Paul’s Conversion

Acts 9:1-19

Paul’s attitude and actions before his conversion

• Paul at this point called Saul was a young man from Tarsus
• He was well educated and, on his way, to become a Rabbi.
• He is first mentioned in the New Testament as being present at the stoning of Stephen, who was the first Christian murder
• Saul had a deep faith and lived his life according to Judaism with great devotion. It was his deep beliefs in GOD that led him to believe that Jesus was an imposter and a liar
• Saul would do anything to stop the gospel to spread even if that meant killing the followers of Jesus
• Saul did not believe the Good News that Jesus had been the long-awaited Messiah, and therefore, viewed Christians as deceitful and a threat to Judaism
• God had other plans for Saul. It was on his way to imprison and persecute the Christians in Damascus, that Saul encountered Jesus in a way that forever changed his heart and his life.

Paul’s conversion

• On his way to Damascus, Paul had every intention of continuing his vicious plans to stop Christians. Instead, on his way to Damascus, Jesus intervened in Saul’s life in a powerful way that would forever change his life and his mission. (Acts 9:3-6, 8-9)
• Saul may have rejected Jesus, but Jesus still loved Saul. He was given the chance to hear the truth that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. God blinded Saul, which demonstrated to Saul that he was wrong and was actually rejecting the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus Christ.
• This temporary blindness led Saul to the home of a believer, Ananias, who ended up healing him. God healed Saul through Ananias because it was a temporary blindness that God used to get Saul’s attention and turn his hardened heart soft to Jesus. For Saul, both a physical healing and spiritual renewal took place in this encounter when he was healed. The scales fell off Saul’s eyes and he immediately was baptized (Acts 9:18)
  (scales was a crusty covering looking like fish scales)

Paul’s attitude and actions after his conversion

• Jesus changed Saul’s name to Paul after his conversion
• Paul became one of the most influential believers in the history of Christianity.
• He spread the gospel, he started churches, wrote letters to the churches.
• Paul dedicated his life to serving the Lord and spreading the word, He praised GOD in all circumstances.
• Eventually Paul was murdered for His faith.