Christian Religious Studies · Lesson 10

Conversion and journeys of Paul, Council of Jerusalem, justification, law and grace, spiritual gifts

JAMBWAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

JAMB: 18(d) Persecution of Paul (Acts 16:11-40; 19:23-41; 21:27-36; 2 Cor 11:23-33); 19 Mission to the Gentiles: conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-30; 22:4-21; 26:9-18); Cornelius (Acts 10); commissioning and mission of Paul (Acts 13; 14:1-20); the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:1-35; Gal 2:1-21)

WAEC: 19 Mission to the Gentiles (Acts 9; 11:1-18)

NECO: 19 Mission to the Gentiles (Acts 9; 11:1-18)

What you will learn

Narrate the conversion of Saul and compare the three accounts in Acts.
Describe the conversion of Cornelius and Peter’s defence before the Jerusalem church.
Trace Paul’s commissioning and missionary journeys and the persecutions he suffered.
Explain the decision of the Council of Jerusalem and Paul’s account in Galatians 2.
Explain Paul’s teaching on justification by faith, law and grace, and believers as joint heirs.
Describe new life in Christ and the use of spiritual gifts.

Key points

Saul, persecuting Christians, saw a light near Damascus: “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”; blinded three days; healed and baptised through Ananias.
He is a “chosen vessel” to bear Christ’s name before the Gentiles, kings and Israel; he escaped Damascus in a basket.
Acts 9, 22 and 26 tell the conversion with small differences; the core facts agree.
Peter’s sheet vision: “What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common”; Cornelius’ household received the Spirit and was baptised.
Peter defended this in Jerusalem: “God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life”; disciples first called Christians at Antioch.
First journey with Barnabas: Cyprus (Elymas blinded), Pisidian Antioch (“we turn to the Gentiles”), Iconium, Lystra (Jupiter and Mercurius; Paul stoned), Derbe.
The Council of Jerusalem: no circumcision for Gentiles; abstain from idol pollution, fornication, things strangled and blood; Galatians 2: Titus not circumcised, Paul withstood Peter.
Philippi: Lydia; slave girl freed; Paul and Silas jailed, sang at midnight; “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”.
Ephesus: Demetrius and the silversmiths cried “Great is Diana of the Ephesians”; the townclerk calmed the riot. Paul was later seized in the Temple at Jerusalem.
Justification: all have sinned; justified freely by grace through faith; peace with God; Christ died for us while sinners.
The law was a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ; in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek; believers are sons, heirs and joint-heirs with Christ.
New life: dead to sin, a new creature, fruit of the Spirit (nine), a living sacrifice; spiritual gifts from one Spirit for one body, used in love and in order.

Start here: The conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-19)

Saul the persecutor

Saul was born at Tarsus in Cilicia, a Roman citizen by birth (Acts 22:3, 28), a Pharisee trained under Gamaliel. He was “yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” and obtained letters from the high priest to the synagogues at Damascus, to bring back bound any “of this way”, whether men or women. (“The Way” was an early name for the Christian movement.)

On the Damascus road

Near Damascus a light from heaven suddenly shone round him, and he fell to the earth.

“Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts 9:4-5, KJV)

Trembling, he asked what he should do and was told to go into the city. His companions “stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man”. When he rose, he could see no one; he was led by the hand into Damascus and was “three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink”.

Ananias

The Lord spoke in a vision to a disciple named Ananias, telling him to go to “the street which is called Straight” and enquire in the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus, who was praying. Ananias objected that Saul had done much evil to the saints. The Lord replied:

“But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” (Acts 9:15-16, KJV)

Ananias went, laid his hands on him and called him “Brother Saul”, saying the Lord Jesus had sent him that Saul might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. “there fell from his eyes as it had been scales”: he received sight, arose and was baptised.

Significance: the persecutor became the greatest missionary; the risen Christ identifies himself with his church (“why persecutest thou me?”); God’s grace can change anyone; Ananias shows obedient courage and forgiveness.

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Practice questions

1. On the road to Damascus, the voice said to Saul,

Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Arise, and eat
Go thy way
Peace be unto you

Show answer

A: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:4.

2. Who was sent to lay hands on Saul so he could see?

Barnabas
Peter
Philip
Ananias

Show answer

D: Ananias
Acts 9:17.

3. How long was Saul without sight after the vision?

Forty days
One day
Three days
Seven days

Show answer

C: Three days
Acts 9:9.

4. Cornelius was a centurion of

Philippi
the Italian band
the Roman guard at Jerusalem
Herod’s army

Show answer

B: the Italian band
Acts 10:1.

5. In Peter’s vision at Joppa, the voice said,

What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common
Feed my sheep
Go into all the world
Arise and go to Damascus

Show answer

A: What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common
Acts 10:15.

Key words

Gentile: A non-Jew.
Damascus: The Syrian city where Saul was going to arrest Christians when he was converted.
Apostle to the Gentiles: Paul’s title (Rom 11:13; Gal 2:7-8).
Centurion: A Roman officer in charge of about a hundred soldiers.
Circumcision: The Jewish covenant sign (Gen 17); the main issue at the Council of Jerusalem.
Judaizers: A modern term for those who insisted that Gentile Christians keep the law of Moses, including circumcision.
Justification: Being declared or made righteous before God.
Grace: God’s unmerited favour.
Faith: Trust in God and his promises; for Paul, trust in Christ.
Redemption: Being bought back or set free at a price.
Schoolmaster: KJV for the paidagōgos, a slave who guarded and escorted a child (Gal 3:24); RSV “custodian”.
Abba: Aramaic for “Father” (Gal 4:6; Rom 8:15).

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