Our Lordβs appearance to Saul of Tarsus (later called Paul) on the road to Damascus, changed the pitiless persecutor in a moment into the docile, yes the devoted follower of the Christ he had so bitterly hated.
This transformation took place not only because he had now seen the risen, ascended Christ; it was caused also by what he had learned from Christ. From heaven the Lord had revealed to Paul the glory of His finished work of redemption and had sent him forth to proclaim βthe gospel of the grace of Godβ (ActsΒ 20:24).
This is seen in the closing words of the Apostleβs first recorded sermon, delivered at the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia. After mentioning the death and resurrection of Christ, the Apostle said:
βBe it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Mosesβ (ActsΒ 13:38,39).
Paul never changed this message, but kept emphasizing it wherever he went as well as in his writings. He saw in this truth the answer to manβs condemnation for breaking Godβs holy law. Thus he wrote to the Romans:
ββ¦by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifestedβ (Rom.Β 3:20,21).
β[We] declare, I say, at this time, [Christβs] righteousness; that [God] might be just and the Justifier of him which believeth in Jesusβ (Rom.Β 3:26).
Mark well: He does not say, βbelieveth and is baptized.β This was the message committed to the twelve (Mark 16:16; ActsΒ 2:38). With the ushering in of the dispensation of grace, God was manifested as βthe Justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.β source
[β¦] in Joel 2:32, we know that it meansΒ to believe the gospel, for Joel predicted that whoever called on the LORDΒ would be saved. But when PeterΒ quoted Joel [β¦]