2022_02_14 Insight Post- Kim Feld
This week’s reading- Acts 13-14
In Acts 13, we read about Saul being called Paul for the first time. It is often mistakenly believed that Jesus changed Saul’s name during Saul’s dramatic Damascus Road experience, but that’s not the case. During their exchange, Jesus referred to him as Saul, and Ananias was told to look for a man named Saul (See Acts 9). It was not uncommon for people of that time to have two names; in Saul’s case, Saul was his Hebrew name, and Paul was his Roman name. But how did he become known as Paul, and why?
Acts 13:9 says, “Then Saul, who was also called Paul….” From that point on, Saul is referred to as Paul. Luke doesn’t give us more than that, but it seems that Saul himself made this decision. When we think of the calling that Jesus gave Saul to spread the gospel to the Gentiles, it makes sense. It appears that Saul chose to use a name that was more common to the Gentiles he would be evangelizing.
I Corinthians 9 gives us a picture of Saul’s approach to spreading the good news about Jesus:
19“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”
Nothing in Saul’s life was more important than the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knew that context was a valuable tool in bringing others to a saving faith in Christ. Because of that, he met people where they were. He “became all things to all people” to introduce them to the God who saves.
In John 17, Jesus didn’t pray that God would remove us from the world; He prayed that we would be one in Him and unified with each other. Our unity is meant to show the world the love of God exhibited in Christ. It begins with prioritizing our relationship with Jesus.
16“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world” (1 John 4:16-17, NLT).
Saul chose to “live like Jesus here in this world” and didn’t allow anything to be a stumbling block for others to meet Jesus. How are you living like Jesus in your world today?
Kim Feld
Executive Director of Education and Outreach