Israel was called of God and set apart to proclaim the way of salvation to the Gentiles. It was being built up and walked in the fear of the Lord, and with the consolation of the holy Spirit it grew in numbers. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 28, p. 185. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. WebAnanias was afraid of Saul. The obedience and faith that Ananias demonstrated in going to Saul and helping to restore his sight were incredible, to say the least. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, The "Straight Street" or Via Recta in Latin, was a straight Ananias is not the last believer who has seen fit to keep God up to date (The Storytellers Companion to the Bible: The Acts of the Apostles). also Romans 1:1-7, 13-17; 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:3-11; cf. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. It may well be a call to live transformed lives in the same circumstances in which we were found. While Paul may not have brought about the execution of all those whom he arrested, including women as well as men (verse 2), verse 1 strongly suggests that this was his desire and ambition. Why do you think the street was named "Straight" Matt. If he were viewed as a reactionary, a trouble-maker, perhaps there were some unbelievers who thought Saul was too much trouble. Perhaps Ananias called a meeting of the church to discuss how they would deal with Sauls arrival. sunodia, Luke 2:44). F. F. Bruce, The Book of Acts, Revised Edition (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988), fn. The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is difficult. 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. After he put his hands on Saul, the Bible only records that Saul received his sight. east-west thoroughfare through Damascus built by the Greeks after the city His conversion was the beginning of a life-long process of maturing and growth in the Lord. Christian ministry be reconciled with the wealth and prosperity that 26:63; Luke 22:67, 70). It was as the Son of God that Christ was revealed to him on the Damascus road (Gal. For the time being, God is using the disobedience of Israel to accomplish His purposes, but there is surely a time coming when Israel will be restored to the Lord, by faith in Christ. It was irresistible argument and spread consternation among the Jews. also 16:17; 18:25-26). Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. Peter Heals Aeneas at Lydda. * [9:26] This visit of Paul to Jerusalem is mentioned by Paul in Gal 1:18. 17 Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:20). I was inclined to think that most of us, experientially, are called to faith in Christ only to gradually learn Gods will for our life, progressively revealed to us as we walk in Him. The longer I study Sauls conversion, the more convinced I am that his conversion is typical. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. (11) Sauls conversion was a watershed event which greatly affected the history of the church. The children will state that they can pray if they feel afraid and it will help them to be brave and friendly. When her lie had been exposed, she also fell down and died at Peters feet. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. That He had already appeared to Saul "on the road" Routing number of commercial bank of Ethiopia? Bob was born and raised in a Christian home i More, The Net Pastors Journal, Eng. It is here in Acts, for the first time, that Saul is called Paul. At first Ananias was afraid because he knew how Saul persecuted the Christians, but the Lord said that Saul had a special ministry he must fulfill. what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). Thank God that is what happened. 2 Cor. But there is a greater discrepancy between the accounts of Sauls conversion in Acts and that which Paul gave in Galatians 1. And so, Saul asked the LORD who He was. 92 0 obj << /Linearized 1 /O 94 /H [ 1243 743 ] /L 503600 /E 43371 /N 16 /T 501642 >> endobj xref 92 42 0000000016 00000 n 0000001188 00000 n 0000001986 00000 n 0000002200 00000 n 0000002434 00000 n 0000002614 00000 n 0000002636 00000 n 0000004226 00000 n 0000004248 00000 n 0000005775 00000 n 0000005798 00000 n 0000008986 00000 n 0000009009 00000 n 0000012094 00000 n 0000012305 00000 n 0000013156 00000 n 0000014011 00000 n 0000014230 00000 n 0000014604 00000 n 0000014827 00000 n 0000023280 00000 n 0000023869 00000 n 0000024230 00000 n 0000024446 00000 n 0000024731 00000 n 0000024987 00000 n 0000025380 00000 n 0000026152 00000 n 0000026257 00000 n 0000029454 00000 n 0000029477 00000 n 0000032108 00000 n 0000032131 00000 n 0000034910 00000 n 0000034933 00000 n 0000037945 00000 n 0000040047 00000 n 0000040070 00000 n 0000043063 00000 n 0000043141 00000 n 0000001243 00000 n 0000001964 00000 n trailer << /Size 134 /Info 91 0 R /Root 93 0 R /Prev 501632 /ID[<3cb89dccfaad5f26269ffad0f6f6443b><3cb89dccfaad5f26269ffad0f6f6443b>] >> startxref 0 %%EOF 93 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Pages 89 0 R >> endobj 132 0 obj << /S 672 /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 133 0 R >> stream And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he 12and [in a vision] he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay [his] hands on him, that he may regain his sight. Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? They are private Christians, living like islands rather than as a part of His body. The ultimate issue was Gods ability to saveeven the most committed unbeliever. The church in Damascus has been talking about Saul and its members rightfully afraid of him he has, after all, been dragging Christians out of house after house, throwing them into prison, and desiring their deaths. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. Presumably this is the case, however I still wonder a bit about this. 26 And when he had come to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. Acts 26:18). He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. Why this swift act of judgment? You also know this person is a recognized hater of your faith, and wants little if anything to do with you. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.. It is evident in the way he was saved. Verse 18 tells us that, "straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight, and he arose and was baptized." That Luke would narrate this conversion three times is testimony to the importance he attaches to it. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Thus, his opposition to Christ and His church took on a missionary spirit. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. The blinding of Bar-Jesus thus seems to be the second major turning point in the ministry of Paul. ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. It would seem not to be there on the road to Damascus. Let us not fail to respect the individuality of the conversion experience and to deal with people in the light of their individuality. In this occasion, no one seems to have prayed for Peters miraculous escape. 137 The Way is a designation for the new movement used several times in Acts 9:19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22; cf. Elsewhere in Acts, such as with the apostles, Stephen and Philip, the message of the gospel was underscored by signs and wonders which accompanied the message. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:12-16). And now, he is preaching the same message. Second, the gospel should be proclaimed in a way that is personal. When I saw it, I fell face down, and I heard the voice of one speaking. Second, the only result of this event shown in the Bible is that Saul received his sight. Just as Saul seemingly had hatred toward Christ-followers, how do you think a Christ-follower like Ananias felt toward Saul? Encourage and rebuke with all authority. To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 9oY+ Why do you think the street was named "Straight" Saul got help, though, from a man named Barnabas. A( ) Ananias is obscure. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Saul, why do you persecute me? WebThats when Ananias heard a word from the Lord. 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. Over and over in his epistles, Paul spoke of salvation in terms of radical change. He also warned those who would corrupt grace, to make it a pretext for sin (cf. Sauls salvation was focused on one thing and on one thing aloneChrist. 12And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight., 13Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, (C)how much [a]harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 3. (1) Sauls salvation was the salvation of a sinner. Third, these discrepancies may well have been evident to the writers, who did not see fit to remove or explain every problem. Yes, Lord, he answered. 151 The doctrine of total depravity is that every person, every man, woman, and child, has been affected (infected?) (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) Would the church not have undertaken the task of discipling these folks? Saul was told at the time of his conversion that God had chosen him to bear witness to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the Jews (9:15). The call of salvation is a call to holiness, and to obedience, and to fellowship, with God and with our fellow-believers. He sought to preach Christ in simplicity and not in a way that would detract from Him. How does Ananias ability to rise above his own feelings of hatred toward Saul encourage Saul to move 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. But his blindness was symbolic of his condition. Ananiass vision was intended to direct him to the house of Judas and to Saul. In this approach, preachers are offering their congregation a chance to relate to Ananias dream that leads him to overcome his preconception of Saul (a correct but now outdated preconception), come to see Saul as someone God has called, and respond faithfully. In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. A man who, along . We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. God chose Saul and had his destiny planned, before He saved him. 15:21). This Paul knew and testified to. During the subsequent Roman rule, the The Essene community at Qumran used the same designation to describe its mode of life. many pulpits today promise to those who will follow Jesus.