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Acts 13:9,
"Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes
on him."
This morning, terminology in our world has become vastly manipulated to the
point where it is hard sometimes to know what a person is saying, much less what
their intention is. Men schooled in the craft of legal linguistics make fortunes
by the manipulation of words, and our own laws have become wrested by imported
meanings being brought in to laws that the original writers never intended.
Further still, on a theological front, words are mangled to the point that in
the years to come they will be, in their common use, eons away from their usage
within the Biblical pages. As this chasm of difference widens, people will
become less and less familiar with the intent and meaning of Scriptures. Take,
for example, the word baptism or baptize. Until recent decades and centuries,
the word only had one meaning, for it was transliterated directly from the
Greek, as the English tongue had no word that adequately described the Greek
word "baptizo." Their word meant to dip, completely overwhelm, or immerse with
connotations of cleansing like bathing. As the English tongue had no single word
to suitably describe the ordinance, they transliterated it into the English as
"baptize." Now, any dictionary on the word will have 4-5 meanings with anything
from 1. immersion, 2. sprinkling, 3. pouring, 4. any particular mode that a
church body may deem suitable for performing this rite or ritual. The fourth
definition shows a complete erosion of the original intent of the word. How much
longer before this word, and many others, are completely unrecognizable between
common usage and Biblical usage?
One of the things that terminology should do is identify and define things for
clear understanding and comprehension. People today detest labels, but being
honest about it, most of the heartburn does not come from the label but the
understanding that the label properly identifies more about them than they would
care to make public. If someone today were to tell me, "You are just a
fundamental, old school follower of Jesus" and the label was indeed a correct
one, I hope that I would have the good sense to say, "Thank you." If someone
were to tell me, "You are just a hypocrite that says and does not" and that
label were indeed true, then I hope that I would have the good sense to say,
"Thank you, I will try to change." The problem is not with the label, in most
instances, for the label just identifies behaviour. We should take great care to
declare things honestly and truthfully, for an incorrect identification is much
like a physician's
misdiagnosis: there ends up being turmoil and destruction.
In our verse above, we read of a clear break and transition in the life of a
dear brother to us. For the very first time, we see the change in this man's
most identifiable label or marker: his name. Up until this point, he had been
known as Saul, but going forward, he is only known as Paul. Names, in the Bible,
are often given based on a circumstance, like the name Moses because he was
drawn (Moses) out of the water. In Saul's case, his name means "desired." Going
back to Old Testament days, the children of Israel desired a king, and the Lord
not only gave them one, but He gave them one with a name that showed that
circumstance. They desired him, and Saul was theirs. Of course, the history of
that union shows that they did not eventually like that which they originally
desired, even though Samuel told them exactly what they were getting.
In New Testament times, we have a man named Saul of Tarsus that does whatsoever
he desires. If he consented unto the death of Stephen, he got it, for he held
the coats of them that stoned Stephen to death. Based on his upbringing, raised
at the feet of Gamaliel and instructed in all points of the law, he was in a
position of authority and power to desire letters from the high priest to bind
into prison any of the persuasion of Christ that he found. In everything that he
desired, he was subsequently awarded that desire and did everything in the most
zealous of fervor to accomplish it. (Galatians 1:13-14) Until the Lord met him
on the road to Damascus, it seems that he had been able to do whatsoever his
desire was, and therefore, it is quite fitting for him to be called Saul.
After the Lord met him, there was a great change in desire. The things he before
desired, he now hates, and the things he before hated, he now desires. Yet, even
after the change affected upon him, part of him still has that old desire, but
there is something new struggling against that old desire and nature. (Romans 7)
Now, this man has multiple desires at all points in all things. If he chooses
that which is right and good, part of him loves that and part of him abhors it.
The same applies in inverse fashion to fulfilling that which is wicked. Even in
Godly things, this man did not know which to choose or desire: leaving this
world or remaining here in the flesh. (Philippians 1:21-24) Going forward, there
is no choice that he can make which will give a complete fulfillment of all his
desires.
In keeping with this man's change of heart and change of nature, his name, in
our verse, is changed from Saul (desire) to Paul, which means "little" or
"small." As this man has undergone a change in desire and nature, he further
undergoes a change of name that shows, very adequately, how he is going forward.
What once was his course of having his desires fulfilled, according to the
workings of his fleshly nature, now his course is one of humility in being very
small and little in his own eyes. Paul writes the majority of the New Testament,
by Divine Inspiration, but this man was inspired to write things such as calling
himself the least of all the apostles and not even worthy to be called an
apostle because he persecuted the church of God according to his old desire. (I
Corinthians 15:9) He calls himself the chief of sinners. (I Timothy 1:15) Are
these actions those of false humility or trying to play the sympathy card?
Heavens no, for Paul sees himself as small or little according to that by which
he once considered himself great.
All those fleshly things and desires made him feel great and large in his own
sight. But, those things he once counted as prized, he now counts as dung and
loss that he might know Christ and the power of His resurrection. (Philippians
3) He now feels small in his own sight. His stature has not changed in God's
sight, for he was a prized sheep before, and he is still a prized sheep in the
sight of the Almighty. The only difference is that he was an unborn sheep
before, and now, he has vital union with his Redeemer. Paul's life showed a path
of humility, meekness, and boldness when necessary all in the name and in the
service of the Master. While he saw himself as not worthy to be called an
apostle, he understood that he was doing this great work by the grace of God. (I
Corinthians 15:10) While believing himself to be the chief of sinners, he
understood that God came to save him and also set him as a pattern in
longsuffering for those coming after
that believed on Christ. (I Timothy 1:16)
Still, there is one point here that, I believe, cannot go overlooked. When did
the Lord meet Saul who was later Paul? That account occurs in Acts 9. When does
the shift of label or name occur for this man? Our verse is found in Acts 13.
Quite a lot of time and events have passed between the two, and this man has
been blessed to preach on numerous occasions between now and then. What does
this tell us? What are we to learn from this delayed change of name? One of the
things that we see so often today is the idea or mindset that, "Well, I have
repented and given myself to Christ, and now everyone should just get over
everything I have done in the past." It has been my experience that this mindset
generally shows someone that is not fully desirous of following Christ, but
those that walk in humility and meekness, expecting nothing, are those that are
desirous to change their course and do differently than they have before.
However, it does take time for certain identifiers to melt away, especially if
the previous label was a correct one.
It would have been wrong for Saul to come among the churches and say, "I have
changed and you have to receive me." Indeed, his change is one of the most
marked ever shown on record, but it still took some immediate revelation of the
Lord for the brethren to receive him (like Ananias). Yet, even still, they had
to be wary of him somewhat if for no other reason than the concern for their
lives and the lives of their families. Should this man be playing a trick of
deception, they would all be in jeopardy, but observing his manner and way of
life, the church sees Paul instead of Saul. As he progresses and time goes one,
it becomes more and more apparent that this man feels small and little and is
not looking to his own desires. Eventually, the people in general no longer
think of Saul, but they see Paul. Our lives should show changes from wrong to
right, bad to good, and repentance unto life. Yet, we cannot expect the stigma
of the old way to immediately dissolve. Can the brethren forgive and receive us?
Absolutely! They did with Paul. Does the stigma go immediately go away? No, nor
should we expect it to.
As much as this man laboured, he was for a great while still known, especially
in a worldly sense, as Saul. We may rectify our course, but still be known as
what we were before. Patience, longsuffering, diligence, and time will remove
that identifier and show forth the sincerity of our conduct. May we repent of
all the desire of our old man, and follow in the steps of those that were little
in their own sight. At the end of Paul's steps here, he was known as our
"beloved brother Paul." (II Peter 3:15) Even though he still carried the
knowledge and understanding of what he had done before, he had the comfort of
knowing that not only had the Lord put away his sins but that he was known and
identified in his life as a small and little follower of the Lamb rather than a
murdering reprobate fulfilling all his desire.
In Hope,
Bro Philip |