Saul to Paul

We are living in the last days, and persecution keeps increasing for the church and for believers in Christ. To look back at how God transforms a persecutor into an instrument of God, we turn to the life of Saul — who was later called Paul.

There are many people in the Bible whose stories change us from the inside out. Paul’s is one of them. Outside the Gospels, 13 letters (epistles) in the New Testament were written by Paul — formerly Saul — through the leading of the Holy Spirit. We read his words often. But it is just as important to look back at how God turned Saul into Paul, and how He used Paul’s grit as a missionary and a servant for His glory.

The early church was called “The Way”, because they followed the One who said, “I am the way.” Saul targeted The Way — and God turned him around to become a messenger of The Way for His work. This is where the name of this blog — Jesus the Way — came from. So this one is close to my heart.

Who Was Saul?

Saul was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, a Roman citizen by birth and a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin — “a Hebrew of Hebrews”. He was a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee, trained under Gamaliel in the strict law, and ahead of many his own age in zeal for the traditions of his fathers. By the law, he called himself “faultless”. He even worked as a tentmaker to support himself.

Yet before he believed, he fiercely persecuted the church — he approved of Stephen’s stoning and dragged believers to prison. And one day, he counted all of it as loss:

[Philippians 3:7-8 NIV]  7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.

How Saul Persecuted the Church

[Acts 9:1-2 NIV]  1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

Saul targeted:

• The church was known as “The Way,” and Saul made it his target.

• He was “still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.”

• He went to the high priest for letters, so he could identify who belonged to the church — men or women.

• His plan was to take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

God Met Him Mid-Journey

• God Met Him Mid-Journey while Saul was going toward Damascus — actively, purposefully — on a mission of destruction. And God stopped him in the middle of that journey.

• God does not wait for a sinner to turn back before meeting them. He meets them while they are still going the wrong way.

• We see the same heart in the prodigal son, where the father runs to his son while he is still a long way off (Luke 15). Paul himself later wrote: [Romans 5:8 NIV]  8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

• Saul was not seeking God. God sought him. This is grace that goes before us — God choosing and reaching out long before we ever reach for Him.

History Can Repeat Itself

• Do we see this pattern in India today? Yes. We live in times when believers in many places face opposition and persecution.

• But Saul’s story reminds us that those who oppose the church today are not beyond God’s reach. The same God who met Saul on the road can raise many Sauls to become Pauls. Our part is not to hate them, but to pray for them.

The Encounter on the Road

[Acts 9:3-6 NIV]  3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

We read of the encounter where God touched Saul — he was suddenly struck by a light that flashed from heaven.

The Light That Blinded

• The Light that blinded him came from heaven: “suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him”

• Jesus is the Light — enthroned above, surrounded by seraphim. No one can look on His full glory and stand. God told Moses: [Exodus 33:20 NIV]  20 “But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

• What does the Light do to a person? It transforms. In Saul’s case, he was blinded.

• That blindness shows two things — the intensity of the encounter, and his spiritual blindness being exposed.

The Heart of Jesus

• Look at who Jesus came to meet — a man who was persecuting His church. If it were us, we would treat that man as an enemy. But Jesus does not neglect anyone. He sees a lost sheep. He doesn’t ignore sin, but He pursues the sinner. Jesus does not tell Saul, “It’s okay.”

• He confronts Saul directly: “Why do you persecute me?” God’s love confronts before it restores.

“Saul, Saul” – Calling

Jesus calls him by name, twice. In Scripture, the double call always signals a moment of great weight and deep love:

• Abraham, Abraham — Genesis 22:11 (at the altar, with Isaac)

• Moses, Moses — Exodus 3:4 (at the burning bush)

• Samuel, Samuel — 1 Samuel 3:10

• Martha, Martha — Luke 10:41

• Saul answered, “Who are you, Lord?” and the reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.”

• Saul was a man of complete theological certainty. He knew he was right. He had the high priest’s authority, the Torah, and his Pharisee training.

• This encounter shattered not just his mission — it shattered his whole way of knowing God.

Sometimes the most dangerous person is the one who is certain they are serving God while actually opposing Him. Religious zeal without relationship can be lethal.

Compare this with Ananias a few verses later. God called his name only once, and he answered straight away, “Yes, Lord.”

• Saul → encounter before relationship

• Ananias → relationship before instruction

“Why Do You Persecute Me?”

• Saul was persecuting believers. But Jesus says he is persecuting Him. This is Christ’s complete identification with His Church. Paul would later write about this himself: [1 Corinthians 12:26-27 NIV]  26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

• To touch the Church is to touch Christ Himself.

Brought to the Ground

• The man who walked in arrogance fell to the ground. Anyone who stands high has to come down to receive salvation. This is not just humility — it is the collapse of his identity (Pharisee, righteous, zealous) and his mission (destroy the church). Everything was reset.

• Notice — God did not give Saul the whole plan. Only the next step: “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” That is how the Lord deals with us — one step at a time, one brick at a time.

Three Days in the Dark

[Acts 9:7-9 NIV]  7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

Speechless

• Look at the people around Saul. The men who travelled with him to persecute stood speechless. When Jesus shows up, there is an awe that silences us.

• But being near God’s presence is not the same as being changed by it. Not everyone exposed to God’s presence is transformed — only those who personally encounter Him and respond.

They Heard the Sound but Saw No One

• This is how the Spirit of Truth works. The world cannot see Him, but His own recognise His voice.

  • [John 14:17 NIV]  17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

  • [John 10:27 NIV]  27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

  • [1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV]  18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

• Revelation is not just hearing — it is recognising God’s voice and responding to it.

Blind for Three Days

• Saul had to be made physically blind so that God could open his spiritual sight.

  • Old identity → dying

  • New calling → not yet revealed

  • Three days — just as Jesus was three days in the tomb — death before resurrection

• From the outside, Saul was simply a blind man. But Jesus told Ananias what was really happening: [Acts 9:11 NIV]  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.”

• When we are blinded, we start praying. Saul also fasted — no food, no water. For three days there was no sight, no food, no activity and no influence — only prayer and Jesus. In those three days God broke him fully. A strong, wild, arrogant man was made humble like a child. Before, the cross was foolishness to him. Now the cross was power — even if he did not yet fully understand it.

Ananias as an Instrument for Healing

[Acts 9:10-19 NIV]  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 holy people 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 proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.

Who Was Ananias?

• Jesus simply calls him a disciple. Years later, Paul described him this way: [Acts 22:12 NIV]  12 A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.

• An observer of the Word of God. Respected for how he lived. An ordinary disciple.

Why Not Peter?

• God did not send Peter or one of the Twelve to Saul. He sent an ordinary, little-known disciple.

• God bypasses the “qualified” to use the available.

“Yes, Lord”

• Ananias was always connected to heaven — one call, and he answered, “Yes, Lord.”

• He questioned God because of Saul’s reputation, but there was no fear in him. His trust was in Jesus.

• When God said, “Go!”, Ananias understood that it was already settled.

• Ask yourself — can I hear God’s call clearly enough to say, “Yes, Lord”?

God’s Plan for Saul

• God revealed His perfect will for Saul to Ananias: “This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” A chosen instrument — and a calling that would include suffering.

“Brother Saul”

• Ananias placed his hands on the man who had come to arrest him and called him brother. This was not a greeting — it was a declaration:

• You are now one of us. The wall is gone. The blood you shed, the families you destroyed — God has dealt with it all. [Ephesians 2:14 NIV]  14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.

• We often call each other “brother” in Christian circles. Ananias shows us what it really means. The church’s first act toward Saul was not suspicion — it was inclusion.

The Scales Fell

• Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes. The old way of seeing — law without grace, zeal without love — fell off.

• The new sight was not his old sight restored; it was an entirely new way of seeing. The scales were the veil made visible: [2 Corinthians 3:14-16 NIV]  14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Baptized and Strengthened

• Two things followed. Salvation — “He got up and was baptized.” And nurture — “after taking some food, he regained his strength.” God does not only save us; He restores our strength for what comes next.

The Old Is Gone

The man who once dragged people out of The Way now stood in the synagogues proclaiming the Way. Transformation cannot be stopped. The old is gone.

[Acts 9:20-22 NIV]  20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

• Saul went straight into the synagogues — the very places where he had planned to find believers — and preached that Jesus is the Son of God.

• This was the work of the Holy Spirit in him, not his Pharisee training.

• Those who heard him were astonished. They knew exactly who he used to be. The arrogant man was transformed.

• God’s will made him grow more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus were baffled.

The Church Grew

After Saul’s transformation, the church across Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. But that peace was not a break to sit back and relax. It was a season to strengthen the church and to grow in followers of Christ.

[Acts 9:31 NIV]  31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

How did this happen? We may say it was simply because Saul stopped persecuting. Not at all. The verse gives two reasons:

• Living in the fear of the Lord — reverent awe. He is the Lord our God.

• Encouraged by the Holy Spirit — believers heard God speak through the Spirit, understood His word, and obeyed it.

• Peace = fear of the Lord + comfort of the Holy Spirit

These two — reverent awe and Spirit-given comfort — are the twin engines of church growth. Churches with comfort but no awe drift into casualness with God. Churches with awe but no comfort drift into legalism. Both are needed together. The outcome: the church was strengthened, grew in reverence, and increased in numbers.

Paul’s Work for God

After his conversion, Paul made three missionary journeys that planted churches across Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece, and he was later taken to Rome as a prisoner.

He wrote thirteen letters in the New Testament, from Romans to Philemon. His central message was simple: we are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not by works of the law.

That message cost him. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked and imprisoned for the gospel. Yet Paul’s greatest credential was not his learning or his hardships — it was grace: [1 Corinthians 15:10 NIV]  10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

God Still Changes Lives

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. Saul’s encounter is not just history. The same God can still save anyone, no matter what their past has been — sin-filled / wretched / broken / highly religious but not spiritual. The past does not matter to Him.

Paul’s life shows that no one is too far gone for Christ to call and use. The one who opposes our faith, the colleague who mocks it, the family member who wants nothing to do with Jesus — God can still turn a Saul into a Paul. Our part is to pray, to be ready to say “Yes, Lord,” and to open our arms and say, “Brother or Sister.”

Jesus is the Way.  [John 14:6 NIV]  6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Saul set out to stop The Way. The Way stopped Saul — and made him Paul.