Former Enemy Becomes Stalwart Saint
He thought he was defending God… but he was actually fighting against Him. Saul of Tarsus was a devout, highly educated Pharisee who zealously persecuted early Christians, believing he was protecting the truth.
Do you know the story of this Christian martyr? He actually wasn't the nicest guy at first. There was a man who was super religious, highly educated, and respected. The kind of person people listened to. He knew the scriptures inside and out, and he was determined to defend his perception of truth at all costs. There was a new religious movement that was starting to get a lot of attention.
These religious fanatics were talking about new revelation, visions, healings. Then their leader, a fraud and criminal by all accounts, was tried, convicted, and executed. Yet his followers were now claiming that he was divine. Many people were joining this new religion, putting aside thousands of years of established tradition, scripture. These people were dangerous because they were leading so many others astray.
He decided to take action. His methods would seem harsh but necessary. He worked with local government and religious leadership. He was authorized to start tracking them down, detaining them, putting them in prison. He even stood in the crowd as one of their most effective preachers was executed. And he continued on terrifying mothers, fathers, and children who chose to follow this movement until one day everything changed.
On the road to another city, he was suddenly stopped, dropped to the ground. And a voice called him by name, and asked, "Why are you persecuting me?" He was thunder struck. It was the criminal, the one that was supposed to be dead. Yet here, he appeared like God himself. Suddenly, he realized with excruciating clarity that it wasn't these religious fanatics who were fighting against God.
He was. He lost his sight for 3 days. And then in his darkness, someone came to him. One of the very people he had been trying to stop. This man healed him and restored his sight. And in that moment, this man didn't just change his opinion. He changed his heart. And he chose to follow Jesus Christ. The man who once tried to destroy the movement became one of its strongest voices.
He traveled, he taught, he testified, and he was rejected. beaten and imprisoned. And the letters he wrote from prison, Christians still quote them today. His name was Saul of Tarsus. You know him as the Apostle Paul. No matter who we've been, no matter how far we think we've gone, no matter what terrible things we've done, through Jesus Christ, we can change. We can be forgiven.
We can become something completely new. That is the power of his atonement. and it's available to all of us.
