God's purpose in calling Paul was to reveal His Son in him and send him to preach Christ among the Gentiles.
Galatians 1:15-16 declares that God separated Paul from his mother's womb, called him by grace, and revealed His Son in him so Paul could preach Him among the heathen, who are the Gentiles. Les Feldick emphasizes that this was the whole purpose of God bringing Paul onto the scene: to take the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles, not primarily to the Jews.
Galatians 1:15-16 — Paul's own statement of God's purpose in his calling — separation from the womb, calling by grace, revealing of the Son, and preaching among the heathen.
Galatians 1:15-16 states Paul's calling plainly: "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." The passage shows three facts: God separated Paul from the womb, He called him by grace, and the purpose was to reveal His Son in Paul so Paul could preach Him among the heathen. In Acts 9:15, the Lord told Ananias about Saul: "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." Paul also testified that the gospel he preached came not from man, but "by the revelation of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1:11-12).
Les Feldick emphasizes that when God called Saul of Tarsus, "He didn't deserve it. If anybody didn't deserve it, Saul of Tarsus didn't" (Clip 1). God called him by grace — a man who had been steeped in the Jews' religion and had persecuted the assembly of God beyond measure (Clip 0). Les points to the Damascus road: Saul was "a total enemy of Christ," and instead of striking him down, Christ saved him — that was grace (Clip 2). Les then poses the question Paul himself answers: "For what purpose?" and answers, "To reveal his Son in me... That I might preach him among the heathen, and who are the heathen in Scripture? Gentiles. So here's his whole purpose. That God has brought this man on the scene for the distinct purpose of taking the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles" (Clip 1). Les sums it up in Clip 6: "the whole purpose of God bringing this man into the world was to reveal his son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen, or the Gentiles." Les also shows how this fit God's sovereign plan: Israel had rejected and crucified Christ, so "God went ahead and brought the gospel to the Gentiles without Israel by bringing on the scene one little Jew, Saul of Tarsus" — a chosen vessel to take the Word to the Gentiles (Clip 7). Paul was "uniquely called of God to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. Not one of many, but he is THE Apostle" (Clip 5).
Les Feldick stresses that Paul did not deserve the call. He had been "steeped in the Jews' religion" — a system reduced to man-made rules and regulations — and had persecuted the church "beyond measure" (Clip 0). On the Damascus road, Saul was "a total enemy of Christ," yet instead of destroying him, Christ saved him. That is what Paul means when he says God "called me by his grace" (Clip 2).
Les explains that God gave Paul "the revelation of Jesus the Son" so that Paul could preach Him among the Gentiles (Clip 4). Paul's gospel was not received from men or taught by men, but came by revelation of Jesus Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). When Paul says he "immediately conferred not with flesh and blood," Les asks who that refers to — the twelve apostles (Clip 6). Paul did not go to Jerusalem to be instructed by the eleven; instead he went into Arabia (Clip 3).
Les answers without hesitation: "Not amongst the Jews so much, but amongst the Gentiles" (Clip 2). The word "heathen" in Scripture means Gentiles (Clip 1). God brought Paul on the scene for the distinct purpose of taking the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles — although it would "spill over to some Jews, but not many" (Clip 1).
Les shows the context: Israel rejected and crucified Christ, but God went ahead and brought the gospel to the Gentiles without Israel by raising up "one little Jew, Saul of Tarsus." God told Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel and would take the word to the Gentiles (Clip 7). Paul was "uniquely called of God to be the Apostle of the Gentiles. Not one of many, but he is THE Apostle" (Clip 5).
Paul's Past in Judaism and His Persecution
Les describes how Paul was steeped in the Jews' religion and persecuted the church beyond measure — setting up why the calling was pure grace.
God's Purpose: Preach Christ Among the Heathen
Les reads Galatians 1:15-16 and concludes that God brought Paul on the scene for the distinct purpose of taking the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles — the heathen.
Called by Grace, Sent to the Gentiles
Les recalls that Saul was a total enemy of Christ on the Damascus road, yet Christ saved him by grace — and the purpose was that Paul preach Him among the Gentiles.
Revealing the Son in Paul
Les points to Galatians 1:16 as the purpose of the call: to reveal His Son in Paul so he could preach the risen Christ among the Gentiles.
The Revelation of Jesus the Son
Les shows that God separated Paul from the womb and called him by grace in order to reveal Jesus the Son to him and send him to preach among the Gentiles.
THE Apostle to the Gentiles
Les explains that Paul was uniquely called of God as THE Apostle of the Gentiles — not one of many — and believers must go to him for basic doctrines.
Paul's Whole Purpose in the World
Les states that the whole purpose of God bringing Paul into the world was to reveal His Son in him and enable him to preach Christ among the heathen.
A Chosen Vessel to Take the Word to the Gentiles
Les describes how God brought the gospel to the Gentiles without Israel by raising up Saul of Tarsus, the chosen vessel who would take the Word to the Gentiles.
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:
This is Paul's own statement of God's purpose in his calling — revealing His Son and preaching among the heathen.
Acts 9:15: 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:
God's first word about Paul's purpose, given to Ananias immediately after Paul's conversion.
Galatians 1:11-12: But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul's gospel came by revelation — connecting to the purpose of revealing the Son in him.
No. Les Feldick stresses that Saul of Tarsus had been steeped in the Jews' religion, persecuted the church beyond measure, and was a total enemy of Christ on the Damascus road. Yet God saved him — Paul himself says God "called me by his grace" (Galatians 1:15).
Les Feldick answers directly: "the heathen in Scripture" are the Gentiles. Paul's purpose was to preach Christ among the heathen — the non-Jewish peoples.
Les says Paul was sent "not amongst the Jews so much, but amongst the Gentiles." God called him to take the Gospel of Grace to the Gentiles, though Les notes the message would also spill over to some Jews.
Paul writes that he "immediately conferred not with flesh and blood" (Galatians 1:16). Les explains that instead of going to the apostles in Jerusalem for instruction, Paul went into Arabia — because his gospel came by revelation of Jesus Christ, not from men.
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