Study #35: Saul of Tarsus was trained by the Lord and sent back to Tarsus to mature in his faith (Acts 9:19b

Study #35: Saul of Tarsus was trained by the Lord and sent back to Tarsus to mature in his faith (Acts 9:19b - 31)

Acts, Chapter 1.4: God elected special Jews to hear the Gospel and be saved (8:5 - 9:31)

§Unique Introduction: Philip and the Apostles Peter and John destroyed the evil influence of Simon Magus among the Samaritans with the Gospel (8:5 - 25)

¶Opposite Philip won many Samaritans to the Lord Jesus, and away from the evil influence of the Simon the Magician (8:5 - 13)

¶Opposite Peter uncompromisingly rebuked the wicked attempt of Simon to bribe the Apostles for the power to give the Holy Spirit (8:14 - 25)

§Complement Body: Saul of Tarsus was chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ to suffer for his Name’s sake (8:26 - 9:22)

¶Opposite Philip preached the Gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26 - 35)

¶Opposite After baptizing the eunuch, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip (8:36 - 40)

¶Complement Saul of Tarsus met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus and was blinded by the experience (9:1 - 9)

¶Complement The Lord Jesus Christ sent Ananias to baptize Saul and restore his sight (9:10 - 19a)

¶Unique Saul immediately preached Christ in the synagogues of Damascus, and proved that Jesus is the Christ (9:19b - 22)

§Complement Conclusion: Saul suffered persecution by his former allies at Damascus and Jerusalem (9:23 - 31)

¶Complement After Saul escaped persecution at Damascus, he met with the Apostles in Jerusalem (9:23 - 28)

¶Complement After Saul escaped persecution at Jerusalem, the churches of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria were strengthened and multiplied (9:29 - 31)

Comments: Now in this study, because the amount of text is so little, I will cover the last three paragraphs of this Chapter.

The first paragraph is the last paragraph of the Body section. The next two paragraphs are the two paragraphs of the Conclusion section.

All three of these paragraphs have the “OO-CCU” Golden Ratio design in the subparagraphs of each paragraph. I have marked them, so that they are clearly seen.

This study, I will not be including the additional outline explanation, because the amount of text is so little. See if you can understand how the Golden Ratio design of two Opposites, two Complements, and one Unique is manifested in the subparagraphs of each paragraph. Once you have read several of my studies, especially the introductory study for each Chapter that explains the Golden Ratio design of an entire Chapter, this should be quite easy.

Body Section Paragraph 5 Text with paragraph heading:

¶Unique Saul immediately preached Christ in the synagogues of Damascus, and proved that Jesus is the Christ (9:19b - 22)

Opposite Then Saul was certain days with the disciples who were at Damascus.

Opposite And immediately he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Complement But all that heard him were amazed, and said, “Is not this he that destroyed them who called on this Name in Jerusalem?

Complement And he came here for that purpose, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”

Unique But Saul increased even more in strength; and he confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Comments: The experience of Saul is a case study of what happens when a sinner is born again after accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Let's look at it.

Saul was a brand-new Christian! He had passed from darkness to Light, from the power of Satan into the power of God and the joy of knowing that his sins had been forgiven forever by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Immediately, Saul began preaching Christ, that He is the Son of God. Predictably, his former friends and allies were completely shocked. How is it possible, that a man who was such an enemy of Christians that he had obtained letters from the chief priests in Jerusalem so that he could go to Damascus and arrest them, and bring them bound to the chief priests for beating, and probable execution; how it is possible that such a man could now be preaching that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?!

This is a common experience for many new Christians: they immediately want to tell others about what they have learned about Christ!

Often, they will tell their friends and family about Jesus and that they have become Born-again Christians. And the reaction of their friends and family is usually not good:

“You’re crazy!”,

“A little religion is a good thing, but don’t take it too seriously”(!!),

“Calm down, and then we’ll talk about it”, etc etc.

If they were previously a Muslim or some other religion, they may even be threatened with death for abandoning their religion! This is a common experience in majority-muslim countries; but also even in the USA in some states.

They say things like this, because they do not know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They are lost and without Christ, and trapped in the kingdom of the devil; but they do not understand this. Give them a good Gospel tract (like Chick tracts), and keep them in your prayers, that God will open their eyes to their need for Christ also.

If their friends or family are also born-again Christians, they will be overjoyed that you also are saved, because you are now one of their spiritual family.

But be careful! There are many false Christians in the world, and many false religions. Some will attempt to bring you into their false religion or cult (Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and thousands of others). Find an Independent Baptist Church or the closest one that you can find and join that church and be baptized, so that you can learn more about Christ and how to serve Him according to the Word of God. If you need help finding one, please message me on Facebook or email me at editor@phibible.org, and I will help you.

Conclusion Section Paragraph 1 Text with paragraph heading:

§Complement Conclusion: Saul suffered persecution by his former allies at Damascus and Jerusalem (9:23 - 31)

¶Complement After Saul escaped persecution at Damascus, he met with the Apostles in Jerusalem (9:23 - 28)

Opposite And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him; but their laying in wait was known by Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him.

Opposite Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.

Complement And when Saul came to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple.

Complement But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus.

Unique And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

Comments: Notice the first words of this paragraph “after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him...” The Book of Acts did not provide a complete account of what happened during this period, but the Apostle Paul provided a brief explanation in his letter to the Galatians:

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood; neither did I go up to Jerusalem to them who were Apostles before me, but I went into Arabia, and later returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and stayed with him fifteen days” Galatians 1:15 - 18

So there was a three year period of time (“after many days were fulfilled”) between the end of the last paragraph of the Body section, and the beginning of the first paragraph of the Conclusion section.

During this time, Saul was being personally trained by the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ for the important ministry that He had called Saul to: probably 14 letters to the churches (the most of any other Apostle, including Peter), many churches planted in Asia Minor (today’s Turkey) and in Greece and possibly other places.

“But I certify you, brethren, that the Gospel which was preached by me is not after man: for I neither received it from man; neither was I taught it. But I received it through the direct manifestation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11-12

In other words, the teachings of the Apostle Paul came directly from Jesus Christ! Remember that the next time someone tries to tell you that Peter was the most important Apostle. WRONG! The Apostle Paul was the most important spokesman for Christ Himself among the Apostles. His Gospel was the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. His writings were the writings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone who would denigrate the writings of Paul or any other Apostle is a false prophet!

When Saul returned to Damascus after 3 years, the Jews tried to kill him, but he escaped to Jerusalem and met with the other Apostles; which must have been a little scary for them at first, until they learned that they could trust him.

Conclusion Section Paragraph 2 Text with paragraph heading:

¶Complement After Saul escaped persecution at Jerusalem, the churches of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria were strengthened and multiplied (9:29 - 31)

Opposite And he spoke boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus; and he disputed against the Grecians; but they went about to slay him.

Opposite When the brethren knew this, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

Complement Then the Assemblies had rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria;

Complement and they were strengthened.

Unique And, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

Saul was still a new Christian, and needed time to SEASON as a Christian, before he would be ready to lead others in their Christian faith. The Apostles could see this, and so they sent Saul away to his home country in Tarsus. He was still unstable in his walk with Christ, and needed to grow into Christian maturity.

Christ Himself also sent Saul away:

“And it came to pass, that when I returned to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the Temple, I was in a trance, and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry, and get out of Jerusalem quickly: for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’” Acts 22:17-18

Young preacher, realize that you may have learned a little bit about the Bible in your Bible college studies, but you are not ready yet to be a leader among other Believers in Christ until you have become more SEASONED in your Christian faith and experience. If God has called you to be a pastor, serve the Lord under the leadership of a pastor of an Independent Baptist Church for several years until God makes it clear to you that it is time to start your own ministry, or perhaps God will open more doors of service in your own church.

God has a plan for you to serve Him. Do NOT get ahead of Him and try to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN, or you will be without the power of God on your side and at the mercy of the devil. You will be like the Israelites who tried to conquer the promised land against the will of God.

“But they presumed to go up to the hilltop; nevertheless the Ark of the Covenant of Jehovah, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill; and they smote them, and destroyed them, even unto Hormah.” Numbers 14:44-45

Bible knowledge alone does not make you fit for spiritual leadership. Spiritual wisdom can only be gained by time and experience in service for Christ. Only then will you be ready to be a leader in the House of the Living God!

This concludes our study of the Golden Ratio design of Acts Chapter 1.4. Naturally, there are many topics that I could have discussed, but for the sake of brevity, I omitted mention of them. I tried to focus on explaining how the Golden Ratio design of the Bible works, and tried to pass along some important information for Christians along the way.

The next study will be an introduction to the Golden Ratio design of Chapter 1.5, on a high level.

Jesus Christ paid for all of your sins on the cross almost 2,000 years ago, and rose again from the dead on the third day, and returned to Heaven 40 days later.

This same Jesus met Saul on the road to Damascus, and will soon return to Earth to claim his Kingdom and judge mankind.

If you believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and rose again from the dead on the 3rd day, you can be saved, right now! But you must pray to receive Him; a belief in your head will not be enough; you must repent of your sins and ask Jesus to come into your heart to save you. This act of receiving Christ as your Savior can only occur one time in your entire life; it is not the same as receiving Communion, or your daily prayers.

Before God will hear your prayers, you must be born again by receiving Christ as your Savior. All of your religious works or your baptism in water or church membership or good name in the community will not save you; only the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for your sins will work to save you from going to Hell when you die.

The fact that you are reading this is evidence that God is still calling you to salvation through his Son Jesus; there is still hope for you!

You must pray to God to ask forgiveness for your sins because you acknowledge that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed for you, so that you might be saved, IF you repent and accept Jesus as your Savior.

Here is a prayer that you can use to be saved:

“Lord Jesus, I know that I have sinned against YOU. I am no good, and you are righteous! I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, were buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day. I want you to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart right now. Forgive me for all my sins, and save my soul. In the mighty Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!”

If you have turned from your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and only Savior from sin, please message me through Facebook and let me know that you have done that, so that I can pray for you and rejoice with you in what God has done in your life. Amen.