The Spiritual Transformation Of Saul Of Tarsus

Acts 9:1-9 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.’ The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so, they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

I was reminded of the words of the Prophet Jeremiah 20: “O Lord, you have enticed me and I was enticed, you have overpowered me and you have prevailed.” We have a pursuer in life. That pursuer is God. Is there a place we can run from the Lord? There is none. Saul of Tarsus was on a trajectory hunting Christian believers to have them jailed. His life purpose was depending on it. He seemed to be convinced it was a right path. Do you know what is your life purpose? What trajectory are you on? Is it one that is pleasing to God? What’s so important for you besides making a living? I think this is very important because it helps us see what we do with the lenses of the Kingdom of God. Some of us belong to clubs, organizations that do-good things in the community. But beyond this we need to evaluate what we do, is our life trajectory in line with God’s purposes? This is important to know what mission you have been on, while on this earth so far.  

I have always wondered about the Apostle Paul’s journey of transformation, and Acts 9 gives us a window into the moment when Saul realized he had been wrong all along. It took a miracle for him to turn the tide. Several people can recall the very moment, they decided to follow Jesus, for others, it has been a slow and continuous change that began years before. The common denominator in all conversions, is that there has been a determination on the part of the Lord to seek you out. Holy Scripture tells us that he loved us first. We are the ones that are slower to realize that Christ has been seeking us all our lives and our response has been rather slow, or even at times, we have been unresponsive, and insensitive to the Holy Spirit nudging us. Could we say this was the case of Saul of Tarsus? My seminary professor was right to focus on Paul’s post conversion moments rather than his pre-conversion. But I still want to dive in a little though and learn about Saul. As a Roman citizen and a Jew and a Pharisee, with a strong zeal to reinforce the law and inspire respect for the temple, Saul was rather a good candidate to become a follower of Jesus.

This tells us not to underestimate anyone’s path, because conversion may always be around the corner. Could it be that we have tendency to focus on the people’s past rather than their present and future? In today’s world, would Saul have been allowed to be an apostle with the knowledge of what he did to Christian believers? Today those who hire candidates are mandated to do a background check, and I am not advocating it is wrong to do so, however, is it possible that by focusing on people’s pasts, we may actually throw out their potential? Jesus knew Saul’s heart better than anyone. He knew his capabilities. He pursued Saul while dead set in his trajectory. Thank God it took a miracle to open his spiritual eyes and realize the kind of blindness he was under in his zeal as a Pharisee. I am not sure if it was the reason why the Lord let him be blind temporarily, so his heart can recalibrate and see the harm he was causing in the name of the law. It is true that often in our lives we focus on what’s not important, or we think what we do or say is not harmful to others because it is beneficial and uplifting to us.

Paul had three days in physical blindness, so he was able to take time think deeply: Who benefits the threats and murder of Christians? Temple’s leaders? I don’t know! Did it bring anyone’s happiness? Perhaps we also need such deep inner introspection, closing our physical eyes, so we can open the eyes of our hearts, to evaluate the trajectory we are on. I am glad Saul was transformed and became Paul the Apostle.

Paul’s contribution to the church of Christ is extremely remarkable. His knowledge and zeal were put to good use. He also was a very humble person. He said: “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” We learned more about the purposes of God, our faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The fact that Gentiles didn’t need circumcision. He was a mean of great skills of persuasion, a brilliant individual that understood argumentation. Paul was a Giant of faith in the church. We are all indebted to him for the letters explaining our relationship with the law, the call to holy living, the problem of evil and the Salvation through Jesus Christ, rescuing the world from sin and death.

I hope and pray that like Paul, your life purpose, your trajectory is overpowered and led by Christ this day and forever.

Amen.