Apprehended by Grace
5/14/25 Bible Thought (Acts 9)
I don’t know about you, but I love unexpected plot twists in a story—and as I read the Bible, I find that apparently God does too.
In Acts 7 we were first introduced to a character in God’s story who would end up being quite significant—Saul. However, Saul arrives on the scene as significantly bad for the story that God was writing.
Saul approved of Stephen’s execution (Acts 8:1). The garments of the stone-throwers were laid at his feet while he watched Stephen drift into eternity (Acts 7:58). He probably commended the zeal of those Jews who were willing to put blasphemers to death in God’s honor. Then, when the greater persecution arose, Saul was going from house to house wreaking havoc upon Christians and committing them to prison (Acts 8:3).
We turn the page to Acts 9 and again Saul is still on a mission to exterminate the name of Jesus Christ. As he was, “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1) he goes to the high priest for permission to commit Christians in Damascus to prison (Acts 9:2).
All was going well for Saul until suddenly his story changed forever. The Lord Jesus knocked him to the ground, blinding him with a heavenly light, and asked, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4).
Saul surely would’ve been dazed in every way, and while he didn’t know much anymore, he knew the voice that was speaking was Lord (Acts 9:5).
Saul was later baptized and healed from his blindness (Acts 9:18) and immediately he proclaimed Christ in the synagogues (Acts 9:20). What is truly amazing about Saul’s story is that his conversion was so unprecedented that no one believed it! (Acts 9:13-14, 26).
But Jesus had called him as His chosen instrument (Acts 9:15) and had set him apart even before birth (Gal. 1:15) although no one knew it or would’ve ever guessed it!
“But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name” (Acts 9:15-16, ESV).
Saul was reckless. He was violent. He was utterly devoted to stamping out the cause of Christ. In all of this, he thought he was doing the right thing! He was zealous for Jewish truth (see Phil. 3:6). He didn’t think that the Christian faith was legitimate. He was a bad guy, sure—but he thought he was good. I’m not sure if there is a harder candidate to save than this!
Yet, for God, no one is too hard to save.
Saul the persecutor becomes Paul the apostle, the one widely credited with being the most influential in the history of Christianity apart from the Lord Jesus Himself. From missionary journeys, to penning epistles, to standing firm for Christ under great persecution, Paul was a man changed by grace he didn’t deserve (1 Cor. 15:9; 1 Tim. 1:15).
Grace, as he would later reflect, that was to be an example to others:
“But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim. 1:16-17).
The salvation of Saul should remind us that, “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26). I can only wonder who else God has chosen that many a Christian has discounted.
No one is too far from the grace of God, that’s why it’s called grace.