This week we look at what is probably the most famous conversion in the history of the church – the conversion of the rabbi Saul of Tarsus – later known as the apostle Paul. This may also be history’s most unlikely conversion and the one to have the greatest impact on church history.
Audio: Acts09.mp3
Notes: Acts09.pdf
This is the last of five faithful sayings, which all appear in the pastoral epistles. This is the only one not given to Timothy, but rather to Titus.
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.These things are good and profitable to men.” – Titus 3:8 (NKJV)
The people of God are to be known for doing good. A righteous life, a life of charity and blessing to others, is the essential outcome of a life-changing faith. Somewhere I’ve heard it said that “Faith that does not change your lifestyle cannot change your destiny.”
O how true that is. Consider the woman I spoke with at an Indianapolis bus stop the other day while handing out gospel tracts. In an apparent effort to positively identify with my faith in Christ, she smilingly told me, “My baby’s daddy is a preacher. And he’s trying to get a divorce right now so that we can get married.” I’m ashamed to say I was so astonished that I was nearly struck dumb at that point. In disbelief I think I blurted out a “What!?” only to have her repeat herself and cheerfully reinforce the gloomy truth. No coherent response even entered my befuddled mind. Where’s Paul the apostle when you need him? Suffice it to say his counsel is still needed:
“These things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works.”
The next of these sayings is found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 and it goes like this:
This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
Here it is again with some brief commentary:
This is a faithful saying:
For if we died with Him,
We shall also live with Him.
Receiving new life in Christ involves dying – dying to self, dying to our old life. We are no longer our own because we understand that He bought us and we live accordingly.
If we endure,
We shall also reign with Him.
If we deny Him,
He also will deny us.
The born again person will stick it out. Some people make emotional decisions for Christ that don’t last. Let’s not imagine that the evidence for eternal salvation is seen in a raised hand, a prayed prayer or filling out a response card at a Christian event. Everlasting life is, well, everlasting, and without faith in Christ it isn’t there – regardless of what seemed to be there at one time.
If we are faithless,
He remains faithful;
He cannot deny Himself.
God’s faithfulness doesn’t depend on my faith – or anyone else’s. Whew, that’s a relief. God would be in big trouble if He had to count on us. But it’s a big, faith-building truth that we can always count on Him.
The next little statement conveying a big truth is this one:
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop [literally, “overseer”], he desires a good work.” – 1 Timothy 3:1 (NKJV)
A man can desire to go into ministry for either right or wrong reasons. The man who desires the position of leadership within the body of Christ should desire the position because he desires the work. The work is good.
Notice that the “position” is not the thing that’s good, but the “work”. The overseer may dislike the position at times, but he needs to stay committed to the work. He may not get the results he hoped for, but he needs to do the work. He will certainly fall short of the standards some people set for him, but the work remains good so he needs to do it. He may personally fall far short of the standards he sets for himself, but he still needs to devote himself to the work – because it is good.
Preaching, teaching, counseling, comforting, correcting, directing and protecting God’s people – all these things come under the work of the overseer and much, much more besides. And he’ll need to be a man of prayer and a student of the Scriptures before all of that. The man who becomes an overseer will never be bored again.
Central Reflections 