bits from bob....

I Was Not Disobedient to the Heavenly Vision

by Robert J. Young
©, 2002, Robert J. Young
[permission is given to reprint with credit noted]

"I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.... (Acts 26:19)

Why is obedience so hard? Why do we naturally rebel against directions? What a strong will God has given us! Selfishly directed, we are walking disasters. The extent of Paul's conversion is seen in one simple statement. "I was not disobedient." Can you say that? Can I? Are we growing toward that goal?

I. Paul is not claiming perfection.
Paul sinned after his conversion. His claim before Agrippa is that he did what God called him to do. The furor with the Jews came because Paul answered God's call and took the gospel to the Gentiles.
Life is lived one day at a time, one command at a time. I sin. I am frustrated. I understand futility. But each day is better than the one before. I am making progress. I claim progress, not perfection.

II. Paul is claiming his commission.
Paul was commissioned with a vision. If our commission is not so spectacular, each of us is still commissioned by God. God has a claim on our life, God seeks a conversion in our life, God issues to us a commission.
The Lord appeared to Paul to commission him, not to save him. Our religious world needs to hear this truth. For Paul, salvation came after his commission. Baptism to wash away sins was yet future.

What is your commission? What has God called you to do? Are you doing it? Write it down. Know it. Pray about it. Then by all means, do it! Nothing less will suffice. "I was not disobedient!" That assurance can be yours. Will you accept it?


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Last updated January 2, 2002.