William S. Cline
B.S. Dean has written, “The conversion of Saul was the most vital event in the history of Christianity after Pentecost.” Benjamin Franklin said, “…in the highest sense, Paul was the most distinguished man that was ever in the church of Christ. No man, at this day, can tell the difference there would have been in this world if Paul had not lived in it.” Three times the story of Paul’s conversion is told by Luke (Acts 9); by Paul to the Jewish mob (Acts 22); and by Paul again before Agrippa (Acts 26).
Saul’s Journey to Damascus
Saul, or Paul as he was later known, regarded Jesus as a pitiable impostor who had merited death because of his impersonation of the Messiah. No doubt he believed that the body of Jesus was mouldering away in some unknown tomb to which he had been secretly carried by his friends. About the only thing Saul had in common with the Christians was a strong faith in God and the Old Testament Scriptures. He was a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” of the sect of the Pharisees with the finest education that could be obtained. He was as zealous for what he believed to be the cause of God as any person living, thus in Acts 9 we see him, with letters from the Sanhedrin, bound for Damascus to seek and persecute those that called themselves followers of Christ.
Acts 9:3-6 reads:
And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus; and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven; and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said Who art thou, Lord? And he said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; but rise, and enter into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Just how near Damascus the party was, we do not know. Perhaps they were already within sight of the groves of Damascus, the beautiful city which has been called “The Pearl of the Orient.” Saul’s reply to the challenge of the heavenly messenger was, “Who art thou, Lord?” The word Lord, in Greek kurios, means “having power, authority, Lord, master, sir.” Saul realized that this was a heavenly messenger, but the use of the word Lord did not indicate that he knew it was Jesus of Nazareth. His amazement at the reply can be imagined, “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.” One moment before he had not the slightest doubt that Jesus was dead and his body hidden somewhere. Now he had not the slightest doubt that Jesus was alive and speaking to him. The shock of these words of Jesus must have been greater to Saul’s religion than was the light to his eyes. Saul would later write by inspiration that “Faith comes by hearing…” (Rom. 10:17). How true he knew these words to be. Moments before he had been an unbeliever, but now after hearing the evidence, he was a believer—his faith was the result of hearing.
Saul’s next question, “What wilt thou have me to do, Lord?” revealed his absolute sincerity and boldness. Now a believer in the Christ, Saul could see the error of the way he had been pursuing. He was a sinner and in need of forgiveness. He was ready to do what had to be done to be in a right relationship with God. But Jesus only answered his question indirectly. He told Saul why He had appeared to him (see Acts 26:16-18), then He commanded him to go immediately into Damascus, where it should be told him what he must do. Jesus did not appear to Saul to convert him. If he did neither He nor Saul knew anything about it. Saul was not saved on the road to Damascus when Jesus appeared to him. If he was, he didn’t know it for he wanted to know what to do. If he was, Jesus didn’t know it for He said he would be told what to do in Damascus. If he was, it was while his sins still remained for they were not washed away until he was baptized (Acts 22:16).
Saul in Damascus
What an entry his must have been into the city where he was going to search out Christians to be persecuted. Instead of such an entry, he went without the ability to see, having to be led by the hand. The evidence of Acts 9:11 suggests that he stayed in the home of one that was a Christian, and there he was praying and fasting until the preacher came to tell him what he must do to be saved.
When Jesus informed Ananias of his task he was quick to make excuses—he was afraid of Saul. He seemed to think the Lord had made a mistake. He was not the last preacher of that sort. Some today appear to think the Lord made a mistake in certain of His commandments or else that he is indifferent about obedience to them. They are willing to state their own opinions as to what the Lord will or will not do in certain instances where His will has not been fully obeyed. They have no hesitancy in offering substitutes for simple commands of Christ, assuring their hearers that the Lord will accept any honest service or form of obedience of worship. It is surprising to see how easily they persuade themselves that they have priestly power or authority, and that the Lord will act as they suggest rather than disappoint their deluded followers. Like Ananias, they proceed to give the Lord instruction. How ridiculous such pretentious men must appear to Christ. It is highly important that we understand that when Jesus commands it is ours to obey!
Ananias soon corrected himself and went to Saul at the home of Judas. He went to Saul for two purposes. One was to lay hands on him so that he could “receive his sight” (9:12). The other was to tell Saul what he must do in order that he might be saved, and thus being properly prepared, he could receive the Holy Spirit from the Christ as had the other apostles (9:17).
In 9: 12 we are expressly told the purpose of the laying on of the hands of Ananias–that Saul might receive his sight. In 9:17 we are given the dual purpose of his going to Saul—that he might receive his sight and receive the Holy Spirit. But did Saul receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit from Ananias? We answer without doubt in the negative. No man ever had the power to give the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was the one that baptized with the Holy Spirit (Matt. 3:11). Again, Paul said that what he received was not from man but directly from Jesus Christ (Gal. 1:12). Further, when Paul went to Jerusalem, the apostles gave him the right hand of fellowship. They would have never done this if Paul’s apostleship had been inferior in any way to theirs.
When Ananias spoke to Saul he styled him, “brother” no doubt, in view of their relation as Jews, and not as a Christian, for Saul at that time was not in Christ and could not have been styled brother with respect to their relation in Christ.
Saul was a believer in God. He had faith. His faith, his zeal, his conscientiousness were greater than they had ever been. He was truly penitent. He had demonstrated such by three days of fasting and prayer. “What lack I yet?” must have been the question in Saul’s mind when Ananias came to him in 9:17. In Acts 22:16 we are informed that Ananias said, “And now, why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.” This was the only thing that Saul was commanded to do.
It is common to hear baptism scoffed at as having no place in conversion, but language could not make it clearer that it is connected with forgiveness. The short speech that Ananias made to Saul makes it clear, beyond question, that remission of sins and baptism are inseparably connected together. It thus harmonizes with the command of Jesus, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). It also harmonizes with Peter who said, “Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins…) (Acts 2 :28).
After being baptized into Christ (Gal. 3:26-27) Saul was raised to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4) because he had the remission of sins (Acts 2:28). He went on to become the greatest instrument for the cause of Christ that has ever been a member of the church. It is interesting that God chose this man, a devout Jew, to become the great apostle to the Gentiles. The book of Acts is the book of the carrying out of the Commission we call the great one. First the Gospel was carried to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria. Then it was carried to the entire world. In Acts 9 we have the preparation of the preacher for that Great Commission; in Acts 10 we have the preparation of the people (the Gentiles) for that Great Commission; and in Acts 11 we have the preparation of the church (the great church at Antioch) for that Great Commission. Within 25 years of these events Paul could write that that mission had been accomplished (Col. 1:23). How indebted the world was and is to the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
