[Oct. 28th, 1866].
I. Its circumstances.
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It was without any preliminary preparation, or special instruction.
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It was without human instrumentality.
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It was attended with a miraculous display of light, and sound of words.
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The physical effects of these displays; blindness and prostration.
II. Nature of his conversion, or that in which it essentially consisted.
A sudden and entire change in his views of Jesus Christ. He had previously regarded him, a. as a mere man; b. as a bad man, unfaithful to the religion of his fathers and a perverter of the people; c. as an impostor, one falsely pretending to be the long promised Messiah. Honestly, that is, really entertaining these views, he thought it a duty which he owed to God to persecute the followers of Christ, and to do all he could to arrest the progress of the new religion. This was very wicked.
First, because the views which he took of the Old Testament Scriptures and their predictions of the Messiah were due to a carnal state of mind. Secondly, because the evidence of the divine mission of Christ was such that none but a wicked person could reject it. Paul therefore considered himself the chief of sinners because he persecuted Christians, a clear proof that honesty of conviction does not exonerate.
These false views of Christ were instantly rejected. He saw him to be the Lord, i.e., a divine person, the Son of God. This is taught in Gal. 1:16. Secondly, he saw him to be God manifest in the flesh. He believed that Jesus, a man, was the Son of God. Thirdly, he saw he was the promised Messiah. That was the truth that he at once preached, i.e., that Jesus is the Christ.
III. Agency by which this conversion was effected.
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Not by the outward circumstances.
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Not by the revelation of Christ to his sense of vision. The wicked at the last day shall see Christ in his glory and flee from him.
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But by the immediate power of God, Gal. 1:16. So our Lord said to Peter, “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
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It was the special work of the Holy Spirit.
IV. Effects of this change.
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Entire submission and devotion, a willingness to renounce everything, and to do anything which Christ required at his hands.
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This supposes the recognition of him as God. So Christ became at once to him the supreme object of worship, of love, of zeal. It was Christ for him to live. These were the inward effects. From despising, hating, opposing, he came to adoring, loving Christ with his whole soul. The effect on his life was that he consecrated his whole strength and resources to endeavoring to persuade men to be Christians in the sense in which he was a Christian.
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It made him one of the greatest, and best and happiest of men.
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It secured him a place among the redeemed in glory.
This subject should lead us to examine ourselves to see whether our conversion was like Paul’s; like it in its nature; like it in its effects.
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