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Saul was a great man among the Jews. He was strong in his belief and fought for it. He
had letters of authority to go to Damascus and bring Christians there back to Jerusalem
(Acts 9).
He was on his way to Damascus when a great light shone about him. It was so bright it caused him to be blinded and he fell to the ground and said, "Who art thou, Lord?" The Lord answered, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest." There must have been great fear in his words when Saul asked, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). He was told to go on to Damascus, where it would be told him what he must do. Notice this: When Saul finds what to do, it will be what he must do. He is led by the hand until he comes to Damascus, where he is praying when Ananias comes in (Acts 9:10-17). But Ananias did not tell him to, "Pray on," as some preachers would have told him if it had been in this age of the world. Instead, he told him to, "Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). Now, who would be so ignorant as to claim that Paul was saved by baptism alone? "Arise and be baptized" is what he must do, for that was what Ananias told him to do, as Jesus had said on the road. |