and when he had come to jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples. and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple.  [acts 9:26]

 

i love my lot fam, because we have conversations about things just like this. we talk through tough questions, and consider what it would be like to walk in the shoes of those we read about in scripture.we see the whole picture. we know how the story ends. This can leave us asking questions.

 

didn’t the disciples know that saul had changed? that he had already suffered for his devotion to Christ? that he was now an apostle? that he would one day write inspired words that would be considered scripture alongside the torah and prophets?

nope. they had no idea

 

in saul, they saw a man who had caused them nothing but trouble. a man who had pursued the scattered church in an attempt to crush it once and for all.

his very presence likely reminded them of their dear brother stephen, and that saul was cheering on his death.

it is not a stretch to imagine them suspicious, hurt, or angry.

he wasn’t even known as paul yet.

yet, eventually, they would believe.

they believed that God could change any heart of anyone that he pleases. as saul would one day write to the believers in rome, they knew that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (romans 3:23-24).

 

who is it that you consider your enemy? who have you written off as unredeemable?

let us remember that if saul could be redeemed for the glory there is no one beyond the grip of God’s grace! each and every human on earth is a soul that can be changed.

 

~ jason soroski