AN ENCOURAGING LESSON FROM PAUL’S CONVERSION – Charles Spurgeon
AN ENCOURAGING LESSON FROM PAUL’S CONVERSION
“Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. But the Lord said unto him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before the Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.’” – Acts 9:13-16
Introduction: The Conversion of Saul of Tarsus
The conversion of Saul of Tarsus was one of the most remarkable events in Christian history. Perhaps nothing of equal importance has occurred since the days of Pentecost. This conversion was significant as a testimony to the power and truth of the Gospel. When such a man, so violently opposed to the Christian faith, so intelligent and well-versed in the Scriptures, could be converted by the appearance of the Lord from Heaven, it was a clear testimony to the reality of our Lord’s Resurrection and the power of His Word. Saul, who became Paul, later became one of the most important defenders of the faith. His conversion marked the turning point in the history of the Christian Church.
Paul, being well-versed in the Old Testament Scriptures and the traditions of the Jews, was perfectly equipped to defend the gospel against Judaism and philosophy. His argumentative powers made him a leading apologist for the faith. He successfully overturned those who opposed the doctrines of Jesus. His conversion further catalyzed the missionary movement, as Paul carried the Gospel to lands far and wide. He became known as the Apostle to the Gentiles and preached the name of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth.
Furthermore, Paul stands as the most prolific writer in the Christian canon. It was God’s will to select this remarkable man as the vessel through which we would receive the most thorough and complete understanding of the Gospel of God’s grace. The New Testament is largely shaped by the writings of Paul, who remains the most influential figure in Christian theology. He remains the great Apostle of the Doctrines of Grace and has impacted Christian theology and practice more than any other man in history. His writings continue to be studied and revered by Christians worldwide.
However, beyond his significant contribution to the Church, it is also important to reflect upon the nature of Paul’s conversion. It was not only transformative for the Church but also a lesson for all believers. The account of Paul’s conversion teaches us about the power of God’s intervention in human lives and serves as an example for how God can work in ways beyond our comprehension.
I. There Are Other Productive Forces at Work for the Church Besides Her Teaching
The teaching of the Church is undoubtedly the main source of her growth. It is through the instruction of the Gospel, through the efforts of the ministers and members, that many come to faith. But it is also crucial to recognize that there are other forces at work that complement the teaching and contribute to the success of the Church. The mountain is full of horses of fire and chariots of fire round about the Gospel! These forces operate alongside the Church’s own activities, and often, these divine forces work independently of human agency.
First and foremost, we should consider the work of the Holy Spirit in the Church. The success of the Church in bringing people to faith comes through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power behind the Truth of God, causing it to penetrate and stir the hearts and consciences of men. The Holy Spirit has often worked in the past apart from human agents and continues to do so today. It is certainly within the power of the Holy Spirit to reach men directly, to melt stubborn hearts, subdue obstinate wills, and purify depraved affections. While the Spirit always works through the Truth, He can do so in ways that do not involve human teaching. There are numerous instances of individuals, at work or in the midst of life’s mundane tasks, suddenly being filled with penitent and devout thoughts. These people may have had no prior contact with the Gospel or religious teachings but were nonetheless transformed by the Holy Spirit. Why should we doubt that the Holy Spirit still operates in this way?
Consider also the intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. His intercessory work in heaven is incredibly potent. For the sake of His people, He never ceases to pray. There are cases where Jesus prays for individuals who we may not even think to pray for. These are people we might never have noticed, but they are known to Christ, and His intercession reaches them. The prayer of the Great High Priest is a powerful force in heaven, and His intercession is central to the work of salvation.
II. Prayer and Intercession: Unseen Forces in the Church
We must also recognize the daily, incessant intercession of the faithful. Though we see the results of the Church’s efforts through preaching, teaching, and outreach, much of the work of the Church is unseen. The prayers of the faithful are constantly going up before the throne of God. While these prayers often have visible answers through preaching and ministry, they also work in hidden ways. Many prayers may not seem to be directly linked to the efforts of the Church, yet God hears them. These intercessions may seem disconnected from specific ministries, yet they work in the lives of individuals who may never have been directly impacted by preaching or teaching.
Think about the impact of the prayers of others. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus, for example, may have been partly influenced by the prayers of Stephen, who prayed, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Stephen’s prayer may not have been directly connected to Saul’s conversion, but it could very well have been part of the chain of events that led to his dramatic transformation. Similarly, the early Church’s prayers in Jerusalem likely contributed to the work of God in bringing Saul to faith, though no one could have connected the two.
III. The Unseen Influence of the Truth of God
Another force at work, though imperceptible, is the pervasive aroma of the Truth of God in the world. The Gospel, like an aroma, has an inherent power that spreads itself even in silence. Paul declared that wherever he went, he was a sweet savor of Christ to both the saved and the lost. The Gospel’s influence extends far beyond its direct proclamation. Even when not explicitly stated, the Truth spreads and impacts society. The Gospel’s effect permeates the air like perfume in a room, affecting even those who have not heard the Gospel directly.
The Gospel, even when resisted or ignored, continues to have an effect on people. It changes the way society operates. Christian teachings have influenced philosophies, laws, and even cultures, often without their recipients realizing it. Even those who reject the Gospel may unknowingly benefit from its teachings in the form of moral and ethical behavior shaped by the influence of Christianity.
IV. Christian Life and Death: Silent Witnesses to the Truth
In addition to the active proclamation of the Gospel, the Christian life and death also serve as powerful forces for the Kingdom of God. A Christian’s example of holiness and godliness is a potent witness to the world. People who observe a Christian living out their faith often recognize that something divine is at work within them. In a similar way, the death of a faithful Christian can have a profound effect on those who witness it. When a Christian dies in peace, with the assurance of their faith, it often moves those around them, even if no words are spoken. The example of a believer’s life and death can be a silent, but powerful, testimony to the truth of the Gospel.
V. Providence: Working for the Advancement of the Gospel
We should never underestimate the power of God’s providence. Everything in creation is working for the good of those who love God and for the advancement of His Kingdom. God uses all things—natural events, calamities, and even suffering—to further the purposes of His Gospel. Affliction, sickness, and death have often led people to seek God in ways they never would have in times of prosperity. God uses these events to soften hard hearts and open doors for the Gospel to be heard.
VI. The Role of Conscience in Conversion
Finally, we must remember that God has given every person a conscience, and though it is impaired by sin, it still functions. Conscience may not always judge right from wrong perfectly, but it still testifies to the truth. Even those who reject God have an inner sense of what is right and wrong. The preacher must not forget this fact, for it provides hope. When the Gospel is preached, it resonates with that inherent moral sense within every person. The conscience, though imperfect, still has the capacity to recognize the truth when it is presented.
Conclusion: Expecting Remarkable Conversions
We should expect remarkable conversions from these unseen forces—God’s intervention, the prayers of the faithful, the spreading aroma of the Gospel, the witness of Christian lives and deaths, and the providential working of God in the world. Though most conversions come through the direct ministry of the Word, we can trust that God is at work in ways we cannot see, and He will continue to bring people to faith through means we may never fully understand. Just as Saul’s conversion was a miraculous work of God, so too can we expect remarkable conversions in our day. May we be encouraged to trust in the unseen forces that work in tandem with our efforts, for God is still at work in ways beyond our comprehension.
If I have been quite out of the way, as it were, in the wilderness of sin, and yet the Voice of the Lord that breaks the cedars of Lebanon has sounded in my ears—then I shall glorify that Voice, and glorifying it consecrate myself to the God who uttered it!
Such men, too, become profoundly evangelical. I trace Paul’s exceeding evangelism to the fact that he was so remarkably converted; he could not be content with the surface of Truth, he dived into the depths of Grace and Sovereignty. He saw in himself the boundless Power, the Infinite Mercy, the absolute Sovereignty of God, and therefore he bore witness more clearly than any other to these Divine Attributes. He spoke of Election, and Predestination, and the deep things of God. Who but he could have written the 9th of Romans, or the Epistle to the Galatians?
Courage in the Face of Adversity
Courage, then, my Brothers and Sisters—the noble minds will yet be engaged in the service of our Master! They tell us that the power of Popery spreads in the land, that everywhere men are going back to the old lies from which they once were delivered. We are told that we are to be ground down again beneath the iron wheels of superstition; and on the other hand, we hear that infidelity and skepticism spread themselves like a plague over the land!
Be not afraid, God will convert the priests, and convict the infidel demagogue! You need not fear, the leaders on the enemy’s side shall yet be champions in our Master’s army! Reckon not your feeble bands; count not the timid soldiers already enlisted. Say not, “How few we are, and how weak,” for you know not where the Lord’s hidden warriors are, nor what chief among the mighty He has concealed!
They are not merely hidden among the stuff of worldliness, but they are there, in open hostility to His Cross and Crown—the mightiest warriors against Christ! Some of these shall, through conquering Grace, become the servants of God. Can you not believe it? Have you no faith in Jesus Christ? Believing it, will you not pray for it? Praying for it, will you not expect it?
The Power of Faith and the Will of God
All things are possible to him who believes! Above all, everything is possible to the might of the Eternal God and His Ever-Blessed Spirit! We must say no more on that, but pass on to a third reflection.
III. The Occasional Sinking of Instrumentality
This occasional sinking of instrumentality answers admirable ends. It might be thought to be a dangerous thing that sometimes God should work in Grace apart from man. I mean dangerous to the industry of the Church, for some are always ready enough to clutch at excuses for leaving God’s work alone. There are always certain indolent spirits who would gladly say, “Let God do His own work; it can be accomplished without us, we therefore may be excused.”
These men know better; they know the lie of their talk. It is not worth the Master’s while to confute them, their own hearts condemn them! There are admirable reasons for the Lord’s working alone. First, these interpositions disclose the Presence of the Living Christ. We, too, often forget the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet the Power of the Church lies in Christ; He is the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God.
Some may remember Jesus, but not in His present Personal Character. In the Roman Catholic Church, its power over devout minds lies in no small degree in the fact that the Person of Christ is much spoken of, loved, and reverenced. But mark well that you seldom see the Christ of the Romish Church in any but two attitudes. As a rule, either He is a baby in His mother’s arms, or else He is dead—scarcely ever is He set forth by them as the living King, Head, and Lord.
The Living Christ
In both of those first aspects, let Him be reverenced. Let the Incarnate God, and the dying Savior, have your hearts. But there is another fact to be borne in mind, and that is that He ever lives! That Church which, not forgetting His birth nor His Sacrifice, yet most clearly recognizes that He still lives, is the Church that shall win the day! We must have a living Head to the Church; we cannot do without one!
Men will assuredly invent a living head on their own account if they overlook the Living Christ; they will find some priest or other whom they would gladly gird with the attributes of Deity and set up as the Vicar of Christ. But we have a Living Christ, and when He is pleased to appear to any man by His Spirit—I speak not of miraculous appearances, but of other direct Operations of His Spirit upon the spirits of men; when He reveals Himself apart from instrumentality to man, then the Church discovers yet again, that He is in her midst fulfilling His Promise—“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Lord Jesus still walks among the golden candlesticks, and exerts a living force in the hearts and consciences of men—and He would have us remember this. Further, dear Friends, these interpositions tend to remind the Church of the supernatural agency of the Holy Spirit. The tendency nowadays is to expunge the supernatural, to bring everything down to the rule of reason and the denial of Faith. But for all that, there is a Holy Spirit! Rest assured that that Doctrine of the creed, “I believe in the Holy Spirit,” is a matter of reality!
I am as certain that there is a Holy Spirit as that I live, for unto my spirit, He has spoken, and I have come into contact with Him. I know that there are men’s minds, for those minds have affected me; I know also that there is an Eternal Spirit, for He has affected my spirit, and I speak concerning Him what I know, and testify what I have seen.
In proportion as that Truth is made clear to the Church by her personal experience, by the Spirit’s moving where He wishes, and working Divine Wonders, the Church will be girt with Power from On High. This, too, tends to unveil many of the Divine Attributes. Men so remarkably Converted are sure to display the Sovereignty of God.
God’s Sovereignty and Mercy
“I will have Mercy on whom I will have Mercy, and I will have Compassion on whom I will have Compassion,” is an utterance which rolls like thunder over the head of Paul when he sinks amidst the blaze of the Light from Heaven! God is saving whom He Wills, for He stops the persecutor in the fury of his rage. There, too, was seen God’s Power. There might have been heard as a thunderclap from Heaven, “Power belongs unto God,” when down fell Saul, wounded beneath the arrows of the Prince of Peace!
There, too, was seen Divine Grace. Paul looked upon himself as the fairest pattern of God’s long-suffering, obtaining Mercy, though he had persecuted the Church of God; the very chief of sinners, and yet made not a whit behind the chief of the Apostles! And so these remarkable Conversions aid very much the Faith of the Church. When she is beginning to droop and to sink, when holy men fancy that at least, for a while, the cause must wither, and even the bravest spirits wait rather than press forward—then it is that these remarkable Conversions come in and inspirit the whole band, and they take courage and march to the victory with willing footsteps!
Impressing the World
And this also startles and impresses the world! What does the world know of the Conversion of those who have sat in these pews ever since they were children? What does the world care about the Faith of those who, happily for themselves, were led to Jesus from their youth? But let some gross blasphemer weep the tear of penitence; let some bold persecutor preach the Faith which once he sought to destroy, and the whole city hears of it!
The land is astonished and in proportion God is glorified, and the Power of His Grace is manifested. Thus, you see, there are good reasons for the Lord thus working. He may do as He Wills; He will have us see that He does not need us; He may, if He pleases, use us; it is His rule to do so, and we are to work knowing that to be the rule, but we must adore, and admire, and bless Him that sometimes, putting us aside, He puts His own bare arm to the work! Thus His glorious right arm is exalted, for the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
IV. The Value of Instrumentality
We shall now come to our fourth point, and draw towards a close. All this by no means lowers the value of instrumentality. It is not so intended, and only stupidity would so interpret it. For, first, such cases are rare, very much rarer than Conversions by the agency of the Church. One Saul is struck to the earth, only one. But Peter preaches at Pentecost, and 3,000 are pricked in their hearts.
See the difference in numbers! The preaching of the Gospel is God’s way of converting—His usual and general way. “Since all His paths drop fatness,” it is especially so with this path of the ministration of the Truth by an earnest heart to other hearts. One Paul, I say; one Paul on the road to Damascus—but 3,000 saved by the preaching of the Word by Peter! I read of one Colonel Gardner who on the very night he was about to commit a great sin, saw, or fancied he saw, the appearance of our Lord, and heard the words, “I have done all this for you, what have you done for Me?”
Extraordinary Events and Regular Agency
There is one such case—only one—I believe most certainly a true case, but there were fifty thousand, perhaps, in Scotland and in England at that time who were brought to a knowledge of the Truth by the ordinary methods of God’s Mercy! So the exhibition of special interposing Grace now and then does not interfere with the regular work of the Church, or lower our esteem of it.
Riding along, I see in the hedgerow a tree with rich fruit upon it; I am surprised, I do not know how it came there; it is a very unusual thing to see our garden fruit trees in public hedgerows. But when I have seen it, I do not think any the less of my neighbor who over yonder is planting fruit trees in his orchard! That is the ordinary way to get fruit, but if now and then a fruit tree springs up upon the heath, if we are hungry, we are glad to pluck the fruit—we do not know how it got there, and it is of no consequence that we should know—there is the fruit, and we are glad of it, but still we do not give up our orchard!
Instrumentality in Conversion
Because sometimes a man finds a shilling, does he give up work? Extraordinary events in Nature are always treated as such, and are not made the rule of everyday action. Even thus wise men treat unusual displays of Divine Power; to forego regular agency that we may wait for wonders were as idle as to leave the regular pursuits of commerce to live upon the trash washed up by the sea!
Human Agency in Conversion
Remember, next, that these very cases involve human agency somewhere. Saul is on his way to Damascus, and lo, he is struck down by the Light of God, and by a Voice from Heaven is Converted; but after the three days of blindness and fasting, how does he get comfort? Does that come by another Voice from Heaven? It could have, but the Lord takes care that the very instrumentality which is put aside in one place shall be honored in another, and so Ananias must be sent forth to bless the penitent!
Ananias was a plain disciple; we do not know that he was either a preacher or an Evangelist, but a disciple of good repute, living at Damascus, and he must come and say, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus who appeared unto you in the way, has sent me.” So you shall always find in Conversion that there is instrumentality somewhere or other.
God’s Continued Use of Instrumentality
My dear Brother, if God is pleased to convert a soul without using you, He may honor you by employing you to comfort him after Conversion. Conviction may be worked by the Holy Spirit without means, but in the full decision, in the laying hold on Christ, He may give you occupation. Somewhere or other God will use you—only be a vessel fit for the Master’s use, and you will not be long out of service.
Further, so far from dishonoring instrumentality, the Conversion of Saul and others of the kind is a provision of a most remarkable instrumentality. “I have called him”—not to be a singular article for exhibition, but, “to be a chosen vessel unto Me to bear My name among the Gentiles.”
Conclusion
Remarkable converts become themselves the most indefatigable servants of God! Paul put all the wheels of the Church in more rapid motion than they ever knew before, and became himself one of the greatest wheels; he goes everywhere preaching the Gospel, so that instrumentality is not silenced, but God helps it to a higher position than before!
Was it not through Paul that men were called into the fellowship, and afterwards into the work of Jesus Christ? Should we ever have heard of such as Timothy, and Titus, and others if Paul had not been their spiritual parent? So that here we have not only a master worker begotten by this non-instrumental work, but he also begets other workers, and so the work of God to distant generations receives an impetus from the Conversion of one single man!
No, God does not dishonor instrumentality! If He puts it by for a while to glorify Himself, He brings it forward again in due season, and makes it brighter and more fit for His Purpose. Let us adore, dear Friends, in conclusion, the Power of the All-Working God; let us reverence and worship Him; in our gatherings as Christians, let us worship Him with whom Power still dwells.
Let us not look to the earnestness of that man, or to the wealth of this, to the judgment of a third, to the eloquence of a fourth, but let us look to Him who has all Power in Heaven and in Earth. “Whom having not seen we love,” “in whom, though now we see Him not, yet believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.”
Let us believe that the Father works up to now, and Christ works; let us think of Him who “works all things according to the counsel of His own Will.” Let us never be dispirited, but believe that the Everlasting Purpose of God will be accomplished, that the success of His Church will never be in jeopardy, that the onward march of the armies of God can be in no peril!
All flesh shall see the Salvation of God; all the Earth shall worship Him, and Christ shall be acknowledged to be God to the Glory of God the Father! The Power to accomplish this is not contained in these poor vessels of clay, nor limited by the capacities of manhood, nor bounded by the perceptions of mortals! The arm which is on the side of the Church is Omnipotent; the Mind that works over all for the glorious cause is infinitely Wise and Prudent.
“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your hearts; wait, I say, on the Lord.” Keep His way, delight also yourselves in Him, and He shall bring it to pass, and you shall see that accomplished which you would not have believed though a man had spoken it unto you!
Go on working, there is your sphere; pray much that God would also work, for prayer is another part of your sphere; expect God to work, believe that He will surely conquer Satan; be confident that evil will not win the day, that error cannot be permanent, that there will occur Divine Surprises which will make the Church to wonder at what her Lord God can do!
In one word, believe, and you shall be established! Wait upon God and you shall be strong; never give way to unbelief. Believe in the unseen; rest in the invisible; have confidence in the Infinite, and the Lord send to us, and to all Christendom a band of men whom He has Chosen whom He shall call out as He did His Apostle—and who shall become the leaders of His Church, and the conquerors of the world!
The Lord grant that some who are here this morning may be among that Elect company. Amen.
Portion of Scripture Read Before Sermon—Acts 9:1-31.