We often spend much time attempting to get ourselves into a better position or thinking about getting ourselves into a better position. Don’t we? We work out and try to eat better so we are in a healthier position. We see a financial advisor to help us figure out how we can get in a better financial position for retirement. We bring flowers home or do extra chores around the house to get into a better relational position. We will even take on more projects at work and speak up more often at meetings to get in a better occupational position.
Sometimes we carry the same mentality into our relationship with God. We will try to offset bad works with good works as Christians for greater favor with God or we somehow convince ourselves that the behind-the-scenes service opportunities are less important to the function of the church of God. The church understands that salvation is not works based, but we often embrace a works-based mentality for greater favor with God. Church, you and I could never work enough to gain greater favor with God! God gives His grace freely and it is accessible by faith (Rom. 5:2)! We give our service for Christ with good works out of love for Jesus, not out of guilt or to be better than others or to be seen by others. Healthy spiritual service grows in correlation to the growth of our relationship with Jesus. We must stop trying to work our way into heaven or trying to work our way into a better position before God. Let’s consider one who behaved horribly toward God and the church to see this truth in action.
Hostility towards God (8:3; 9:1-2)
Explanation: Paul aggressively pursues an agenda that opposes the truth of the gospel…that is against the earthly ministry of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. In Jerusalem, Paul is being thorough! Look at Acts 8:3.
“As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.”
He is going into every house, dragging men & women off to prison. The Bible’s description of these scenes is that Saul “made havoc in the church.” This word translated “havoc” is from a Greek word that means “maltreat, outrage.” The KJV and NKJV translates this Greek word with the word “havoc.” The ESV and NASB translates this Greek word as “ravaging the church.” The Bible paints a vivid scene as it uses a Greek word that we translate in English with “havoc” or “ravaging.” This is a scene of outrage.
The rest of Acts 8 addresses some of what takes place as the Christians are scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. We specifically read of Philip’s preaching and discipleship ministry; however, the story of Saul is continued in Acts 9.
Acts 8 describes Saul’s initial actions after the martyrdom of Stephen, but he doesn’t stop there. Saul believes that his arrest and abuse of the Christians is a worthy mission! Look at Acts 9:1.
Saul is a very intimidating person!
Vines Expository dictionary states that the phrase “threatenings and slaughter” were so to speak, the elements from which he drew his breath. This isn’t a superficial pursuit…this comes straight from Saul’s heart!
Carl Geary died from a heart attack as he campaigned for the small country town. Despite his sudden death he still polled over three times as many votes as his rival in the election in Tracy City, Tennessee.
His widow, Susan Geary, was not surprised by the election results.
“The day he passed away, people were calling with condolences and saying, ‘We’re still voting for him,’” she said.
Geary was known for telling the truth and served on the city council. He received 285 votes to his rival’s 85 (Source: Telegraph.co.uk, 4/16/2010).
There is always a powerful reaction to truth!
Saul was convinced he pursued the right, perhaps even religious, path. The problem Saul had was the “lack of truth.” Saul was diligently pursuing a lie (that Jesus was not the Messiah).
Saul is utterly convinced as a student of the Old Testament, as a Pharisee, and as a student of Gamliel -- that the Christians needed to be stopped. So, he goes to the high priest for the necessary paperwork to go to Damascus to arrest more Christians! Saul was one of the religious leaders’ key men! Remember the religious leaders’ position on Jesus and the concern of His followers?
Mark 3:6 – Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath and they immediately “took counsel…how they might destroy him.”
Matthew 26:3-5 – The chief priests, the scribes, and elders of the people all gathered together at the palace of the High Priest (Caiaphas’ home) “and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty and kill him.”
Saul clearly embraced the philosophy of the religious leaders of the day! He would have received no arguments from the high priest for official papers to continue his journey to the places these Christians had scattered.
On December 7, 1941, a surprise attack on the USA shores at Pearl Harbor was executed. The imperial Japanese Naval Air Service attacked just before 8 AM that day. The USA military suffered 3,400 causalities, of which 2, 300 died. This enemy’s attack cut deeply that day. The truth is an enemy’s attack usually does cut deeply.
Hear this…We were all the enemies of God before we accepted Christ as our Savior! Hear these scriptures!
Isaiah 59:2 -- “your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you,”
Eccl. 7:20 – “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not”
Rom. 3:23 – “For all have sinned and come short the glory of God.”
Rom. 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so, death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Rom. 5:19 – “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
Rom. 8:7-8 – “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
We too, like Saul, were bent on the destruction of God’s way. We were at “enmity against God.” To further understand the Greek word for “enmity,” we can clearly state that we had hostility and hatred towards God – and with this knowledge, He died for our sin! THIS is the clarity of how much God loves us all!
7 Ways God Shows His Love for Us:
1. He chose us before the foundation of the worlds were formed (Eph. 1:4).
2. He adopted us as His own children when we received His gift (Eph. 1:5).
3. He accepted us (Eph. 1:6).
4. He bought us back from slavery to sin by shedding His own blood (Eph. 1:7).
5. He forgave us of our sin (Eph. 1:7).
6. He gave us an abundant inheritance (Eph. 1:11).
7. He made all this possible by dying for us all. God loves extravagantly. God loves when we are not lovable. (Jn. 3:16; I Jn. 2:2; Rom. 5:8)
No matter what you have done, Jesus loves you!
The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation; and yet Christ offered him the gift of God, and he took it. He threw him a passport and took him with Him into Paradise. (Source: Day By Day With D. L. Moody, D. L. Moody)
Saul would never be able to do enough to make up for all he had done to others! The good news is that Jesus had already done all he needed. May we stop trying to work our way into heaven or into a better position before God! God offers relationship with Him just as we are! Good works do not make better relationship with God. However, good works will always overflow from good relationship with God.