Acts 9:22. Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.
Acts 17:1-3. When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days, he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said.
Acts 18:5. When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ.
Saul, also called Paul, was once a proud Pharisee with an impressive religious background. As he described himself: “Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Philippians 3:5). He was convinced he was serving God by destroying the followers of Jesus.
But everything changed on the road to Damascus. On his way to arrest believers, a light from heaven flashed around him, and he fell to the ground. There, he heard the voice of Jesus—the very one he was persecuting (Acts 9:1–5). That moment marked the end of his old life and the beginning of a new one. A man once filled with hatred and spiritual blindness encountered the Eternal Light, and his entire life took a dramatic turn.
God called Paul to be His instrument to proclaim the name of Jesus to the Gentiles, their kings, and the people of Israel (Acts 9:15). From then on, Paul counted his past credentials as loss. His only aim was to finish the race and complete the task Jesus had given him—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace (Acts 20:24).
After meeting Jesus, the True King, Paul witnessed the kingdom of God come everywhere he went. His eyes were opened to the true battle. He exposed the deception of “the god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4), the masquerading “angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14), and “the ruler of the kingdom of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). He equipped believers to stand firm against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:10–17). By the power of the gospel, Paul delivered many from the grip of the devil (Acts 13:4–12; 16:16–18; 19:11). He lived in the peace of his True King, knowing that Satan would soon be crushed under his feet (Romans 16:20).
After meeting Jesus, the True Priest, Paul experienced complete freedom from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). He understood that his righteousness was not based on his works, but on the mercy of the One who became sin for him so that he might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He called himself the worst of sinners and marveled at the grace of his True Priest (1 Timothy 1:15).
He grasped the power of Christ’s blood, which brought eternal redemption. Jesus entered the Most Holy Place not with the blood of animals, but with His own blood (Hebrews 9:12). Paul knew the battle with sin was real—he struggled just like we do (Romans 7:14–24). Yet he always found rest in the truth that in Christ, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
After meeting Jesus, the True Prophet, Paul declared himself a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). He left behind the background of hell and lived a new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). He tasted the kingdom of God every day—righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Because his True Prophet opened the new and living way to God, he approached the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).
Paul became Christ’s ambassador, bringing the message of reconciliation to the world (2 Corinthians 5:18–20). He set his mind on things above (Colossians 3:2) and pressed on toward the heavenly prize (Philippians 3:14). His life’s mission was simple: “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). This was the gospel he explained, proved, proclaimed, and testified everywhere he went (Acts 9:22; 17:2–3; 18:5).
From Genesis to Revelation, Paul showed how all of Scripture pointed to Christ—the True King, the True Priest, and the True Prophet. He called this message “my gospel” (Romans 16:25) because it was no longer just a message—it had become his life.
When you, too, realize, believe, and confirm that Jesus is the Christ, the gospel will become your gospel. You won’t be able to stay silent. You will feel compelled to preach—not with mere words, but with power, with the Holy Spirit, and with deep conviction (1 Thessalonians 1:5). You’ll burn to tell the world what you have seen and heard. You’ll go to the ends of the earth to proclaim this message.
God is not looking for many—just a few who will give everything to proclaim that Jesus is the Christ. He is seeking a church that will lift up only this gospel until the day Christ returns.
Prayer. Father, open my eyes to fully realize, deeply believe, and boldly confirm the gospel that Jesus is the Christ. Make this gospel mine, and use me to stand as Christ’s witness to the ends of the earth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.