Radical Conversion
Scripture Reading: Galatians 1:23-24
I am thankful for the Apostle Paul’s conversion. Not just because he was saved, as great as that is, but for what it portends for others. People were astonished at the radical transformation of Paul. “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.”
That is a radical conversion. It holds out to us the hope that Paul isn’t and won’t be alone among those who are changed from persecutors of the faith to preachers of the faith. We should pray that it would be so.
We should also be careful not to give up hope and condemn those who stand against our faith to hell before their end. They may become our brothers and sisters in Christ. We should desire that and hope for that and pray for that.
Having that desire will, I think, change the way we interact with others. It will help us to obey Jesus’ instructions to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and bless those who curse us.
I hope in the days ahead we will be able to say with amazement, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” Is there someone you know that is antagonistic to your faith? Maybe you can make them a special emphasis in your prayers that they would have the same kind of radical conversion that Paul had.
