why was ananias afraid of helping saul

(You know, just in case God has forgotten something) . Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? required neighboring states to grant it the privileges of a sovereign state, including the right of extradition. But as Saul grew in strength and as his arguments were irrefutable, just as Stephens had been (Acts 6:10), his opponents realized that the only way to silence Saul was to kill him. He went on to write nearly half of the New Testament. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. * [9:29] Hellenists: see note on Acts 6:17. He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:5-7). We will next seek to learn how this description of Sauls conversion fits into and contributes to the development of Lukes argument in Acts. Jesus was alive and not still in the grave! Nevertheless, at some point in time Saul did arrive in Jerusalem. Granted, his experience is unique and dramatic. WebActs 9:10-18 Ananias. Why did Ananias go to Paul? ProfoundQa The Lord 1:15; Eph. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-14). These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. WebThe Conversion of Saul. We do not know the exact time when Saul was saved. Not all Christians are equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers (Ephesians 4:11). 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, Just as Saul seemingly had hatred toward Christ-followers, how do you think a Christ-follower like Ananias felt toward Saul? Instead, he became the first believer to minister to Saul. Sauls baptism followed, accompanied by his profession of faith, his calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16). As applied to our Lord, then, the title `Son of God marks him out as the true representative of the Israel of God and as Gods anointed king; but it is no merely official title. Suppose you were a Christian who had just arrived in Damascus, and you had been able to learn the whereabouts of a group of believers. That He had already appeared to Saul "on the road" And yet while God had foretold the rebellion of Israel and their rejection, so He had also foretold of Israels restoration (cf. Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end (Isaiah 60:20). Then you hear the Lord telling you to minister to that person. He who had wanted to kill these saints now wanted to fellowship with them. He sought to preach Christ in simplicity and not in a way that would detract from Him. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Saul could only be persecuting Jesus through the members of His body, the church. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Corinthians 15:8-11). For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all (Romans 11:25-32). B. Eerdmans Publishing Company {photolithoprinted}, 1966), p. 91. * She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgiving. Why was Ananias afraid of helping Saul? - Answers And now, he is preaching the same message. 35And all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord. Ananias 2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. (8) The salvation of Saul made him a vital part of Christs body, the church. 9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And when this time comes, God will use their obedience to serve Him: For if their rejection be the salvation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? (Romans 11:15). 10. And, who knows, God may even answer those prayers and the persons life be blessed and changed in ways we cannot even imagine.. The answer to both questions is no. We dont know why Ananias is only mentioned once after Acts chapter nine. This old city is the most enduring in the history of the world (Knowling). As at Damascus, Saul eventually had to leave the city of Jerusalem to save his life. The ultimate issue was Gods ability to saveeven the most committed unbeliever. A teacher walks into the Classroom and says If only Yesterday was Tomorrow Today would have been a Saturday Which Day did the Teacher make this Statement? (You know, just in case God has forgotten something) What else did Jesus explain to Ananias? Ananias and Saul in Damascus. It lay within the jurisdiction of the Roman province of Syria, and it formed part of the Decapolis, a league of self-governing cities. 7 Did God Judge Ananias and Sapphira for the same sin? (3) Sauls salvation was personal. With the help of Ananias, he was transformed into a follower of Jesus and became one of the most well-known evangelists ever. Did he still not realize who the Lord was? 15:10; Gal. They do not understand the gospel well enough. Charles Spurgeon once wrote: Prayer is the autograph of the Holy Spirit upon the renewed heart. God was sealing Saul to Himself. Rising Strong Small Groups As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). Preachers can narrate verses 10-14, and then basically say, You see, Ananias didnt know what had just happened. The splendid deliberateness with which God forged His human tool is the great lesson of these years. A vision, in this context, was a supernatural sight from God. Say to them, This is what the Sovereign Lord says. 5 And whether they listen or fail to listenfor they are a rebellious housethey will know that a prophet has been among them. 8 Is the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 harsh? The church did not shrink or suffer for Sauls arrival, but it grew because of it. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light. When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them (John 12:35-36). As I look at the problem, I believe several conclusions must be drawn. Saul immediately began to preach about the Son of God in the synagogues. in 1971. (13) As Stephens death, instigated (or at least assisted) by Saul, resulted in an intense and widespread persecution of the churches in Jerusalem and elsewhere, so Sauls conversion seems to have been directly related to the return of peace (cf. Who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. Introduction: suppose you heard someone was coming to arrest you, or even worse. To whom did the Lord communicate "in a vision"? The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was the first recorded sin in the newly organized church. No, I worked harder than all of themyet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of Gods grace given me through the working of his power. Ananias Shape us into children who rejoice in knowing and proclaiming you to the world. Hebrew Baby Names Meaning: In Hebrew Baby Names the meaning of the name Sapphira is: Sapphire (gem); beautiful. also 2:14-17; 3:12-18; 4:1-18; 5:17-21; 6:13--7:1; Galatians 1:13-17; cf. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. If Luke had any ax to grind on this issue, here would have been a great place to stress this matter, but he did not do so. 23 And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but their plot became known to Saul. Grace is not only the basis for ones salvation, but also for ones spiritual walk and service: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude (Colossians 2:6-7). It was due to the intervention of Barnabas, a man who would prove to be a lifetime friend of Paul, that the apostles risked a meeting with him and then granted him the freedom to associate with the saints in Jerusalem. 32As Peter was passing through every region, he went down to the holy ones living in Lydda. Am I not an apostle? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. In Galatians 1, Saul wrote that God had called him while he was still in his mothers womb (Galatians 1:15). 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. It would seem not to be there on the road to Damascus. 1 What is the significance of the story of Ananias and Sapphira? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. Copyright 2023 Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc. All rights reserved. It is no wonder that a fair amount of the text is devoted to a description of Sauls attempt to associate with the local church, first at Damascus, and then in Jerusalem. He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, Ananias I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. God then used this man to further His purposes in launching the career of the most influential of the apostles. (6) Little emphasis is placed on Sauls reception of the Holy Spirit, and nothing is said about what happened as Saul received the Spirit. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. I am not at all sure how this can be determined from the text. In 2 Corinthians 11:32 Paul speaks of an ethnarch of Aretas, the king of the Nabataean Arabs, who guarded the city to prevent him escaping from it. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Fifth, faith must take the text on face value, as it is written, and believe it as Gods inspired, inerrant, authoritative word. Ananias would have lost a human beings greatest privilege, of being an agent of the Lord (like an angel of the Lord). WebAnd was Ana- nias still reluctant to help Saul after the Lord explained the situation to him? And they will reign for ever and ever (Revelation 22:5). 17) and the restoration of the man after the shattering experience he had known, and for the early ministry in Tarsus, Syria, Cilicia, and Antioch, which prepared mind and method for the major assault on the pagan world. what occupation he was (possibly a businessman). Even if he were not one of these men, he would surely have hated to hear the gospel. Ananias Maybe he died, but it also may be because most of the rest of Acts is fo- cused on more distant places. Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight,. Acts 9 Who was Ananias that help Saul in the Bible to regain his sight. And if this was important for Saul to do, it was equally important for the church to accept him into their fellowship, as an expression of their unity in Christ. 27 I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. One moment, Saul was persecuting the church; shortly thereafter he was seeking to fellowship with the saints. Why were Ananias and Sapphira killed on the spot? The conversion of Saul, as depicted in our text, was not only a divine call to salvation, but it was also a call to service. 2:22, Acts 13:2; 22:21; Rom. 3 He said: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:17-18; cf. But these laws, which seek to summarize the gospel in a concise way, should always be applied individually. The ananias anointing | Church Page | murrayledger.com Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like men without eyes. How did God use Ananias in the New Testament? (7) The salvation of Saul was Christ-centered. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. He was afraid because Saul killed Jesus followers What did Ananias's do to heal Paul's eyes? We may not be able to identify the precise moment or the exact events which brought it about, but salvation does not happen in some kind of group way. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). Thus, he did not use the method of many others, which was man-centered, not Christ-centered: For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. ananisofdamascus - Bible Facts Saul is welcomed into the church. Christianity was described as putting off the old and putting on the new (Colossians 3). 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. 21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord. 13But Ananias replied, Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones* in Jerusalem.k This Paul knew and testified to. For Paul, the method of proclaiming the gospel must be consistent with the message itself, and so it was. ,%d/3o3o6jda=|4S-LJ3ajLcNfZyV;CkCl>390q {KQ0lQ)0>~cy:CJkP|4M-\v What happened to Straight Street since then? A devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, Saul was a member of the Pharisees and was taught by none other than Gamaliel, whom we have already met (Acts 5:34-40). Sauls conversion was to play a crucial role in the expansion of the gospel. Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for, And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting, he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before, I will show him how many things he must suffer for My. It is a miraculous, dramatic reversal, first of ones beliefs, and then of ones behavior. Throughout his life and ministry Paul marveled at the grace of God shown to him and to other sinners. 9oY+ But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. But Saul only became bolder in his preaching. By divine revelation, Peter called out Ananias for lying to the Holy Spirit and to God. Saul was not seeking God. Saul was saved in spite of himself. This blindness was only removed by faith in Christ, a miracle brought about by divine action: In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see (Isaiah 29:18). The risen Lord selected Saul out of the group with which he was traveling to hear, to see Him, and to understand His words. Both are call stories. Not everyone can be Paul, but we all can and should be Ananias. I. Howard Marshall summarizes the problem in these words: Nevertheless, we obtain a different impression of things from Galatians 1:16-24, according to which (1) Paul did not confer with men after his conversion nor go to the apostles in Jerusalem, but (2) departed to Arabia and then returned to Damascus; then (3) three years later he went to Jerusalem for a visit lasting a fortnight during which he saw only Peter and James, and at this time he was unknown by sight to the churches of Judea; thereafter (4) he went to Syria and Cilicia. The first question which must be asked with regard to the interpretation of this text is this: What is the meaning of this text in the context of the whole book? Luke has included this account of Sauls conversion in order to contribute to the argument which he is seeking to develop. Did Saul's many sufferings during his ministry for Jesus' name come as a surprise to him? 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:4-11). 24 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to (1 Corinthians 7:15, 17-22, 24).154. Conybeare and Howson {The Life and Times of Saint Paul, p. 77 (sic punct.)} sight. Jesus was LORD and not a false prophet! A letter delivered at that time by a Roman ambassador to Ptolemy VIII of Egypt concludes with the demand: If any pestilent men have fled to you from their own country {Judaea}, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law (1 Macc. Ananias Ananias found The call to salvation is also the call to a life of holiness and obedience. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. There is surely a connection between Saul and persecution, and Saul and peace. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 49:6). The LORD identified Himself as the Jesus, whom he had been persecuting. The Book of Galatians is but one example of this. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christthe righteousness that comes from God and is by faith (Philippians 3:1-9; cf. You will be unsuccessful in everything you do; day after day you will be oppressed and robbed, with no one to rescue you (Deuteronomy 28:28-29). To Paul, his relationship, by faith, to Jesus Christ was also the beginning of his new relationship to the body of Christ, the church: Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christs afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. He sent me so that you can Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell their property? 22 For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lords freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christs slave. It is not a transition, but a transformation. Saul, why do you persecute me? Were they some of those converted to Christ through his preaching? [9:1] 8:3; 9:13; 22:4; 1Cor 15:9; Gal 1:1314. The conclusion of many of the commentators is that Sauls conversion was a much longer process than I see reflected in this account, or in any other. 16For (I)I will show him how many things he must suffer for My (J)names sake.. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?d Sermons about Ananias And Saul - SermonCentral.com Rather than attempt to pacify Ananias or to alleviate his apprehension, God went on to tell him that Saul would not only be a brother, but he would be His instrument for bringing the gospel to Gentiles too. Ananias How do you write a good story in Smash Bros screening? ), Acts 7:59; 9:2, 21; 1 Cor. What can you say about Christianity when its most outspoken and zealous opponent suddenly claims to have seen the risen Christ, and to have trusted in Him as the Messiah? He had heard of all the terrible things Saul had done to Christians in Jerusalem and how it was his intent to do the same in Damascus, Ananias town. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn (Isaiah 60:3). Three times in the Book of Acts it is reported, the first time in the third person (he) by Luke (Acts 9:1-31), the second time in the first person (I) by the apostle, as he spoke to his Jewish unbelieving brethren in defense of his ministry (Acts 22:1-21), and the third time, again in the first person, as his personal testimony to King Agrippa, Festus, and Bernice (Acts 26:1-23). And the second group, who were waiting for Saul to come and help them deal with the followers of the Way, were about to discover that Saul had joined them, perhaps bringing other members of the opposition along with him. The first is this: every saved person must have a personal conversion experience. I believe that as Luke portrays Saul in Acts, it is as a prototype, a picture of Israel. He hears the voice of the Lord crying out to him. All Ananias did was to obey Christs command to go pray with Saul so that Saul could do all those things. 1:16; cf. Paul was no ordinary followerhe became the most visible and active pillar of the new Christian church. (Acts 9:11)? How do you calculate working capital for a construction company? Ananias Get up and go to the street called Straight, to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. 146 It is possible, however, to understand the expression, Brother, as referring to Saul only as a fellow Jew. When the plot became known to Saul, he made a successful, albeit undignified, escape from the city of Damascus. He was to come to the earth as the great light, the light to the Gentiles, and so He did. 26:63; Luke 22:67, 70). 17 And Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he arose and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.

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