Men change but there has never been as significant a change in a man as that which occurred when Saul of Tarsus became the apostle Paul. Saul’s conversion is recounted in Acts 9, 22, and 26. This was a change in the substance of a man; Luke records the change of name off-handedly in Acts 13:9 where he wrote, “Then Saul, who also is called Paul….” The change from Saul to Paul is among the most profound cases of before-and-after in history.

Paul wrote about this change himself. Listen to him from 1 Timothy 1:12-17: And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man: but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. Howbeit, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. Amen, indeed.

Paul must have often thought back to his days when he was the man he describes in these verses (see Romans 7). Most of us today that have become Christians as adults have memories of the past that haunt just a bit. For my part, I know that I am forgiven, but I still regret the years I wasted in service of that which is not good. Like Paul, we all perhaps did bad things because we did not know better. As he said in Acts 23:1 he had lived in good conscience. But when his conscience became properly informed on that Damascus Road, he changed, and not just a little.

Think of Acts 7 and 8. Stephen was stoned to death and Saul held the coats of the men who took that preacher’s life (7:58). Yes, he was young then and in youth a man can be impetuously wrong. But Saul was more than that: he worked at what he did. He “was consenting” to Stephen’s death. The word so translated means that he thought well of that death. This was not casual; this was cold. Luke also tells us that Saul “made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and dragged off men and women, committing them to prison.”

Then he set out for Damascus. His goal was to rid the Jews of those who “were of this Way.” He did so “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” He was not a marginally bad or misinformed man. He was decidedly dedicated to his cause, wrong as it was. He evidently believed that physical force had a place in the arena of faith. He was wrong then as are those who hold this view today.

It was, as you know, on that road to Damascus that the change from Saul to Paul began to take place. I cannot say that I know why Jesus wanted Saul to go to work for Him, but He did. Perhaps it was his ample preparation in the two dominant cultures, the Jewish and the Greek, of that day and place. I do know that his preparation in Tarsus and at Gamaliel’s feet stood him in good stead. And we know the Lord’s instructions to Ananias: “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” Saul’s new work would not be without peril: “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16).

Return to 1 Timothy 1:12-17 for it is there that this “before and after” situation is in sharp focus. Before he was a blasphemer, a persecutor, and violent. He was ignorant and unbelieving. He was the chief of sinners. And what was he after? He was a servant in ministry, he was the object of mercy and an example of God’s longsuffering. And most significantly of all, he was counted faithful. If Saul could become Paul, what might we become today?