The Eschatological Character of Paul's Anthropology

The Damascus Road Christophany and Paul’s Conversion/Call (cont.)

B. Christ appeared to Paul and Paul saw him.

C. This has application to nominal Christians today. Paul thought that he was a true believer, who was doing God’s work, when it fact he was not.

II. The Damascus Christophany as Paul’s Apostolic Commission.

A. Not only was Paul converted at this event, but he was also given a prophetic apostolic commission.

B. The Damascus Christophany constituted both Paul’s regenerative understanding of the gospel and his apostolic commission.

III. The Damascus Road Christophany Influenced the Whole of Paul’s Theological Thinking.

A. There are at least four passages that reflect this experience: 1 Corinthians 9:1, 15:8-10; Galatians 1:13-17; 1 Timothy 1.

B. Another passage that alludes to Paul’s conversion is 2 Corinthians 4:6.

C. After the Damascus Road experience Paul no longer evaluated Christ “according to the flesh”.

D. Paul describes unbelieving Israel in Rom 10 in terms of the unbelief that he had prior to the Damascus Road experience.

The Eschatological Character of Paul’s Anthropology

I. The Significance of the Image of God in Theology

A. Genesis 1 and 2 provide a pattern of subduing and ruling.

B. The same pattern may be observed in Hebrews 1.