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.
Acts 26: 12-32
As Paul continues his defense to king Agrippa, he tells of his Damascus road conversion by Christ Himself. Paul’s personal testimony is given by Luke in the book of Acts three times, ch. 9, ch. 22 and, ch. 26. Though some theologians have speculated about the number of times Paul gave his testimony, the Scriptures plainly demonstrate that Paul used his testimony twice in defending his spiritually changed life before rulers and officials. His first conversion experience was a biographical description, by Luke, of Paul’s meeting the Lord Jesus Christ. So, why does Paul tell of his conversion experience to others? To understand, we need to know Paul’s background up to his travelling on the Damascus road. Paul, born a Jew and circumcised according to Jewish religion, was raised in a somewhat wealthy family. Paul was, also, born a Roman citizen, indicating that either his father or an ancestor had either purchased or, through some heroic deed acquired, Roman citizenship. Paul was a brilliant student who attained the equivalent of 3 higher education degrees by his early twenties. Paul studied the Jewish religion under one of three top scholars of their day in the old Testament Scriptures, Gamaliel. Gamaliel was an influential Pharisee who was a member of the Sanhedrin which plotted to murder Jesus of Nazareth but he, also, was the one who cautioned the religious leaders about killing Jesus and the consequences if Jesus was come from God. Paul was destined to be another Gamaliel when his time came. But God, in His Grace, Love and Mercy, confronted Paul at his most vicious self and changed Paul from a zealot for the Pharisee ideals to a zealot for his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ Whom Paul had been persecuting. With all Paul’s education and experiences as a Pharisee, he now was an Apostle of Jesus Christ to bring to the Gentile world the gospel of the Kingdom of God to all people previously excluded by the Jews who thought that God was the god of the Jews only! If you, oh Christian are not a Jew, you have to thank God for the Apostle Paul for he is the one man whom Jesus used to spread the Gospel throughout the Roman Empire of his day and, in the millennia to follow, the Gospel came to you and me. I thank God every time I consider what this man, Paul, did to see that Jesus Christ was known by Gentiles everywhere he went!
Source: S C Ball August 14, 2023
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