The story of the Apostle Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, is a remarkable tale of transformation and dedication that has inspired countless believers through the ages. Born in Tarsus of the Roman region of Cilicia, the city was an ethnically diverse free city located on a major trade route providing Paul with all of the empire’s legal protections and privileges. His preparation for missionary ministry was indeed multifaceted and profound, marked by a dramatic personal encounter with Jesus, a spiritual transformation that turned a persecutor of Christians into a pivotal figure in the spread of Christianity, and a period of learning and growth that equipped him for his life's work.
CONVERSION:
Paul's conversion on the road to Damascus is one of the most significant events in the New Testament as he experienced a divine revelation that changed the course of his life. Paul saw a bright light and heard the voice of Jesus asking, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" This direct encounter led to his immediate awareness of Jesus as the risen Lord. Stricken physically blind, he realized his spiritual blindness and need for divine illumination. After three days, Ananias, a disciple in Damascus, was sent by Jesus with a message addressing how much Saul would suffer (Acts19:15 & 16) and then to heal his blindness and baptize him. This act signified his physical and spiritual rebirth.
While we only have record of Jesus’ call of the fishermen (Mt. 4:13 – 22; Mk. 1:16 – 20; Lk. 5:1 – 11) and Matthew (Mt. 9:9) to leave all and “…Follow…” Him, we know from Peter’s statement concerning the replacement of Judas Iscariot that all of the disciples/Apostles had been with Jesus from the time of John the Baptist baptizing Him to His Resurrection and Ascension (Acts 1:21 – 26). Every original Apostle had this “…Follow Me…” moment when they left all to follow Him. Because Paul’s call took place after these events (Acts 9; Cf. Jesus’ statement in Jn. 15:27)), we often find him defending his apostleship as well as referring to himself as, “…one born out of due time.” (1 Cor. 15:1 – 7).
This encounter was not just a fleeting moment; it was the beginning of a lifelong journey of faith and service. He “…immediately…” began preaching in the synagogues of that area (Acts 9:20 – 22) until Jesus’ prophecy of coming persecution was fulfilled (Acts 9:23 – 25) and he would move on. As the Apostle to the gentiles he would use his Roman name, Paul rather than his Hebrew name, Saul.
While maybe not as dramatic as the Apostle Paul’s, all of us as modern-day disciples of Jesus have had the call to follow Him in the step of faith of salvation. What we need to remember is that the change is as dramatic as He brought us from death to life, rescuing us from the enemy’s kingdom to the Kingdom of His Son of love (Col. 1:13).
SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION:
After this life-altering experience and the beginning of his ministry right where he was converted, Paul retreated into Arabia where he continued to minister among Jews and Gentiles in the Nabatean cities (2 Cor. 11:32),[1] even as he spent time in solitude, reflecting and receiving direct teachings from Jesus (Gal. 1:17 & 18). This period of ministry and seclusion was crucial for his spiritual growth and understanding of the Gospel he would later preach with such fervor.
DISCIPLESHIP PRINCIPLE: Salvation is not the end, but the beginning of what God wants to accomplish in and through us! In ministry and in life, it is a dangerous thing to separate salvation from sanctification as both are parts of the same process described in the Great Commission of our Lord (Mt. 28:16 – 20)!
Fellow disciple, is our life’s trajectory in the direction of becoming more like Christ (2 Cor. 3:18), or do we need to make some adjustments?
Works Cited
Plummer, Robert L., Mark Terry, John. 2012. Paul's Missionary Methods: In His Time and Ours. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic
[1] (Plummer, 2012)
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