Friday; December 12

It is tempting to look at the Apostle Paul and just see the man who had a hand in turning the world upside down for the cause of Christ.  He spent a lot of years teaching and preaching the gospel and much of the New Testament is dedicated to his writings.  Yet, Paul wasn’t always Paul – there was a time when he was Saul.  Saul grew up as a religious zealot dedicated to the Pharisaic party.  He persecuted Christians and sought to destroy what he saw as an abomination to godliness.  Yet, something happened – actually, a couple things happened.  First, he repented of his ways and converted to Christianity.  Now, while that is neat, it isn’t the most impressive thing … that is reserved for God’s grace saving him.  Rather than holding Saul accountable for battling God, the Lord forgave him and provided him with the mercy needed for salvation.  The man who would write so eloquently about grace experienced it personally.  Paul would reflect on this by writing, “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” (I Timothy 1:15-16).  It might be tempting to view Paul’s assessment of himself as a hyperbole … but, when you think about it, he earned his despicable reputation.  That is what makes Paul’s transition and teachings so incredible.

Do we really believe in God’s grace?  Do we really believe that God can and will forgive us?  Whenever we find ourselves doubting, let’s remember the life of Saul and the profession of Paul.  No sinner and no sin is too big a challenge for God’s grace!  We all need grace – have you experienced yours? 

          Think About It!

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