Paul was chosen as God's vessel to carry the gospel of grace to the Gentiles after Israel failed in its calling to bring the nations to God.
Les Feldick shows from the biblical record that Israel was supposed to be priests to the Gentile world, but Israel rejected and crucified Jesus. God then raised one Jew, Saul of Tarsus, saved him by grace on the Damascus road, and immediately told Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel sent to the Gentiles. Paul himself wrote that God separated him from his mother's womb and called him by grace to preach Christ among the heathen.
Acts 9:15 — This is where God tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen vessel to bear His name before the Gentiles—the direct biblical statement of Paul's selection.
Galatians 1:15-16 — Paul testifies that God separated him from the womb and called him by grace specifically to preach Christ among the heathen/Gentiles.
In Acts 9:15, the Lord tells 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." The next verse adds that God will show Saul how great things he must suffer for His name's sake. In Galatians 1:15-16, Paul describes his calling: "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." These verses show that Paul's Gentile apostleship was God's sovereign choice, made by grace, not by human appointment.
Les teaches that in the Old Testament, God's promise was that Israel—every Jew—could be a priest to bring the Gentiles to a knowledge of Jehovah God, but Israel missed that calling. When Israel rejected and crucified Jesus, God did not remove Israel completely. Instead, He raised one little Jew, Saul of Tarsus, a renegade zealous for the law, and saved him by grace on the road to Damascus. According to Les, God's first message to Saul let him know that he would be sent far hence to the Gentiles. Les also stresses that none of this was deserved. Saul was a raging persecutor of believers, but God called him by grace and told Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel to take the word to the Gentiles. Paul later described how God separated him from his mother's womb for this purpose. God immediately informed Saul that he would be sent to the Gentiles, and this is the first indication in Acts that God was bringing the Gentiles into the picture. Les further points out that Paul's ministry was not a way to gain wealth or position; he left his former Jewish wealth behind and suffered greatly for the sole purpose of getting the gospel out to the Gentile world. Even so, immediately after his conversion Saul preached Christ to Jews only—he did not yet understand that God was going to the Gentile with a different program.
Les explains that the Old Testament promise had Israel serving as priests to bring the Gentile nations to a knowledge of Jehovah, but they missed it. Instead of taking the whole nation of Israel, God raised one other little Jew, Saul of Tarsus, saved him by grace on the Damascus road, and made him primarily the apostle to the Gentiles. This happened after Israel rejected and crucified Jesus, and God went ahead to bring the gospel to the Gentiles through this one chosen vessel.
No. Les emphasizes that God called Saul by His grace, and "if anybody didn't deserve it, Saul of Tarsus didn't." At the height of Saul's rebellion, God reached down in grace and saved him, and Saul's immediate response was, "Who art thou Lord?"—a humble, seeking sinner saved by grace. He then was ready to do whatever God wanted.
No. Les points to Paul's question about whether Israel stumbled so that God would remove them completely, and he answers, "No way." God did not take the whole nation of Israel, but He used one Jew, Saul, as the apostle to the Gentiles. Paul would still go to the Jew, but his primary calling was to the Gentile world.
God told Ananias that Saul would suffer great things for His name's sake. Les describes how Paul got no compensation and gained no material wealth; he left behind whatever he had as a religious Jew and suffered severely for the sole purpose of getting the gospel out to the Gentile world. Yet he never slowed down in his fervor for reaching pagan Gentiles.
Why Most People Miss Who Jesus Really Is — Colossians 1:15 Explained
and by faith we believe it, that God the Triune, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit were invisible. But God the Son stepped out of that invisible Godhead and became the visible manifestation of the whole. And that's Christ. That's the Lord Jesus of Nazareth. See? All right, and then verse 16. Again, Paul, by inspiration, attributes to the Lord Jesus creation.
Israel Failed; Saul Raised as Apostle to the Gentiles
Les explains that although Israel was supposed to bring Gentiles to a knowledge of God, they missed it, so God raised one Jew, Saul, converted him on the Damascus road, and let him know he would be sent far hence to the Gentiles.
Paul Suffered for the Gentile Mission
Les points out that Paul endured severe suffering strictly to get the gospel to the Gentile world, receiving no material compensation and leaving his former Jewish wealth behind.
Saul Identified as Chosen Vessel
Les shows that after Israel rejected and crucified Jesus, God moved ahead to the Gentiles by telling Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel who would carry the word to the Gentiles.
God's Purpose in Calling Paul
Les explains from Galatians that God separated Saul from his mother's womb and called him by grace for the specific purpose of preaching Christ among the heathen/Gentiles.
Damascus Conversion on Gentile Ground
Les highlights that Saul was saved at the height of his rebellion on Gentile ground outside Damascus, and God immediately informed him he would be sent to the Gentiles—the first sign in Acts that God was moving toward the Gentiles.
Saul's Grace Response and Gentile Commission
Les describes how Saul immediately submitted to grace, while God told Ananias the former persecutor would be sent far hence to the Gentiles and would suffer for Christ's name.
Saul's Early Preaching Still Jew-Only
Les notes that immediately after his conversion Saul preached Christ to Jews only, because at that point he did not yet understand that God had a different, Gentile-oriented program for him.
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 Himself identifies Saul's purpose: a chosen vessel appointed to take His name to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:16: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
Shows the suffering attached to Paul's Gentile commission.
Galatians 1:15: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
Paul traces his calling back to God's sovereign separation and grace before he was ever converted.
Galatians 1:16: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
States Paul's stated purpose: preaching Christ among the heathen, that is, the Gentiles.
Acts 9:20: And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
Shows that after conversion Saul still preached to Jews only until God clarified the Gentile commission.
No. Les teaches that God raised him up, told Ananias he was a chosen vessel, and Paul later said God separated him from his mother's womb and called him by grace. His Gentile mission was God's purpose, not his own ambition.
Because God acts in grace. Les emphasizes that God saved Saul at the height of his rebellion on the Damascus road, and even Ananias was reluctant; God insisted Saul was His chosen vessel to carry the gospel to the Gentiles. The calling was not based on Saul's merit.
No. Les says Paul was also sent to the Jew, but primarily he was converted on the Damascus road to be the apostle of the Gentiles. Immediately after his conversion he preached Christ to Jews only, because he did not yet realize the full Gentile program God had for him.
Watch the Teaching: Why Most People Miss Who Jesus Really Is — Colossians 1:15 Explained