Before he became a Christian, The Apostle Paul was known as Saul of Tarsus. Saul was a Pharisee, as was his father before him. He studied under a member of the Sanhedrin named Gamaliel. Gamaliel was a respected teacher of the Law of God as given through Moses, and Saul was zealous for the law. Saul gave his approval to the execution by stoning of Stephen the Martyr, and he persecuted the church. (Acts 5:34, 22:3-5, 7:58, 8:1)
Saul was on his way to Damascus to persecute the believers there when he met Jesus Christ. That changed everything:
But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
Now there was a disciple at
Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And
he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at
the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is
praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay
his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about
this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here
he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your
name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name
before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For
I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his
hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the
road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be
filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell
from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and
taking food, he was strengthened.
For some days he was with the
disciples at Damascus. And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the
synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who heard him were
amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who
called upon this name? And has he not come here for this purpose, to bring them
bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in
strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus
was the Christ. (Acts 9:1-22 ESV)
https://biblehub.com/esv/acts/9.htm
If Jesus can save a man
whose heart was as hard as that of Saul of Tarsus, He can save you. Please, accept salvation provided through the
sacrifice of the Son of God. If you let
Him, Jesus can change everything.
No comments:
Post a Comment