The Conversion of St. Paul
Written by Blake Plympton
Conversion of St Paul on the Road to Damascus by Henry Speckaert
If someone were to ask to name the apostles in the Bible, who would you start with? Odds are, you would probably start with the Apostle Paul. This is probably due to the amount of attention that Paul gets in protestant and evangelical circles. Paul wrote a large of the New Testament. (Although not the most when you consider word count.) It is strange though that we have put Paul on such a high pedestal, when Paul thinks of himself as much lower: “For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthians 15:9)
Despite our tendency to hold Paul in a higher status than the rest of the apostles, we can still be amazed by his life. The feast of his conversion revolves around the text we find in Acts 9. Before this, Paul was vigorous in his persecution of those who called themselves Christians. He was there at Stephen’s stoning approving the whole ordeal (Acts 8:1), he “ravaged the church” arresting those who believed in Jesus (Acts 8:3), and he was “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). Paul even boasts about his zeal of persecuting the church as being a criterion for being able to boast about being in the Law.
This is what is so incredible about Jesus choosing Paul. God decides to take the most wicked man that the church could imagine and use him for the kingdom of God. So much so, that Paul became one of the best missionaries to the gentile people out of all the other Apostles. And he boasts about his suffering for the church (2 Corinthians 11:16-33). Even though he could boast about his status as a Jew in both ethnicity and race (Philippians 3:1-11), he forsook it all in pursuit of the gospel being spread to the nations.
There are probably many themes that I could mention about Paul’s conversion, but I would like to focus on just two. First, even the hardest of hearts can change. When I was at Joe’s Real BBQ, there were several hard-hearted Mormons that I had conversations with. I had spent hours talking to them about Jesus and debating theology to no avail. It seems that all my efforts led to no change in them. However, it also humbled me to know that there is nothing I can do. It will have to be Jesus. So that became my prayer, that Jesus would show up in a radical and transformative way to these lost people so they might come to believe. I was putting my faith in an encounter with the living God.
Stories like my dad’s encourage me that this can happen. Before my dad was saved, he wanted nothing to do with church. He was drinking, partying, frivolously spending, getting high, and so much more. Sitting in the chairs of a church was never on his mind. Yet, my dad found himself, one day sitting in a church, accepting Christ. He tells the story like this:
“I don’t know. I just walked into church one day not knowing what I was doing there and at the end of the service, the pastor had an altar call. He asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus. Without even knowing it, my hand was raised. So, I walked to the front, and had all these strangers pray over me. Then, when I opened my eyes, it was almost as if I knew these people. It was not until later that I found out each person that prayed over me that day had been praying for me for months.”
Second, our lives become radically different when we accept Jesus as Lord. Even though Paul had every right and authority as a Pharisee, he gave them up. Then, upon sharing the gospel with the Israelites, he was beaten. Paul knows a lot about suffering. We should strive to be like Paul in this way, suffering for the sake of the gospel. From what we see in Scripture, Paul never suffered needlessly. He did not intentionally deny himself that he would be able to boast. All of his suffering came out of the zeal he had to let Christ be known. And, in the midst of his suffering, was able to find joy because of the love of Christ.
Collect for The Conversion of Saint Paul (p. 626)
O God, by the preaching of your apostle Paul you have caused the light of the Gospel to shine throughout the world: Grant, we pray, that having his wonderful conversion in remembrance, we may show ourselves thankful to you by following his holy teaching; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Questions for Reflection
Think of a time when felt you had endless zeal for Christ? What do you think hindered/suppressed that zeal?
How do you think we are persecuted today? Is it different than what Paul faced?
What do you think it looks like to have a zeal for Christ today?
Who have you shared the gospel within the past that was never receptive?
Spend time praying that God would work in miraculous ways for those people.
Who is new in your life that needs a radical encounter with Jesus?