Yes — God showed grace to Saul of Tarsus by saving him at the very moment Saul was persecuting Jesus' followers and deserved judgment.
Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest believers and bring them to prison or death when God confronted him with a light from heaven. Instead of destroying the man, God saved him, even though Saul had not sought mercy, had not repented, and had done nothing to deserve it. Les Feldick calls this the epitome of grace — the very high point of God's grace poured out on a sinful man.
Acts 9:1-6 — This is the record of Saul's Damascus Road encounter — the moment God interrupted Saul's persecution and saved him by grace.
The Book of Acts shows Saul in a state of open hostility. He was 'yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord' and had asked the high priest for letters to Damascus so that he could bind any followers of 'this way' — men or women — and bring them to Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2). While Saul journeyed near Damascus, 'suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven.' He fell to the earth and heard a voice: 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' When Saul asked who was speaking, the Lord answered, 'I am Jesus whom thou persecutest' (Acts 9:3-5). Trembling and astonished, Saul replied, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' The Lord told him to arise and go into the city, where it would be told him what he must do (Acts 9:6). God initiated the encounter while Saul was still in full pursuit of believers; nothing in Saul's behavior had earned God's favor.
Les Feldick stresses that any human being in God's position would have destroyed Saul of Tarsus — 'we'd have zapped him' or 'simply rubbed him out' — but that is not what God did. Instead, God saved him. Les calls this grace, and he says Saul is 'not only the apostle of grace, he is the epitome of grace' [Clip 1]. Les emphasizes that Saul was not on a spiritual search. Saul was fervent, sincere, and devout, but he was like a raging bull, stamping out believing Jews, and he was energized by Satan under the Satanic power of opposing God's work [Clip 7][Clip 3]. God did not wait for Saul to have second thoughts or to repent. While Saul was still intent on dragging believers from Damascus — men, women, or children — to prison or death, God stopped him in his tracks with a penetrating light from heaven and said, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?' [Clip 6][Clip 5]. According to Les, Saul did not deserve it, did not work for it, and did not do anything for it. He simply responded, 'Lord, what would you have me to do?' [Clip 2]. This makes Saul's salvation 'the very high point of the pouring out of God's grace on a sinful man' [Clip 3], and 'the epitome of grace' [Clip 4]. Les then applies it to us: we were rebels, lost, and condemned already, and God saves us by His grace when we recognize ourselves as sinners and believe everything needed was accomplished at the cross [Clip 1][Clip 0][Clip 2].
Les explains that God could have removed Saul entirely — he could have been 'nothing but a grease spot' — but instead God's grace rose to the occasion [Clip 3]. Saul hated Jesus of Nazareth, was energized by Satan, and was stamping out believers, yet God saved him [Clip 4][Clip 3][Clip 7]. That is why Les calls Saul's salvation 'the very high point of the pouring out of God's grace on a sinful man' [Clip 3].
No. Les is emphatic that Saul did not suddenly come to himself and repent, and God did not wait for him to have second thoughts [Clip 5][Clip 6]. Saul was still determined to arrest believing Jews from Damascus — whether they were men, women, or children — and bring them back to Jerusalem for prison or death. While he was in that mindset, God stopped him with a light from heaven and spoke to him [Clip 6].
Saul's response was not a list of works or a claim of merit. According to Les, he simply said, 'Lord, what would you have me to do?' [Clip 2]. Les says a person must come to the place of seeing themselves as a total undone creature who can do nothing except call out for the mercy and grace of God, believing that everything needed was accomplished at the cross [Clip 2][Clip 0].
Les says yes. He compares us directly to Saul: 'Isn't that exactly what we were before we were saved? We were rebels. We were lost. We were condemned already. But what does God do? He saves us by his grace' [Clip 1]. We are in the same category with the Apostle Paul — saved without ever doing anything on our part [Clip 5].
Justification Without a Cause
Les explains that God justifies the believing sinner freely and without a cause, declaring him just as if he had never sinned — the doctrinal foundation for why God could save a rebel like Saul by grace.
God Saved Saul Instead of Zapping Him
Les says a human being in God's place would have destroyed Saul, but God saved him — and that is grace. Saul is the epitome of grace, and we were rebels just like him before we were saved.
Saul Saved by Grace, Not Works
Les shows that Saul, on his way to arrest believers, did not deserve, work for, or do anything for his salvation. He simply said, 'Lord, what would you have me to do?' — and that is where every one of us must come.
God's Grace Rises to the Occasion
Les says God could have removed Saul — making him 'nothing but a grease spot' — but instead God's grace rose to the occasion. Saul's salvation is the high point of grace poured out on a sinful man, even though Saul was energized by Satan.
The Epitome of Grace
Les explains that after Israel rejected and crucified Christ, God raised up Saul — that rebel who hated Jesus of Nazareth — and saved him by grace. That salvation is the epitome of grace.
Knocked Off His Horse by Grace
Les stresses that Saul did not repent first; God knocked him off his horse and said, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?' That was grace, and we are in the same category — saved without doing anything on our part.
God Stopped Him in His Tracks
Les notes that God did not wait for Saul to have second thoughts. While Saul was still intent on imprisoning or killing believers, God stopped him with a penetrating light from heaven.
Saul the Raging Bull
Les describes Saul as fervent, sincere, and devout, yet like a raging bull stamping out believing Jews. Humans would have simply rubbed him out, but God's response was grace.
Acts 9:1: And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Shows Saul's violent state — breathing threats and slaughter — at the very moment grace met him.
Acts 9:2: And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Saul was actively seeking to bind believers and drag them to Jerusalem, proving he was not seeking mercy.
Acts 9:3: And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
The sudden light from heaven marks God's unmerited, unilateral intervention in Saul's life.
Acts 9:4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
God confronted Saul directly, beginning the encounter that would save him by grace.
Acts 9:5: And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Saul learned that the One he was persecuting was Jesus — the heart of his Damascus Road revelation.
Acts 9:6: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Saul's response was immediate submission to the Lord, not a claim of his own merit.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Les teaches that God justifies the sinner freely, without a cause — the same grace that saved Saul.
God saved Saul when he deserved judgment. Saul was on his way to Damascus to arrest believers, yet instead of destroying him, God stopped him with a light from heaven and saved him by grace.
No. Les Feldick says Saul never had second thoughts and did not repent before God acted. He was still intent on dragging believers to prison or death when God knocked him to the ground.
Because Saul was the least deserving — a fierce, Satan-energized persecutor of Jesus' followers — yet God poured out grace on him and saved him. If anyone deserved destruction, it was Saul, so his salvation is the highest demonstration of grace.
Les teaches that we were all rebels, lost, and condemned before salvation, just like Saul. God saves us by His grace when we believe, without our working for it or deserving it.
According to Les, a person must recognize themselves as a sinner and call out for the mercy and grace of God, believing that everything needed was accomplished at the cross. Saul's response was, 'Lord, what would You have me to do?'
Watch the Teaching: Romans 3: Why No One Can Be Saved by the Law