Repentance + Conversion = Change!
Saul (the Apostle Paul) spent 3 days in a repentant state until Ananias came to see him. All he could ponder is how broken his theology must have been to actually be found fighting against the very God he thought he was serving. During 3 days of physical blindness, he realized that he was spiritually blind, as well. While Saul is in his lost and broken state, Ananias arrives with healing for body and soul. As he lays hands on Saul, Saul regains his sight both physically and spiritually. Scales fall off his physical eyes so he can see again, and his heart and soul are re-created, born again, converted to faith in Christ. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Saul comes to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and his Savior. From there Ananias takes Saul out to be baptized into the faith.
Three days earlier, if you would have asked Paul whether he might become a believer in Jesus he might have struck you for such a remark. If you would have told him that in 3 days he would become a believer and be baptized into the Christian faith, he might have killed you. But not on this day! Something has happened. Paul has changed. Paul’s change is a radical change. He went from an exclusive Pharisee to an inclusive Christian. He went from hating the Gentile world to doing everything we could to redeem it with the message of Jesus.
You see, when one comes into contact with Jesus he is never the same again. Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world. He came that we might get the chance to repent, convert and change. Believers in Jesus actually die to who they were so that they might be born again and come to live as the person they have been re-created to be. A long time ago there was a contemporary Christian song by Bryan Duncan that had this line in it, “Changed hearts make changed lives!” May we be forever changed!
Peace!
Tom
www.firmlyrooted.org
Created 4 months ago
