Paul was originally a persecutor of Christians known as Saul but experienced a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him in a vision. From that point on, Paul became one of the most prominent early Christian missionaries and evangelists who vigorously spread the gospel message. He emphasized that he was appointed as an apostle by God's will alone, not through his own efforts, and was taught directly by Jesus during his conversion experience.

1. By the Will of God “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV)

2. 1. Paul makes the ultimate claim on Earth - I am an Apostle of Christ Jesus!

3. “But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. ” (Acts 9:1–9, ESV)

4. ““As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus. ” (Acts 22:6–11, ESV)

5. ““In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ ” (Acts 26:12–18, ESV)

6. 2. Paul was taught personally by the Lord Jesus Christ in the desert.

7. " For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ." (Galatians 1:11-12, ESV)

8. 3. Paul was zealous for the traditions of his fathers.

9. "For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers." (Galatians 1:13-14, ESV)

10. 4. God called Paul and set him apart before he was born.

11. "But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus." (Galatians 1:15-17, ESV)

12. 5. Paul did not make himself an apostle but was made an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God.

13. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: ” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV)“Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, ” (1 Corinthians 1:1, ESV) “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, ” (Colossians 1:1, ESV)

14. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia: ” (2 Corinthians 1:1, ESV)“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus, ” (2 Timothy 1:1, ESV)

15. 6. Modern man wants to avoid the Biblical Doctrine of Predestination but it permeates the entire bible from beginning to end.

16. “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. ” (Acts 4:27–28, ESV)

17. “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ” (Romans 8:29, ESV)“And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. ” (Romans 8:30, ESV)

18. “he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ” (Ephesians 1:5, ESV)“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, ” (Ephesians 1:11, ESV)

19. 7. God’s decree’s or declarations cannot be stopped or changed.

20. “This is the wicked man’s portion from God, the heritage decreed for him by God.” ” (Job 20:29, ESV)“Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. ” (1 Corinthians 2:6–7, ESV)

21. 8. Notice it was “by the will of God” that Paul was made an apostle.

22. 9. The modern doctrine of “free will” which has infected just about every denomination including the SBC has its roots in the Roman Catholic declaration from the Council of Trent.

23. The Council of Trent The Sixth Session: Justification Canons CANON IV. If any one shall affirm, that man’sfreewill, moved and excited by God, does not, by consenting, cooperate with God, the mover and exciter, so as to prepare and dispose itself for the attainment of justification; if moreover, anyone shall say, that the human will cannot refuse complying, if it pleases, but that it is inactive, and merely passive; let such an one be accursed“!

24. CANON V.- If anyone shall affirm, that since the fall of Adam, man’s freewill is lost and extinguished; or, that it is a thing titular [existing in name only] yea a name, without a thing, and a fiction introduced by Satan into the Church; let such an one be accursed"!

25. The Council of Orange (529 AD) is one of the most important councils of the early Church and was often pointed to by the Reformers as evidence that Rome had abandoned the theology of the councils and fathers that it claimed.

26. CANON 6. If anyone says that God has mercy upon us when, apart from his grace, we believe, will, desire, strive, labor, pray, watch, study, seek, ask, or knock, but does not confess that it is by the infusion and inspiration of the Holy Spirit within us that we have the faith, the will, or the strength to do all these things as we ought; or if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10).

27. “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. ” (John 1:12–13, ESV)“For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. ” (Romans 9:15–16, ESV)

28. “even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ” (Ephesians 2:5, ESV)“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ” (Ephesians 2:8–9, ESV)“And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ” (1 Corinthians 1:30, ESV)

29. “But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13, ESV)“he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ” (Titus 3:5, ESV)

30. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. ” (Psalm 139:13–16, ESV)

31. 10. God saved us not because of our works but because of His own purpose and grace.

32. “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ” (2 Timothy 1:9, ESV)

33. ““Remember this and stand firm, recall it to mind, you transgressors, remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it. ” (Isaiah 46:8–11, ESV)

34. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. ” (Isaiah 55:8–11, ESV)

35. ““I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ” (Job 42:2, ESV)“he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, ” (Ephesians 1:5, ESV)“who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, ” (2 Timothy 1:9, ESV)

36. By the Will of God “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1, ESV)