Week 4, Day 3

Today’s Reading:  Acts 11-12

Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…

How many times have we heard that Saul was saved “on the road to Damascus?”  Most of the religious world would make the argument that when Saul saw the bright light, and was spoken to by Jesus, he was saved.  But, that is not what we find in this passage.  If we look at Acts chapter 9, we see that Saul was told in verse 6 that he was to go into the city, and there he would be told “what [he] must do.”  If he was saved, then why would have to do anything else?  Of course, the answer is that he would not!

Once Saul arrived in the city, he had to wait for 3 days for Ananias to come to him.  During that time, Saul neither ate nor drank anything.  This is probably indicative of the practice of fasting–a task that was entered upon when a person was focused more on spiritual matters than they were physical.  For this reason fasting and prayer were connected, and it would not be surprising if Saul was involved deeply in prayer during this period of time.  At the very least, we know that Saul had developed a belief in Jesus, and was willing to wait to see what it was that was required of him.  At this point, Saul was still not saved!

Finally, Ananias came to Saul, and instructed him in the way of the Lord.  As Paul is reciting this account in chapter 22, he tells us that Ananias told him that he needed to be baptized.  We see the aftermath of this in chapter 9, by the fact that Saul was baptized after talking with Ananias.  This was what he “must do.”  Jesus said he would be told what he had to do, and being baptized is what Ananias told him to do!  This was the point at which Saul was saved.  It was not when he saw Jesus.  It was not when he believed.  It was not when he prayed.  It was not when he fasted.  It was when he submitted to what he was commanded to do–be baptized into Christ!

Nothing has changed in the last 2000 years.  We still are required to be obedient to Christ.  We cannot be saved, without first being baptized into Christ.  We must listen to what we “must do”, else we have no hope when this life is over!

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