The "Calling" of Saul of Tarsus

The “Calling” of Saul of Tarsus

Presented to Dr. Greg Stephens

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For Acts: Bibl-364-D01
At Liberty University

8/15/2014

By:
Joshua Volpe

Table of Contents:
Outline…………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………….3
Saul’s Background as a Pharisee………………………………………………………………….3
Saul’s Conversion/Call in Acts Chapters 9: 1-19; 22: 4-16; 26: 9-19……………………………5
The Divine Purpose in Saul’s Conversion………………………………………………………..7
Saul’s Call to Preach to the Gentiles……………………………………………………………...8
Saul’s Conversion Compared to Salvation Today………………………………………………..9
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………….10
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………..11

Outline:
Thesis statement: The calling of Saul of Tarsus was a divinely inspired event that can best be understood with knowledge of his past life as a Pharisee, his conversion to Jesus Christ, and his commission to preach the gospel to the Gentile nations.
1.) Introduction:

a. Thesis statement

b. An overview of Paul’s life as a Pharisee, calling/conversion to Christ and ministry to the Gentiles.

2.) Saul’s background as a Pharisee:

a. Saul’s Roman citizenship and training in the Jewish Law.

b. Saul’s persecution of the church of Christ.

3.) Saul’s conversion/call in Acts 9: 1-19; 22: 4-16; 26: 9-19:

a. The differences between the three versions of the event.

b. Commonality between the three events.

c. The underlying purpose for the calling/conversion of Saul.

4.) The divine purpose in Saul’s conversion:

a. God’s sovereignty in Saul’s conversion.

b. Divine intervention in the radical transformation of Saul’s life.

5.) Saul’s call to preach to the Gentiles:

a. How Saul’s call to the Gentiles was determined before he was born.

b. How Saul’s call to the Gentiles changed the landscape of Christianity.

c. Paul’s sufferings for the name of Christ.

6.) Saul’s conversion compared to salvation today:

a. How

Bibliography: Dyck, Harold J. “The Conversion of Paul: A Model?” Direction 9, no. 4 (October 1980): 3–9. (accessed August 13, 2014). Hedrick, Charles W. “Paul’s Conversion/Call: A Comparative Analysis of the Three Reports in Acts.” Journal of Biblical Literature 100, no. 3 (September 1981): 415–432. (accessed August 14, 2014), Hoerber, Robert G. “Paul 's Conversion/Call.” Concordia Journal 22, no. 2 (April 1996): 186–188. (accessed August 15, 2014). Polhill, John. New American Commentary: Acts. Nashville: B & H publishing group. 1992. (accessed August 12, 2014). Piper, John. "God 's Sovereignty, Paul 's conversion." Desiring God. http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/gods-sovereignty-pauls-conversion (accessed August 15, 2014). Ralston, Timothy J. “The Theological Significance of Paul’s Conversion.” Bibliotheca Sacra 147, no. 586 (April 1990): 198–215. (accessed August 13th, 2014), Towns, Elmer "A Journey Through the New Testament: The Story of Christ and how He developed the Church." Saul of Tarsus: His Conversion and Ministry in Damascus, 239-243. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2008. (accessed August 12, 2014).