This post is written by David McLemore as a companion for Unit 33, Session 1 of The Gospel Project for Adults, Volume 11: From One Nation to All Nations (Spring 2024).
The conversion of Saul is one of the most important events in human history. John Gresham Machen wrote:
“The Christian movement . . . in a.d. 35 . . . would have appeared to a superficial observer to be a Jewish sect. Thirty years later it was plainly a world religion. This establishment as a world religion, to almost as great an extent as any great historical movement can be ascribed to one man, was the work of Paul.” (J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul’s Religion (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1925), 7–8.)
We find the story in Acts 9:1-17. Saul was on his way to destroy the church of Jesus in Damascus, but Jesus interrupted his journey, blinded him, and converted him. Then Jesus sent Ananias, a Christian in the city of Damascus, to Saul to pray over him and heal his blindness. It’s the stuff of legend. And it is indeed legendary.
Even secular scholars recognize the immense importance of the apostle Paul’s writings and evangelistic efforts. As Christians, we know Paul was just a man saved by God, and Jesus was going to get His glory in the world one way or another. But as Christians, we also recognize the way Jesus chooses to work in the world, and it is through His people. He saves sinners to display His mercy and grace and uses them as vessels for honorable use. He saves others through His evangelists. He spreads the good news of His salvation through His heralds of the gospel. Jesus uses ordinary men and women to make an extraordinary impact in this world.
In one sense, the conversion of Saul was unique. Jesus used Saul, also known as Paul, in a particularly grand way. But in another sense, the conversion of Paul is a normal conversion story. It has happened millions of times throughout history. The grace of Jesus interrupts sinners on their way to more sin and removes the heart of stone to give a heart of flesh. Jesus is the Savior of the world, and His saving work goes on day after day.
If you are in Christ, you have experienced the same thing Paul did. It likely wasn’t as dramatic, but it was no less miraculous. Something like scales has fallen from your eyes, and you see with newness of light now. Jesus is your greatest treasure, and His gospel is your greatest hope.
Now we are sent like Paul to evangelize the world. And we start simply with what happened to us. We confess that Jesus is Lord and He saved our souls. Then we see what only God can do with little ordinary humans like us.
David McLemore serves as an elder at Refuge Church in Franklin, Tennessee. He is a regular contributor to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s For the Church website and a staff writer at Gospel-Centered Discipleship.
