Suffering For Your Faith

Saul (later named Paul) seemed like an unlikely candidate to be chosen by Jesus to be his apostle to spread the Gospel. Why was he an unlikely candidate?  Saul was a devout Jew very dedicated to following the laws and protecting his faith from heresies.

He did not believe or understand that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah, he believed that Jesus was an imposter and a liar. He believed that “Christians’ were deceitful and a threat to Judaism so Saul devoted his days to terrorizing and even executing Jesus’ followers in his attempt to prohibit what he believed to be a false message. Acts 8:3

He was even there approving of the stoning of Stephen!

In Act 8:1-3 we read that the church was persecuted and scattered and Saul was very involved in the reason for this trouble!

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Why would God choose this man to present the very Gospel that drove him to persecute and even execute early Christians? Scripture tells us that God specifically chose Paul, and that he was chosen before he was born, to proclaim the Gospel.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased  to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. Galatians 1:15-16

Paul’s calling, even before his birth, is a great encouragement to all of us. We are not just random human beings without eternal purpose. We know from Psalm 139:16 and other Bible references that God knows every one of us before we are ever born and He has a purpose for our lives!

Paul, throughout his life before his conversion, was well prepared for God’s calling on his life.

These are a few of his qualities and abilities that God planned for him to use:

•  He was fluent in the Greek language, culture and literature which enabled him to relate to the Greeks (Gentiles).
• He was a Roman citizen which entitled him to legal protections allowing him protection that enabled him to present his message.
• He was very intelligent and he was able to expound on critical matters of Christian doctrine.

Paul’s dramatic conversion happened on his way to Damascus, a trip he was taking with every intention of continuing his vicious plans to stop Christians. He even had letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

What happened to Saul, what caused his dramatic turn to believing in Jesus?

 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him,

“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.  “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing- he was blind. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything. Acts 9:3-9

Saul, being blinded, was led by the hand into Damascus and God was already intervening on his behalf by giving instructions to Ananias to go meet up with Saul so that he could receive his sight again. Ananias objected at first as he had heard how fearsome this man was and that his mission was to harm and arrest followers of Jesus. 

The Lord responded to Ananias assuring him that Saul was his chosen instrument to proclaim the Lord’s name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 

The Lord also said:

“I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

Indeed, Saul, now called Paul, after believing in Christ, received the Holy Spirit and was baptized.

In 2 Timothy 1:8-12  you can read an account of Paul suffering in prison because of his faith in Jesus and for his faithful and bold preaching which was not permitted.

Prior to Paul’s conversion to Christ, he was trusting in his own merit for salvation, trusting in all the ways he was faithful to God. He expressed it this way:

 If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless”  Philippians 3:4,5,6

After his conversion to Christ, Paul places his confidence in  Jesus for salvation and for all of aspects of his life. 

His testimony was now very different…

“I know whom I have believed and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day” 2 Timothy 1:12-14

Paul’s life was totally transformed and Jesus continues that same work now in the hearts of all who will repent of their sin and receive the forgiveness that He offers at the cross – where He paid for my sin and your sin in full with His blood. 

Paul’s ministry continued on through the book of Timothy.  He faithfully trusted God to use him regardless of circumstances.

Even historians debate the exact date or manner in which Paul died, but it is almost universally accepted that he was martyred. Based on historical events of the day, it is likely that Paul was beheaded, possibly around the same time that Peter was crucified. Given the political turmoil of the day, both apostles could have been caught up in a wave of attacks on Christians following a great fire in Rome. How Did the Apostle Paul Die? (christianity.com)

At all times we need to give all our concerns to Christ. He is the only one who can guard our faith and direct our steps until the day He takes us home.

As society and culture are now shifting very, very quickly , the values and teachings of the Bible- that Christians believe and live by – are not accepted by the world. Therefore, we will surely experience persecution to some degree as we stand up for the truth of God’s Word.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,  neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,   neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38,39 

“Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, ⁹ for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. ¹⁰ Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory”. 2 Timothy 2:8-10

May we patiently endure whatever God allows in our lives so that those around us will see Christ in us and be drawn to know our Lord and Savior.