No conversion in history is given so much attention as that of the Apostle Paul. Besides the many references to it, we find three detailed accounts of it in the book of Acts. As Saul of Tarsus, the learned Pharisee, he had led his nation Israel and the world in rebellion against God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke wrote: “As for Saul, he made havock of the [Messianic] church” (Acts 8:3).

The Messianic believers at Damascus feared Saul’s presence among them, saying: “Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name [of Jesus] in Jerusalem?” (Acts 9:21).

Paul himself later testified:

¹⁰ many of the saints did I shut up in prison…and when they were put to death, I gave my voice [vote] against them” (Acts 26:10).

¹³…beyond measure I persecuted the church of God [Israel’s believers], and wasted it [laid it waste]” (Gal.1:13).

There was an important reason why God saved this rebel leader. Clearly it was that He would make Paul, not only the voice, but the living example of “the exceeding riches of His grace” to one of the worst of sinners. Thankfully God’s grace can reach the worst of us.

Paul himself said:

¹³ And I [Paul] thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; ¹³ Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief [Gk. protos, the PROTOTYPE].

¹⁶ Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that IN ME [Paul] FIRST Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering [forbearance], for a PATTERN to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” (1 Timothy 1:13-16 (KJV)

No conversion in history is given so much attention as that of the Apostle Paul. Besides the many references to it, we find three detailed accounts of it in the book of Acts. As Saul of Tarsus, the learned Pharisee, he had led his nation and the world in rebellion against God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke wrote: “As for Saul, he made havock of the [Messianic] church” (Acts 8:3). The believers at Damascus feared Saul’s presence among them, saying: “Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name [of Jesus] in Jerusalem?” (Acts 9:21).

Paul himself later testified:

¹⁰ Many of the saints did I [Paul] shut up in prison…and when they were put to death, I gave my voice [vote] against them” (Acts 26:10).

¹³…beyond measure I persecuted the [Messianic] church of God, and wasted it [laid it waste]” (Gal.1:13).

It appears from all the statements cited in Study #8, that the prison ministry of Paul was related to a special phase of newly revealed truth that is peculiarly connected with the eternal destiny of the Gentiles. Here in 2 Timothy 1:11-14 Paul says of his gospel:

¹¹ For [the proclaiming of] this [Gospel] I was appointed a herald [preacher] and an apostle [special messenger] and a teacher of the Gentiles.
¹² And this is why I am suffering as I do. Still I am not ashamed, for I know [perceive, have knowledge of, and am acquainted with) Him Whom I have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on), and I am [positively] persuaded that He is able to Guard and Keep THAT Which Has Been Entrusted To Me and which I have committed [to Him] until that day. ¹³ Hold fast and follow the pattern of wholesome and sound teaching which you have heard from me, in [all] the faith and love which are [for us] in Christ Jesus.
¹⁴ Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth] which has been entrusted [to you], by the [help of the] Holy Spirit Who makes His home in us. 2 Timothy 1:11-14 (AMP)

Without doubt the Apostle Paul received revelation of great and precious truths for the sound teaching that comes to us by no other means. In 2Tim. 1:12 Paul says he is “[positively] persuaded that He [The Lord] is able to Guard and Keep That Which Has Been Entrusted To Me.”  In the next verses 13-4 Paul uses the same words that Timothy would ¹³ Hold fast and Follow The Pattern Of Wholesome and Sound Teaching which you have heard from me [Paul], …¹⁴ Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth] which has been entrusted [to you]. Then in 1Timothy 6:20 it occurs again, “O Timothy, guard that trust.” Without doubt Paul’s revelation and understanding is our pattern of understanding the truth for today’s age of “dispensation of the grace of God.”

Paul’s Sound Words Can Recover the Deceived and Ensnared:
Now between the Apostle’s Paul’s reference to the trust which were delegated to him, and that trust that he then delegated to Timothy, comes the reference to Paul’s teaching as constituting a pattern for Timothy to follow. Again in 2 Timothy 2:2 this very personal note is sounded: “The things that thou hast heard of [from] ME among many witnesses, the same entrust thou to faithful men who shall be competent to teach others also.” That which is partly suggested in 2Tim. 1:11-14 (above) clearly demonstrated that in teaching others who don’t yet know “the things” Paul taught, is so; ²⁶ … They May Recover Themselves Out Of The Snare Of The Devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. 2 Timothy 2:26 (KJV). Such is the power of these truths that, once believed, will disarm the devil and his angelic deceitful hoards.

That Good Deposit
‘The trust’ of 2Tim. 1:12 and 14 is ‘paratheke’; in vs 2:2 ‘commit’ or ‘entrust’ is ‘parathou.’ Paul was entrusted the body of the truth of the “Great mystery (secret)” of the Gentile “church, which is His body” (Eph. 1:22b-23a) when he became “the prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Gentiles” (Eph. 3:1). He then passed it on to Timothy, and by him to others. We could say this is the real apostolic succession! The apostle refers to all this when he said, “I have kept [guarded] the faith.” This special trust overwhelms the apostle as he thinks of all that it means. In 1 Timothy 1:11-14 he speaks of being entrusted with the gospel, he “who before was a blasphemer and a persecutor.” The same spirit is manifested in Ephesians 3:8-9, “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship (dispensation) of the mystery.”

Note now Paul’s own words of Ephesians 3:1-11:

“¹For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Iesus Christ for you Gentiles, ² If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: how that by revelation He made known unto me The Mystery; (as 1 wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which In Other Ages Was Not Made Known unto the sons of men as it is Now Revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets, that the GENTILES, in spirit, should be fellow-heirs (fellow-members) of the same body, and fellow-partakers of His promise in Christ, By The Gospel Whereof I [Paul] Was Made A Minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of His power.

Unto me, the less than the least of all saints, has this grace been given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the [otherwise] untraceable riches of Christ, and to Enlighten All As To What Is The Dispensation Of The Mystery Which Has Been Hidden Away From (Or Since) The Ages By God,

Who did all in things create, in order that now, unto the principalities and powers in the heavenlies might be made known, by the church, the exceeding complex wisdom of God, according to the purpose of the ages which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Translation, by Charles H. Welch).