Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1946-10-12


All that a man has by nature /:
not enough. We saw last week the
preparation by heredity, education
and environment which Paul hae
for place of leadership. But i
was not enough. The capable, well
born, well-trained young Jewish
aristocrat had to be born agar
spiritually before he could do God.
work.
Careful Bible students regard the
conversion of Paul and the resur
rection of Christ as the two out
standing events of the New Tesla
ment. Without the resurrection O.
Jesus, the conversion Of Saul O.
Tarsus (whom we know as Paul the
j apostle) would not have been pos
sible, and at the same time hi:
conversion is one of the strongeS
proofs of the resurrection.
We find him in three relation
ships.
1. BY Nature-Contrary to Chris
(Acts 26:9-12).
It is not enough, as some OF u.
suppose, that a man be sincere
Paul was entirely sincere in hi.
conviction that he ought to perse
I cute the Christians. He did it will
/ a good conscience (Acts 23:D, fol-
mans conscience commends hin
for doing what he believes to b.
right, even though he may be wront
in his thinking.
He was sincere, but he was anti
, Christian. BY nature man is at en-
nifty with God. No good thint
| dwells in. the flesh apart from thu
redeeming grace of God (Rom. 81
James IA; Rom. 7:18.
Stirred, probably by the faithful
testimony of Stephen, to even great
er zeal against the followers 0
| Christ, Paul had to find new world
to conquer, so he set out breath
! ing out threatenings and slaughte
to destroy the church in Damascus
as he had sought to do in Jerusalem
He was a bold prosecutor, doini
all he could contrary to the nam
of Jesus" ". 81, until he met thu
Lord himself on the Damascus road
All, that meeting made him a differ
ent man and he became
ii. By Faith-Converted to Chris
(Acts 26: 13-18).
Stricken down by a brilliant heav
emily light, he found himself talking
! to the Lord Jesus. He heard from
his holy lips the solemn indictmen
of those who prosecute Gods people,
why persecutest thou me?" HI
who lays unkind hands upon, o.
brings untrue accusation against
Gods children had better beware
for so closely is our Lord identi
fed with his people that when the,
suffer, it is he who bears the hurt.
In a single sentence the Lord dis
posed of the prosecuting zeal ant
the sinful skepticism of this prout
young Pharisee, and Saul entered
into Damascus not as the Taught.
prosecutor, but as a man trembling
and astonished. He spent three
days shut in with his own soul ant
God; not seeing, not caring to eat
but entering into communion will
God. By Gods grace the old Lift
was pulled up by the roots as i
was displaced by the new life il
Christ Jesus.
God had a great commission
awaiting Paul as soon as he wa
ready for it wv. 1919. He was t.
be the apostle to the Gentiles, ant
that includes so many of us. Thu
gospel which had come first to TIT
Jews, was now to go out into all thu
world and to all people.
The change in Paul was a drasti,
one. He was as one who was alive
from the dead. 1t was not a case O
adjusting or refurbishing the ole
prosecutor Saul-here was a new
creature in Christ, ordained to gooe
works (Eph. 2:8-10).
III. By Grace-Confessing Chris
Il Cor. 1890.
Twenty years had passed since
Paups conversion. He had been ou
serving Christ, in season and out o.
season. He had known persecution
suffering and opposition. Now he
was writing, by inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, about the resurrection
telling Of those who had seen the
risen Christ. He included himself
as one born out of his time.
It is a personal vision of the iv.
ing Saviour which vitalizes the spir.
it Of a witness and makes his ties.
tinony ring true. Paul saw Christ
We too may see Him with the eye Of
faith, and by His grace become wit.
neSses.
Effort and labor are involved.
This matter of witnessing is not
something which automatically does
itself. II labored more abundant
ly," said Paul, and yet he knew
that it was the grace of God in him
which accomplished the result (see
v. 10 and Phil. 2:13).
That is it! The grace of God
working on and in and through a
man. And at the same time, that
man laboring diligently that the
grace bestowed upon him should not
be found vain. 1t is in this manner