Pauls conversion serves as an pattern to those who shall bel

[savedbygrace57]

1 tim 1:

12And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;


13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

The word pattern is the greek word:

hypotyp?sis

an outline, sketch, brief and summary exposition

2) an example, pattern

a) for an example of those who should hereafter believe


Basically, God has Paul's conversion on record as an example of how He saves sinners, even from their unbelief, because unbelief in nothing more than ignorance of which all the elect are by nature, before new birth:

eph 4:

18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

These are traits and symptoms of all mankind in relation to the True God..

Yes, Paul was like that even as a devout jew..and so are all who belong to the church of God to which Christ came to seek and to save...all may not be as religious as Paul was, but all are as blind, without understanding, and ignorant..

But God shows us by Paul, how He saves sinners..

There are things we learn from Paul's example, that are applicable to each child of Grace who shall believe on Him [ Jesus Christ] unto everlasting salvation..or life everlasting..

Let us look at gal 1:


15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

What is said here by Paul and about his conversion, can equally be said about all believers in Christ, though of course all are not apostles, yet all are equally of the same body with the same head, Jesus Christ..

All believers to be are as Paul was :

who separated me from my mother's womb

Yes, all believers in Christ, true believers that is, were separated by God from their mothers womb..

The word separated means:

to mark off from others by boundaries, to limit, to separate

in a good sense: to appoint, set apart for some purpose

Yes, all who are called according to Gods purpose rom 8:28 are even from the womb, protected and guarded by a providence of God, and a Angel because they are heirs of salvation see heb 1:14..

Notice the definition says, to mark off from others, thats because, even they are just as sinful as others, they have been chosen for a holy purpose, a purpose of mercy, vessel of mercy apart from others..

God says mal 3:17

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

They are spared their due destruction for their evil ways by nature..because they are God's heritage..

also look at :

Mich 7:18

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Paul as well as all the members of Jesus Christ body belong to the remnant of His Heritage, the election of grace..

So thats one point that all believers, past, present, and future have in common with Paul, that from their mothers womb they had been separated by God..and under a all encompassing protective providence that ensures they will be alive to be Called by His Grace..

 

[savedbygrace57]

As we continue to look at

gal 1:


15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:


Not only are all the church members like Paul separated from their Mothers womb, but secondly, they are called by His [ God's ] Grace.

This call is actually regeneration, or being born again, and its effectual in the conversion of the one called, it calls them out of darkness into His Marvelous light..

1 pet 2:

9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;

This call is effectual, it actually delivers one from the power of darkness and translates into the Kingdom of God's dear Son col 1:

13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

This call by Grace, is the effectual working of God's Power eph 3:


7Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

This grace is given to all to be saints, no matter if a apostle or new convert on the day of Pentecost, all partake of the effectual regenerating call by the Sovereign Grace of God, just like Paul did..for His call was an example of all the church of God..

 

[savedbygrace57]

Another feature that is manifested in Paul's conversion that serves as a pattern for all those who should hereafter believe unto life everlasting, is that after having been separated from their Mothers womb, and the called by God's grace [ new birth] then Jesus Christ is revealed in them, a saving knowledge and experiential knowledge is given them of Jesus Christ..

Gal 1:

15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

Jesus Christ actually comes into the child of God by His Spirit and lives within Him or Her activating a life of Faith..

Gal 2:20

20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Jesus Christ is not merely revealed to the chosen vessel of mercy, but in them, that they may live a life long life of Faith..

 

[savedbygrace57]

Saved by the Will of God as Paul was !



2 Tim 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

The Apostles are representatives and examples of all believers, for they as us were sinners saved by grace 1 Tim 1:

15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

This is the Testimony of an Apostle, one who is a sinner needing to have been saved by grace.

Now, his salvation was linked with his apostleship, that is he was saved in order to carry out a saving purpose for the good of the church of Christ, and that is common with all believers, though we all are not called to be apostles 1 Cor 12:

28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

The answer is obviously No, all are not apostles, however just as the apostles, God has set the lesser gifted believers into the body of Christ too 1 Cor 12:

28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

Now that word set is the greek word tithēmi which means:

to set, put, place

a) to place or lay

b) to put down, lay down

1) to bend down

2) to lay off or aside, to wear or carry no longer

3) to lay by, lay aside money

c) to set on (serve) something to eat or drink

d) to set forth, something to be explained by discourse

2) to make

a) to make (or set) for one's self or for one's use

3) to set, fix establish

a) to set forth

b) to establish, ordain


It means to appoint as used here 2 Tim 1:


11Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

These various appointments of God into the service of the body, whether apostles or helps etc all the appoints are due to the Will of God 1 Cor 12:

11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

As Paul's apostleship unto the body was by the Will of God 2 Tim 1:1, likewise is the case with the lesser gifted believers, whom also are placed into their places of service in the body by the will of God, and knowing this, their believing in Christ is also for that purpose to fulfill their appointment in the body of Christ. So all have been appointed by the will of God to believe as Paul was. In fact, Paul says His believing was an example of how God saves sinners 1 Tim 1:

15This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

 

[savedbygrace57]

we see that Paul was made an Apostle or Believer, for He could not be made a apostle without being a believer, hence by the Will of God 2 Tim 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

1 Cor 1:

1Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2 Cor 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

Eph 1:1

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

The word for will here is the greek word thelēma:

what one wishes or has determined shall be donea) of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ

b) of what God wishes to be done by us

1) commands, precepts

2) will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure


Now this same will of God is what causes our deliverance from this evil world Gal 1:

4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Thats the purpose of God behind Jesus giving Himself for our [The elect] sins...

The elect are delivered from their sins and this evil world system not by water baptism, faith, repentance, or anything man does, but its according to the Will of God..

 

[childeye]

we see that Paul was made an Apostle or Believer, for He could not be made a apostle without being a believer, hence by the Will of God 2 Tim 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

1 Cor 1:

1Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,

2 Cor 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:

Eph 1:1

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Col 1:

1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timotheus our brother,

The word for will here is the greek word thelēma:

what one wishes or has determined shall be donea) of the purpose of God to bless mankind through Christ

b) of what God wishes to be done by us

1) commands, precepts

2) will, choice, inclination, desire, pleasure


Now this same will of God is what causes our deliverance from this evil world Gal 1:

4Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Thats the purpose of God behind Jesus giving Himself for our [The elect] sins...

The elect are delivered from their sins and this evil world system not by water baptism, faith, repentance, or anything man does, but its according to the Will of God..

For what purpose does God do this my dear SBG57?

 

[savedbygrace57]

Made a Minister or Servant ! Eph 3:7



Following the example of Paul, whereby it was written that His conversion experience was to be an example of those who should hereafter believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to life everlasting 1 Tim 1:16

16Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern[example] to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

Paul was made a minister or a servant according to the gift of the grace of God given unto him.

Eph 3:7

Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

The greek word for servant is diakonos and means:

one who executes the commands of another, esp. of a master, a servant, attendant, minister

a) the servant of a king

b) a deacon, one who, by virtue of the office assigned to him by the church, cares for the poor and has charge of and distributes the money collected for their use

c) a waiter, one who serves food and drink

The word basically means a servant, its used that way Rom 16:1

1I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

Now she was made a servant to the church in the same manner as paul was,according to the gift of the Grace of God.

We do not exactly know what her service was, but it was certain she was appointed by God to one, as perhaps she was given to be a helps as in 1 Cor 12:28

28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

or perhaps She was given to be one that was gifted to give or to showeth mercy as in Rom 12:8

Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

All of these less prominent roles of service unto the church, other than the apostleship, were still servants or minsters unto the body of Christ, and God would work so effectually in providing each servant to His Body as He did with the apostles.

With that in mind, As Paul, all for whom Christ died are made, the word is ginomai :

to become, i.e. to come into existence, begin to be, receive being

to become, be made

In other words, being made or brought into existence by God's Grace, the effectual working of His Power, each member of Christ body was brought into existence to serve the Head and each other.

This was accomplished by Christ death,and by dying for them He makes them servants or ministers by the Gift of the Grace of God.

Paul again writing to believers, those Christ died for writes this Eph 4:7

But unto every one of us [The Chosen see Eph 1:4] is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

The same as in Eph 3:7

Also the same Gift and Grace is spoken of in Rom 5:15

But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded [is given or furnished] unto many.

So being made a servant , a minister of Christ, is a effect of Christ having given Himself on ones behalf, Just like His death and power of His Grace made Paul a minister, so it shall all the body of Christ He layed down His Life for.

 

[Webb]

''THE ELECT ARE DELIVERED FROM THEIR SINS AND THIS EVIL WORLD SYSTEM NOT BY WATER BAPTISM, FAITH, REPENTANCE, OR ANYTHING MAN DOES, BUT ITS ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD---'' post on 6-10-11 at 12:30 p

Its certainly true that deliverance from this evil world IS according to the will of God (and NONE other ). AND it includes items mentioned in the above.

God bless,