The Apostle Paul was not called to be one of the Twelve Apostles during Jesus’ earthly life. Thus, some doubted saying he was not an apostle (1 Corinthians 9:2). Others even accused Paul of preaching a different gospel. Nothing could be farther from the truth! Paul wrote, “…I am set for the defense of the gospel.” Philippians 1:17 (KJV)
It was God Himself and Jesus who chose Paul to be an apostle. Galatians 1:1 (NLT), “…Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.”
The story of Paul’s commission was recorded in Acts 9:3-5,7 (NIV) “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone.”
A few days later, the Lord appeared to and instructed Ananias. “The Lord said, ‘Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. …ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.’ ‘But Lord,’ exclaimed Ananias, ‘I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem!… But the Lord said, ‘Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.’…” Acts 9:11-13, 15 (NLT)
According to the Law Covenant, two or three testimonies are required to verify the facts of an accusation. Deuteronomy 19:15 (NLT), “…The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Thus, the record of Jesus calling Paul is verified by the two accounts of Paul and Ananias.
God gave Paul special visions to direct his apostolic ministry. 2 Corinthians 12:2, 4 (NLT), “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know–only God knows. …that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.” God gave Paul divine insights so that his letters and teachings would help develop the Church throughout several centuries. As an apostle of the Lamb (Revelation 21:14), Paul had the sobering responsibility to teach not only his contemporaries, but all Christians throughout the entire Gospel Age.