Bible Truth #256 - Acts 9:10-16

Acts 9:10-16

10  In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11  The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.

12  In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13  “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem.

14  And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15  But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.

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

Once more I bring more verses than I want to discuss so you will have the key verse in context. You know the story - Chapter 9 of Acts starts out with Saul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. That in itself may be a “Bible Truth” in the future but the Spirit hasn’t led me to write one up. However, reading the account Luke provides here or of Paul’s recollection of the event in Acts 22:6-11, I hope you don’t think Paul could have said no to his Savior.

The verses above tell the story of what happened next, how God told Ananias what to do. But the verse I want to focus on is verse 15. God told Ananias that Paul was His choice, period. God did not make His plan when He saw how much Paul hated the Christians, it was made long before then. Paul was not only chosen in Christ (as every believer was) before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), God planned to save Saul on the road to Damascus AND to carry his Savior’s Name before not only the Jews, but also the Gentiles. And all this was done without asking Paul.

As God told Ananias, Paul was his chosen instrument. He was going to show him how much he would suffer for Christ’s Name. Paul understood that not only was belief given him, but also every bit of his suffering. How can I say this? Paul preached it! I can hear the Arminian now, “Not only is belief given to him but also suffering? Where is that?” Paul wrote it in his letter to the Philippians, Chapter 1 and verse 29.

Several times in his letters Paul makes it clear whose idea it was that he had become a believer - it was by the will of God, not his will. If it had been left up to him, Paul would have continued killing Christians. But by God's will, Paul was converted on the road that day. (2 Corinthians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 2 Timothy 1:1)

Bottom Line - what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus is no different than what happens to every Christian when God quickens their dead spirit. Most of the time it will not be as dramatic but the same thing happens regardless. Before time, God chose; in time, God converts through faith, the faith He gives; God grants His gifts of belief, and repentance; man responds by coming to Christ. He can do nothing else.