11/01/2021 - AFTER EXPERIENCING MERCY

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Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.   Acts 9:8

Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus was one of mercy. He had prepared himself to destroy the Christians and had been on this mission for some time. This persecutor was going towards the capital of Syria, in order to destroy the work of God in that city, arresting those who obeyed Jesus’ command to go. The Lord could have struck him on the way, but because He is merciful, He saved him, and Saul understood why.

We don’t know how long he was lying on the ground, but, while shaking and astonished, he replied, calling Christ Lord and asking what he should do. Paying attention to the first instruction, he stood up. The man who falls must always rise up when he receives this command from the Lord. Understand one thing: after salvation, God will say by the Word what you should or should not do.

Let the Most High instruct you after salvation. If you do something without receiving the commandment, perhaps you may be doing the work of your dreams, but not the Lord’s. Everything man does outside of divine guidance is not received by God (John 5:34, 41), because it comes from the flesh, and it has no value (John 6:63). Wait for the Lord, and He will guide you.

One must obey Christ from the moment they received Him as their Lord. A former priest of a certain religion told me, after his conversion and baptism, that he would be a pastor. I told him that he should seek God’s guidance first, because the fact that he was a priest did not mean that he had the calling to the evangelical ministry. Calling any worker, a pastor is such a common mistake these days.

After he got up, Saul opened his eyes and saw no one. The radiance of divine glory had blinded him. He was supposed to enter the city, but had to be taken by the hand. This shows that the saved person still sees nothing and needs to be guided in spiritual matters. Thus, he’ll get on the right path. Whoever leads someone to Christ must be concerned with that “spiritual baby” and lead them to the target. Pray with faith!

We do not know the distance from where Saul was to Damascus, but on the way, he received help from someone with experience. In the same way, we must assist those who are born into the family of God. Otherwise, some voracious wolves will appear to destroy them with their unbiblical doctrines and harm them. Whoever does not know the Lord through the Scriptures always seeks to destroy the newly converted.

We live in a time described by the apostle Paul as difficult times. There are those who do not withstand sound doctrine and will confuse newcomers to the Kingdom of God. Taking care of the sheep of the good Shepherd was the command that Peter received from the Master, when the latter asked him if he loved Him (John 21: 15-17). God’s love must move us to guard our brothers and sisters. Think about that!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares