What Paul’s Conversion Teaches Us!

As we look at the apostle’s Paul’s conversion, we can see clearly he was truly converted. That cannot be said of everyone who professes to be saved!

WHY DO WE WONDER ABOUT PEOPLE’S SALVATION?

Illus: What would you think of one of our soldiers in Iraq if they were always fraternizing with the enemy.

Illus: Bob Hope said the battle of the sexes will never be won because both sides are always fraternizing with the enemy.

That is exactly what many who profess to be saved do, and it makes it difficult to figure out whose side they are on.

After a person is truly saved, their life should reveal they are born again. It should become obvious to everyone that a change has taken place in their life.

Illus: An ex-prize fighter got converted. During his career he had beaten many men, but now after his conversion he was going everywhere witnessing for the Lord.

He came to one man who he had beaten to a pulp many times in the past. He witnessed to him and told him the Lord Jesus had saved him and he is now a new creature in the Lord Jesus.

While he is witnessing to him, the man took his coat off and began to roll his sleeves up. He said, “So you now have religion!”

The new convert says, “Yes, I now have religion but may God have mercy on your soul if I do not have it, if you are fixing to do what I think you are fixing to do!”

As we look at the conversion of the apostle Paul, we see a man who was truly converted.

• It is a marvelous thing to see people come to church LOST but go home SAVED!

• It is a marvelous thing to see people who once lived an UNGODLY LIFE, but after conversion they are living a GODLY LIFE!

• It is a marvelous thing to see a person come to church, who WAS BLIND SPIRITUALLY, but they leave with their eyes OPEN TO THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD!

The more conversions a church sees in their worship services, the more exciting that church becomes.

The apostle Paul had the most UNIQUE conversion of anyone we have ever heard of. Notice, the Bible teaches this about his conversion.

As Paul travels down the Damascus road, let’s look closely to make sure we do not really miss the obvious! Paul was on the Damascus road when God saved him. He was there for a very specific purpose.

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF HIM GOING TO DAMASCUS?

Paul was going to Damascus to wipe out the Christian church, but God stopped him in his tracks.

Illus: When I think of Paul’s conversion, I think of that song that Hank Williams used to sing, “Something Got A Hold Of Me!” The lyrics to that song go like this:

“At first when I heard of some people who claim that the old-time religion was real. I said ‘I’ll go down, take a look at the crowd. For just that weak-minded I feel.’"

“I walked up the steps and I peeked in the door, but the devil said, ‘don’t you go in!’ But I said, ‘It won’t hurt me I’ll just step inside. And I’ll sit as far back as I can.’”

Chorus:

“But something got a hold of me [praise god] Yes something got a hold of me [Oh! Lord] I went there to fight, but I’ll tell you that night, God certainly got a hold of me.”

While Paul was going to Damascus to wipe out God’s Church, GOD GOT A HOLD OF HIM. God can save a person anywhere at anytime!

Paul got saved on the Damascus road.

• The thief on the cross was saved on the cross.

• Many of the disciples were saved by the sea, while engaged in their jobs.

• Zacchaeus was saved under a sycamore tree.

The point is that some of the greatest disciples were saved outside the walls of the church. People have some unusual ideas about salvation.

• Some folks do not believe a child can be saved until they are twelve (12) years of age.

• Some folks believe a child cannot be saved unless they have a certain IQ.

Listen, salvation is based on a revelation by God through the Holy Spirit. Our salvation is not based on place, age, or even our IQ! God saves sinners wherever they are if they are willing to repent of their sins and trust Him for salvation.

You see, IT IS NOT THE PLACE THAT SAVES YOU, IT IS THE SAVIOUR THAT SAVES YOU.

The conversion of the apostle Paul teaches us a number of things. It teaches us that there are...

I. THINGS WE SHOULD NOT DO AFTER WE ARE SAVED