What did God do in Acts chapter 9 that changed the direction of the gospel?
In Acts chapter 9, God supernaturally saved Saul of Tarsus, the zealous arch-religionist, and immediately announced He would send him far hence to the Gentiles. This pivot marked the beginning of the change, turning the gospel away from Israel's continued unbelief and toward Gentile converts under grace rather than law.
Les explains that Israel had rejected Christ at His first advent and continued in unbelief in the book of Acts, even after Peter appealed repeatedly to the nation to repent. Then in Acts chapter 9 God did something supernatural by saving Saul of Tarsus, that arch-religionist and zealot, and immediately announced, “I will send you far hence to the Gentiles.” At that point everything began to change, leading to the graphic statement in Romans chapter 6 that we are not under law but under grace. As Gentile converts came under His Gospel, Judaizers from Jerusalem began to undermine it, insisting Gentiles keep the Law of Moses and be circumcised, and the Galatians were falling to that.
More Questions
When did Acts chapter 9 take place in God's timeline with Israel?
It was only when it became evident that Israel was not going to accept their Messiah that Acts chapter 9 took place in God's operation.
Why is the placement of Acts 10 after Acts 9 significant?
Acts 10 follows Acts 9 in content—not just by chapter number—because Acts 9 shows Saul, the chief of sinners, saved as the pattern and head of the line, and Acts 10 then shows the salvation of a house full of Gentiles.
What did God commission Saul to be in Acts 9?
In Acts 9, instead of Israel going out to the nations with the Gospel, God commissioned Saul to be the Apostle of the Gentiles.