"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
I am literally sitting at McDonald's eating a burrito and drinking my Iced Caramel Coffee. It's a new day. Yesterday was yesterday. Today is today.
I wish I had this fabulous "come to Christ" story but I don't. When I was about 15 or 16, I met our Pastor after church one Sunday and accepted Jesus. A few years later, in either 2016 or 2017, I was baptized. That's it. No fireworks. No big leap of faith. Just me and God. I was "one of the lucky ones". I grew up in a Christian home.
Saul had a big "come to Christ" story. He learned at an older age that Jesus lost his life so he could find it. Who's Saul? Well, Saul is one of my favorite people in the Bible. Let me tell you why. Saul came from a very devout Jewish family. Saul, now Paul, was a ruthless man who slaughtered Christian after Christian. Why? Because they were followers of Christ. But why is he one of my favorite people? This man, who I picture to be a huge man with so many muscles his eye balls had muscles, was broken. Saul was on an murderous rampage. Arresting and killing followers of Christ. On his way to Damascus, what is the capitol of Syria, Something strange happened.
"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.”" Acts 9:3-6
Saul, on his way to Damascus was shown the light, quite literally, actually. Blind and in shock, the men with Saul guided him the rest of the way to Damascus. He was there for three days and over the course of that three days, he had no sight, and he did not eat or drink anything. Read the next part, Acts 9:7-22. God sends Ananias to Damascus to pray over Saul. Of course, Ananias has heard of Saul and after practically arguing with God about going, he went. Because when God says to do something, you do it. So he goes, he prays over Saul and Saul is healed. He can see. But look at this in the next few verses. Saul does not go out and kill or arrest anyone. No. He actually does something VERY different. He gets baptized and he IMMEDIATELY preaches in the synagogues. Now, if you don't know the rest, people think he's joking but he says he's not and then people want him dead and has to escape. It's a whole thing.
A man, like Saul who later becomes Paul, was saved by Christ. If God can save Saul, don't you think He can save you? Keep in mind, Saul murdered people because they were followers of the very God that saved him. Our sinful condition before our salvation labels us as already condemned. We are already under the judgement of God. God displayed His love by sending His Son to died on the cross for our sins so that through Him we might saved. We can do nothing to earn our salvation. No amount of charitable donations, work at church, offerings, baptism will give us our salvation. It is a gift from God and we must believe in Him and trust in Him alone, ask Him for forgiveness, and we may be truly saved. It is a heart thing. Your heart is the book that God is reading day in and day out.
Always stay humble and kind.
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-Emily