Saul came to understand the gospel of grace through a direct revelation from the ascended Christ after his conversion on the Damascus road, particularly during his three years in Arabia.
At first Saul only knew that Jesus was the Son of God and Messiah of Israel, so he preached the Old Testament kingdom message in the synagogues. God then used a threat on his life to move him to Mount Sinai in Arabia, where he spent three years receiving truths that had never been revealed before. There God separated him, called him by grace, and revealed His Son in him for the purpose of preaching among the Gentiles.
Acts 9:15-16 — God's purpose for Saul from the moment of his conversion was to bear Christ's name before the Gentiles, showing that his understanding of grace was tied to a Gentile mission.
Galatians 1:15-16 — Paul himself testifies that God called him by grace and revealed His Son in him so that he might preach among the heathen, directly answering how he received the gospel.
Scripture records that Saul of Tarsus was on the Damascus road when the risen Jesus confronted him. The Lord told Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel 'to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel' and that he would be shown 'how great things he must suffer for my name's sake' (Acts 9:15-16). After Saul was converted, he 'straightway preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God' (Acts 9:20). Later, Paul explained the source of his gospel. He wrote that God, who 'separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,' was pleased 'to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen' (Galatians 1:15-16). He also says he 'went into Arabia' before returning to Damascus (Galatians 1:17). In Ephesians 3:1-2 Paul identifies himself as 'the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles' and speaks of 'the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward.'
Les Feldick explains that Saul of Tarsus was saved on the Damascus road under what Les calls the Kingdom Gospel—believing who Jesus was: the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, the Promised One of the Old Testament. At that moment Saul did not yet know about the gospel of grace for the Gentiles. He went straight into the synagogues preaching Christ, but it was still a Jew-only message. There was no New Testament yet; the only Word of God available was the Old Testament, which promised the King and the kingdom. God then got Saul out of Damascus by a real threat to his life—he was led down over the wall—and took him to Mount Sinai in Arabia for about three years. Les stresses that this time was necessary because Saul was steeped in Judaism and needed his thinking cleansed, and because God was giving him a clear-cut understanding of things never before revealed. God separated him, called him by grace, and revealed His Son in him for one purpose: that Saul would preach among the heathen, the Gentiles. Les calls Paul not only the apostle of grace but the epitome of grace. He deserved judgment, yet God saved him on the Damascus road instead of destroying him, making Paul the perfect picture of grace in action.
No. Les shows that when Saul went straightway into the synagogues to preach Christ, he was preaching that Jesus is the Son of God—the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises concerning the King and the kingdom. He had no idea that God was going to go to the Gentiles with a different program. At that point there was no New Testament written, so his understanding was limited to the Old Testament Scriptures.
God used a real threat against Saul's life to get him out of Damascus. After he was let down over the wall, God led him to Mount Sinai in Arabia for about three years. Les says this time was necessary because Saul was steeped in Judaism and needed to cleanse his thinking and behavior, and because God was giving him a clear-cut understanding of things never revealed before.
God revealed His Son in Paul and called him by grace for the specific purpose that Paul would preach Him among the heathen—the Gentiles. Les points out that this was almost a total reverse of the Old Testament emphasis. Although some Jews would also be saved, the gospel of grace was now going primarily to the Gentiles. Ephesians 3 identifies Paul as Christ's prisoner for the Gentiles and speaks of the dispensation of the grace of God given to him for that purpose.
Saul's Initial Jewish-Only Preaching
Les explains that right after his conversion Saul preached Christ only in the synagogues, because he didn't yet know God had a different gospel program for the Gentiles; the only Word available was the Old Testament.
Saul as the Object of Grace
Les presents Saul on the Damascus road as the greatest picture of grace because Saul was a religious zealot who hated Jesus and persecuted believers, yet God showed him grace.
Saul Saved Under the Kingdom Gospel
Les says Saul was saved believing that Jesus was the Son of God and Messiah of Israel, which was all God had revealed at that time; God then had to get him out of town to reveal more.
Called to Preach to the Heathen
Les shows that God called Saul by grace and revealed His Son in him specifically so Saul would preach Christ among the heathen/Gentiles.
Three-Year Gap and the Revelation
Les fills in the three-year gap between Damascus and Jerusalem by pointing to Galatians and says God separated Saul, called him by grace, and revealed His Son in him to preach to the Gentiles.
Paul, the Epitome of Grace
Les emphasizes that God saved Saul when human reasoning would have destroyed him, and that this makes Paul the epitome of grace.
Three Years at Mount Sinai
Les teaches that after the Damascus road experience God led Saul to Mount Sinai in Arabia for three years to cleanse his Jewish thinking and give him clear understanding of newly revealed truth.
Saul's Response and Mission
Les relates Saul's immediate response of 'Who art thou Lord?' to being a humble sinner saved by grace, and notes God told Ananias that Saul would be sent to Gentiles and would suffer.
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's immediate, humble response to the risen Christ marks his surrender to God's grace.
Acts 9:15-16: 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.
God reveals from the beginning that Saul is a chosen vessel to bear Christ's name to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:20: And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Saul's first preaching was limited to identifying Jesus as the Son of God, showing how little he yet understood.
Galatians 1:15-16: 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 heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Paul explains that the revelation came by God's grace and was for the purpose of preaching among the heathen.
Galatians 1:17: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Paul records the trip to Arabia after the Damascus road experience.
Ephesians 3:1-2: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Paul says the dispensation of grace was given to him for the Gentiles.
Yes. Les Feldick shows that Saul was saved on the Damascus road when he believed that Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah of Israel. That was the Kingdom Gospel message of his day; he did not yet understand the full gospel of grace that would go to the Gentiles.
Les teaches that after Saul was led down over the wall from Damascus, God led him to Mount Sinai in Arabia for about three years. He needed that time because he was steeped in Judaism and needed to be cleansed in his thinking, and because God was revealing truths that had never before been made known.
Yes. God told Ananias that Saul was his chosen vessel to bear his name before the Gentiles, and Paul later wrote that God called him by grace to reveal His Son in him so that he would preach among the heathen. Les says this was the distinct purpose for Paul's apostleship.
Watch the Teaching: Revelation vs. Instruction: How Paul Received the Gospel