians in Jerusalem and how it was his intent to do the same in Damascus, Ananias town. Do not gloat over me, my enemy! The only question is who is the LORD? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 59:15b60:13). Ananias was afraid because he knew Sauls reputation as a merciless persecutor of the church. NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Third Edition, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Kingdom Equipping Through the Power of the Word. the light and blind passages above). They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Even then he knew he wanted to live the life of a religious. Thank God that is what happened. Ananias and Saul: Faith over Fear - livingwithfaith.org It is one of the few accounts of a conversion which is described with some detail (although this detail is much less than we would prefer). Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day (2 Timothy 1:8-12). 11The Lord said to him, Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. This method of argument Paul continued to use with the Jews (Acts 17:3). Saul was not content to punish some and to drive the rest from the holy city. He did not want to merely contain Christianity or to drive it from Jerusalem; he wanted to rid the earth of Christianity and its followers. One of the most dramatic revelations of Sauls Damascus road experience was that he was not serving God, but he was persecuting Him. Suppose you were a Christian who had just arrived in Damascus, and you had been able to learn the whereabouts of a group of believers. There are two very important implications to the personal dimension of Sauls conversion. I can believe the saints who gathered to pray would have prayed for the protection of the church in Damascus and for the safety of individual saints, especially the leaders and the most visible Christians. How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 4. Did he still not realize who the Lord was? 12 It teaches us to say No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hopethe glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. (14) There is an interesting symmetry or parallel between the conversion of Saul and the conversion of Cornelius. When I look through the Gospels and the Book of Acts, I never find the gospel presented in the same way to different people. 2. The results of Sauls preaching were predictable, very much like the response Saul would have had (or did have) to the preaching of the gospel before his conversion. in 1971. The approach the Lord took was one of dealing with Saul in the light of his sin, of his salvation, and of his ministry. When Ananias The pastor advised him to pray for the person every day for two weeks pray for the person not about the person. Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: The law will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations (Isaiah 51:4). I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Philippians 3:1-9; cf. What Israel failed to do, Jesus, the Messiah would do. The Book of Galatians is but one example of this. The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight 23After a long time had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, Saul, like Israel, had been blinded as to the meaning of the law because of his rejection of Christ (cf. To whom did the Lord communicate "in a vision"? Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. It almost seems harder to convince Ananias that Saul is (or will be) a Christian than it is to convert Saul. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). (10) Sauls encounter with Christ was not only a conversion, but it was also a call to a very specific ministry. Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? Q&A 1. also Psalm 50:15; Joel 2:32; Jeremiah 29:12; 33:3-8). Then Jesus told them, You are going to have the light just a little while longer. In other words, Is Sauls conversion typical and illustrative of the conversion of every saint, or is it unique, the exceptional case, which has little correspondence to most converts?. 134 Blaiklock comes to this conclusion concerning the time of Sauls conversion: Probably the earliest acceptable date for the conversion on the Damascus road is AD 33. 28, p. 185. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. in expanding, as well as justifying, their earthly wealth and power. The blindness to which Saul was subject for three days provided him with much time for reflection, meditation, and prayer. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-18; cf. At this point, the conversion of the hero of the Gentile mission is recounted. The Creator of the universe specifying the name of a street and the house in one of His planets. * [9:1930] This is a brief resume of Pauls initial experience as an apostolic preacher. We can learn more about his life in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and we can still read some of the letters he wrote that have been collected into the Bible, such as Galatians, Ephesians and Philippians. 16and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name. What is wrong with Ananias response to the Lord? He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? 1:4). F. F. Bruce, p. 190. Preachers can narrate verses 10-14, and then basically say, You see, Ananias didnt know what had just happened. 1:29, 30, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version. The message which Saul received was not only a call to salvation, but a divine call to ministry. east-west thoroughfare through Damascus built by the Greeks after the city . So Ananias found Saul at Judas' house, praying for help. His conversion was by far the most vital influence in Pauls life. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands onq him to restore his sight.. It is, in the Bible, the radiance of Gods glory. Web The children will describe Ananias as a man who helped Saul even though he was afraid. WebThere was no indication in Jesus words that Ananias was going to give Saul the Holy Spirit. What was Ananias role in Sauls conversion to Christianity? And having escaped from Damascus in a basket, most likely alone, he probably returned to Jerusalem alone, without a witness who could corroborate his claims. 35And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. If Ananias and Sapphira were born again believers and God judged them for their sin, it means that even though Jesus was judged for sin, God still judged them for their sin. Get the BEST VALUE in digital Bible study as you prepare for Easter. Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. remark on the symmetry with which Luke sets forth the two stories: The simultaneous preparation of the hearts of Ananias and of Saul, and the simultaneous preparation of those of Peter and Cornelius,the questioning and hesitation of Peter and the questioning and hesitation of Ananias,the one doubting whether he might make friendship with the Gentiles, the other doubting whether he might approach the enemy of the Church,the unhesitating obedience of each when the Divine will was made known,the state of mind in which both the Pharisee and the centurion were found,each waiting to see what the Lord would say to them,this close analogy will not be forgotten by those who reverently read the two consecutive chapters. Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. Salvation may occur in a large group, such as those saved at the preaching of Peter at Pentecost, but each individual was saved because of a personal encounter with Christ. Theologically, we know this as the doctrine of mans total depravity.151 Paul surely believed that it was essential for men to begin with the understanding of their own sin, for in his Epistle to the Romans, he took the first two and one-half chapters to prove that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). On various occasions in his epistles, Paul made either direct or indirect references to his former life of opposition and his radical conversion.132 Pauls theology, his lifestyle, his ministry, and his methodology, all are rooted in his conversion. . Scripture taken from the New King James Version. 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. Who told Saul to go to the house of Judas on Straight Street? What do Ananias actions, when asked in the passage to heal Saul, suggest about his feelings toward him? Rather than attempt to pacify Ananias or to alleviate his apprehension, God went on to tell him that Saul would not only be a brother, but he would be His instrument for bringing the gospel to Gentiles too. The voice from heaven did not call out, Have you ever heard of the four spiritual laws?152 Ananias was sent to Saul only. Saul saw and heard the resurrected Christ. It says nothing about him receiving the Holy Spirit. While at first he thought he might have to correct God, in the end he submitted himself and his very life to Gods call. Then he They wanted to keep Gods blessings to themselves. Rising Strong Small Groups The Apostle Paul: Saul and Ananias to go lay hands on Saul (soon to be known as Paul) and restore his The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
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