When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. – Acts 9:26-27
There’s two thoughts for us to consider today.
Thought 1: Some Only Knew Saul
For those who had witnessed Saul’s cruelty firsthand, the idea that he could now be a follower of Christ was hard to swallow. This was the man who had hunted them, imprisoned them, and endorsed their suffering. They had good reason to be skeptical. Saul’s past was dark, and their wounds were fresh.
We’ve all been there, holding onto someone’s past so tightly that it’s hard to see who they’ve become in Christ. Sometimes our trust is slow to catch up with God’s ability to transform. Yet, Acts 9 reminds us that God’s work in someone’s life begins long before we recognize it. Saul wasn’t asking for their approval – he was testifying to Christ’s power to transform even the hardest of hearts.
Maybe you’re wrestling with doubts about someone else’s change. Or maybe, like Saul, you’re struggling to move forward because others can’t forget your past. Friend, remember that Jesus doesn’t just forgive our sins. He changes our story! So trust in the same power that turned Saul into Paul!
Thought 2: Some Only Knew Paul
Years later, Paul would be remembered as one of the most zealous and faithful followers of Jesus. For those who only knew him in this light, it was almost unbelievable to hear the stories of his life as Saul. How could this bold preacher of grace have once been a persecutor of Christians?!
That’s the power of the gospel. When Jesus changes us, He doesn’t just improve who we were; He makes us new! The old is gone, and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul’s life reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace.
If you feel like your past disqualifies you, take heart! God doesn’t waste our transformation. Just as He used Paul’s testimony to build His church, He can use your story to reveal His power and grace. Your past is a witness to the depth of His mercy and the reality of His love.
If you’re reading this and you’re a follower of Jesus, why not share your faith journey with someone today. Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t know Jesus, or maybe it’s someone who’s already a Christian. That doesn’t matter – share it anyway! When we share what Christ has done in our lives, it impacts both us and our listener. It reminds us of the wondrous power of Jesus, and it encourages us in the unseen journey ahead.
My hope lives not because I am not a sinner, but because I am a sinner for whom Christ died; my trust is not that I am holy, but that being unholy, HE is my righteousness. My faith rests not upon what I am or shall be or feel or know, but in what Christ is, in what He has done, and in what He is now doing for me.
– Charles H. Spurgeon
Former Blackout Artist 