SECTION 4.5 NKJV

MAIN IDEA Paul hated Christians and arrested them whenever he could. But Jesus Christ appeared to Paul and, by grace, saved him even through Paul was His enemy. Now we are told to look at the example for Paul to understand God’s grace. NKJV

MEMORY VERSES 1 TIMOTHY 1:13-14 Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. NKJV

Share what you wrote about or drew in Start Here. INTRODUCTION Share what you wrote about or drew in Start Here. NKJV

INTRODUCTION When Paul treated Christians that way, do you think he understood who Jesus Christ really was? NKJV

MAIN LESSON 1. Paul didn’t deserve to be saved and should have been punished for his sin. NKJV

MAIN LESSON Galatians 1:13-14 For you have heard of my former con-duct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contem-poraries in my own nation, being more NKJV

Galatians 1:13-14, continued MAIN LESSON Galatians 1:13-14, continued Exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. NKJV

MAIN LESSON 2. God gave Paul mercy and grace instead of the punishment he deserved. NKJV

MAIN LESSON 1 Corinthians 1:1a Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. NKJV

MAIN LESSON 3. If God saved a sinner like Paul, He can surely save us. Paul’s life is an example of God’s grace. NKJV

MAIN LESSON Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in tres-passes, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). NKJV

MAIN LESSON 4. We, too, were enemies of Christ because of our sin. We simply need to trust that Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sin and gave us His righteousness. NKJV

MAIN LESSON John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. NKJV

What was Paul like before he knew Christ as his Savior? FAITH IN ACTION What was Paul like before he knew Christ as his Savior? Did Paul deserve God’s grace? What was Paul like after he knew Christ as his Savior? How can we follow Paul’s example in our lives? NKJV

SUM IT UP Paul didn’t deserve to be saved and should have been punished for his sin. NKJV

God gave Paul mercy and grace instead of the punishment he deserved. SUM IT UP God gave Paul mercy and grace instead of the punishment he deserved. NKJV

SUM IT UP If God saved a sinner like Paul, He can surely save us. Paul’s life is an example of God’s grace. NKJV

SUM IT UP We, too, were enemies of Christ because of our sin. We simply need to trust that Jesus Christ took the punishment for our sin and gave us His righteousness. NKJV

NKJV