The apostle Paul, before he became Paul, was Saul who was a persecutor and a murderer of Christians. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees according to the strictest party of his religion. But now he was a believer in Christ, and an apostle of Christ in bringing the truth of the gospel to both Jew and Gentile. And he was in prison for his testimony for Christ and for his gospel, and he was on trial because of his hope in the Christ, the promised seed of Abraham who was to come, and who did come to his people, namely Jesus the Christ.
And so he now stood before King Agrippa to give his own defense for his actions. And he shared with him his testimony of how he came to faith in Jesus Christ.
The apostle Paul speaking to King Agrippa:
“In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
“And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
“Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” (Acts 26:12-20 ESV)
God can save anyone from his sins, if he is willing and obedient. It doesn’t matter what we have done in the past. If we repent (turn from) our sins, and we follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands, we have salvation from sin and eternal life with God, but provided that we continue in those walks of faith and obedience to our Lord unto the very end. See:
[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Even if someone has resisted and has denied Jesus Christ his whole life, by his actions, yet he professes him with his lips, if he dies with Christ to sin and now walks in obedience to him in holy living, as a matter of practice, then he has salvation from sin and the hope of eternal life with God, even if it is at the very last minute before he dies. For none of us deserve God’s grace. All have sinned and have come up short of attaining God’s divine approval. Only by God’s grace can any of us have salvation and eternal life.
But that doesn’t mean that nothing is required of us. It is!
For what did Jesus say to Saul (Paul)? Well, first of all he asked him why he was persecuting the Lord. But how was Saul doing that? By persecuting the people of God, i.e. all those who by faith in Jesus Christ were crucified with Christ in death to sin, and who were raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but as slaves to God and to his righteousness. And they were those who were giving testimony to their faith in the Lord Jesus, which is why they were being persecuted and murdered.
And what next did he say to Saul (in this particular passage)? He told him to rise up and stand on his feet, for Jesus had a purpose for Paul’s life, which was to appoint him as a servant and as a witness to the things of God which Christ would reveal to him. For Jesus was sending him to his own people, the Jews, but also to the Gentiles (non-Jews) “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” (Acts 26:18 ESV) This is the gospel message.
For God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce (say ‘No!’ to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we await our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
[Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 3:23-25; Romans 5:1-2; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 6:24; Hebrews 10:26-31; Hebrews 12:12-17; 1 Peter 2:24]
So, you see, God’s grace does not just forgive us our sins so that when we die we get to go to heaven. His grace delivers us from our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will serve him with our lives in surrender to his will and purpose for our lives. God’s grace to us is so that we will turn from darkness (sin) to light (Jesus Christ, his gospel, truth, righteousness), and so we will turn from the power (control) Satan has over our lives, and so we will turn to God in repentance, submission, and obedience to him.
Then we will receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified (made holy) by faith (persuaded of God) in Jesus Christ, our Lord. But that faith = obedience, according to the Scriptures. For if we do not obey the Lord, but we continue in deliberate and habitual sin, then we will not have the hope of salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. So we must have a change of mind resulting in a change of behavior, and we must turn from our sins to now obey God, performing deeds in keeping with repentance. All glory to God! Only in his power, wisdom, and strength!
Teach Them
An Original Work / May 24, 2012
Based off various scriptures
Open up the blinded eyes of
Those who walk in sin’s darkness.
Turn them to the light of Christ
And to His righteousness.
Turn them from the pow’r of Satan.
Turn them to the peace of Christ,
So they may receive forgiveness
And eternal life.
Teach them to put off their old selves
And their former way of life,
And to put on their new self,
Reborn to be like Christ;
To not copy worldly customs;
Be transformed in life and mind;
Obey freely His word in them,
Pleasing unto God.
Teach them how to love their neighbors
Truly as they love themselves;
Be a witness; share the gospel;
Satan’s lies dispel;
Comfort all who mourn in sadness;
Share Christ’s love and joy today.
Do this through your life and witness
For your Lord always.
https://vimeo.com/125485489
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