Acts 5:29-33; 7:51-8:1-8; Acts 9
28 "Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them."
The fledgling church is beginning and Peter and the apostles are boldly proclaiming the word of God. Brought before the council and the high priest. I wonder if Saul was among them, as he was later when Stephen spoke in
Acts 7: 51 “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
Seems they resisted the Holy Spirit, they resisted the Grace of Salvation that God offers. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaimed Christ and they stopped their ears,a conscious choice, they used their volition, they ran upon him with one accord, conscious choice, volition use, they stoned him and verse 8 says Saul was consenting.
Peter proclaimed Christ earlier was Saul also there? In Acts 5 we see that they were cut to the heart in verse 33, they were under heavy conviction of the Holy Spirit, and yet they sought to kill them, conscious choice, volition used. The chose to be filled with sin instead of hearing and answering the call, they resisted, conscious choice, volition used to resist the Grace offered by the Holy Spirit. Now if Saul was at both events, and if we go by the belief that believers are regenerated before they believe, then was he regenerated at one of these points, killing and imprisoning believers until he believed on the road to Damascus or was he regenerated on the road to Damascus after saying Lord, Lord what must I do? At what point did the Convicting of the Holy Spirit take hold of Saul’s (Paul’s) life and bring to fruition his salvation?
Here, Acts 9:5 "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." was he truly saved, believing and regenerated?
Or was he regenerated first at one of the events in the early church with Peter or Stephen?
I believe he was under conviction the whole time and when Jesus appeared he believed and was regenerated. So what say ye?
28 "Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them."
The fledgling church is beginning and Peter and the apostles are boldly proclaiming the word of God. Brought before the council and the high priest. I wonder if Saul was among them, as he was later when Stephen spoke in
Acts 7: 51 “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”
Seems they resisted the Holy Spirit, they resisted the Grace of Salvation that God offers. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit and boldly proclaimed Christ and they stopped their ears,a conscious choice, they used their volition, they ran upon him with one accord, conscious choice, volition use, they stoned him and verse 8 says Saul was consenting.
Peter proclaimed Christ earlier was Saul also there? In Acts 5 we see that they were cut to the heart in verse 33, they were under heavy conviction of the Holy Spirit, and yet they sought to kill them, conscious choice, volition used. The chose to be filled with sin instead of hearing and answering the call, they resisted, conscious choice, volition used to resist the Grace offered by the Holy Spirit. Now if Saul was at both events, and if we go by the belief that believers are regenerated before they believe, then was he regenerated at one of these points, killing and imprisoning believers until he believed on the road to Damascus or was he regenerated on the road to Damascus after saying Lord, Lord what must I do? At what point did the Convicting of the Holy Spirit take hold of Saul’s (Paul’s) life and bring to fruition his salvation?
Here, Acts 9:5 "And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do." was he truly saved, believing and regenerated?
Or was he regenerated first at one of the events in the early church with Peter or Stephen?
I believe he was under conviction the whole time and when Jesus appeared he believed and was regenerated. So what say ye?
