Broadening Christian Horizons: Saul’s Conversion

Acts 9:1-16

GOLDEN TEXT: “I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”—Acts 26:19

SAUL, of Tarsus the bitter enemy of the Lord Jesus and His followers, was, at the same time, a zealous servant of God; and his persecutions of the truth, as he himself assures us, were undertaken and prosecuted with zeal, because he thought that thus he did God service. He was a good man according to his light—but that light was a dim one. It was because he was at heart honest, sincere, good, loyal to the Lord, that a special miracle was wrought for the opening of the eyes of his understanding—that he might see the truth. His sincerity is amply attested by the promptness of his obedience as soon as his mental eyes were opened. He changed not as respected his zeal for God and His cause, but merely in the direction in which that zeal was exercised, and in the manner of its exercise, after it was subjected to the mind of Christ through the holy Spirit received. So today, while we have the Scriptural assurance that “none of the wicked shall understand,” we have also the assurance that “the wise shall understand.” The “wise” are not the “wicked,” and we esteem many of those who have manifested opposition toward Present Truth to be not “wicked” at heart, but deceived, blinded.

No doubt many of this class will yet be found amongst the “wise” to whom it shall be granted to understand the glorious things of the divine plan now being revealed through the Scriptures. It will be revealed to them because they are not of the wicked; but are like Saul of Tarsus, true children of God, whose zeal for Him has been misdirected, misguided, misused. Some may kick against the pricks, the facts, the evidence, conscience, etc., longer than others; but eventually the Lord will grant each of them some experience, or trial, the bitter experience of which will prepare them to see the light, the truth, and turn them in the right direction. Thus many of them sing, “E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me.”

The light which shone about Paul and those who accompanied him on the way to Damascus, was evidently a supernatural one, because the time of the manifestation was about noon. (Acts 22:6) And the light was far brighter than the sun which at the same time was probably shining with great brightness, as is general in that country. The phenomenon was seen by the entire band, but its special features were known only to Saul; others saw something of the light but they saw not the vision which Saul saw, representing the Son of Man in His glorified condition. The others heard a sound but did not distinguish the words which Saul heard. All fell to the ground, but all apparently were able to rise again and to stand wondering, except Saul, whose eyes were seriously injured, so that he was blind. It is mentioned that the voice which he heard spoke in the Hebrew tongue; whereas those who were with Saul probably spoke in the Syriac, or the Greek language. Saul’s astonished answer to the voice was, “Who art thou, Lord?” This was the entire difficulty, he did not know the Lord; and, as our Master Himself declared, this lack of knowledge of the Son, implied a lack of correct knowledge of the Father. So we might say of all who have persecuted the Body of Christ, even when they did it ignorantly—it was because they did not know Jesus, because they had not received of His Spirit in sufficient measure. Let us beware that no such spirit of persecution finds any sympathy or lodgment in our hearts, or any expression in our words or deeds. This will not mean, however, that we shall never offer criticism either of persons or doctrines; nor that we shall never reprove or rebuke and that publicly (II Tim. 4:2); but it surely does mean that our reproving and rebuking, of teachings and of teachers, shall be done from a Scriptural standpoint—giving reasons, giving them plainly but without bitterness, without harshness, without unkindness in any degree.

For three days Saul neither ate nor drank, and was totally blind. What a season for reflection! What a humiliation to think that he had fought against the truth! What prayers for forgiveness, and what pledges of consecration to Jesus we may imagine filled his heart in those days! On the fourth day a man, a poor and humble disciple of Jesus, named Ananias, came, not without fear, to visit Saul; knowing him by reputation, as an enemy of all who believed in “this way”; knowing that he was lodged in the house of one who was not a friend of the truth, but assured of the Lord that Saul was praying and would welcome him, having been informed in a vision. Thus this faithful disciple, Ananias, when sent of the Lord courageously and faithfully did his part. Is there not a lesson here for all of us? The Lord did not send one of the apostles from Jerusalem, nor was Ananias one of the Elders or Deacons, as far as we know; but he was a plain, humble, obedient disciple, “a broken and emptied vessel, for the Master’s use made meet.” Let all of the Lord’s dear people be similarly filled with the Lord’s Spirit and on the alert; emptied of self, feeling their own brokenness and littleness, let them be ready and anxious to do God’s service; that they may be used of Him as opportunity shall occur.

QUESTIONS:

Was Paul’s zeal for the Lord greater after he became a Christian than before?

What did Paul mean by not being disobedient to the heavenly vision?

Is it possible for those who are filled with the spirit of the Master to persecute others?

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