The midland journal., 1946-10-11
PAUL MAKES A NEW START

LESSON TEXT-Acts 2s:e-ls; Corinthi.
ans 1870
MEMORY SELECTION-This is a faith.
that Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinnerE.-I Timothy lis.
All that man has by nature is
not enough. We saw last week the
| preparation by heredity, education
and environment which Paul had
for place of leadership. But it
was not enough. The capable, we'll
born, well-trained young Jewish
aristocrat had to be born again
spiritually before he could do Gods
work.
Careful Bible students regard the
conversion of Paul and the resur-
rection Of Christ as the two out
standing events of the New Testa-
ment. Without the resurrection of
Jesus, the conversion of Saul of
Tarsus (whom we know as Paul the
apostle) would not have been pos
sible, and at the same time his
conversion is one of the strongest
proofs of the resurrection.
We find him in three relation
ships.
1. BY Nature-Contrary to Christ
| (Acts 26:9-12).
It is not enough, as some of us
suppose, that a man be sincere.
Paul was entirely sincere in his
conviction that he ought to perse-
cute the Christians. He did it with
good conscience (Acts 23:D, for
a mans conscience commends him
for doing what he believes to be
right, even though he may be wrong
in his thinking.
He was sincere, but he was anti
Christian. By nature man is at en-
nifty with God. No good thing
dwells in the flesh apart from the
redeeming grace of God (Rom. 81;
James "A; Rom. 7:18.
Stirred, probably by the faithful
testimony of Stephen, to even great
er zeal against the followers of
Christ, Peul had to find new worlds
! to conquer, so he set out "breath-
ing out threatenings and slaughter
! to destroy the church in Damascus"
as he had sought to do in Jerusalem.
He was a bold prosecutor, doing
all he could contrary to the name
of Jesus" ". 81, until he met the
Lord himself on the Damascus road.
| All, that meeting made him differ
ent man and he became
ii. BY Faith-Converted to Christ
(Acts 26:,3-18).
Stricken down by a brilliant heav-
enly light, he found himself talking
to the Lord Jesus. He heard from
his holy lips the solemn indictment
of those who persecute Gods people
-"Why plersecutest thou me?" He
who lays unkind hands upon, or
brings untrue accusation against,
Gods children had better beware,
for so closely is our Lord identi-
fled with his people that when they
suffer, it is he who bears the hurt.
In single sentence the Lord dis
posed of the prosecuting zeal and
the sinful skepticism of this proud
young Pharisee, and Saul entered
into Dam ascus not as the naughty
prosecutor, but as man trembling
and astohished He spent three
days shut in with his own soul and
God; not seeing, not caring to eat,
but entering into communion with
God. By Gods grace the old life
was pulled up by the roots as it
was displaced by the new life in
Christ Jesus.
God had great commission
awaiting Paul as soon as he was
ready for it wv. 1919. He was to
be the apostle to the Gentiles, and
that includes so many of us. The
gospel which had come first to the
Jews, was now to go out into all the
world and to all people.
The change in Paul was a drastic
one. He was as one who was alive
from the dead. 1t was not a case of
adjusting or refurbishing the old
prosecutor Saul-here was a new
creature in Christ, ordained to good
works (Eph. 2:8-1O.
Ill. By Grace-COnfessing Christ
Il Cor. 15:8-10).
Twenty years had passed since
PauPs conversion. He had been out
serving Christ, in season and out of
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.
1t is a personal vision of the liv-
ing Saviour which vitalizes the spir-
it of witness and makes his tes-
timony 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. "I labored more abundant