Saul and Genuine Conversion

Introduction:

We all suffer from the problem of sin.

Saul has demonstrated the ability to make arresting and maltreating followers of Jesus the expression of his devotion to God.

We may not share such a deluded religious zeal, but we are all capable of justifying what is evil in other ways.

God wants to restore us to soundness as well as graciously give us eternal life.

He wants to change our present as well as our futures.

There are two great lessons from Saul’s conversion:

We have another physical event that attests to the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus.

The transformative power of salvation.

Jesus’s First Commands

At stake between Jesus and Saul has been the matter of authority inherent in Jesus’s lordship.

In the midst of speaking with Saul, Jesus gives him two commands and an assurance.

The commands are:

Be raised (an interesting choice of terms)

Enter into the city

Jesus assures him he will be told what it is necessary for you to be doing (notice the embedded question/indirect question).

Here, we get to see a contrast from Peter’s interaction with Simon. He told him what to do, as an apostle, but Simon refused to obey the commands.

Now, we will see if Saul obeys. It is here we get to think about what conversion does to a person. We know this is an appropriate way of thinking about Saul because it becomes important for biblical teaching, his own biblical teaching.

Introduction Part 2

In part 1, we thought about Saul from the perspective of genuine conversion.

We will see this in services to come as well.

We have two other perspectives to consider for now.

Evidence of the resurrected and exalted Jesus in a physical encounter.

Ananias’ confirmation of the basic Pauline story.

Like the resurrection, post-sufferings proofs, ascension, and the coming of the Spirit, this is presented as a physical event.

Note the references to physical aspects.

Vision

Leading by the hand

Not eating

Prayer

Eyewitnesses to the Encounter

Saul had other men with him.

This is consistent across all accounts of this narrative.

They stood speechless.

They heard a voice but saw nothing (or no one).

Saul was raised from the ground, but when he opened his eyes, he could not see.

He remained in this blind state for three days.

They led him by hand, and that is how he entered Damascus.

He ate or drank nothing for three days.

(Perhaps further evidence of his repentance, although we can’t be sure.)

Yet more evidence of the resurrection of Jesus.

Notice what Ananias says in Acts 9:17.

Ananias’ Testimony to Saul’s Story

We get introduced to a disciple named Ananias who was living in Damascus.

The Lord spoke to him in a vision.

Ananias, following an OT pattern, volunteered himself in service of the Lord.

He tells him to go to a specific street where he would find Saul.

Saul would be praying (Acts 9:11: use this for showing a pattern with Saul if time allows).

He also will have seen a vision of Ananias lyaing hands on him to restore his vision.

Ananias recounted what he knew about Saul to express his reticence:

He had heard many things about Saul (Acts 9:13)

He did evil things to Christ’s holy ones in Jerusalem.

In Damascus, he had authority from the priests to bind those who trusted Jesus to be the Messiah.

He confirms what Paul says of himself:

Paul lived troubled over his past persecution of the church.

— Explicit: "how I persecuted (ἐδίωκον) the church of God violently and tried to destroy it."Galatians 1:13 

— Explicit: "because I persecuted (ἐδίωξα) the church of God."1 Corinthians 15:9 (use this one last).

He combines seeing the resurrected Jesus with his persecution of believers.

— Explicit: "as to zeal, a persecutor (διώκων) of the church."Philippians 3:6 

Paul’s conversion as a model/example:

“formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor (διώκτην), and insolent opponent."1 Timothy 1:13

Look at this whole passage and notice what Paul says about himself.

He saw the resurrected Lord, but he also provides an example of His character and of the power of the salvation in Jesus.

Titus 3:1-3.

Inherent in his new role would be suffering on behalf of the name.

He is told up front what his new life would be like.

Ananias greeted him as a brother, and Salu was immersed.

Luke has emphasized the act of baptism as the identifier of a person with Jesus, but as we saw with Simon, that alone, without the subsequent obedience does not matter as much.