And immediately he
proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” And all who
heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in
Jerusalem of those who called upon this name? And has he not come here for this
purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests?” But Saul increased all
the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving
that Jesus was the Christ. When many days had passed, the Jews plotted to kill
him, but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and
night in order to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and let him
down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket (Acts 9:20-25).
Saul was changed by his dramatic encounter
with Jesus Christ. He was physically blinded and healed. His life purpose was
completely reversed. The results were dramatic and undeniable. While there are
many evidences of Christian conversion, here we are encouraged to consider and
imitate four evidences of Saul’s new life in Christ that amazed his
contemporaries and would later compel him to declare… “If anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come”
(2 Corinthians 5:17). Here we get a compelling illustration of the
proof of a transformed life.
The transformed life is marked by public
profession. The Spirit compelled Luke to tell us “immediately he
proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues”. All of Saul’s accusing and condemning
words were replaced with a simple, powerful message… “He is the Son of
God”. The Spirit moved John to teach that this confession identifies
the truly born-again believer… “Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son
of God, God abides in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15). May God give
us daily opportunities to make this profession too.
The transformed life is driven by purified
passion. Before his encounter with Christ, Saul was passionately driven to
protect and defend God and the Jewish religion. Christ purified Saul’s passion
with the truth of the gospel and Saul was now driven to obey Christ’s command
to… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation”
(Mark 16:15). May God purify our selfish hearts daily and fill us with
a holy passion to proclaim Christ to our needy world.
The transformed life is infused by prolific
power. In his encounter with Christ, Saul was stripped of the power of his
position and even of the power to see and to care for himself. He was made weak
and empty and ready for the power of the Holy Spirit to fill him and work
through him. This was a wonderful fulfillment of Christ’s promise to His true
disciples… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon
you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). We can expect and trust the
Spirit’s power as we are His witnesses every day.
The transformed life is attacked by provoked
persecution. Before his encounter with Christ, Saul had his Jewish
supporters. He was their champion, defending their misdirected faith. But after
his encounter, Saul became their worst nightmare. The power and effectiveness
of his Holy Spirit empowered testimony could not be defeated with words. So
great was the fear of the Jews that they were provoked to kill Saul. Jesus
promised that the Holy Spirit empowered and Christ revealing testimony of any
true disciple will provoke persecution… “Remember the word that I said to
you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they
will also persecute you” (John 15:20). But Jesus also promised that
holy persecution will produce holy blessings… “Blessed are you when
others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you
falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,
for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).
When we suffer rejection and persecution because of our Christ-reflecting
words and life, let’s keep looking up, and let the anticipation of a forever
reward in heaven encourage our hearts to endure and persist.
As we grow up into Christ, we are set apart and we impact the world
around us with…
The Proof of a Transformed Life.
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