The Conversion of St Paul

Christ brings about a great reversal in St. Paul. “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (Gal. 1:23). The enemy of the Gospel becomes its foremost preacher, and the last of the Apostles becomes the first (Matt. 19:30). Paul is God’s “chosen instrument. . . to carry [His] name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). The conversion of Paul is only a more dramatic example of what God does in revealing Christ to us. The bondage of our sin makes saving faith impossible. “I believe that I cannot. . . believe” (SC III,3). But even this is no obstacle for our Lord’s grace in Christ and the Holy Spirit’s power through the Gospel. Baptized, filled with the Holy Spirit, and hearing the Word of Christ, our ears are opened and our spiritual blindness is lifted (Acts 9:17–19). It is dangerous to be a traitor to Christ’s enemies—“I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of My name” (Acts 9:16)—but everything that is left behind is “rubbish” compared to “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8) and the eternal life that we, with St. Paul, will at last inherit (Matt. 19:29).