Acts 9 tells about a man named Saul who was heading to Damascus to persecute Christians (verses 1-2).
On the road to Damascus, Saul was met by Jesus. Following this encounter, Saul was converted to the truth. He became known as Paul, and was inspired to write about half of the New Testament. A number of important lessons can be learned from Saul’s conversion:
Repentance is a 180º Change: In Acts 9, Saul was transformed from one persecuting Christ (Acts 22:19-20) to one who “straightway… preached Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God” (Acts 9:20).
This shows the nature of repentance. It is an “about face.” It is a 180º change. Saul’s conversion was manifested in an immediate, wholehearted turn to God. Like Saul, we must turn in the opposite direction when we have sin in our lives.
“Chief” of Sinners Can Be Forgiven: If there was ever a time for God to say, “you’ve caused too much harm for me to forgive you,” one might think that would happen with Saul of Tarsus.
Yet, when Saul did what the Lord required, his sins were washed away (Acts 22:16). Through Saul’s conversion, God showed us that the “chief” of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15) can be forgiven.
All who have reached a point of accountability before God have sinned (Rom. 3:23). Yet, as long as we are on earth, we all have the opportunity to submit to God’s terms for forgiveness.
Such assurance should not make us take the thought of future sin lightly or “procrastinate” obedience. It should, however, dissuade us from thinking we cannot be forgiven by God of past sins.
Sinners Can Become Servants: Not only was Saul forgiven, he was granted the opportunity to “preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8). One of the most influential preachers in the history of Christianity “was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious” (1 Tim. 1:13), yet by the grace of God became someone who did much good.
Paul remained humbled by his mistakes long after he repented (1 Cor. 15:9). Yet, he trusted in God’s grace, “tore off the rear-view mirror,” and failed to let his sinful past haunt him (Phil. 3:13-14).
The Truth Can Change Anyone (with the Proper Heart): As outsiders considered Saul, he may have seemed like the unlikeliest of individuals to follow Jesus. Those who “pre-judged the soil” (see Matt. 13:19-23) may have avoided him and sought someone else to teach. Yet, when Saul learned the truth, it changed his life.
God’s Word has the power to do the same today. Those who view themselves as ones who will “never be good Christians” should think of Saul’s example, and realize you too can be servants of Christ.
God’s Terms for Washing Sins Away:
Through Saul’s conversion, we see an example of how one becomes a Christian and has his or her sins forgiven. While we have the complete written Word available today and do not have miraculous encounters like Saul did, we ought to have the same response to the truth that Saul did.
Saul believed the truth about Jesus, and he was repentant (see Acts 9:6). As a repentant believer, Saul was told that he needed to be baptized to have his sins washed away (Acts 22:16). This is how one must respond to the truth to get into Christ today (also see Rom. 6:3-4 & Gal. 3:27).
Saul’s baptism did not assure all future sins would be forgiven. If he sinned after becoming a Christian, he would need to repent and pray for God’s forgiveness (Acts 8:22). Through Saul’s conversion, though, we learn what is needed for a non-Christian to get into Christ and receive forgiveness.
May we learn from these and other lessons seen in Saul’s conversion.
– Michael Hickox