But the Lord said, “Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for me.”
(Acts 9:15 NLT)
In Acts 9:15, the Lord tells Ananias that Saul is His chosen instrument for taking His message to the Gentiles and kings, as well as to all the people of Israel. And the Lord tells Ananias that Saul, also known as Paul, would suffer much for Him.
So why was Saul God’s chosen instrument to bring His message to the Gentiles, kings, and the people of Israel? Being a persecutor of Christians, wasn’t Saul a very unlikely candidate for this important mission?
As a Pharisee, Saul was a learned leader with an extensive knowledge of the Jewish Torah. With this knowledge, he was uniquely qualified when chosen by God to spread The Word for grafting all believers into the faith. With the power of the Holy Spirit, he journeyed over 10,000 miles to spread The Word throughout much of the known world, and he authored 13, possibly 14, of the New Testament’s 27 books.
"None can know their election but by their conformity to Christ; for all who are chosen are chosen to sanctification."
- Matthew Henry