This is a discussion about Lesson 1 (Q3 2008): For Such A Time As This: The Apostle Paul. Click here to go to the introduction to this week’s study.
This [is] a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. The Apostle Paul, I Timothy 1:15 (NKJV)
Paul’s saying above is wonderfully humble. But was he exaggerating? Maybe, but not too much…
It is interesting to review the first things we learn of Paul (known at first as ‘Saul’) in the New Testament:
1. He consented to the terrible murder of Stephen.
2. But he wasn’t just a bystander, he was the ‘hard man’, the active persecutor for the Jews that opposed Christianity at the time.
….he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Acts 8:3 (NKJV)
3. And more than that:
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Acts 9:1,2 (NKJV, emphasis added)
So what did it take to turn Saul around? Nothing short of am intervention by Jesus Himself:
As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Acts 9:3,4 (NKJV)
What’s interesting about this is that despite the evil that Saul had done, Jesus appears here to deal very kindly to him. No threats of punishment, just a question about what he was doing.
And he [Paul] said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting…So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:5,6. (NKJV)
Clearly the impact was immediate. Saul doesn’t argue or deny. He knows it’s the Lord, but then He immediately accepts that Jesus is in fact God, and then swiftly moves onto practical issues…such as what to do next.
I think this passage shows that Paul had the kernel of an honest heart deep inside. There doesn’t seem to be any self justification here, just acceptance.
But this was no ‘cheap’ and painless conversion. Ellen White has this to say:
The conversion of Saul was marked with heartfelt repentance, thorough confession, and an earnest longing for pardon of sin. Prior to his conversion, Saul had been proud and self-confident; now he was bowed down with sorrow and shame; he abhorred himself because of the suffering he had brought upon the disciples of Jesus. In the light of the revelation that had come to him, he began to see himself as the chief of sinners...
… Saul longed to come into full harmony and communion with the Father and the Son; and in the intensity of his desire for pardon, he offered up fervent supplications to the throne of grace.
The prayers of the penitent Pharisee were not in vain. The inmost thoughts and emotions of his sin-corrupted heart were transformed by divine grace… RH, March 23, 1911 par. 1-3.
Thinking about our greater theme of ‘taking the gospel to the world’, this whole painful experience for Paul was a necessary process. I think there were two main issues to come out of this:
1. Paul realised that human wisdom was not to be trusted.
And so, viewing the wisdom of the world–wisdom in which he had formerly trusted–in the light of the cross, Paul “determined not to know anything, . . . save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Throughout his later ministry, Paul never lost sight of the Source of his wisdom and strength. Ellen White, RH, March 30, 1911 par. 14
2. Paul was previously ’self-confident’ and ‘proud’. Now he was distrustful of his own righteousness, leading him to make statements like the one that opens our discussion above. He realised that without Christ’s righteousness, he had nothing.
With this background, consider the following question asked by the study guide:
What aspects of your own life (nationality, education, upbringing, etc.) can be of special use in witnessing? How can you take advantage of your background to better witness for the Lord?
I’ll be interested in your thoughts on this one.
In Paul’s case, he had a very thorough education, and was clearly a talented individual prior to his conversion. However Jesus effectively had to re-educate him given his erroneous thinking. So no matter what natural strengths he had, without Christ’s leadership, these might all be used for nought.
Having said all of that, I’m sure that the life experiences Paul had, including his zealous persecution and then the terribly humiliating turnaround, did set him up for being a more understanding and sensitive person.
And this would have been a great benefit when he went to the Gentiles to proclaim the good news. He was then able to get the right balance between the need for absolute reliance on Jesus for all salvation, but yet the hard practical reality of ‘actively surrendering’ such that Jesus could come into the life and transform it.
What is the takeaway for this week? Well I’m sure you might all pull something different out of our discussion, however for me it’s the need to humbly assess whether our efforts are truly in the direction in which God wants us to go. And also a reminder of the kindness of God which leads us all to repentance. The gentleness of Jesus’ reprimand to Saul after all he had done was a new insight to me this week.
Next week we’ll be discussing more of the life of Paul, including his missionary work, but that’s it for this time.
As always we’ll look forward to any insights you can share with us in the comment section below… See you next week….
