Day 331 – Paul – Salvation

• There is, arguably, no greater influence to the Christian faith and teaching, apart from Jesus of course, than that of Paul of Tarsus. We’ll be spending several weeks reading about his missionary journeys and the letters he wrote, many of which make up the latter half of the New Testament. Today we have read about his remarkable conversion to faith.
• Paul was previously named Saul. I’ll refer to him throughout these notes as Paul. We briefly met him a few days ago at the stoning of Stephen, which Paul oversaw. Who was Paul? Was he a Jew or a Roman?
• What was Paul planning on doing in Damascus? Who appeared to him as he was travelling along the road to get there?
• Imagine the scene! What might you be thinking if you were Paul? Do you think he enjoyed hearing Jesus’ answer in Acts 9:5? Why do you think Paul’s experience of the events was different to that of his companions?
• What what Ananias, a believer in God, asked to do? Would you have wanted to go and speak to Paul, if you were him, and knew about how Paul murdered Christians?
• What do you think might be the meaning of the scales on Paul’s eyes, and his temporary blindness? What happened to Paul when the scales fell from his eyes?
• Imagine how things must have been in the days after Paul’s conversion. What do you think the conversations must have been like between the chief priests, formally close allies of Paul? What about between the various disciples?
• Imagine Richard Dawkins, or some other well known atheist, or perhaps even a friend of yours who is outspoken against the Christian faith, suddenly became a Christian. How would it encourage you, and perhaps the church? Do you ever pray for people who go out of their way to attack the gospel?
• What does Paul argue in his words in the letter he wrote to the Galatians? Had his previous “zeal” for the older traditions helped him? Was it his own wisdom or teaching that had helped him see Jesus? Or was it just a wonderful, undeserved, call of grace? In that regard, was Paul any different from us?

Jesus changed Paul’s life. How has Jesus changed yours?