Lord’s Day, Vol. 9 No. 40
The Apostle Paul’s Life – Conversion and Call
The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:9-11 wrote thus of his life story as a missionary for Christ, “For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am. His grace which was bestowed on me was not futile, but I worked more than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
In this profound summary, the Apostle Paul revealed to us the secret of his success – “but for the grace of God which was with me.” Since his conversion and call on the road to Damascus in A.D. 37, his life was energized with a dynamite power that burst forth in the incessant preaching of his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, unparalleled in biblical history, recorded in a large portion of the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 9,11, 12:25, 13-28) and the Pauline Epistles (Chronologically – 1 and 2 Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus and 2 Timothy) and this writer believes also the Epistle to the Hebrews, 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament Scriptures. His seemingly tireless missionary journeys and the fruitful captivities from A.D. 47 to A.D. 63, a period of 16 years before his martyrdom in possibly A.D. 68.
The call of God separates a man unto salvation. The call of God also separates a man for Holy service for His Lord.
The Apostle Paul was saved and commissioned by Christ, he met Christ on His eleventh and final appearance recorded in Acts 9:1-6 and 1 Corinthians 15:8 “And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time”, on the road to Damascus persecuting the early church two years after the Ascension (Acts 1:9).
He confessed receiving the call to be the last Apostle of Christ and his unworthiness in 1 Corinthians 15:9 “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” He was a fierce persecutor of the early church, he witnessed the martyrdom of Stephen, for Saul, his Jewish name, was consenting unto Stephen’s death (Acts 8:1). Truly, salvation comes by the grace of God. The encounter of Saul with Christ was dramatic and altered the entire course of his life from henceforth.
Acts 9:1-5 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And 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.
In the Apostle Paul’s own words, he described salvation as a gift of God in Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” He himself testified salvation is by God’s grace and His good pleasure in Galatians 1:15-16 “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:”
Jesus vindicated Himself by appearing personally to Saul by a bright light from heaven (Acts 26:13) confronted Paul “Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” He saw the resurrected Christ, he had no excuse for in 2 Corinthians 4:6 the Apostle Paul described his salvation vividly “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
A bright light literally shone at mid-day upon him to arrest of his drunken stupor as it were like a mad man persecuting the church in Acts 9:1 is described the climax of his zeal to persecute the church “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest.” The Lord Jesus Christ also revealed to the Apostle Paul his life mission in the heavenly vision that he received as his personal testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 26:16-18 “But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
John Calvin aptly wrote, “the work of opening the eyes of the people belongs to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit empowers God’s servants to preach the gospel and grants them the joy of seeing the effect of their preaching”. For the Apostle Paul, his conversion was unique, He met the risen Christ personally for the tremendous task that the Almighty God has entrusted upon him was surely unique, but the opening of his eyes was like a picture of the salvation in his heart the Holy Spirit has wrought. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that changes the heart of man turning him away from the darkness to see the light of God’s Word. The Apostle Paul literally saw the risen Son of God so that he was a true witness of the resurrected Light. The commission was revealed to Ananias, a certain disciple in Damascus (Acts 9:10), who prayed for the Apostle Paul to receive his sight, in Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:” Ananias was told by the Lord that the Apostle Paul was to be a chosen vessel of suffering for His namesake (Acts 9:16).
George Peters aptly reflected upon the life of Apostle Paul when he wrote, “The call of God is a challenge to a life of sacrifice. Loneliness, privations, and hardships that will deplete the physical strength and imperil bodily health are included in the call of God. Comforts and conveniences, homes, and relationships must become secondary to the called of God. The Lord may require the sacrifice of health and life. Such is the challenge of the call of God.” Thank God for the Apostle Paul’s example of service for Christ’s sake and our learning. Amen.
Yours lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee