The transformation of Paul: from persecutor to witness

There are stories in the Bible that remind us that no one is too far from God to receive his mercy. There are lives that seem to walk in the opposite direction to the Lord’s will, hearts convinced that they are right, and people who, believing they are defending the truth, end up fighting against the work of God.

One of those stories is that of Saul of Tarsus, later known as the apostle Paul. His life is one of the most extraordinary transformations in the New Testament. He was a man who violently persecuted the followers of Jesus Christ, took part in the persecution of the Church and believed he was doing the right thing. Yet an encounter with Jesus changed his story completely.

Paul’s experience teaches us that God does not look only at our past, our faults or our mistakes. God also sees what we can become when we surrender to his will.

Today I want to share this story as a testimony to God’s power to transform a life. For the same Lord who met Saul on the road to Damascus is still calling people, confronting their hearts and offering them a new beginning.

Many things shape what we become: what we inherit from our parents, the surroundings we grow up in, the education we receive and the decisions we make. But in the life of a believer there is a more powerful influence than all of these: the grace of God. His purpose is clear:

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Romans 8:29 (KJV)

That process begins on the day grace reaches us in salvation, and it continues for the rest of our lives. Paul is the finest illustration of it, and he summed it up himself in a sentence that runs through this whole article: “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

1. Saul: a religious man who persecuted the followers of Jesus

Before he became one of the foremost heralds of the gospel, Saul was known for his opposition to the Christians. He was a Jew, a Pharisee, trained in the law and deeply committed to his religious convictions.

In Philippians 3:5-6, Paul later describes his former way of life: he belonged to the people of Israel, he was a Pharisee and, as for his religious zeal, a persecutor of the Church.

Saul was not a man indifferent to religion. On the contrary, he was convinced he was defending the traditions of his fathers. He considered that the movement of Jesus’ followers threatened everything he believed in. His zeal, however, led him to persecute people who confessed Jesus Christ as Lord.

Acts 8:3 tells us that Saul made havoc of the Church, entering house after house to drag men and women off to prison. Acts 9:1-2 also shows him breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.

Years later, before King Agrippa, Paul himself confessed plainly how far he had gone:

“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 (KJV)

This was no small mistake. It was sincere hatred of the name of Jesus, a hatred that believed it was serving God.

What a striking contrast! A man who knew the Scriptures, who had a religious education and who was convinced he was defending the truth, was persecuting those who proclaimed the Messiah.

This part of his story makes us stop and think. It is not enough to know the Bible, to belong to a church, to talk about God or to defend certain beliefs. We also need to allow the Lord to transform our hearts.

We can have religious knowledge and still act with pride, violence, intolerance or a lack of mercy. We can believe we are right and still be wrong in the way we treat others.

Saul shows us that the sincerity of our convictions does not guarantee that we are acting according to God’s will.

The question that arises is this: how many times have we defended our own ideas without stopping to listen to the Lord? How many times have we judged other people without understanding what God is doing in their lives?

Paul’s story begins with a man who believed he was right, but who needed to meet Jesus Christ personally.

2. The road to Damascus: when Jesus confronted Saul

In Acts 9 we find one of the most extraordinary events in Christian history.

Saul was on his way to Damascus with authority to arrest the followers of Jesus and bring them bound to Jerusalem. His purpose was to carry on persecuting the Church. He was not travelling in search of conversion. He was not prepared to change his mind. His intention was to fight those he regarded as enemies of his faith.

But God had other plans.

Acts 9:3-4 tells us that, as Saul drew near to Damascus, a light from heaven shone round about him. He fell to the earth and heard a voice saying to him:

“Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?”

Saul answered by asking who was speaking to him. The reply was unmistakable:

“I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”

At that moment, everything began to change.

Saul was persecuting the Christians, but Jesus revealed to him that his persecution of the disciples was also an attack on Jesus himself. Christ identifies himself with his people. What we do against his followers is not a matter of indifference to him.

Saul had surely heard of Jesus. Perhaps he had come across the arguments of those who proclaimed his resurrection. But that encounter turned a religious dispute into a personal confrontation with the risen Lord.

Jesus did not ask him how much he knew or how many religious traditions he had mastered. He asked him a question that pierced the depths of his conscience: “Why persecutest thou me?”

It was the moment to face the truth.

The persecutor discovered that he was fighting against the one whom God had raised from the dead. The man who meant to capture the disciples ended up being confronted by the Lord himself.

Sometimes we think that God only shows himself when we go looking for him. But Paul’s story reminds us that he can also interrupt our journey, question our decisions and show us that we need to change direction.

God did not confront Saul in order to destroy him, but to stop him, transform him and give him a new mission.

That light did not only light up the road to Damascus. It also began to light up the spiritual darkness of his heart.

3. Saul’s fall: recognising that we need God

After that encounter, Saul was left blind. The men travelling with him led him by the hand into Damascus, where he remained three days without sight, neither eating nor drinking, according to Acts 9:8-9.

What a profound change!

The man who had set out with authority to arrest others had to be led by the hand. The man who thought he had all the answers could no longer see. The man who meant to be in control had to stop and depend on others.

His physical blindness pointed, in a sense, to the need to recognise a spiritual reality he had not understood before.

During those days, Saul had to face the consequences of his encounter with Jesus. His old certainty had been shaken. His convictions were being confronted, and his future could no longer be the same.

The transformation began when he stopped pressing forward in his own strength.

We too sometimes need to stop. We grow used to defending our pride, justifying our mistakes and carrying on down paths that lead us away from God. We think that admitting a mistake means losing, when in fact it can be the beginning of a new life.

Repentance is not simply feeling bad about what we have done. It is acknowledging our sin, changing the way we think and beginning to walk in a different direction.

Saul could not erase what he had done against the Church. He could not give back to families the peace he had taken from them, nor undo the persecution he had stirred up. But he could answer the call of Jesus and allow God to transform his future.

A person’s past has consequences, but it does not have to become the master of their whole life.

When God confronts us, he does not do it so that we may live forever chained to guilt. He calls us to acknowledge the truth, to repent and to walk in obedience.

4. Ananias: God also uses other people to restore us

While Saul remained in Damascus, the Lord spoke to a disciple named Ananias.

He told him to go and find Saul. Ananias’ reaction was understandable. He knew who this man was and the harm he had done to believers.

Acts 9:13-14 records his concern: he had heard of the evil Saul had done to the saints and of the authority he had to arrest all who called on the name of Jesus.

Ananias had reason to be afraid. Yet God told him to go, because Saul was a chosen vessel to bear the Lord’s name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.

Ananias obeyed. He entered the house, laid his hands on Saul and called him “brother”, according to Acts 9:17.

What a powerful word!

The man who had come to persecute the Christians was received by one of them as a brother. The persecutor met a disciple who, despite his fears, obeyed God and took part in his restoration.

Ananias did not ignore Saul’s past, but neither did he allow that past to be greater than the purpose God was revealing.

This episode teaches us two important truths.

The first is that we need people who are willing to help us walk in the right direction. God can use someone to guide us, pray for us, walk alongside us and remind us that his grace can do a new work in our lives.

The second is that we must be careful not to condemn someone for ever because of past mistakes. That does not mean trusting everyone blindly, removing the consequences of wrongdoing or ceasing to protect those who have been harmed. It means recognising that true repentance and change are possible.

The Church is called to proclaim the truth, to practise justice and to offer mercy. We must not confuse mercy with approval of sin, nor justice with the perpetual condemnation of a repentant person.

Ananias had to overcome his fear and obey. Saul had to accept help and begin a different life. In both of them we find a lesson in humility.

5. Saul receives his sight and begins a new life

Acts 9:18 tells us that something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes; he received his sight, arose and was baptised.

Then he ate, regained his strength and began to spend time with the disciples in Damascus.

The transformation was not limited to an extraordinary experience. It began to show itself in the way he lived.

Acts 9:20 says that straightway he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

Think of what this meant. The man who had persecuted the followers of Christ now proclaimed Christ publicly. The one who had tried to silence the gospel became one of its heralds.

Those who heard him were amazed. In Acts 9:21 they asked whether this was not the very man who had wreaked havoc among those who called on the name of Jesus.

His change was so obvious that it was hard to understand.

True conversion is not just feeling an emotion during a service, weeping while listening to a sermon or saying a prayer. It is the beginning of a life turned towards Jesus Christ.

A transformed person may still face struggles, weaknesses and temptations. Conversion does not mean that every flaw disappears at once. It means that a process of repentance, renewal and obedience to God has begun.

Saul needed to learn, to grow, to spend time with other believers and to develop his ministry. His story did not end on the road to Damascus; that is where a new chapter began.

God did not only want to take him out of persecution. He wanted to make him a witness to his grace. Read also Born again.

From sinner to saint: accepted by grace alone

The first thing grace did in Paul was to change his standing before God. Before Damascus, Saul had many reasons to feel acceptable: “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more” (Philippians 3:4). Ancestry, education, religious discipline and a keeping of the law that he himself called “blameless”. And yet, after he had come to know Christ, he wrote:

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
Philippians 3:7-8 (KJV)

If good works, religion or blameless conduct were enough to make us acceptable to God, Paul would never have written these words. Nothing we are or do—however good a citizen, however generous, however good a father, husband or wife, however religious—can buy God’s acceptance. There is only one way: to receive by faith Christ, who died for our sins. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). That is why Paul said: “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).

Here lies one of the commonest mistakes: “I would like to come to God, but first I have to sort my life out.” How much did Saul sort out before Christ met him? Nothing. He was on his way to Damascus to imprison Christians. Paul explains why: we “were dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). A dead man cannot wash himself. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:4-5). We do not clean ourselves up to come to Christ: we come to Christ to be made clean.

Paul also understood that God had saved him for a purpose that concerns us:

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”
1 Timothy 1:15-16 (KJV)

God made Paul an example, a display of all his longsuffering. It is as if he were saying to the world: if I could reach this man, strike him down on the road and transform him, whom can I not forgive, redeem and reconcile to myself? If you think your past is too dark, ask yourself: have you shut Christians up in prison and given your voice for their death? Paul did, and he obtained mercy. “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).

The blood of Christ does not merely improve the past: it wipes it away. “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12), and “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The only thing that can make the grace of God vain for a person is to reject it. That is why Paul pleaded “that ye receive not the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1).

From slave of sin to servant of God

Grace did not only change Paul’s standing; it also changed whom he served. In Romans 6 he sets out a simple principle: everyone serves someone. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). And he adds: “when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness” (6:20). Whoever lives in sin cannot produce a righteous life: they are bound.

That is what Saul was: a religious man, but a slave, whose slavery showed itself in hatred and persecution. Grace set him free and gave him a new Lord:

“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
Romans 6:22 (KJV)

God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). It is a change of nature, of standing and of character: whoever is in Christ is “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) and has been made a partaker “of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

6. From Saul to Paul: a life in the service of the gospel

In time, Paul became one of the leading missionaries and teachers of the early Church.

It is worth making clear that Acts 13:9 speaks of Saul, who also is called Paul. The Bible does not present his change of name as the exact moment of his conversion. What matters is not the name he used, but the transformation of his life and his mission.

Paul travelled through many regions proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached, taught, founded Christian communities, cared for believers and wrote letters that became part of the New Testament.

But his new life was not free of hardship.

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 he recalls the sufferings he endured for the sake of his ministry: imprisonments, beatings, dangers on his journeys, shipwrecks, hunger, thirst and constant concern for the churches.

The man who had once used his zeal to persecute Christians now endured suffering in order to proclaim Jesus.

What had changed?

The centre of his life had changed. Before, he acted in the conviction that he had to destroy that Christian movement. After his encounter with Jesus, he devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel he had once fought against.

Paul understood that life should no longer revolve around his prestige, his knowledge or his personal achievements, but around Christ.

That is why he wrote in Galatians 2:20:

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20 (KJV)

This declaration sums up the meaning of his transformation. Paul was not claiming that he had stopped being human or that he never made mistakes again. He was saying that Jesus Christ had become the centre of his existence.

Christian transformation means learning to think, act, love, forgive and serve according to the teachings of Christ.

It is not simply a matter of changing religion, but of allowing the Lord to change our priorities and the way we relate to others.

7. The man who acknowledged his past without remaining its prisoner

One of the reasons Paul’s testimony is so powerful is that he never fully hid his past.

In 1 Timothy 1:13 he admitted that he had once been a blasphemer, a persecutor and injurious, but he said that he had obtained mercy because he had acted ignorantly in unbelief.

In 1 Corinthians 15:9 he described himself as the least of the apostles because he had persecuted the Church of God. Yet in the very next verse he declared that by the grace of God he is what he is:

“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
1 Corinthians 15:9-10 (KJV)

This sentence reveals the heart of his testimony.

Paul was not saying that his earlier actions were insignificant. He acknowledged that he had done harm and that he could not take credit for his own transformation. His hope rested on the grace of God.

Grace means that God offers us his favour without our being able to buy it or earn it by our merits. It does not mean that sin is unimportant, but that the Lord’s mercy can reach the sinner who repents and returns to him.

Paul understood that he could not change his past, but that he could live differently from the day he met Christ.

This truth matters especially for those who carry feelings of guilt, shame or failure. Some people may think they have made too many mistakes. Others believe that their family history, their bad decisions or their years far from God disqualify them for ever.

Paul’s testimony proclaims that God’s mercy is greater than the past of a repentant person. Read also I am a sinner: will God accept me?

Yet that grace must not be used as an excuse to keep doing harm. Genuine transformation acknowledges its faults, seeks to make amends wherever possible and bears visible fruit.

We cannot claim to have changed if we keep justifying the same behaviour that once destroyed our relationships.

Grace welcomes us, but it also teaches us to live in a new way.

8. The love of Christ transformed the way he saw others

Before his conversion, Saul took part in persecuting people he considered to be in error. Afterwards, Paul devoted his life to proclaiming that salvation is offered through Jesus Christ.

His mission included the Gentiles, that is, those who did not belong to the Jewish people. In Acts 9:15, the Lord calls him a chosen vessel to bear his name before the nations.

Paul came to understand that the gospel was not to be limited by cultural, social or national barriers.

In Galatians 3:28 he wrote that, in Christ, the distinctions between Jew and Greek, bond and free, male and female do not decide who may belong to the people of God. His teaching affirmed the unity of believers in Jesus Christ.

The former persecutor became a messenger who crossed borders to share the good news.

This change invites us to examine the way we treat those who are different from us. Are we able to listen to someone we disagree with? Do we treat with dignity those who have another history, another culture or a different way of thinking? Are we willing to admit that we too have things to learn?

The gospel does not call us to live ruled by hatred. It calls us to love our neighbour, to speak the truth and to seek reconciliation without giving up on justice.

Paul, who had helped to cause suffering among the Christians, devoted the rest of his life to serving Christ and strengthening his Church.

His story shows that God can redirect a person’s abilities. The zeal he once used to persecute was replaced by a tireless dedication to the mission of proclaiming the gospel.

9. God’s purpose did not remove Paul’s hardships

Being transformed by God does not mean receiving a life without problems.

Paul was persecuted, imprisoned and rejected on many occasions. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 he speaks of a thorn in the flesh and of how he asked the Lord to take it away. The answer he received was:

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)

This passage teaches us that the Christian life is not about having absolute control over every circumstance. It is about learning to depend on God even when we do not understand why we are going through certain trials. Read Paul’s thorn in the flesh and When I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul knew weakness, distress and suffering, but he did not abandon his mission. His confidence did not depend on everything turning out as he wished, but on the faithfulness of Christ.

We too may go through seasons of uncertainty, loss, financial difficulty, family conflict or inner struggle. We will not always receive immediate answers, and our problems will not automatically disappear when we begin to seek God.

But we can learn to face them in a different way: with faith, patience, wisdom and hope.

Spiritual transformation does not make us invulnerable. It teaches us to live with a purpose that goes beyond our immediate circumstances.

Paul understood that his life had meaning because it belonged to Christ. That is why he could keep on preaching even when it meant suffering.

10. Paul’s goal: to finish the race faithfully

Towards the end of his life, Paul wrote words that express the depth of his commitment to the Lord.

In 2 Timothy 4:7 he declared:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”
2 Timothy 4:7 (KJV)

He did not say that his life had been easy. Nor did he claim never to have known weakness or suffering. His satisfaction lay in having persevered in the faith and fulfilled the mission he had received.

The man whose story began with persecuting the disciples ended up becoming an example of Christian perseverance.

His testimony teaches us that what matters is not only how a person begins their journey, but where they head after meeting God.

Perhaps someone began their life by making mistakes. Perhaps they spent years far from the Lord. Perhaps their decisions hurt other people. But where there is sincere repentance, it is always worth taking the steps needed to change.

We cannot go back to the past, but we can ask for forgiveness, correct our course, seek help, make amends wherever we can and begin to live according to God’s will.

Paul’s story is not an invitation to boast about our mistakes, but to recognise that we need mercy and to respond faithfully to the call of Christ.

Four attitudes of someone transformed by grace

Let us return to Paul’s sentence: “by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain”. How can we tell that grace has not been in vain in a life? In Paul we see at least four attitudes.

Humility

The most influential man in the Church of his day called himself “the least of the apostles” (1 Corinthians 15:9), “less than the least of all saints” (Ephesians 3:8) and the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Whoever understands grace has nothing to boast of, because everything has been received. That is why such a person does not talk about themselves, but points to Christ.

Gratitude that becomes service

“I laboured more abundantly than they all” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul did not work to earn God’s favour, but because he had already received it. God had separated him “from my mother’s womb” and called him “by his grace” to preach Christ among the heathen (Galatians 1:15-16). Ananias passed on his mission: “thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard” (Acts 22:15). Going to church and giving an offering are good, but true gratitude does not stay silent: it tells others what God has done. There are too many people living in sadness, bitterness, resentment and despair for us to keep the answer to ourselves.

Dependence

“Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). The same grace that saved us is the grace that sustains us every day. Paul did not rely on his intelligence or his strength; he longed to know Christ “and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10). The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power at work in the believer through the Holy Spirit.

Confidence

At the end of his life, in chains and knowing that he was about to die, Paul did not write in fear: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand… Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6, 8). The grace that began the work will bring it to completion.

11. What does Paul’s transformation mean for us today?

Paul’s experience leaves us several fundamental lessons.

First: no one should consider themselves too good to need God. Saul had religious training, knowledge and firm convictions, but he needed to recognise that he was wrong. Humility begins when we accept that we do not have all the answers.

Second: no one should automatically consider themselves too bad to receive God’s mercy. Paul’s past was grave, but his story did not end in persecution. God called him to repentance and to a new mission.

Third: an experience of God must produce real change. Faith is not only words. It must show in our decisions, our relationships, our behaviour and the way we treat our neighbour.

Fourth: repentance requires responsibility. Grace does not magically remove the consequences of our actions. When we have done harm, we must acknowledge it and seek to repair it responsibly.

Fifth: God can use our lives to serve others. Paul went from persecuting the Church to working for its strengthening. Our abilities, too, can be placed at the service of good and just purposes.

Sixth: transformation is a path of perseverance. We will not always change everything overnight. We need to learn, pray, study the Scriptures, receive guidance and stand firm even when difficulties arise.

The question is not only whether we believe in Jesus. We must also ask ourselves whether we are allowing his teachings to transform our lives.

Are we learning to forgive? Are we leaving destructive behaviour behind? Are we treating others with dignity? Are we able to acknowledge our mistakes? Are we using our gifts to do good?

Paul’s testimony reminds us that an encounter with Christ should not leave us in exactly the same spiritual place we were in before.

Conclusion: God’s grace can write a new story

The story of Saul of Tarsus is a proclamation of the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

Saul began by persecuting the Christians, convinced that he was defending his beliefs. On the road to Damascus the Lord confronted him, stopped him and revealed to him a truth that changed his life. After that experience he received help from Ananias, regained his sight, was baptised and began to proclaim the very Jesus he had once persecuted.

In time he became a missionary, a teacher and the apostle to the Gentiles. He endured persecution and hardship, but he persevered in his mission. He never needed to pretend that his past had not existed; he learned to see it in the light of the grace he had received.

His life teaches us that God’s power lies not only in forgiving the sinner, but also in calling them to a different life.

Perhaps someone today identifies with Saul. Not because they have physically persecuted Christians, but because they recognise that they have lived far from God, made wrong decisions, hurt other people or let pride rule their heart.

The message of this story is that we should always take seriously the invitation to repent and draw near to Jesus Christ. We do not need to pretend to be perfect in order to seek the Lord. We need to come before him with humility and a willingness to change. Read Coming back to Christ.

God does not call us to deny our story, but to allow his grace to transform who we are and the direction in which we walk.

Paul’s life shows that a persecutor can become a preacher, that a man full of hostility can devote his life to the service of Christ and that a story marked by mistakes can become a testimony of mercy.

So when we think of Paul, let us not remember only the man who persecuted the Church. Let us also remember the man who was reached by Jesus, who acknowledged his past and who devoted his life to proclaiming the gospel.

And let us remember his words in 1 Timothy 1:15, where he affirms that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Christian hope does not lie in claiming that we are better than others. It lies in recognising that we all need the grace of God.

Paul’s transformation reminds us that our past may explain part of our story, but it need not determine the rest of our life. When we answer the call of Jesus Christ with repentance and faith, we can begin a new path, learn to serve and turn our own story into a testimony of God’s mercy.

One question remains for each of us. When you think of all that God has done for you, has his grace been in vain in your life? Have you kept it to yourself, or is there something burning inside you that will not let you stay silent? Of Paul, the churches “had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. And they glorified God in me” (Galatians 1:23-24). May the same be said of us.

May the Lord grant us the humility to acknowledge our mistakes, the courage to change what we must change and the perseverance to walk with him to the end.

Amen.

Closing prayer

Lord Jesus, today I acknowledge that I need your presence and your mercy. Just as you met Saul on the road to Damascus, I ask you to search my heart and show me everything I need to change.

Forgive my sins, my wrong words, my pride and the times I have acted without love or wisdom. Give me the humility to acknowledge my mistakes, the strength to leave behind the behaviour that draws me away from you and the will to repair the harm I have caused.

Do not let my past keep me a prisoner of guilt, but do not let me use your forgiveness as an excuse to keep doing wrong either.

Teach me to love my neighbour, to forgive wisely, to walk in the truth and to serve others with a sincere heart.

Come, Holy Spirit. Just as Saul was filled with you when Ananias laid his hands on him, fill me too. Take the scales from my eyes, soften what has grown hard in me and make all things new in my heart. Let your grace not be in vain in me: make me humble, grateful, dependent on you and bold to tell others what you have done for me.

May my life be remembered not only for my mistakes, but also for the change your grace can bring about in me. Give me faith to come through difficulties and perseverance to remain with you.

Lord Jesus, take my life, direct my steps and help me to fulfil the purpose you have for me. May my words and my actions bear witness to your love.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.