October 7, 2019 (Monday)
Yesterday’s blog featured the hymn, “Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul.” It was about being saved by the power of Almighty God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The title of the song came from the testimony of a man who was describing his feelings when he accepted Christ as his Savior.
It seems to me that the Apostle Paul would have been very comfortable singing that hymn. It reflected his Damascus Road experience. He shared that experience with many people. I believe he shared it everywhere he went on his missionary journeys.
His name was Saul of Tarsus. He was a Jew. He was also born a Roman citizen. He therefore was also given a Gentile name, “Paul.” He was known as Saul by the Jews. He became the chief persecutor of Christians and was on his way to Damascus to arrest as many as he could when he suddenly was struck down and blinded by a powerful light. He heard the voice of Jesus and his life was turned around completely.
Not only did he believe in Jesus, he came to love Jesus and was willing to go wherever the Lord sent him to proclaim the gospel of which he was definitely not ashamed, because he saw it as the power of God for salvation, both to the Jew and to the Gentile. He declared that all have sinned, all are loved by God, and all can be saved by faith in Jesus Christ as the one and only Savior of mankind.
His message to the Jews was the same as his message to us: It is found in Romans 10:9-13. Here it is: “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'”
He said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Heaven came down to him one day, and glory filled his soul. Christ knocks at your heart’s door today. Invite Him in. You will never be the same again.