Featured when and where was Paul saved ?

"....when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me, even from my mother`s womb, and called me through his grace, to reveal his Son in me..."

John the Baptist was filled with the Spirit from his mother's womb, David was made to hope while on his mother's breast, Isaac was born after the Spirit by the time of his weaning, Paul was separated from his mother's womb to preach Christ among the Gentiles.

Don't know what you mean by 'saved'. The majority of Christianity goms it up to mean the birth from above and/or the acquisition of eternal life. What actually occured on the road to Damascus was Paul being made whole, being brought into the kingdom, and that only WHEN it was the good pleasure of God to do so.

 

Paul was elect from the foundation of the world but did not have faith in Christ until Jesus blinded him on the road to Damascus. That is when Paul became a member of the body of Christ and received eternal life.

 

In his own words, Paul says it was when he believed in Jesus (Gal. 2:16). I will like to think that this happened in that Damascus road experience.

 

In Acts 9, Paul asked the voice, "Who are you, Lord?"
When Jesus identified himself, I think that's when Paul was converted.

 

I also think he was converted at that time!

 

election does NOT mean salvation, but faith in jesus does!

 

Good point HW. :thumbsup:

 

Let's throw these observations into the mix.

In 9:11 In a vision, God tells Ananias that he is to go to Paul. He said Paul is praying and has seen a vision of Ananias. He describes Saul as his chosen instrument.
In v.17, when Ananias arrives, he calls him Brother Saul. This indicates that he is already saved.

Only then was he baptized.

 

Ananias laid hands on Saul and called him brother and Saul received the Holy Spirit and went from being blind to able to see, in more ways than one. God then translated Saul from being ignorant in unbelief unto belief. Saul was sanctified and justified and this came about because of the faith of Jesus Christ or so says scripture Acts 9:17, 1 Tim. 1:13, Gal. 2:16.

 

Yes, but when Paul gives his testimony to King Agrippa, what does he recount? He tells about what happened on the road to Damascus, but mentions nothing of Ananias. I wonder why he left that out? I think Paul believed he was saved on the road to Damascus.

 

Notice what Ananias says to Paul. He tells him to be filled with the Spirit, which is different from the baptism of the Spirit. This was power for service, not salvation. Paul was already saved.

Acts 9:17-19 (ESV)
17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;
19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

 

We use the word saved to cover a lot. He was called on the road to Damascus.


As Jesus said, "My sheep (Saul) hear my voice (the call) and I know them, and they follow me."(Work of Holy Spirit) Also Gal. 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God.

When God knows us then and only then can we know him.

 

It will be helpful to cite other scripture instances where a Jew called another Jew "brother."

 

He heard and answered the call on the road to Damascus, calling Jesus Lord. That faith, even to those who believe on His name, was saving faith to Paul. I am not sure what you are trying to say about God knowing us. Of course he knows us, saved or not, he made us. He set Paul apart before he called him, so your point is moot, no offense.

 

I am saying that it is God who calls and God who saves through Jesus. Jesus knows who are his sheep and he calls his sheep. Until the time of being called even the sheep are ignorant in unbelief. They cannot believe until God calls them. Until they are known of God, an intimate, knowing then they in return can know God. Why do you thing Gal. 4:9 is worded the way it is? But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

Paul knew who Jesus was, Paul knew Jesus was being preached as being the Christ, the Son of God, resurrected from the dead, Paul heard the sermon of Stephen, and I would venture to say he even heard Peter preach on the day of Pentecost, though we are not directly told that. However Paul did not believe Jesus was the Christ nor had he been resurrected. He was in unbelief.
He was blind even before he was blind and was shown he was blind by being blinded.

We are told that after he was filled with the Spirit and strengthened he immediately began to preach Jesus the Christ as the Son of God, resurrected, that is brought back to life from the dead.