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Persecutor to Proclaimer - Acts 9
Persecutor to Proclaimer - Acts 9
“Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for letters from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, both men and women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. (Acts 9:1-2)
Absolutely convinced that Jesus was such a false teacher that not only did he deserve to be put to death, but those who followed him also deserved such harsh treatment. Paul, (Saul – see the name change in Act 13:9 was willing to travel from Jerusalem to Antioch of Syria just to find, arrest, and punish any disciples. Although his journey and his whole life were interrupted on the way, what he had already done in persecuting the church remained with him for the rest of his life. Actions have consequences.
We CAN change our ways. “I was still unknown by sight to the churches of Judea which were in Christ; 23 but only, they kept hearing, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy." (Galatians 1:22-23). We too can exchange our life of rebellion and sin for a life of trust and fellowship with God.
We CAN be forgiven. Paul arose and was baptized and washed away his sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Even though he had persecuted the followers of Jesus even to the point of their death, he found forgiveness in Jesus! Years later he would write: “ It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:15-16).
We CAN become a beloved brother in the Lord’s family. When he returned to Jerusalem as a believer, he attempted to join himself with the disciples whom he had been persecuting. They at first rejected such attempts, but after Barnabas vouches for him, he was accepted by them and “so he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord” (Acts 9:28).
We CAN NOT erase such periods of our life from our memories. God allows us to keep such because they help define our very conscience. The remembrance of such spiritual failures keep us humble. Through such we are constantly reminded that we are saved by the mercy of God and only through the death of Jesus do we have any hope of living with God forever. Paul would remember this period of his life and later write: “For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God” (1 Corinthians 15:9).
We all have had that period of our life where we lived in rebellion and disobedience unto God. We all have the privilege of turning back through Jesus and being forgiven. We all must live with the memory of our past, but with the joy of forgiveness and the hope of eternal life. Have you experienced such change?
Hugh DeLong
