Paul’s conversion
How a single event brought the gospel of salvation to the whole world
In the previous lesson, Saved by Faith, we explained that salvation in Christ does not require the observance of a set of rules. Rather, faith comes to the unbeliever who acknowledges the Lordship of the Creator of the universe, and lives by it. For some, it takes time to sink in. For others, it comes quickly but dramatically. Let us look at the event of Paul’s conversion.
Paul was born in Tarsus, from parents who were Jews, Roman citizens, and who spoke Greek. He also spoke Hebrew (Acts 22:2). He grew up as a devout Jew, obeying the law to the letter. He studied at one of the major institutions at the time, and received instruction from Gamaliel, a respected Pharisee (Acts 22:3). For Paul, everything centred around his religious observance. Probably the same age as Jesus was, we never read that Paul ever met Him, or saw Him, although there is a good chance that he would have known about this itinerant preacher with his new message, which was strange, and reviled, to the ears of an observant follower of the Law. That Paul was present when Stephen was killed, and condoned his death, makes it likely that he was very aware that the new Christian movement started with Jesus and His followers. Thus, he made every effort to stamp it out for good.
What makes Paul’s conversion, at least the moment that he encountered Jesus, so different, is the absence of events, rather than their presence:
3And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. 8And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink. – Acts 9:3-9
Saul, as he was known then, experienced a light (John 8:12) and heard a voice, asking him why he is persecuting Him (Jesus). He immediately understood that this voice knew about his mission to persecute Christians. Since he had never met Jesus, he would not have recognised the voice. Jesus though, introduces Himself as the One who Paul is persecuting. Remember, the persecution of Christians through the ages was never to eliminate people, but to eliminate the Gospel (the good news) of salvation. At this point, Paul uses the Greek word Κύριε (Kyrie) which means “Sir”, not the word Κύριός (Kurios, Lord) used by Thomas in John 20:28. To him at this point, Jesus is not yet Lord in the most respected sense, but “sir”, translated as Lord. Nevertheless, he asks Him what he has to do, and is given the instructions.
We need to point out that the event on the road to Damascus was not a single event that lead to his total surrender. Instead, there were subsequent events three days later, and we read that he was told to get up, go to the same city he was headed to, to persecute Christians, and then wait for further instructions. There, for three days and nights he was blind, had nothing to eat or drink, and plenty of time to absorb what had happened to him. One of the key figures in the process of Paul’s conversion was Ananias. We read this:
17And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. 19And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. – Acts 9:17-20
Jesus revealed to Saul that Ananias would come to him (Acts 9:12). Thus, when he arrived, Saul was expecting him. Ananias laid his hands on him so that he could receive the Holy Spirit, he received his sight again, was baptised, ate food to be strengthened, and immediately began to preach the same gospel he wanted to stamp out. In the coming days, he gained more strength and his message came as a total surprise to the Jews in Damascus. They were ready to receive Saul, with letters authorising him to commit legalised persecution, definitely not to tell them (Acts 9:22) that this Man he met on the road, was Jesus Christ, their Messiah!
What went through Saul’s mind for the three days that he spent in darkness? We do not know, but we can assume that it was a time during which he had to completely re-evaluate everything he was taught, knew, professed, and lived by. Certainly God would have continued speaking to him. In fact, we often read that he himself said that no man called him to be an apostle, but Jesus Christ Himself, and that what he learnt was not from man at all:
1Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) – Galatians 1:1
11But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. – Galatians 1:11-12
It is astounding to think that God would allow a person to be schooled in the Jewish faith; allow him to live out this faith; and then allow him to root out the Gospel proclaimed by Jesus, only to turn this person’s life upside down. However, this same Jesus instructed him in the gospel, not any person. Now he says that he counts all of what he once knew, for nothing:
8Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. – Philippians 3:8
Conclusion
Paul’s conversion was extraordinary. He had to rethink everything he was taught but it allowed him to reach the known world. Your own conversion to faith may not have been written up or be seen as extraordinary by others, but it makes it no less effective. What are you doing today, not even to reach those in far off places, but those who are closest to you? Live out your allotted time spreading the Good News in whatever way you can.