As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:3–6
Armed with letters from the high priest, Saul of Tarsus, the most ardent enemy of Christianity set out for Damascus with the intention of arresting all the Christians he could find in the synagogues there, but when he arrived, he was baptized in the name of Jesus and began to preach that He is the Christ. When Saul was converted, he left no room for doubt in anyone’s mind that he was changed forever.
In Saul’s conversion, we see a dramatic change in him. We have already observed the change in his purpose (Acts 9:1–2, 20–25). There was a most certainly a change in his perspective. Whereas before he had deemed it his God-given responsibility to “do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9), he now saw himself as a “debtor” to preach the gospel of Jesus to all men (Romans 1:14–16). There was also a change in his prayers. Saul had probably been much like the hypocrites that Jesus condemned for praying for show (Matthew 6:5) or to praise themselves (Luke 18:11–12), but now his prayers couldn’t be more earnest (Acts 9:11). There was a change in his priorities: no longer did he seek the vanities of the present world, but rather “the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:3–11). There was a change in his pursuits. Instead of pursuing Christians to foreign cities (Acts 26:11), the new Saul pursued such things as love (1 Corinthians 14:1) and righteousness (1 Timothy 6:11) and peace and holiness (Hebrews 12:14). There was also a change in his proof of authority. Instead of the puppet high priest in Jerusalem (Acts 9:1), the new Saul found his authority in the “great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” (Hebrews 4:14; cf. 1 Corinthians 5:4–5).
Saul’s conversion is still important to us today. It serves as substantial evidence for Christ’s resurrection. Why would a man who was considered so successful in his own eyes and in the eyes of others give up all that was so dear to him for a lie he had tried so hard to stamp out? The only viable explanation is that he truly had met the risen Jesus (Galatians 1:10–24; 6:12; 1 Corinthians 15:8). Saul’s conversion also proves that even the vilest of men can change and be saved (1 Timothy 1:15–16).
It is God’s desire to save every single one of us (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). While He may never speak to us through a blinding light from heaven as He did to Saul, His word shines just as brightly and speaks just as plainly for all those who will open their eyes and their hearts to the truth.