by R. L. Morrison

We are first introduced to the subject of this study as he watched over the clothing of those who had borne testimony against Stephen as they cast the first stones in putting him to death. This young man's name was Saul; his home city was Tarsus. Saul also had a part in the severe persecution which arose against the church which was at Jerusalem. The record says Saul made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison (Acts 8:3). This resulted in a scattering abroad of the disciples. But Saul was not satisfied. He secured letters from the high priest to the synagogues of Damascus which would allow him to search for any "of the way", that is, disciples of Christ. He planned to bring any he found back to Jerusalem to prison.

He journeyed toward Damascus, but as he drew near, a bright light suddenly shined about him. He fell to the earth and heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" Saul asked, "Who art Thou?" The Lord replied, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest; it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." Saul, astonished and trembling, asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" The Lord replied, "Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do" (Acts 9:1-6).

When Saul arose, he could not see, but was led by the hand into Damascus. He was there three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Then the Lord sent a certain disciple at Damascus, Ananias by name, to Saul to tell him what to do. When Ananias came to Saul, he put his hands on him, saying, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." Saul's eyes were opened, he received his sight, arose, and was baptized (Acts 9:17-18).

Later, Saul gives some additional information concerning his conversion. In Acts 22, as he made his defense in Jerusalem, he told the Jews what had happened to him. He added to what he had been told by Ananias, saying, "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou should know his will, and see that just one, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:14-16).

Yet later, in his defense before King Agrippa, Saul referred to his experience on the Damascus road. He repeated what the Lord said: "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet; for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee ..." (Acts 26:15-17).

Now, let us consider what we have learned from these scriptures.

The Lord did not appear to Saul to save him. The appearance was for another purpose. Saul was sent to the Gentiles as an apostle of Christ. He saw Jesus Christ on the Damascus road. It was necessary to his becoming an apostle. He could testify that he had seen Jesus after his resurrection. This can be easily seen, as the Lord told him to go to Damascus where he would be told what he must do. Ananias told him: Arise, be baptized and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. He was saved when he obeyed, and we learn that sins are washed away in baptism, and that one calls on the name of the Lord in obedience to his commands. However, there are several other lessons of great value to be learned from the record of Saul's conversion.

First: Because a man is honest, it does not necessarily follow that he is right. This is taught many places in the Bible, but nowhere is it so plainly shown as in the conversion of Saul. In his defense before Agrippa, Saul said, "I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which thing I also did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme, and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities" (Acts 26:9-11). Surely none doubt the honesty of Saul in these things. What he was doing was wrong, but he thought it was right and was honest in doing it. But honesty does not make one right, and Saul's action is evidence of this truth. No one who will carefully consider this will argue that one is right, just because he is honest.

Second: A good conscience is not evidence that one is right. This account of Saul's conversion reveals this truth clearly. "And Paul (Saul), earnestly beholding the council, said, men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day" (Acts 23:1). Conscience is the result of teaching or training. It approves what one has been taught is good. It disapproves of that which has been taught as evil. One's conscience can always tell him to do right, but it never tells him what is right. There are three things we should notice about conscience: It can be weak (1 Cor. 8:7); It can be seared (1 Tim. 4:2). It can be defiled (Titus 1:15). Knowing that conscience cannot tell one what is right, and that it can be weak, seared, or defiled, no one should attempt to serve God by his own conscience.

Third: What one thinks is right is not necessarily right. Saul said, "Verily I thought I ought to do many things contrary to Jesus of Nazareth." But Saul's thinking was wrong, and what he did was not made right by what he thought. Men can be wrong in many things and ways. Thinking is one of them. The thoughts of men are often evil. This has always been true. Cain's evil thoughts led to the murder of his brother, Abel. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. When men think evil, they practice evil. When men think on righteousness, they will practice it. Saul thought evil was good; he practiced evil. So do many today. Thinking evil is good does not make it so. It never has, and it never will.

Fourth: Feelings are not a safe guide. Saul of Tarsus "felt" that he was doing God service. Surely his sincerity of feeling is not denied. Consider again some of the things Saul did because he felt he was right. He gave approval to the stoning of Stephen, simply because they were unable to reply to the sermon he delivered. He put men and women in prison. He even put them to death simply because they followed the teaching of Jesus Christ. Yet he felt that he was right and God was pleased. This is, of course, a dangerous attitude.

Fifth: Salvation is not obtained by prayer, regardless of the earnestness or sincerity of one who prays. Saul prayed and fasted three days and three nights. He was blind, but he had seen the Lord Jesus Christ and heard his command: "Go into the city and there it will be told thee, what thou must do." When the Lord sent Ananias to tell him what to do, he did it. He had followed his own wisdom for three days and nights and had not availed anything. But when he was told to arise and be baptized, he obeyed, his sins were washed away, as he called upon the name of the Lord. It was necessary that he be told what to do, for human wisdom cannot save. Only God's word and will can do so. And as it was with Saul of Tarsus, so it is with man today. Being honest and having a good conscience does not save. What one thinks is right may not be right. Certainly feelings are deceptive. And salvation is not obtained by prayer, but by obedience to God's will.

These things are clearly set forth in the account of the conversion of Saul. What he was told he must do is right, because the Lord commanded it. Nothing can be right or avail in our obtaining salvation, unless God commanded it!

Have you obeyed the Lord?